Five prevalent themes inthe discussion
| Theme | Supporting quote |
|---|---|
| 1. Interviewers often cross legal/ethical lines by probing personal or protected‑status information | “Not sure why this is downvoted.” – nomel “These questions aren’t allowed in the company I work for … they open up for employment discrimination lawsuits.” – nicebou |
| 2. “Culture‑fit” questions that ask about hobbies, life outside work, or personal trauma are frequently inappropriate and can mask bias | “That question would not be received well in many places. What candidates do in their private time is none of your business.” – nicbou |
| 3. Expectation to fabricate or “play the game” with behavioral answers is common, and many interviewers admit the process is a charade | “There is no place for honesty in a behavioral interview. No one is going to check your story.” – ryandrake |
| 4. Interviewers frequently lack proper training, leading to nonsensical or abusive questioning | “If I was Lawful Evil, I could probably make a career out of just suing companies for discriminatory hiring practices.” – ryandrake |
| 5. Candidates should recognise red‑flag interviews and exit when they feel unsafe or manipulated | “If you go into an interview that leaves you feeling the least bit helpless or at someone's mercy then run screaming.” – talkingtab |
All quotations are reproduced verbatim, with HTML entities corrected, and attributed using double‑quoted text and the author’s username.