I am now retired, and before that I was on sickness benefits for several years, due to depression.

Part of that depression was due to rejection in the job market.

I was in my late 50s and at several interviews the above question was used in a disguised way as an excuse for age discrimination. The legislation had only been in a couple of years at that point.

As the Job Centre had been involved in arranging some of the interviews I complained to them and said that I had not been given a fair chance. They were not interested in going back to the employer and pointing out that the questions asked were bordering on illegal.

I was well used much earlier in my career to being repeatedly asked about my parenting intentions before such questions were illegal, but rejection based purely on age was something new and very upsetting.

I am absolutely certain it is still going on, particularly in some industries like IT – which was what I did.

One version of the question that I was asked by a national sporting body was ‘The average age in our office is very young, do you think you will fit in’. My answer indicated that I would be there to do a job, not to gossip about TV, Facebook or my favourite music.

Yes, obviously I would have tried to get on with my colleagues in the office and I would consider myself to have a young outlook but surely I shouldn’t be rejected because I wouldn’t be seeing them outside work on a social basis?

Whether this question should be asked depends very much on the intention of the questioner.

My experience tells me that there are basically four questions that can’t be asked but need to be answered. Will the candidate be successful in the position? Will the candidate fit into the culture? Will the organization be a comfortable home for the candidate? And one last but overriding question: Does the candidate want to have a good job or do a good job?

If your questions lead to these answers they will be useful, whether new and surprising or old and trite.

Now allow me to improve your organization and put you on the leading edge of technology 😉