[Closed] Reasonable interview question?

Quite reasonable, I'd have thought.  The fact you were working for Cambridge Analytica to get Trump elected needn't affect your future job chances.

Any reasonable question related to your motivation to get the role is fair game to me.

Whilst that question may not be related to the job directly, I'd be curious as to the reasons for the migration. They might have positions in the US that you're eligible for etc...

Wasn't me, was a candidate I interviewed who responded with "I don't think you're allowed to ask me that" - I said he could feel free not to answer it but he went on to anyway. Not really a big deal, but it made me wonder if it was true or not - in my mind it was a reasonable question.

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Don't think I'd say anything like that in an interview unless it was something I was certain they weren't allowed to ask me!  </span>

Yep, I think it's reasonable. Why wouldn't you be "allowed" to ask?

I supposes it depends on their answer?

Coming back because they hate sunshine and applying for a night shift in Abberdeen, fair enough.

Coming back because they're on the TSA No Fly list and it's becoming a PITA getting a lift on comercial shipping, relevant.

Coming back to care for an elderly relative, dunno if you're allowed to hold that against them if it implies they're only looking for a short term role?

Coming back for a sex change on the NHS, you've probably landed yourself in hot water if you hold that against them!

I think possibly it was because the answer was related to him having children, as they primarily moved back for family support/schooling. And fair enough, you're not allowed to ask about kids etc, but I wasn't to know that was the reason!

I believe you can if you asked everyone the same questions as if you didn't and they dispute an unsuccessful interview outcome can use it as a likely discrimination preventing them getting role.

Hope that makes sense?

Hope that makes sense?

Needs punctuation 🙂

I believe you can if you asked everyone the same questions as if you didn’t and they dispute an unsuccessful interview outcome can use it as a likely discrimination preventing them getting role.

I believe that's the standard advice given in the 'idiots guide to interviewing' to most line managers by their HR teams but isn't actually accurate just a nice catch all to stop the stupidest gaffs. Clearly in this case asking the other 5 or whatever candidates why they had moved back from the states when the furthest they had been from home was Skegness on a day trip would be pretty silly. Also, most interesting responses come from the follow up questions you ask after having listened to the response to the standard question and obviously they will all be different.

I think it was a reasonable question and could easily been answered and shut down by 'family reasons'. It would seem a perfectly natural question to ask when going through a work history.

I'm kind of hoping he's not going to get the job. A bit tetchy and self entitled is not a great place to start. It was not a blatant no no question so making a thing about it does mark you out as a potential throbber.

But if only one person is moving back to the UK you can't really ask everyone being interviewed the question...?

If the person being interviewed responds that way to a question like that but proceeds to answer it anyway it would throw up a red flag for me, I already work with enough people that spend more effort avoiding doing work or hiding behind the letter of a process than actually doing it

I'd take it purely as something to talk about type of question. Like if I put mountain biking as a hobby, and get asked what I like about mountain biking. Would be odd to kick up a stink saying they can't ask about that. Unless my mountain biking involves some clandestine stuff... actually thinking about it... 😀

Maybe just add, "out of interest, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to..."

Surprisingly, he didn't get the role in the end!

Seems fair to me. I mean, it's better than "were you deported?"

It's a fair question imo but you've also got to accept minimal answers- "family reasons" frinstance.

A bit tetchy and self entitled is not a great place to start.

If the post was for a big hitter on here he sounds perfect.

There are a number of "protected" subjects that you aren't allowed to ask about, largely to avoid discrimination cases.  Things like sexual orientation or whether you have kids.  (If you really want I'll dig out a list, there's about a dozen.)

So, arguably if the answer involved family members then you could be on shaky ground, though there's nothing to stop him from saying "personal reasons" and leaving it at that.

If nothing else though, it seems short-sighted of him not to expect that question and have a stock answer prepared.

