How should I reply to demographic questions on job applications?
Can these only harm me or are companies genuinely using these questions to build a more diverse staff?
Some of these questions seem discriminatory and are now becoming a requirement in some applications I have submitted (age range, college graduation year, sexual orientation, gender, etc.) and are fairly commonplace across multiple companies I have been applying to.
Even the voluntary ones leave me concerned. For example, how do I respond to the question of having a current disability or a past history of one? The list of disabilities I have seen on these forms ranges anywhere from migraine headaches and depression to hearing impairment and missing limbs. How truthful should I be? I feel likes it’s a trap.
I haven’t even touched upon ethnic background questions yet! I’m multiracial and am not sure what to even put as an answer. Most options listed as a race and background category negate each other or do not allow for choosing more than one option.
Any advice, especially from recruiters and hiring managers, would be helpful!
I think certain states have laws against asking for graduation dates on an application as it can lead to age discrimination. I know that most companies have these sections on applications and although they say they are optional, many won’t allow the application to go through unless you fill it out.
I work at a staffing agency. These questions are not supposed to be used for discrimination, but they can be. They can also go to the hiring manager and anyone with access to the ATS.
Even if those answers don't make it to the Hiring Manager, there's no avoiding some bias when it comes to names giving away ethnic backgrounds, unfortunately. That's what makes me a bit paranoid at times, especially as I'm sure there's bias, whether the person is aware or not, against "foreign"-sounding names, particularly in the editorial/publishing/writing industry... like because our last names are foreign, or even the full names, we must not be as good as writing or English, but I'm sure this happens in all industries... The sexual orientation one is an odd one. I don't think I've ever come across that question.
Thanks for all your helpful replies!
In terms of the age based questions, what do I select if they are required in order to submit the application? It’s a Catch 22.
While I’m currently in my late 30s, I do worry about agism in the future- especially as a woman.
I have a friend who is a labor lawyer. SHe knows her stuff. I am unexpectedly back on the market and so I've been asking her things. She has told me that the demo questions don't make it to the hiring manager (the answers I mean) and that they're for record keeping and stats for the organization and the DOL. This made me feel much better. I also had to decide whether to divulge my disability status (I am). I worried it would keep me from getting a job. She said the choice was up to me but that there was always the possibility that by answering no, when I do have a disability, may become grounds for termination if it's found to be inaccuraate. there's prob some wiggle room there, but her saying this along with her saying the info is not (certainly should not) be passed on to a hiring mgr led me to decide to disclose it. I'm going to hope that things like sexual orientation questions (WHAT?) are also for stats keeping reasons as opposed to rejection reasons. You might be most comfortable with the 'do not wish to answer' if you get that option. ps: Not a hiring manager, sorry
You might want the labor lawyer friend to clarify her answer.
I'm 98% certain that you cannot be fired for failing to disclose a disability - that is a huge HIPPA violation. What she likely means is that if your disability causes an issue on the job where you cannot perform the essential functions of the job, you can still be fired for that issue and are not protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
For example, I am Hard of Hearing. I don't have to tell my boss but if I work at a bakery and I keep letting the bread burn because I couldn't hear the alarm - I could be fired for failing to do my job and getting the bread before it burns. However, if I disclosed my hearing issue, he cannot fire me for having a disability but instead must make an accommodation to let me perform my job duty.
That being said, there are times when disclosing is a good thing. There are certain places that are required to hire a minimum number of persons with a disability. Or companies are looking for tax breaks that might come from hiring someone. A quick look at the company should hopefully reveal if they have govt contracts with such provisions or if they are disability friendly.
I work specifically in helping people with a disability in the workforce. Our default advice is you don't have to disclose upfront. Once you get in for an interview, you can mention it and also discuss how it will be addressed. Some disabilities are easier to hide than others.
You can disclose your disability at any point in time. It doesn't have to be right away. Some of our people only disclose after a change in the workplace or management causes their disability to become an issue.
If you have questions about that, you can always talk to your local Vocational Rehabilitation office too.
This is correct. There is a wall between who is making selection decisions and who can see aggregate data about these answers. They are aggregate because employers are attempting to see how they're doing with the candidate pool they are reaching. Candidate attributes are a different stat than employee population attributes. I usually think it is worth flaunting what you have in the way of diversity. Right on the resume. If the company is going to pass on your bc of that, then they've done you a favor bc you probably do not want to work there anyway. Sad but true. You would probably be unhappy or tokenized. If they are a place that celebrates and prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, then it could be an asset to your consideration.
It sounds like you are seeing illegal questions. You don't need to disclose a disability, only the reasonable accommodations you need to perform your job. And those only require disclosure later in the process. You do not need to disclose age or grad dates, only the degree itself (and that's only if you want to).
The race/ethnicity questions are legal but should be hidden from hiring team....they are statistical and should include a "prefer not to answer" option.
If a company is asking this many illegal questions, consider it a red flag.
This is patently UNTRUE.
These questions ARE legal. They are for reporting to the Dept. of Labor and for internal counts in case of audit. Most companies, when asking you to complete these questions will have a disclaimer telling you exactly what they do with the data.
Please don't tell anyone you're coaching this stuff - you're giving people incorrect and damaging information.
Mostly I quit answering them if possible. It's like the salary question; it can be used for or against you.
It's scary how discrimination is a factor despite them "not discriminating". How did we get here??
I also hate the ones that ask you to upload a pic of you!
They can find it on LinkedIn. Or Google.
Or they could be smart and bring you in and LISTEN to your ideas!! (Some employers aren't that smart ?)
agree. that's very unprofessional to ask for it and they can find it pretty easily anyway. Not a common or recommended practice. And I'm speaking from an employer pov.
Unless you're a model or actor that's definitely a no-go!