Recruiter here: def illegal to ask this before making you an offer. Also illegal to ask about citizenship before making the offer.

Companies hire external recruiters to ask questions like this.

The external recruiter then decides what resumes to forward

To be honest last few external recruiters I felt with are only against straight white males over 50. They use external recruiters to bring in diversity and younger rising stars

It’s not illegal to ask the question. It’s illegal to discriminate based on the answer so most employers won’t ask it so the person can’t come back and sue them.

Anonymous wrote:What the heck, there are a lot of dummies on this thread. Of course a headhunter can ask you literally whatever they want. They're not hiring you.

And you may be one of them.

Anonymous wrote:How many kids I had, and how old were they?
It’s an illegal question that recruiters in companies and hiring managers avoid. Can an exec recruiter ask this?
I answered truthfully btw (I didn’t know how to handle it?!)

They can ask and you don't have to answer. It's that simple.

What the heck, there are a lot of dummies on this thread. Of course a headhunter can ask you literally whatever they want. They're not hiring you.

The headhunter is not hiring that person so they can ask whatever they want...just like I will now...how many kids do you have?

You can of course try not to be friendly with the headhunter if you want...

Anonymous wrote:I don't think they're allowed to ask you that op. I wouldn't lie but I would ask "why do you ask?" and call them out on their bs.

+1 the headhunter does not need to "make conversation" on this topic

I don't think they're allowed to ask you that op. I wouldn't lie but I would ask "why do you ask?" and call them out on their bs.

Idk, but if someone is screening out candidates based on having children then I’d rather be truthful and get screened out because it would be hell to work at a place like that.

The question is not illegal. It would be illegal to discriminate based on the information, so most employers don't ask it, to avoid potential issues. If this is a headhunter not tied to an employer, it's a bit of a grey area. Could have just been making small talk.

My headhunter once told me about his engagement story, sometimes people just want to talk and establish a connection.
If you are not comfortable just lie, who cares.

Not going to go into legalities but it is also used to calculate relocation expenses

I'd say childless or adult children.

How many kids I had, and how old were they?
It’s an illegal question that recruiters in companies and hiring managers avoid. Can an exec recruiter ask this?
I answered truthfully btw (I didn’t know how to handle it?!)