Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

While applying for a job several questions are asked pertaining to personal information of the employee. This data is then considered while selecting or rejecting any candidate. In this essay we shall discuss the relevance of this information and also why this information is not useful. Personal information is an important aspect of an employee’s curriculum vitae. It acts as a base for hiring a candidate as an employee should be aware of the interests and hobbies of its staff. Setting up a team of employees sharing similar interests strengthens the bond which indirectly enhances the performance. For example, team activities are conducted in a company to make people familiar with each other and build a team bond which helps them win a competition. Similarly, people sharing common habits perform better as they have similar opinions and judgements which helps them come to a conclusion smoothly. On the other hand, many believe that personal data should not be a criterion for hiring or rejecting a candidate. One should be hired based on the skill set to perform the job and not his marital status. Such information can be a source of demotivation for many and can even result in low self-esteem. For instance, many companies have started eliminating such information from their forms given to a candidate while interviewing. In my opinion, it is important for a company to know personal likes and dislikes of a candidate in advance. This data is extremely important while judging if a candidate would be able to adjust in the existing environment or not also, what extra help he/she would need if hired so that they don’t feel left out. Thus, all the information regarding a candidate holds importance to the company.