Woman Gets Asked By Hiring Manager If She's Single And 'Happy' In Her Relationship During A Phone Interview
The hiring manger didn't seem to pick up on her obvious discomfort.
fizkes / Shutterstock A woman was subjected to some rather inappropriate and invasive questions during a job interview, highlighting the stark reality that many women experience in the workplace.
In a TikTok, content creator Paula Placido filmed a portion of her girlfriend's bizarre phone interview, during which she was asked questions that had nothing to do with the role she had applied for.
She was asked if she was single and 'happy' in her relationship during the phone interview.
During the call, Placido's girlfriend asked the hiring manager if he had any questions for her. Instead of asking the usual questions, like how she would handle workplace conflict or her greatest strength and weakness, he decided to get personal.
"Are you single?" he brazenly asked. Keeping her composure, she simply answered that she wasn't and slumped down as if annoyed by the question. The hiring manager didn't stop there and proceeded to ask if she was "happy with that decision."
"Yes, I am," she replied. "I'm very happy."
The hiring manager then decided to talk about his own experience, telling her that if she wanted him to elaborate (which she clearly didn't), then he was "definitely single" and was searching for "Mrs. Right."
Placido panned the camera back to her face, visibly trying to hold in her laughter as a random man attempted to flirt with her girlfriend during what was supposed to be a professional interview.
Unfortunately, this uncomfortable scenario happens to women far too often. According to a report from The Muse and RecruitmentMarketing.com, about 42% of women surveyed said they’ve encountered gender-biased or inappropriate questions during a job interview, and 41% said they’ve felt discriminated against during a job interview due to gender.
Women experience gender discrimination and harassment much more frequently than men.
According to the Pew Research Center, 42% of working women in the United States say they have faced discrimination on the job because of their gender. They report a broad array of personal experiences, ranging from earning less than their male counterparts for doing the same job to being passed over for important assignments.
Men rarely have to worry about being harassed at work or asked inappropriate questions about their relationship status during a job interview. In fact, many men have no idea just how bad it is for women in the workplace.
A study conducted by Stanford Biodesign found that 90% of respondents worked in a company where a majority of senior leaders were men. Of the men who responded to the survey, 80% believed their workplace "empowers women to reach their full potential," while only 36% of female respondents agreed.
Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock
It's so disheartening and frustrating that women have to face these obstacles and hurdles in their professional lives simply because of their gender and men's inability to control their own behavior.
Rarely do men recognize just how deeply ingrained misogyny and sexism are in the various systems and institutions that exist in this country and around the world. Men should be stepping up and advocating for women, especially since the systems in place were built by them.
They should know better than to make women feel uncomfortable during phone interviews and around the office. They should be able to demonstrate professionalism and respect, especially when they automatically assume that it should be given to them. Instead, women are forced to pay the price time and time again, and frankly, we're exhausted.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.