Vault: Is Harassment During Job Interviews More Common Than We Think?

Summary

The Bert Show – “Vault: Is Harassment During Job Interviews More Common Than We Think?”

Date: February 11, 2026
Summary by Podcast Summarizer

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show dives into the unsettling prevalence of sexual harassment during job interviews. The hosts explore whether such inappropriate and sometimes illegal behavior is more widespread than generally acknowledged. Drawing from a co-host’s anecdote, expert HR commentary, and a flood of listener experiences, the team uncovers the spectrum of harassment job applicants—especially women—face even before they’re hired.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Provocative Interview Question

• [01:02] Co-host 1 recounts a friend's recent interview, where a female manager unexpectedly asked:
  "What problems do you foresee working under a very attractive female supervisor?"
• The co-hosts dissect why such a question is problematic:
  • It assumes the candidate’s (a man’s) inability to work professionally with an attractive woman.
  • The phrasing presumes an issue, rather than neutrally exploring potential concerns.
  • Discussion arises about whether this would ever be asked of female candidates.

2. Legal and Ethical Boundaries

• [02:19] Lead Host:

  "It almost sounds like if we checked with that, that would be, if not inappropriate, illegal to ask a question like that."

• Conversation about discrimination and whether the question is unlawful or just distasteful.
• [03:21] Lead Host speculates if the question stems from previous problematic office dynamics.

3. HR Expert Weighs In

• [04:14] HR Expert Carlos (joined by phone) clarifies:
  • Not quite illegal, but “totally inappropriate...He could make the case for sexual harassment with the way the question was phrased.” (04:31)
  • The issue lies in gender-specific implications and assumptions about both candidate and supervisor.
  • Offers legal context: Filing claims is possible through the EEOC, but successful outcomes depend on proving a pattern or blatant behavior.
  • [06:11] Carlos:

    “You have to be very careful. Everybody has the right to sue. Doesn’t mean everybody’s right when they sue.”

4. Opening the Phone Lines: Real Stories

• A surge of listeners call in with disturbing accounts, emphasizing how widespread and normalized this misconduct can be.

Listener 1: Renee

• [07:30] Met for an “interview” at a restaurant instead of an office, served drinks, then:

  “I was basically taken outside, told that I was a very attractive woman and...they can’t really control their mouths and can I work around somebody like that? Because they can’t deal with another lawsuit.”

• The implication: the workplace is hostile, and the onus is on the candidate to tolerate harassment, not on the company to change.

Listener 2: Jennifer

• [08:58] The (much older) interviewer asks her on a date during the interview, then emails her late at night (“are you still hungry?”), using her contact info from the application.
• Commentary from the hosts on how some see interviews as opportunities for predatory behavior:

  “It’s just a way to meet people, you know. Oh, this is a great way to meet a date...have no intention of giving her the job.” (09:44 Co-host 2)

Listener 3: Melissa

• [10:08] Interviewer makes sexually explicit comments (“have you ever slept with a married man?”) while alone with her, even on the way to a drug test.

  “I actually been sexually harassed before I got the job...he was like, ‘have you ever slept with a married man out of nowhere?’” (10:08 Caller 3)

5. Workarounds and Safety Concerns

• Discussion surfaces about protective strategies—some women and men never meet alone with the opposite gender due to reputation and legal risks.
• The culture of “old boys’ clubs” is called out, where inappropriate behavior is normalized, and new hires are warned to tolerate it or not take the job.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:19] Lead Host:

  “It almost sounds like if we checked with that, that would be, if not inappropriate, illegal to ask a question like that.”

• [04:31] HR Expert Carlos:

  “That question, not quite illegal, but it's totally inappropriate... You could make the case for sexual harassment with the way the question was phrased.”

• [07:30] Caller 2 (Renee):

  “I was basically taken outside, told that I was a very attractive woman and...they can’t really control their mouths and can I work around somebody like that? Because they can’t deal with another lawsuit.”

• [08:58] Caller 1 (Jennifer):

  “I actually went to an interview and this guy was like, 50, and he asked me out on the actual interview.”

