22 Questions You Should Never Ask When Interviewing (and What to Ask Instead)
TJ Kastning
Interviewing can be a minefield, especially for hiring authorities in the construction industry where finding the right talent is critical to project success. However, the wrong questions—whether illegal, irrelevant, or poorly framed—can derail the process, create legal risks, and prevent you from truly assessing the candidate’s fit.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve compiled a list of 22 questions you should never ask during an interview, along with explanations and better alternatives.
Illegal or Discriminatory Questions
These questions can land you in legal hot water and should be avoided entirely.
- What is your age or birthdate?
- Why avoid: Age discrimination is illegal. Focus on skills, not the year they were born.
- Better alternative: None. This is irrelevant unless age is directly job-related (e.g., safety requirements).
- What is your religion?
- Why avoid: Religious beliefs have no bearing on job performance and are protected by law.
- Better alternative: Ask about availability instead, e.g., “Are you able to work the hours required for this role?”
- Are you married?
- Why avoid: Marital status is unrelated to a candidate’s ability to do the job and can lead to bias.
- Better alternative: None. Stick to job-related topics.
- Do you have children or plan to have them?
- Why avoid: Asking about family plans can suggest bias against caregivers or parents.
- Better alternative: “Can you meet the schedule or travel requirements for this position?”
- What is your nationality or citizenship?
- Why avoid: This can be discriminatory.
- Better alternative: “Are you authorized to work in this country?”
- Do you have a disability or health issues?
- Why avoid: The Americans with Disabilities Act protects against discrimination.
- Better alternative: “Can you perform the essential functions of this job with or without accommodations?”
- What is your sexual orientation or gender identity?
- Why avoid: Protected characteristics irrelevant to job performance.
- Better alternative: None. Avoid entirely.
- What is your political affiliation?
- Why avoid: Irrelevant and potentially divisive.
- Better alternative: None.
Irrelevant or Poorly Framed Questions
These questions may seem harmless but fail to provide meaningful insights.
- What do you know about our company?
- Why avoid: Feels like a “gotcha” question and doesn’t assess fit effectively.
- Better alternative: “What excites you about the opportunity to work with us?”
- Why should we hire you?
- Why avoid: Overused and puts the candidate on the defensive.
- Better alternative: “What specific skills or experiences make you a strong fit for this role?”
- What’s your biggest weakness?
- Why avoid: Leads to rehearsed or insincere answers.
- Better alternative: “What skill are you currently working to improve, and how?”
- What would your previous boss say about you?
- Why avoid: Difficult for candidates to answer honestly and adds little value.
- Better alternative: Directly assess skills or check references for insights.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Why avoid: Penalizes those who value adaptability over rigid career plans.
- Better alternative: “What are you looking to achieve in your next role?”
Inappropriate or Unprofessional Questions
These cross the line into overly personal or intrusive territory.
- What is your social media handle or can I add you on social media?
- Why avoid: Intrusive and irrelevant unless the role involves social media management.
- Better alternative: None.
- How much debt do you have?
- Why avoid: Financial matters are private and unrelated to job performance.
- Better alternative: None.
- What do you do in your free time?
- Why avoid: Can unintentionally invite bias based on hobbies or lifestyle.
- Better alternative: Focus on job-relevant questions, e.g., “What motivates you in your work?”
- Do you get along with your coworkers?
- Why avoid: Vague and unstructured; doesn’t yield actionable insights.
- Better alternative: “Can you share an example of how you’ve worked through a disagreement with a teammate?”
- Are you willing to work overtime without additional pay?
- Why avoid: Raises ethical and compliance issues, especially in industries with labor laws.
- Better alternative: “Are you open to working overtime if required, following company policy?”
Leading or Biased Questions
These questions put words in the candidate’s mouth or invite bias.
- We need someone who works well under pressure; would you describe yourself as that?
- Why avoid: Leads the candidate to a predictable response.
- Better alternative: “Can you share an example of how you handled a high-pressure situation?”
- Do you think you’re a cultural fit here?
- Why avoid: Too subjective and encourages bias.
- Better alternative: “How do your values align with our company’s mission?”
Questions That Waste Time
These don’t help assess a candidate’s ability to succeed in the role.
- If you were a tree, what kind would you be?
- Why avoid: Unprofessional and unlikely to yield meaningful insights.
- Better alternative: None.
- What’s your favorite movie/song?
- Why avoid: Irrelevant to job performance and risks making the process feel trivial.
- Better alternative: Stick to questions about work habits, skills, or goals.
The Bottom Line
As a construction hiring authority, you know how crucial it is to select the right team members to keep your projects on track. Avoiding these questions not only keeps you compliant with employment laws but also ensures your interviews are focused, professional, and effective.
By focusing on job-relevant, thoughtfully framed questions, you’ll gain deeper insights into candidates’ skills and suitability—setting the foundation for better hiring decisions and a stronger team.
What are your go-to interview questions? Share them in the comments below!
