Don't Answer This Question on a Job Interview

Experts on career guidance and hiring say answering one particular question in a job interview is a no-win situation for the applicant. If it comes up, they actually recommend you politely decline to answer.

Arizona State University senior Gabriela Johnson says the question came up in one of her interviews: "In a previous job, has there been a company policy you disagreed with?" Brian Gagan calls it "a dangerous question". Gagan is a partner at

"This is filled with a lot of pitfalls," said Karen Lamb, Assistant Director of ASU Career Services. "Any way you answer it you're going to look like a renegade." According to Lamb, the "rule of thumb" for any interview question is to find a way to turn a negative into a positive. But she told 12 News, "It would be difficult to have any amount of honesty here and not get yourself in a difficult situation."

Lamb advised Johnson, "Never say anything negative about your former employer, even if they were Attila the Hun...because it's going to reflect negatively on you." Lamb added, "I think if you're criticizing any (company) policy, no matter how valid (the criticism is)...you're going to look bad. I would almost step away from this question." Politely decline to answer the question and emphasize that you would always follow company policies.