• [10:08] Caller 3 (Melissa):

  “...the guy that interviewed me actually said, well, you're very attractive...while we were on the way [to the drug test], he was like, have you ever slept with a married man out of nowhere?”

• [11:12] Lead Host:

  “That’d be sort of understandable.”
  (on why some women never meet male colleagues alone to avoid risk)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:02: Co-host recounts inappropriate interview question
• 02:19: Hosts debate legality and appropriateness
• 04:14: HR Expert Carlos analyzes the scenario
• 07:19: Listeners begin calling in with experiences
• 07:30: Renee’s account of blatant advance and lawsuit warning
• 08:58: Jennifer’s story about being propositioned and harassed after the interview
• 10:08: Melissa shares about interviewer’s explicit comments
• 11:12: Hosts discuss the professional self-protection measures people take

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Tone & Takeaways

The Bert Show maintains its signature conversational, candid, and sometimes darkly humorous tone—even as the topic turns serious and at times shocking. The show clearly condemns harassment, and both expert input and real-life accounts are used to spotlight how common and egregious sexual misconduct during interviews can be.

Key Takeaway:
Sexual harassment during job interviews is alarmingly prevalent, and those subjected to it often don’t take the job, but may not have the resources or knowledge to seek justice. Both awareness and proactive, company-wide change are sorely needed.

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For more information or to share your own story, visit thebertshow.com.

Transcript

[Radio Host]

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[Co-host 1]

So a friend of mine is up for a new job and, you know, tough job market. So he's been going on interview after interview after interview trying to find the, you know, the place he's gonna work and for somebody to hire him. And so he's going back for like, I think his third interview or second interview at this place. And so there's a fair amount of interest, right. So he's all into it and things are cool. And the supervisor who was interviewing him this time or manager was a female, but not the person that he would be working for. So the person who's doing the interview is a good looking female about his age. He says, right. And standard issue questions. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Casual conversation about what he could bring to the job. And then she springs this on him in the middle of the conversation. Now, would you have any opposition or do you. What pro. This is how she phrased it. What problems do you foresee working under a very attractive female supervisor?

[Co-host 2]

Hmm.

[Co-host 3]

Assuming he'd be so distracted he couldn't get his work done.

[Co-host 1]

I don't know. But that's the way she phrased the question. What problems do you foresee having? So it wasn't like, would you have a problem? It's like, well, what are your problems going to be?

[Co-host 2]

And that's just a weird question to ask in a job interview.

[Lead Host]

It almost sounds like if we checked with that, that would be, if not inappropriate, illegal to ask a question like that.

[Co-host 3]

Definitely.

[Co-host 1]

I don't think why would it be illegal?

[Lead Host]

Discrimination.

[Co-host 1]

But what is, what's the discrimination?

[Co-host 2]

Well, I mean, if he says he couldn't handle it, then would they ask a female applicant the same thing?

[Co-host 1]

That's. I mean, if they do.

[Co-host 2]

Because if they don't.

[Co-host 1]

Discrimination.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, but I was, I'm saying more than likely they probably wouldn't.

[Lead Host]

What was his answer?

[Co-host 1]

He just said, I. I gotta be honest, I don't foresee any problems.

[Lead Host]

First I try to have sex with her.

[Co-host 1]

Right. And if that didn't work, especially if she puts out, I think it's all good. I think that's what he said.

[Lead Host]

That does seem like a bizarre question.

[Co-host 1]

Uh huh. Totally random and not really. I didn't think it was discriminatory, but I was wondering like what they were efficient for or if people like if is it a question where they ask the question to see if like his instant response is a jokey haha, how attractive? You know, type of thing.

[Co-host 3]

I wonder. I mean, would they have asked a woman that same question?

[Lead Host]

It seems to me like that is a question based on some history. Not with this guy, but in the office. So like maybe the last guy, I don't know, for whatever reason, it wasn't so much that he was working for a woman, but a really attractive woman. He just wasn't himself or he came on to her or something. Because they're trying to obviously hire somebody that. That is the exact opposite of what they just had.

[Co-host 1]

But you can't. Like if that's the case then I don't think you can ask that question.

[Co-host 2]

I just think it's a bizarre question. Yeah. To ask it all.