I explained in my interview why I was looking to move back to the uk. It's entirely reasonable and important if you are looking for a long term employee. If they hadn't thought of a decent answer/excuse  then it tells you more

I have to try really hard not to be flippant when interviewing or being interviewed. I've always wanted to respond to that classic lazy interviewer question "List 3 weaknesses you have" with "I'm lazy, stupid and dishonest", love to see how they would react.

I once did  whole day of interviewing, the last candidate was about 23 and dripping with arrogance, in the pre-interview questionnaire had rated  himself 5, meaning world-class expert, in every field except "thought leadership, where he'd rated himself 4. My opening question was "Why are you so poor at thought leadership?". Bad interview technique I admit but really, what a nob.

Dafuq is ‘thought leadership’?

I’ve always wanted to respond to that classic lazy interviewer question “List 3 weaknesses you have” with “I’m lazy, stupid and dishonest”, love to see how they would react.

I actually like this question, simply because people can give you some really ill-conceived answers.  Years ago I interviewed someone who when asked about his biggest weakness replied, "I have anger management issues, the reason I'm looking for work is because I got sacked for punching out my boss."

I always wanted to answer it with "a lack of inclination to google smart answers to stock interview questions" but never quite had the courage.

There are a number of “protected” subjects that you aren’t allowed to ask about...,.,, So, arguably if the answer involved family members then you could be on shaky ground,

Not really. The answer to virtually [i]any[/i] question [i]could[/i] involve family members, or other “protected” subjects.

Q: Why do you think you would be a good fit for this role?

A: Because my two girlfriends and nine adopted children are always telling me in an amazing juggler. And my gay partner George has been teaching me to ride a unicycle.

Just because the answer to a perfectly innocent question involves a “protected” subject that you couldn’t predict, doesn’t mean you can’t still ask the question.

United Airlines Airbus A380

Just because the answer to a perfectly innocent question involves a “protected” subject that you couldn’t predict, doesn’t mean you can’t still ask the question.

True.  I had this argument in a recruitment training course a couple of weeks ago (which is how I knew about it) and never really got a satisfactory answer.  If people volunteer unrelated information that you couldn't reasonably expect then there's not a lot you can do about that.  But if you're asking leading questions in the hope that they let something slip then you could be running into problems.

Yes, perfectly reasonable to ask about motivations behind the job and location moves as they are ofter intertwined.

Also, perfectly reasonable not to go into specific details if they start to infringe on your personal life. However, being militantly silent about your private life,  whilst theoretically fine, can come across as evasive and difficult. You don't need to tell them your innermost feelings, but give them something as "none of your business" doesn't come across well.

Just go for the "I enjoyed the challenge and experience of working abroad hugely as it was something I always wanted to do, and now I've accomplished that I want to continue m<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">y career back home in the UK". Box ticked, probs make a joke about the beer/weather/tea as appropriate, and move on. </span>

Moving job motivation questions are all about spotting red flags and moving back to the UK after 5 years seems very reasonable to most people. My last job in UK was Head of Internal Recruitment for what that's worth.

Was asked that when I moved back to the UK from the US and never thought it was a strange question. Strange concern really

I've done quite a lot of interviews this year (as the interviewee, ~30 in the first 3-3.5 months), I'm pretty sure that during the process for every company each asked me during at least 1 interview (they generally did 3 or 4) why I wanted to move to Manchester or why I wanted to work remotely. If you're looking for a long term employee then I think that it's quite important to understand their motivations.

There's surely an element of "you've travelled a bit, if we give you a job and invest in you, are you going to piss off again in six months?"

what brought you back to the UK?

I don’t think you’re allowed to ask me that

Gives you an insight to how future interactions are going to go!

I don’t think your allowed to ask me that.

Am I allowed to tell you to **** off?

Nothing wrong with the question.  His answer is an immediate fail for me

Totally reasonable question

I had one unreasonable question way back after uni when applying for a job at the Salmon and Trout Association (run by and for the landed gentry type).

They asked me "what my father did?".

I assume that this was to work out what my social background was. I answered the question straight but felt p*ssed off by the attitude!