The following is a brief guide for conducting inclusive interviews with neurodiverse candidates. Drawn from the research and evidenced based, it provides information and tips that may assist companies wanting to attract neurodiverse candidates.
- Be open and flexible to adapting the interview process as required for each individual applicant.
- In the job advertisement, ensure there is a single person to contact for clarification of questions and any additional support applicants may need.
- Emailing applicants before the interview to enquire as to the environment they might prefer, or any accommodations they may need, shows the potential candidate that the company is willing and happy to make reasonable adjustments, and this can go a long way to help ease stress.
- When communicating with the applicant prior to the interview, ask them if there are any accommodations they will require for the interview.
- Where possible, interview questions will be provided in advance for the applicant’s consideration.
- Understand that interviews can be incredibly stressful for a neurodivergent person. Dealing with unfamiliar locations, people, and environments can amplify the stress of an interview. To alleviate this stress, interviewers might greet the applicant at the door and walk them through to the interview room, negating the need to manage an unfamiliar location alone.
- Consider the interview room environment itself – lighting, noise, etc. Enquire if the applicant is comfortable with the conditions upon entry, or alternatively, email them ahead of time to ensure the environment is welcoming.
- If the candidate has to wait in a waiting room, try to find them a quiet space away from others to ensure they do not feel too overwhelmed.
- Interviewers should also be transparent and open about their thoughts. Given that some neurodiverse people may struggle to pick up on body language cues, it is important that the interviewer articulate ‘friendliness’ rather than simply giving off ‘friendly vibes’.
- Feedback has been found to be critical to neurodivergent applicants – so interviewers should reassure the candidate throughout the interview that they are doing well, not just at the end of the interview.
- Allow enough time for applicants to respond to questions.
- Ensure questions are direct and specific, as general or abstract questions can be confusing to some applicants.
- Be mindful that traditional interview assessments—such as personality questionnaires and cognitive tests—have been proven to disadvantage some neurodiverse candidates.