[Co-host 1]

My thought is it was something because I bet I said cuz he doesn't know who his supervisor would be, cuz he doesn't know where he would be assigned or whatever yet. So my thing is I think they might have a couple other questions in there that he couldn't think of. But I think in the course of the interview they just throw a couple of random, fairly intense workplace scenarios at him to judge his response.

[Lead Host]

You know, when we built the Birch show entourage and we're always sort of building the Burchow entourage, like if you're an expert in a field, you just, you call us and then when we have a question about that field, we'll call on you, our HR guys on the phone.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

Yeah.

[Lead Host]

Good morning.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

Hi. This is Carlos.

[Lead Host]

Hey Carlos.

[Co-host 1]

Hey Carlos.

[Lead Host]

Where do you stand on this whole thing? Seems like a bizarre question.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

That question, not quite illegal, but it's totally Inappropriate? Yeah. He could make the case for sexual harassment with the way the question was phrased and what.

[Co-host 3]

Yeah, in what way?

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

Because he was saying attract the female. You know, they specifically, he's male, she's female. So they're actually implicating that, you know, either she's coming on to him or that he can't control himself. So it's totally inappropriate question.

[Lead Host]

You said something there that I just. You said something there that I found really interesting. And I wonder if we can get a call on this because you, you mentioned the word sexual harassment. I wonder if there's anybody listening that has been sexually harassed during the job interview. Like you haven't even taken the job yet.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

That's very common for people who make inappropriate remarks to extra dates or even. I've heard cases where they actually ask the person to put out on this.

[Lead Host]

On the job interview.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

Yes, I'm sure inappropriately. Yes. In the way they phrase that you can. Wasn't direct, but you can, you know, imply that. You know, I had one case where the. They said we wouldn't hire a female because we have all male people and we don't want any females in here at all because they would turn the man on. So yeah, there, that, that question I, you know, was totally inappropriate. Didn't need to be asked in that format at all.

[Lead Host]

Jesus, look at the phones. They just lit up with people that have been sexually harassed during the interview. So if you get sexually harassed during the interview, you never take the job. You can actually turn around and sue that company for sexual harassment even though you never worked for them.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

There's a fine line you've got to understand. You can file a suit, first of all on the eeo. You have to file a suit with the eeoc. Georgia, you would have to go to the federal. Georgia does not have a state EEOC. You file a claim with them. They have 179 days to make a determination. You can ask what's called for a waiver and go to your own attorney. Normally, if it's a one, unless it's totally blatant, you're hard. If you have two or more, then you have a good case for it. So the answer is yeah, you can file a claim or. But doesn't mean you're going to win or it'll have merit. You have to be very careful. Everybody has the right to sue. Doesn't mean everybody's right when they sue.

[Lead Host]

Sure. Well, thank you. Really appreciate you calling, Carlos. You're always very thorough.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

Okay, good luck. Bye.

[Co-host 1]

I Would love to make a living. I mean, if I was remotely physically attractive, just getting hit on at job interviews and suing people, that's what I would do for a living.

[Lead Host]

You're the hired sexual harassment gun.

[Co-host 1]

I would go in, wait, and, you know, wait for the people to hit on me because if I was, you know, I would make myself irresistible, and then they would come in and hit on me, and then I would turn around and sue them. Be like, ah, gotcha, Senator.

[Lead Host]

Phone lines are lit up with women that have been sexually harassed during the interview process. Didn't even get the job yet. Hey, Renee, you're on Q100.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

Hey, guys.

[Lead Host]

Good morning.

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

I was calling to let you guys know that I went to a job interview. It was basically, like, initially sad right off the start. We met at the Capitol Grill Club, not even in an interview room, and drinks were served. And I was basically taken outside, told that I was a very attractive woman and. And that they can't really control their mouths and can I work around somebody like that? Because they can't deal with another lawsuit.

[Co-host 2]

So they can't deal with another lawsuit.

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

Yeah, basically they were telling me that they've already been sued over a sexual harassed case by someone who worked for them and they couldn't deal with another one. So can I work with them? Basically making comments about me all the time.

