[exit]

can you think of any strange interpretations of "what is your background"?

like, could he have thought it was a question about his ethnicity, or anything other than career history?

[petercooper]

Good point, but I wasn't quoting verbatim - it was 12 years ago.. It was similar or "what are your qualifications?" A basic interview question, in any case :-) (FWIW, the guy was tall, white, English, in his 20s - not a typical group to be sensitive over identity issues, but who knows :-))