'It's a private matter':Job candidate refuses to answer interviewer's questions, claiming they are too personal, interviewer tells him to leave

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Mar 6, 2025 10:00 AM EST

Performing well in a job interview these days has almost nothing to do with the job you're applying for. It's a skill, a kind of performance that you need to perfect in order to impress the person in front of you, and convince them you'll be a good fit for the job, but most importantly for the company,

Since this stage in the job search has become more of a script than an actual conversation, it is also not that hard to anticipate what type of questions you are going to be asked. The internet is filled with all the popular questions interviewers love to ask, and all the best responses you should give them. If you prepare yourself, there is not much that can catch you off guard.

Except questions like those the interviewer asked the job candidate in the story below, who was not only caught off guard by them, but was actually quite offended. There was no reason for the interviewer to dig into the candidate's personal life the way that she did, and he had no problem telling her that.

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  • "What does your father do for a living?" UCATION
    via 89Stocker

  • "Had an Interview, Got Rejected Just Because I Didn’t Answer a Personal Question"

    So, I recently had a frustrating interview experience at a manufacturing company. I got an invitation after passing the initial selection, so I
    via MICKY5789
  • thought, "Okay, let's give this a shot." I was told to be there by 9 AM. Arrived 30 minutes early, just to be safe. But guess
    via MICKY5789
  • what? The interview didn't start on time. I sat there waiting for a whole hour until they finally called me in at 10 AM. No explanation, no apology. Just waiting.
    via MICKY5789
  • Once inside, the HR lady asked me to sit down-then proceeded to make two phone calls in front of me before actually starting the interview. Not exactly a great first impression.
    via MICKY5789
  • Then she started asking questions in a very r de tone: HR: "What's your nickname?" Me: "Mick, ma'am." HR: "But your name is Micky?!" (said in a belittling way).
    via MICKY5789
  • Then she asked, "What does your father do for a living?" Me: "My father works at a private electronics company." HR: "Where exactly does he work?"
    via MICKY5789
  • At this point, I started feeling uncomfortable. This is personal information and completely irrelevant to the job I was applying for. So I politely said, "I'm sorry
    via MICKY5789
  • ma'am, but I'd rather not answer that. It's a private matter." Her response? "Then we can't continue this interview."
    via MICKY5789
  • I was honestly shocked. But instead of arguing, I just stood up and said, "Alright then." And walked out. I left feeling ped. Not only did they waste an hour of my
    via MICKY5789
  • time, but the HR rep was also ride, unprofessional, and condescending. No apology for the delay, playing on her phone during the interview, and then basically
    via MICKY5789
  • threatening to end the interview just because I wouldn't give details about my father's workplace. I don't regret leaving, but man….. I hope I never run into an HR rep like that again.
    via MICKY5789

  • Surely we've all had a few bad experiences in a job interview. Whether it was because we messed up, the interviewer messed up, or simply because the job was not what you expected, it happens, and we learn to move on.

    It genuinely seems like Mick dodged a bullet, and we hope he won't let this one experience affect his performance in job interviews to come.

  • Cheezburger Image 10476164352
    via vchal
  • fenriq An hour late and made two calls while you are waiting? Yeah, f that. That interviewer is a power tripping a h le.
    via fenriq
  • Senior_Lime2346 I'm going to make a wild suggestion. It is ok to walk out on an interview if people are more than a half hour late with no explanation or
    via Senior_Lime2346
  • communication. Set the tone that you are not desperate and won't tolerate disrespect. Unless of course you are desperate...
    via Senior_Lime2346
  • Pelle_Johansen Why the h I does his father's job matter to anything..I have never heard of a question like that
    via Pelle_Johansen
  • pacork Rate them in Glassdoor
    via pacork
  • Ginger_Libra I would find the CEO's email and let them know how unprofessional this person was. And light them up on Glassdoor.
    via Ginger_Libra
  • InitiativeOutside951 That means that you are over qualified. They want someone that doesn't know what their rights are. Business is business, friends are friends.
    via InitiativeOutside951
  • Quiet Lad Next time say: "How is the answer to your question relevant? Does the business sponsor a Take-Your- Parent to Work Day?"
    via Quiet__Lad
  • tokyo_girl_jin you forgot to add, "yeah i agree this wouldn't be a good fit. i prefer working with professionals."
    via tokyo_girl_jin
  • spudd3rs Why do they ask questions like that? I've been applying for jobs recently and some company's ask how much my parent were earning when I was 14?, and do I consider myself working class? How is that relevant to a facilities manager role?
    via spudd3rs
  • MICKY5789 OP I don't really understand it myself, and to be honest I've only just experienced it, HR at the company I worked at previously didn't ask about this. Maybe want to see whether the candidate's background comes from a poor family or sandwich genes, if so it could be a weapon to intimidate the candidate into compliance.
    via MICKY5789

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