Job Placement - Inappropriate Interview Questions

In interviews occasionally you might get a question that is out of bounds. These types of questions can center on religion, marital status, ethnicity, sexual preference, etc. How you choose to handle a question like this may determine whether or not you are offered the job. Here are a couple of suggestions to keep in mind when considering an answer.
Stay calm. Don’t blow up the interview just because of one question. Stay focused and act like a professional. There may be non-discriminatory reasons an employer asks a specific question.
Consider the source. If the questioner is someone who may not normally interview candidates you may want to consider the possibility that they don’t know what they have asked is generally considered out of bounds. If it is a human resources professional asking the question, then you may want to take a harder look at if you want to work for this company.
Ask for clarification. This will give them the chance to expand on the question or explain why they are asking. For instance if they ask, “Do you speak Arabic at home?” they may not want to know your ethnic or religious background. With clarification you might find out that they are looking for someone to deal primarily with their Arabic speaking clients which would make the focus of the question about work place skill sets.
Stay on point If you feel comfortable answering the question, do so but then immediately pivot to what you can do for them. For instance, “ Yes I am married and I have to two kids and as a result I think I am more driven to succeed and willing to go the extra mile in any job in order to provide for them and I would like to bring that energy and passion to this job.”