Of the 10 questions you're not allowed to ask during a job interview ("Do you plan to have kids?" "Do you smoke or use alcohol?") I was quite surprised at #7:
Do you observe Yom Kippur?
Really? Yom Kippur made the top ten? I'm stunned. Why would that ever come up?!? And why Yom Kippur? I mean, if you're going down the Jewish angle, is Yom Kippur really the first holiday to come to mind? How many non-Jews out there have even heard of Yom Kippur, much less had the burning desire to bring it up during a job interview.
I want to hear stories, any stories at all, where Yom Kippur came up in a job interview, and you weren't looking for a job as a rabbi or other employment at a Jewish synagogue.
Mind you, I'm not making a religious issue here. I just thought this was flat out hilarious. It's as if there are now thousands of recruiters out there muttering, "Damn! Now I have to cross that Yom Kippur question off my list."
This is a GREAT post. If you hadn't nailed it so succinctly I'd have yoinked the idea and re-appropriated it for The Jay (with the requisite Mel Gibson jokes, of course).
Solid stuff as always, Craig!
Posted by: The Jay | October 26, 2007 at 12:43 PM
I think the point is that you're not supposed to ask the applicant's religion. Whoever compiled this list, chose a Jewish reference, but they probably could have picked on any religion. Easter, Ramadan, Dwali, etc.
Posted by: Brad | October 27, 2007 at 12:22 AM
Yeah... I get that. But my point is: why would they use Yom Kippur to make that point? It's completely random!
Instead of just asking the religion question right out (as they did in their other examples of birthplace, being pregnant, smoking, etc.) they went and picked a random Jewish holiday.
I do understand why you can't ask this question. But you have to admit this is funny.
Posted by: Craig Beilinson | October 27, 2007 at 10:28 AM