8 Illegal Interview Questions You Should Never Answer

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Among the questions an interviewee has a right not to answer is: How old are you?
Among the questions an interviewee has a right not to answer is: How old are you? (Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo)

During job interviews, you must choose your answers carefully. If you divulge too much personal information, you stand the chance of not getting the job. But what if the interviewer asks a personal or an "illegal" interview question? For example, if an interviewer asks whether you are married or have children, it's considered an illegal question.

You have the right to not answer those questions, but you may seem uncooperative. In today's security-conscious business world, it's hard to know which interview questions are illegal.

Here's a short list of illegal interview questions -- published by USA Today -- to prepare you for your interview. But first, a quick note: This applies to civilian job interviews only. What's considered illegal or legal is different for a federal and government job.

Illegal: Are you a U.S. citizen? Where were you or your parents born?

Legal: Are you authorized to work in the United States? What other languages do you speak? This question is OK as long as it relates to the job for which you are interviewing.

Illegal: How old are you? When is your birthday?

Legal: Are you over 18 years of age? Again, this question is considered legal if it relates to the job.

Illegal: What's your marital status? With whom do you live? Do you plan to have a family? How many kids do you have? Do you have child-care arrangements?

Legal: Travel is an important part of the job. Would you be willing to travel as needed?

Illegal: Do you belong to any clubs? What are your affiliations?

Legal: Do you belong to any professional trade organizations that you consider relevant to your ability to perform this job?

Illegal: How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Legal: Are you able to lift a 50-pound weight and carry it more than 100 yards for this job?

Illegal: Do you have any disabilities? Have you had any recent or past illnesses or operations? If so, please list the dates of these operations.

Legal: Are you able to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations?

Illegal: Have you ever been arrested?

Legal: Have you ever been convicted of a crime? The crime in question should be related to the performance of the job in question.

Illegal: If you've been in the military, were you honorably discharged?

Legal: What type of training or education did you receive in the military?

Note: If you answer an illegal interview question, respond briefly and then redirect the conversation to another topic.

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