Workplace conversation often feels like a minefield. On one hand, you want to be friendly and build rapport with your colleagues and managers. However, some seemingly innocent questions are not innocent at all. They are, in fact, HR traps. In reality, these questions allow people to gather information about you that is illegal to ask about in an interview. This information can consequently lead to unconscious bias or even outright discrimination. While the person asking might just be making small talk, your answer can unfortunately put you at a disadvantage. Therefore, you need to learn how to spot and deflect these “polite” questions to protect your career. Here are eight of the most common ones.