[Lead Host]

So basically what they're saying is we got kind of this old boy network around and we make a lot of crass comments and we harass the women in the office. And I just want to let you know before you take the job what we're all about.

[Co-host 2]

I think it's him learning from the lawsuit. We want you to keep your mouth shut.

[Lead Host]

We're not going to change. So you guys, you're going to have to conform to our sexual harassing.

[Co-host 2]

Yes.

[Co-host 1]

I think it's pretty interesting they brought her outside.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah.

[Co-host 1]

Like, get her out of the environment.

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

So it's more drinks down a back stairwell while he could basically look me up and down and ask me these questions.

[Lead Host]

Thank you for calling.

[Co-host 3]

So did you take the job?

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

No way.

[Co-host 2]

I'm afraid of her answer, though.

[Lead Host]

I needed the money. Hey, Jennifer, you're on Q100.

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

Hey.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

I actually went to an interview and this guy was like, 50, and he asked me out on the actual interview. And I kind of, you know, made a subtle comment and I was like, well, you know, unfortunately, I don't even have time for my own boyfriend.

[Co-host 2]

Hint, hint.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

You know?

[Co-host 1]

Right.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

And he was just like, you know, I guess he Kind of, like, shrugged it off. And then, like, that night at, like, 12, he, like, emailed me and was like, well, you still hungry? Are you hungry or anything? And I was just like, oh, my gosh.

[Lead Host]

So he took the email that you provided off of your application?

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

Yeah. And he sent me an email, like, are you hungry? Just let me know. You know, I hope this isn't awkward. And I'm like, hello.

[Co-host 1]

Yes, it is.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

So, yeah, thanks.

[Co-host 2]

I'm sure during the application, they don't. There's. They don't think they're going to get sued for it. You don't work for the company. They probably don't see it as harassment. It's just a way to meet people, you know. Oh, this is a great way to meet a date, you know, Got all of her information. She's coming in. I'm in control. I asked her all these questions and have no intention of giving her the job.

[Lead Host]

Hey, Melissa, you're on Q100.

[Caller 2 (Renee)]

Hi.

[Caller 3 (Melissa)]

Hello, you guys. Good morning.

[Lead Host]

Good morning.

[Caller 3 (Melissa)]

I actually been sexually harassed before I got the job, but it was like. It was, you know, someone that hooked me up with the interview, but the guy that interviewed me actually said, well, you're very attractive, and got my information and said, oh, we're gonna have to find the paperwork. Come on, let's go. I'm gonna take you to the drug place to, you know, get tested and make sure you're clean and everything. And while we were on the way there, he was like, have you ever slept with a married man out of nowhere?

[Lead Host]

And then he.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

So, oh, boy.

[Caller 3 (Melissa)]

Yeah, it was kind of awkward.

[Caller 1 (Jennifer)]

And I was like, yeah, so how.

[Caller 3 (Melissa)]

Far is the drug place gonna go? And then he just cut me off and was like, well, so have you ever slept with a married man? He's like, you're probably too young, but, you know, you have a long time.

[HR Expert (Carlos)]

To go, I don't know where I am.

[Co-host 3]

And you got in a car with this man to go take a drug test?

[Caller 3 (Melissa)]

Yeah, I mean, it was with other people, but, like, while we were alone, before we got in the vehicle, he asked me, like, provocative questions.

[Co-host 1]

Dang.

[Co-host 3]

Dang.

[Lead Host]

That's bold.

[Co-host 1]

There are people who are in companies who have, you know, built these things up themselves, and they will never be alone with. One of them's a woman, and she'll never be alone with a male employee.

[Lead Host]

That'd be sort of understandable.

[Co-host 2]

Well, I mean, that's also safety from any kind of lawsuit. You don't know people, so.

[Co-host 1]

Right. And we'll never. And have had situations. Another one is a guy who's had situations where women have said, like, hey, can you take. Can we go to lunch and talk about it? And he's like, sure. And then has his assistant or somebody else come and always be there.

[Co-host 2]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Lead Host]

We could have done this forever. Phone lines are lit up with women saying, yeah, I barely even got in the door on a job interview, and they were all over me.

[Co-host 1]

The bird showed.