In a world where tech interviews have become increasingly standardized — with structured rounds, calibrated assessments, and templated feedback — one woman was left stunned when her final round at a mid-sized software company took a jaw-dropping turn. The HR director, seemingly wrapping things up after a smooth round of interviews for a senior developer role, tossed out one final question: “Could you tell me if you're planning to have children in the next few years?”
Taken aback, the candidate asked her to repeat it, hoping she had misheard. But instead of backtracking, the HR doubled down, justifying the question as important for “team planning purposes.” The candidate, maintaining composure, politely responded that she wasn’t comfortable answering a question that was both inappropriate and illegal in most hiring contexts. What had been a promising interview suddenly turned ice-cold.
Sharing her experience online, the developer wondered if she should escalate the matter or simply move on. But the internet had its own reaction.
One user chimed in with their own story of reporting a similar incident, which unfortunately went nowhere, and recommended leaving a detailed review on the company’s Glassdoor page instead. Another, recalling a nearly identical question decades ago in Canada, noted that it was illegal even back then.
The most alarming part, many agreed, was that the question came from the HR director, someone whose job is to prevent this kind of violation, not commit it. “That the HUMAN RESOURCES director asked you this is all the more concerning,” one person noted, urging the candidate to view this as a serious red flag, no matter how attractive the salary offer.
Some from the HR field, however, encouraged reporting the incident. “Please, please report it to the company,” wrote one HR leader, emphasising that without feedback, internal teams can’t correct such behaviours, especially if the interviewer was inexperienced or undertrained.
Ultimately, the consensus was loud and clear: red flags like these don’t get smaller with time. If the culture allows (or worse, teaches) questions like this during hiring, it’s likely a reflection of deeper problems within the organisation. And no paycheck is worth stepping into a work environment that starts with crossed boundaries.
Taken aback, the candidate asked her to repeat it, hoping she had misheard. But instead of backtracking, the HR doubled down, justifying the question as important for “team planning purposes.” The candidate, maintaining composure, politely responded that she wasn’t comfortable answering a question that was both inappropriate and illegal in most hiring contexts. What had been a promising interview suddenly turned ice-cold.
Sharing her experience online, the developer wondered if she should escalate the matter or simply move on. But the internet had its own reaction.
One user chimed in with their own story of reporting a similar incident, which unfortunately went nowhere, and recommended leaving a detailed review on the company’s Glassdoor page instead. Another, recalling a nearly identical question decades ago in Canada, noted that it was illegal even back then.
The most alarming part, many agreed, was that the question came from the HR director, someone whose job is to prevent this kind of violation, not commit it. “That the HUMAN RESOURCES director asked you this is all the more concerning,” one person noted, urging the candidate to view this as a serious red flag, no matter how attractive the salary offer.
Some from the HR field, however, encouraged reporting the incident. “Please, please report it to the company,” wrote one HR leader, emphasising that without feedback, internal teams can’t correct such behaviours, especially if the interviewer was inexperienced or undertrained.
Ultimately, the consensus was loud and clear: red flags like these don’t get smaller with time. If the culture allows (or worse, teaches) questions like this during hiring, it’s likely a reflection of deeper problems within the organisation. And no paycheck is worth stepping into a work environment that starts with crossed boundaries.
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