Top 10 Questions & Requests You Should Never Ask a Recruiter

Recruiters communicate weekly with HR professionals, and in my case, law firm administrators, when submitting resumes and coordinating interview schedules. One of the most difficult aspects of being a recruiter, (and at times entertaining) is having to educate -- or gently remind -- hiring managers about questions they are not allowed to ask us prior to scheduling an interview with a candidate who has piqued their interest.

Top 10 Questions and Requests You Should Never Ask from a Recruiter:

1. "How old would you say she/he is?" (awkward silence)
2. "Ok, well, can you tell me which age bracket they would fall into?" (even longer pause of silence)
3. "That's a strange last name, where were they born?"
4. "Do you know if they have small children?"
5. "Are they married?"
6. "You wouldn't happen to know if they were Catholic, would you?"
7. "How much longer until this person retires?"
   
8. "Please only send me 'skirts' to fill this position."
9. "Have they ever been arrested?"
10. "Don't send me anyone overweight."

What do these all have in common? They're illegal to ask and most fall under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Please help a recruiter out by not asking any of the above questions! Help us to adhere to federal labor and employment laws and keep integrity in the staffing world.

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