Having worked with hundreds of companies and thousands of job seekers over the years, I know firsthand the importance of matching job candidates with positions and companies that not only fit their skills, but also provide a strong work style and cultural fit. The most successful matches allow employees to thrive in an environment that fits their natural strengths.

While I’m encouraged to see more companies emphasize “fit” during the hiring process, some of the methods companies are using to determine a match are at best ineffective — and at worst illegal.

I’ve previously discussed the value of using written assessments in the hiring process, so I’m going to focus here on what companies can do to optimize their interview questions in assessing a strong match.

It may be counter intuitive, but generally companies find themselves in trouble when they are less direct with their interview questions.

For example, let’s assume your company has a culture of “work hard, play hard.” The seemingly innocent concern of whether a prospective new hire will fit into your firm’s hard-charging but fun-loving culture may result in a hiring manager asking a candidate whether they have young children. While they’re simply trying to determine the candidate’s availability to mix with co-workers after hours, they’ve unintentionally stumbled into a category that is legally protected from being asked during the hiring process.

If the hiring manager instead asks, “Our office tends to work long hours, so once or twice a week we like to go out after work and unwind — would that be something you would enjoy doing?”, they would likely gain the information they were seeking. Sure, some candidates may be dishonest just to get the job, but you’re more apt to get an informed response with a direct question than by simply asking if the candidate has young children.

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