Can I ask why I wasn’t chosen for a job interview?
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Can I ask why I wasn’t chosen for a job interview?
I recently applied for a job and was not selected for an interview, even though my credentials matched and sometimes excelled their requirements. Can I inquire why I was not selected for an interview? Can I also inquire how many applicants were chosen for an interview and what their credentials were or the the credentials of the person selected? Can I hire a lawyer to look into who was hired, their relation to the staff? I suspect I am not getting an interview because I do not have a personal connection with anyone on staff.
Asked on August 12, 2011 Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
1) You can *ask* for the information you want, but they company is under no obligation whatsoever to supply it--and I would be very surprised if they did.
2) IF you sue the company, you could then use the mechanism of "discovery" to find the information you want. However, a weak case will cost you money but go nowhere--and a frivilous or unjustified case could theoretically result in you being liable to the company.
3) There is no law whatsoever against favoring people who have personal connections to existing employeess--it is 100% legal and even very common. (That's why networking is important.)
4) An employer can choose to not hire anyone simply because they don't like them or like someone else better, regardless of qualifications. Only if the hiring decision is based on one of a limited number of protected categories--e.g. on race, religion, sex, disability, or age over 40--is the decision improper or illegal.
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