Make your interview process neurodiversity-friendly to make it human-friendly

Introduction

The interview process is rarely fun and relaxing, even though an interviewer might pull all the tricks to make you feel like you are just having a coffee together. If you want to get that job, you will worry regardless, and this can be extra challenging and demanding for neurodivergent individuals. By taking into account the potential neurodiversity of your candidates, you are, by default, making your process better for everyone.

You need to facilitate people who think, feel and perceive the world around them differently (we all do, just some of us are better equipped to cope with some inconveniences) to attract the wider talent pool. If you cannot do that when you want individuals to be interested in the role, how will you treat them once they are in?

The road to equity within the recruitment process is long and might feel like an endless task, but that tells us how much we still have to do in this area and where our gaps are. It is the environment that causes problems, not the individuals.

Having said so, there are simple steps that anyone can take to make the experience more human-friendly.

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Interview Questions

Simply them – do not ask long or several questions simultaneously. Neurodivergent candidates might find it more challenging to know the emphasis, while anyone will most likely get nervous if they realise that despite their best efforts, they missed the point of your questions.

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Job Adverts

Make them short, sweet and to the point! Many neurodiverse conditions prompt the skim reading the job adverts, and if the necessary details are not there, or they are buried under the ‘fluff’, they might not apply. Individuals with ADHD, for instance, might unintentionally be bored with long descriptions and give up reading.

Another element to consider is imposter syndrome. Too many ‘need to have’ requirements, which are actually ‘nice to have’, might spook some of your candidates. Neurodivergent individuals often have a high level of imposter syndrome, which stops them from applying for the role by initiating thinking: ‘I cannot do it’.

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Application form

Long application forms, unnecessary questions, copy/paste the resume you just uploaded, tell us your pet names, which book you would take to the desert island... and all that jazz.

My first question is: WHY??

The panic and mental time spent on endless job application tasks can be draining, and many people (not just neurodivergent individuals) often pull out halfway through.

Deadlines can also be challenging for some neurodiverse people, especially those with ADHD or Autism.

Some people do not process sequences quickly, so while they can do the task, they can’t do it as soon as someone neurotypical can. Timed application forms or deadlines to complete assignments mean people might not bother. It is not laziness or less commitment; it means that the environment we are creating is restricting, limiting and not people-focused.

Interview day

Please share some of your questions in advance. Many people are not good at answering interview questions on the spot, but it does not mean they do not have potential. Sharing a few questions lets you set the mood and explain what to expect on the day.

Preparing for the interview is also mentally draining, and not knowing what to expect can have a negative effect; try to share the agenda for the day and then stick to it! ?

Some neurodivergent brains are low in dopamine and spend time searching for sources to boost themselves. Consequently, morning interviews work better as the level of dopamine (which already is lower than in neurotypical people) will at least be at its highest.

Interviews may take place in rooms that are not designed to be neurodiversity-friendly. The sound of the clock, the noise from the kitchen, and the smell of someone’s breakfast can be overwhelming. Plan what to do to eliminate unwanted distractions. The room temperature can also have a negative effect. Simple ‘Oh, this room is always boiling’ is not good enough!

·???????Do you have to open a window an hour before?

·???????Do you need to put the blinds down for the whole day? or

·???????Do you need to consider a different space?

Allow people to be distracted; they might seem uninterested as they respond and process many elements in the environment that are new to them.

Many neurodivergent candidates will also have a different sense of humour than you. Please don't discard them if they did not get your joke or you did not get theirs. You can work on that – ultimately, we learn from each other.

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Conclusion

Many people with neurological conditions […] have extraordinary skills, including pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. Yet, they often struggle to fit the profiles sought by employers. (HBR)

People are capable; it is the environment that limits them. By making small adjustments, we can ensure that from the interview stage, we can support everyone much better than we used to. ?