after being bombarded with nosy, way-too-personal questions.<\/span><\/p>\nThe jobseeker said the interview started \u201calright,\u201d with the usual polite greetings and small talk, nothing that raised any eyebrows, but before she knew it, things took a sharp turn. The interviewer, who claimed to be a \u201cbusiness advisor\u201d for the IT company, suddenly switched gears and started digging into her family life.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe interviewer asked me to speak and describe my family. I did talk about family, gave some brief details, and the follow-up questions were, \u2018Are your parents working? Do you need to support your parents financially?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nConfused and a bit uncomfortable, she asked the interviewer how these questions had anything to do with the account manager role she was applying for.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI asked the interviewer what the relevance was to the job scope, and she said, \u2018I need to know my team well before hiring,\u2019\u201d the jobseeker wrote.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAfter asking for the relevance and expressing to her that I was uncomfortable in answering, the next question was still family-related and personal. Told her I wasn\u2019t interested in the job and left the call.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nJob interviews should be conducted fairly<\/span><\/h2>\nIn Singapore, employers are required to conduct interviews fairly and refrain from asking any questions related to the candidate\u2019s age, nationality, gender, marital status, pregnancy, or caregiving duties. They are also not allowed to ask questions concerning race, religion, language, disability, or mental health during interviews.<\/span><\/p>\nRaj Joshua Thomas, managing partner at Tang Thomas LLC and a former nominated member of parliament, advises candidates that if they are faced with such discriminatory questions, they can redirect the conversation by saying, \u201cI\u2019d prefer to focus on my qualifications for this role. Can I tell you more about my relevant experience?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHe also emphasises that candidates are not obligated to answer these questions because \u201cthese questions elicit information that should play no role in hiring.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIf a candidate feels they have been treated unfairly in an interview, Thomas suggests that they consider filing a complaint with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) or reporting the matter to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).<\/span><\/p>\nRead also: <\/span>Daughter fears she may not be doing enough for her ageing parents, asks locals, \u2018How do you show appreciation to your parents as they get older?\u2019<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n