This asks for evidence that you have actually practiced fair hiring behavior under pressure, not just memorized the policy. Philippine shared services and BPO environments often place junior recruiters between a requesting manager and HR policy.
Use the STAR format to show a specific instance. Focus on the action you took to reject the unfair criterion, and end with a result that protected the applicant and maintained compliance.
Start by anchoring your answer in the job's actual requirements, not the personal trait. Say plainly that appearance, marital status, or similar characteristics are not valid predictors of performance, and that Philippine labor law and most company codes of conduct explicitly prohibit using them as screening filters. Frame your action as a clarification rather than a confrontation, which is crucial in a Filipino workplace where direct pushback can feel disrespectful. Explain that you asked the supervisor or colleague to walk you through the specific competencies the role demands, then gently pointed out how the requested trait did not map to any of those competencies. If the request persisted, state that you escalated the matter to HR or your own manager, framing it as a compliance concern rather than a personal accusation. Emphasize that you kept the process transparent and documented your reasoning, so the decision remained defensible. Close by noting the outcome, such as the candidate being assessed on merit and either hired fairly or rejected on legitimate grounds, and mention that the requesting party eventually understood the rationale. This shows you can protect applicants while maintaining working relationships.
A weak answer is 'Nag-sorry po ako at sinunod ko na lang yung request kasi natakot ako.' Over-apologizing and then complying is the exact risk. Instead say, 'I clarified the required competencies, explained the non-discrimination policy, and escalated to HR when the request continued.'
Situation
In my on-the-job training as a recruitment intern at a retail company, a store supervisor asked me to reject an applicant for a sales associate role because she was married and might ask for family leave.
Task
I had to decide whether to quietly remove the applicant or raise the concern, and I needed to protect the applicant from an unlawful screening reason while preserving my working relationship with the supervisor.
Action
I asked the supervisor for the specific job competencies the role required, then showed that the applicant met all of them in her resume and initial interview. I explained that civil status should not be part of the decision and offered to note any scheduling preferences already discussed with the applicant. I also escalated the concern to the HR officer after the supervisor insisted once, following the company's non retaliation procedure.
Result
The applicant was not removed from the shortlist. HR then reminded the supervisor about the equal opportunity policy, and the applicant proceeded to the final interview. I received positive feedback from HR for handling the situation professionally.
Do not resolve a discriminatory screening request alone, involve HR and keep the focus on job competencies.
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