By touche :/ - 07/07/2013 21:27 - Canada - Hamilton

Today, I went to a big job interview. Eventually, the guy subtly enquired about my political beliefs. He seemed pretty laid-back and cool, so I told him, at which point he just chuckled and told me to leave. When I threatened to report him, he just said, "Who're they gonna believe, you or me?" FML
I agree, your life sucks 46 762
You deserved it 8 240

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Would you really want to work for someone who cannot accept other peoples beliefs anyway?

Complain anyway. That's just not ******* cool. If he did it to you, he'll have done it to other people.

Comments

Would you really want to work for someone who cannot accept other peoples beliefs anyway?

Hell no, and OP should still report him. If the interviewer does this enough and upsets enough people, it should come back to haunt him. (Sorry just saw #3 posted the same thing! It's a good point though!)

cmb8280 24

#1 It was Politics, not Religion and #2 I don't think he would have chuckled and said, "Who are they gonna believe, me or you?" That's not a response you give after asking a legit interview question

#39, beliefs are beliefs and if an interviewer, jokingly or not, disrespects someone else because of any sort of belief (assuming it is irrelevant to the company, and even then, he shouldn't be disrespectful) then it's still a valid issue.

that's actually an "illegal question" you have the right to refuse to answer questions like that.

Politics in Canada are an absolute joke anyways. I know more about American politics and I'm Canadian. They act like a bunch of children. Pies? Really??

No belief is worthy of respect unless it is supportable by facts and evidence. Lots of people believe lots of crazy stuff... whether it's a belief that passenger jets spread mind-control chemicals in their condensation trails, or that a Jewish zombie watches everyone from the sky and loves you but sends you to a pit of eternal torture if you don't love him back, there's plenty of crazy to go around. That said, some beliefs can't be used as hiring criteria in Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunals pretty much always believe the complainant so it's worth making a complaint if you genuinely believe you were wronged.

I'm not sure that political orientation is a protected belief in Canada, either.

TheDrifter 23

Now I wanna know what he said that got him laughed out of an interview. Perhaps he's a green party supporter who applied for an energy company (green supporters are known to vandalize and protest at energy sites), or a marijuana party supporter applying for a security or law enforcement job? There could have been a real good laugh in the details OP left out.

NagainaFier 16

Um, 84, actually, I (and many other people I've met) believe that while you don't HAVE to agree with my view on 'x', you damn well better respect that it is my view. The world would be a better place if people just agreed to disagree.

Ydi for being a liberal. I would have told you peace out as well. Your what's wrong with this country

Nobody has to respect anyone's views. It is the unqualified respect for stupid beliefs that causes the bulk of the anguish in the world. If your beliefs can't stand up to disrespect then they're not worth much, all other concerns aside. All beliefs are simply not equally worthy of respect. If you think otherwise, you are logically, ethically, intellectually wrong. It's a safe bet you don't respect all beliefs either, whether you disrespect conspiracy theorists, flat earthers, other people's cultish religious beliefs or what have you. While I respect your right to believe whatever crazy crap you want in a free society, I cannot, will not and have a DUTY to not respect the crazy crap just because you believe it.

^And THIS is why he doesn't have any friends. :P

98, that's not how it works at all. Change does not happen by agreeing to disagree. I can't STAND people who can't grasp the concept that debate and controversy is necessary to fixing social issues. I would never respect racist, homophobic, or likewise "beliefs" simply because everyone is entitled to their opinion. I respect their right to HAVE an opinion, but that opinion does not need to be respected if it is undeserving of such.

101: You have a duty to uphold the law, which this guy was breaking with this form of disrespect.

I certainly don't count many crazy people among my friends...

84- the difference between the former and the latter examples of "crazy beliefs" is that the former can be disproven and the latter cannot.. As such they are not equivalent in any way, shape, or form

Complain anyway. That's just not ******* cool. If he did it to you, he'll have done it to other people.

I agree, I know when I was in a similar situation after I had already been hired, and was being discriminated against for my place of origin, I was petrified of filing a complaint against my manager, yet after doing it found out i was one of 7 to have reported it. He was later fired for misconduct :)

Exactly #3! He was just saying that OP to try and intimidate you, so you wouldn't report it. I would send a letter to HR and copy your local Better Business Bureau. Also, let HR know that you're copying BBB by putting it just above the subject line. They're more likely to cooperate if you do.

sammyjanette 17

I would start recording my interviews just in case this happens. I wonder how many times this has happened with no punishment?

Depending on your location, recording people without their consent can be a pretty significant crime. I'm not saying don't record people, I'm just saying make sure you're in a single party consent location before you do so.

sammyjanette 17

Luckily in my state you're allowed to do that.

It's times like this where people are too judgmental due to your beliefs, religious, political or otherwise, that makes me hate most of the human race.

Wowxoxo 17

The same beliefs which separate out-groups are also the ones which make in-groups stronger.. Unfortunately you hate social forces which are innate not only to every human but to the animal kingdom as a whole (insert irrelevant sources here) :D

Wowxoxo 17

However, I reread your comment and you used the magic word "too", so you do have a point.. There's always an extreme

Report him anyway OP. What's the worst that could happen?

Report him anyway OP. What's the worst that could happen?

Even not as a political science major politics get personal

MissWhitneyB 17

Report him and keep looking. You can find a way better job with a boss thats not an asshole.

kollkrazykandy 5

Seriously how does he/she deserve this

xStaciexLynnx 15

I'm guessing people who said YDI think OP should've known to give a neutral answer.

At that point, OP, you should have said "I'm sorry, I don't believe you're allowed to ask me that". Nobody made you answer; and also, many people are "laid-back and cool" until they find out you believe differently than they do.

I agree op should of said that but have seen people not hired for refusing to answer. On a side note several states do allow you to record interviews with out stating your doing do for exactly this reason. Several also apply this to meetings with HR after your hired.

bamagrl410 31

Agreed. They're not supposed to ask you things like that, and a professional would know the proper answer is to politely decline to speak on that topic. YDI for falling into the trap.