No-go questions
You are wise to be on your guard. These kind of questions are all on the edge of being out of bounds. They pressure you for an answer when whatever response you give is going to work against you - like are you fat, or are you thin?
CHOCOLATE CAKE is your defence against questions that get to near the bone. Smile, answer politely, and make it obvious you're not going to shoot yourself in the foot.
Be aware too, that there are certain questions interviewers cannot ask because they are prohibited by law. Any question on these subjects is totally illegal:
- your racial background
- your birth or maiden names
- your mode of address: Ms, Miss or Mrs.
- your marital status
- anything about your family or children
- your spouse’s occupation
- your birthplace and cultural background
- your religious beliefs
- your political preference and affiliations
If you're asked one of course, you can't ignore it. But don't get flustered or hot under the collar, you are still in an interview situation and MUST keep yourself under control. Just possibly the interviewer is not fully familiar with procedure - often the case when a departmental head asks the questions instead of a professional from HR.
Be polite, but signal your concern. "Excuse me, but what does my family life have to do with this interview?"