Asking a female candidate do you smoke by the male interviewer inbitween a interview and taking the candidate for smoke is that a good practice?
From India, Bangalore
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As a non-smoker, my view is that taking a "smoke break" during an interview is wrong. It gives a poor impression of the organisation. The sex of the interviewer/interviewee is immaterial.
From United Kingdom
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Are u the interviewer or the female who has been asked to accompany for a smoke..? In either case, it is professionally unethical to such acts... Regards
From India, Mumbai
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Hello,
Practice!! The word itself is wrong. But can you elaborate the situation a bit. Say for example this can be viewed in two ways.
One, when the interviewee needs to wait for his second/final round of interview i.e. there is a huge time gap between first round & the second/final round of interview. Generally companies do offer lunch/snacks as a gesture. Probably the interviewer here was quite brave to offer smoke!!
If this was not the case just to take a break while the interview is going on one must strictly avoid such offer. This affects the brand of the company & image of the interviewer & management - Hope you understood. This seriously raises doubt on the interviewer's work integrity.
Like mentioned by members above it is not about being male or female but YES when there is a female candidate one must be conscious with behaviour.

From India, Ahmedabad
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If the female employee tells yes, this means that the employee is selected and they are colleagues now. So asking a colleague for smoke is no offence.
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From India, Madras
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boss2966
1257

Instead of offering the Cigerette, the Interviewer can take the candidate to the Cafetaria and offered a cup of tea, and with that tea, he could have had an informal interview, then it will not be an issue.
In some companies, the Interviewers themselves used to offer tea and started discussing some issue instead of asking formal interview question. In between the discussion, they will ask about the details about experience, qualification, family, and any relevant questions.
But offering cigarette to the candidate is not acceptable and it will reflect the image of the Company and the Interviewer.

From India, Kumbakonam
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Dear Vinooraj,
At a time when so much emphasis is given to curb smoking -
aircrafts, public places , theatres etc ( these were once clouded with smoke and that
too not very long ago) such an offer is far from being a decent one.
V.Raghunathan..................................... ................Navi Mumbai

From India
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Obviously interviewer is a smoker and he/she had the urge of smoking at that point in time, so offering ciggrate is not very very offernsive rather its being courteious, however for the interviewee it may be littile embaraccing (being a female and theat too in India) being female and probably was not ready for this propsal during interview, however the final choice remain with interviewee wheather to accept or politely rejact.... In short not a big issue in corporates
From India, Delhi
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It is totally unethical. First of all smoking is injurious to health. You are not only spoiling your health but also others health. You have no right to do so. KBBhat HR & Yoga consultant
From India, Bangalore
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Dear Vinooraj,
I saw your query & the answers given by the respected members,
As an admin man, offering of a cigerette is un-ethical to the culture of HR. Tomorrow the same HR gentlemen during the interview may ask the female/male candidate for a Gulp of Hot Drink which is irrational, un-ethiclal to our culture even though India is advanced a lot .
Hope the HR personnel after viewing the replies given by the members, will change the ideas of irrelevant interview & questions
Answer has been given without prejudice.
Ravi

From India, Mumbai
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