Politics during Interviews
If you are looking for a job in a political field, political questions are standard. Otherwise, job seekers should avoid talking politics during job interviews. However, sometimes the interviewer will bring politics into the interview anyway. It could be to test your reactions to awkward situations. It could even be toavoid hiringpeople with certain political views.
Can you claim discrimination?
Political questions are not banned interview questions in the United States. It is perfectly legal to discriminate against a potential employee on the basis of political views or activities, except in theDistrict of ColumbiaandNew York, which give some protection against this form of discrimination through state law. However, your interests will be best served by figuring out why the interviewer has brought politics into the interview in the first place.
How to deal with political questions
Unless the interviewer has an agenda, your best response to a political interview question is to dodge it politely, using an answer similar to the samples in the next section. If you say it as a shared joke, it will do a lot to discourage further questions along that line.
However, if the interviewer does have an agenda, you aren't going to get off so lightly. One way or another, the interviewer is going to want to know your political views, and may well decide whether to hire you at all based on those views.
In this case, you have a couple of options. You can be completely upfront and honest, and take the chance that the employer really does want honesty and not just someone like him. As long as you hold a mainstream political opinion, your odds are probably close to 50:50 that your views match those of the interviewer.
Alternately, you can try to flip the question back on your employer without him noticing, so that you can figure out where he stands. Once you know that, you can probably find a couple of points you have in common with his position. You can also try to identify the concerns underlying the political question, and then address those concerns rather than the actual question.
Some polite ways to deflect political questions
"What do you think about politics/the political situation?"
Answer 1: "Well, I haven't really been following it during my job search."Answer 2: "Oh, I haven't really been following it, so I don't have an informed opinon."Answer 3: "Well, I can't say I am a fan of politics."
Nearly everyone will agree with one or the other of these answers to some extent. However, there are certain situations in which you should not use them.
Avoid these answers if you are interviewing for a higher management position, an international position, or any position where you are expected to have an overview of the business and still stay in touch with the work environment. These situations could require a more detailed answer, which you may be able to anticipate by using answers to the next question. You will have to judge for yourself how politically neutral these answers should be in your specific situation.
Avoid Answer #3 whenever the question asks about a specific party or person. These will make your answer look like commentary about that party or person rather than a general comment.
"What do you think about Person X/Party X?"
Answer: Identify a positive but politically-neutral asset. Some examples:* "He loves his dogs."* "He has an impressive amount of education."* "I learned last month that he has signed his organ donation card."
Plan ahead for this one. Try to find at least one positive but politically-neutral thing you can respect in each of the high-level political candidates and each of the major parties. Does the person like animals? Is he educated? If you feel comfortable enough, you can even state your opinion that Person X or Party Y is likely to stay ahead in the polls or primaries, but say it without sounding like you are either happy or upset about it.
The important thing here is to avoid saying anything which sounds as though it could be an opening to political debate. Political debate during the job interview is exactly what you are trying to avoid. Phrase your answer as a closed statement, so that it does not offer openings for further debate.
"How would you solve political issue X?"
Answer: "I will vote for the right party." (Say it with a smile, without specifying.)
Avoid this answer during job interviews for positions where you will be part of the team trying to deal with or analyze these political issues. In these interviews, you should have a substantive answer to the question which fits well with the position for which you are interviewing.
Body language
Be particularly careful of yourbody languagewhen you are answering a politically charged question. Avoid defensive mannerisms or any form of aggressive body language which signals a counterattack. Keep your eye contact steady, without turning it into a challenge.
