Posted on Feb 19, 2014
Deployment Possibility Question During Job-interview?
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During a recent Civilian Job-interview, the manager asked me if it was possible for me to be deployed again? As an Army Reserve Soldier, there is ALWAYS a possibility for deployment at any-time, just as any male between the age of 18 and 60 who signed-up for selective service can be drafted. This question is similar to asking any female between the age of 18 and 48 if there is a possibility they could get pregnant and have to be provided a maternity leave of absence.
This has come-up at almost every job-interview. Please provide your
view-point or experience. Thank you, MAJ G.
This has come-up at almost every job-interview. Please provide your
view-point or experience. Thank you, MAJ G.
Reserves
Army National Guard
Air National Guard
Army Reserve
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 28
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It is likely illegal. (I say likely because it turns out that employment laws, including the USERRA, have tons of shades of gray in them, depending on exact wording, who volunteered what first, what the intent was, and whether there is a tape recording or other corroborating evidence....)
That said, my answer would be something along the lines of "I can never tell what our elected officials will do, but I don't expect to be required to deploy anywhere anytime soon, other than for my two weeks in the summer."
Speaking as someone who hires, it is probably a losing proposition (unless you want to be a test case and prove a point - I never want to be a test case) to argue about whether or not the interviewer CAN ask you a question that they already have. At that point, you really have two viable lines of attack:
1. How to respond?
and
2. Do I want the job if they ask this kind of question?
or
3. Go ahead and lawyer up. 'Cuz I can guarantee they won't say "my bad" and hire you. I refer back to #2. I don't want to work there.
It is disheartening to hear all the testimonials of people who see Reserve service as a detriment. When I see it (or prior AC service) on a resume, I will often end up interviewing a candidate, even if they are otherwise marginal.
NOTE: The above was meant as practical advice to a person who is asked prohibited or "questionable" questions during an interview. It does not condone employers violating the law - just acknowledging that they very well might and focusing on the bits that the interviewee can control.
That said, my answer would be something along the lines of "I can never tell what our elected officials will do, but I don't expect to be required to deploy anywhere anytime soon, other than for my two weeks in the summer."
Speaking as someone who hires, it is probably a losing proposition (unless you want to be a test case and prove a point - I never want to be a test case) to argue about whether or not the interviewer CAN ask you a question that they already have. At that point, you really have two viable lines of attack:
1. How to respond?
and
2. Do I want the job if they ask this kind of question?
or
3. Go ahead and lawyer up. 'Cuz I can guarantee they won't say "my bad" and hire you. I refer back to #2. I don't want to work there.
It is disheartening to hear all the testimonials of people who see Reserve service as a detriment. When I see it (or prior AC service) on a resume, I will often end up interviewing a candidate, even if they are otherwise marginal.
NOTE: The above was meant as practical advice to a person who is asked prohibited or "questionable" questions during an interview. It does not condone employers violating the law - just acknowledging that they very well might and focusing on the bits that the interviewee can control.
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I have taken ARNG off of my Linked-In page.
I now have two different resumes. One with ARNG and one without. I research a company on linked in prior to applying. If it looks like they are military friendly, I send them the ARNG one, if not, than the opposite.
ARNG has come up in interviews and I can tell that it is an issue for the employer (and I get the business reasons behind it even though it is illegal)
I do feel a bit like I am lying if I do not have ARNG on my resume, but since it is illegal for them to use that fact in consideration of my employment, I get over it pretty quickly.
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It may not be legal for them to ask but if I was an employer I would not want to hire someone who could be called away for a year with no notice.
Tell them why it's not likely. "If the country is still at war in 5 or 6 years"
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It may be illegal for the employer to ask that but it leads one to believe that many employers will discriminate against Reservists and not even try to hire them to begin with at the company.
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Major, I'm in the same situation. So far nobody has been quite that direct with me, but they all tap dance around the issue fishing without actually speaking the question out loud. Their intent is clear though.
I do believe that there is a significant bias against those of us who serve in the reserve particularly in light of recent history. I applied for a senior leadership position at a local law enforcement agency after returning from my last mobilization. I was told that I did very well by the review panel, but was not offered the job. A week later the job was advertised again with very carefully worded language which precluded anybody with recent military experience from qualifying.
It's frustrating because I like you have much experience, training, education to offer anybody who would hire me if they could just get beyond the fact that I MIGHT be recalled to active duty at some undetermined time in the future.
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1SG Michael Minton
if you are asked, you have to play it down like there is almost no chance of it. wars winding down, they are downsizing the military, they will most likely send active duty and guard before they would call up reserves, especially if it is inactive reserve. if your inactive reserve, tell him he has just as much chance of being called up to deploy. you got to play it down.
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I did an interview for a job last year and this topic came up indirectly because I am ANG, and had it on my resume but the question was never directly asked.
Interesting thing was the day after the interview I was called up for training and I contacted the company I said I was withdrawing my resume for consideration. I was then called the next day by the hiring manager and was told that once my training was completed I would have a job if I was still interested. I was shocked, he told me he had done ten years in the army guard pre- and post 9/11 and preferred when reservists were honest about deployments and the such, because it told him that the member would honest with the company in regards to activation's and deployments. He then told me about 15% of the workforce were guard/reserve and that most would let the company know within days of orders to allow the company plan for it.
Oh, when I completed my orders I went to work for that company.
I think it is a fine line to work, as to if you should talk in detail about your reserve/guard service vs they having to ask directly(illegal as discussed, but you can't un-ask a question.) Because your response may very well get you the job or sink all chances depending on the interviewer or the mentality of the company. Some companies love reserve/guard because they don't have to pay to keep 8570 certs current or flight training up. Other companies dredd losing people for 2-6 months every 18months because they effectively have to replace them and still have to hold a job for them.
Interesting thing was the day after the interview I was called up for training and I contacted the company I said I was withdrawing my resume for consideration. I was then called the next day by the hiring manager and was told that once my training was completed I would have a job if I was still interested. I was shocked, he told me he had done ten years in the army guard pre- and post 9/11 and preferred when reservists were honest about deployments and the such, because it told him that the member would honest with the company in regards to activation's and deployments. He then told me about 15% of the workforce were guard/reserve and that most would let the company know within days of orders to allow the company plan for it.
Oh, when I completed my orders I went to work for that company.
I think it is a fine line to work, as to if you should talk in detail about your reserve/guard service vs they having to ask directly(illegal as discussed, but you can't un-ask a question.) Because your response may very well get you the job or sink all chances depending on the interviewer or the mentality of the company. Some companies love reserve/guard because they don't have to pay to keep 8570 certs current or flight training up. Other companies dredd losing people for 2-6 months every 18months because they effectively have to replace them and still have to hold a job for them.
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Companies generally know if they support vets or not. So asking if you could be deployed is usually a questioned asked out of ignorance; or to cover themselves when HR or their manager asks them about the hire. Generally if you are more qualified you should get the job. I have had instances
where it was counted against me that I am in the Reserves and that is unfortunate.
where it was counted against me that I am in the Reserves and that is unfortunate.
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I didn't know anything about that question being illegal as several people are saying around here. I got asked that at my job interview. He was a vet, I'm a vet, we swapped war stories, I got hired.
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"I could deploy, but the military is weird like that. They don't give me much notice."
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