Singapore jobseeker exits online interview after being grilled about her family: ‘I told her I wasn’t interested in the job’

SINGAPORE: Even in a brutal job market where opportunities are scarce, one jobseeker didn’t hesitate to hit “exit” on an online interview after being bombarded with nosy, way-too-personal questions.

The jobseeker said the interview started “alright,” 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 “business advisor” for the IT company, suddenly switched gears and started digging into her family life.

“The interviewer asked me to speak and describe my family. I did talk about family, gave some brief details, and the follow-up questions were, ‘Are your parents working? Do you need to support your parents financially?’”

Confused and a bit uncomfortable, she asked the interviewer how these questions had anything to do with the account manager role she was applying for.

“I asked the interviewer what the relevance was to the job scope, and she said, ‘I need to know my team well before hiring,’” the jobseeker wrote.

“After 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’t interested in the job and left the call.”

Job interviews should be conducted fairly

In Singapore, employers are required to conduct interviews fairly and refrain from asking any questions related to the candidate’s 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.

Raj 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, “I’d prefer to focus on my qualifications for this role. Can I tell you more about my relevant experience?”

He also emphasises that candidates are not obligated to answer these questions because “these questions elicit information that should play no role in hiring.”

If 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).

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