University of Brighton fine Art (Painting) submission

Adjustments that put you on a level footing

Looking for a job, but worried about what you’ll be expected to do in an interview setting that you may find overwhelming, or just not helpful for how your brain works? As a HR professional with 16 years’ experience, here are some reasonable adjustments you can request:

• The (types of) questions in advance Our lovely complex (particularly autistic) brains process information ‘bottom up’, i.e. we take in everything, analyse it carefully and then arrange it appropriately – an arrangement that changes the more data we review. This makes us fantastic at research, but terrible at responding quickly to questions that require a complex answer. We need that information sifting time so it’s perfectly reasonable to ask for the types of questions we’ll be asked, so we can prepare. We also need to practice our scripts so we can respond in a neurotypical-friendly fashion. Whilst recruiters may have had some levels of inclusion training, we can’t assume our interviewer is aware of their neurotype biases; we’re not there yet as a society.

• …And the opportunity to clarify questions. Further, AuDHD brains in particular may struggle with vague or very wordy questions, so please feel free to follow up to ask, not for the answer (obviously), but for clarification on what the question is actually asking of you. For example, ‘how do you handle stress?’ could mean literally anything, from an example of dealing with conflict at work, to losing a loved one, to the everyday stress of just being alive. It is important that we ask to clarify what they’re asking for. Remember, we aren’t mind-readers.

• More time to do any timed tests. My personal feelings about timed test validity aside (when will you ever do a timed version of your job?), our neurodivergent brains can blank when we’re under time pressure. This is partly due to the bottom-up information as per the first point, but also because AuDHD brains under stress can short-circuit and our executive functioning takes a big hit. When I’m under this kind of pressure, I find I can neither process written nor verbal instructions – I just can’t understand what’s being asked of me. If we’re required to do a timed technical test, it is standard to request more time.

• Video call instead of in-person. A lot of organisations do the HR screening interview online, as it saves logistical effort for the employer, such as booking a room. However, a slimmed down list of candidates going to the next stage may be invited to come in. This doesn’t always work for neurodiverse people, especially since Covid where we figured out and created the optimal workspace for our cognitive and sensory needs. If a potential employer wants to see us at our most effective and that’s at home, then this needs to be stated (if we can, it’s not always possible).

• Neurodiverse-friendly office interview experience. If a virtual interview isn’t possible, then we can ask about the nature of the physical interview setting. For example, does the interview room have natural light? Is it in a quiet place? Is it far from anywhere with smells, like a kitchen? Will there be distracting noise in the room, like the hum of electrical equipment? If it’s a long interview or assessment, will there be breaks? Is it straightforward to even get to? Are the directions clear enough? We must consider what it is we need and ensure they are provided.

• Post-interview communications. After the interview, best practice for employers is to tell candidates when they’ll get a response, stick to that promise and give us specific feedback. However, it’s not always the case, so be sure to ask for this, especially the bit about specific feedback. ‘We went with someone with better experience’ doesn’t cut it for anyone, but it is especially the case for AuDHD people. If it genuinely is about technical experience that’s one thing, but if the issue is around communication style then this is something to challenge, as to not hire someone because of, say, ‘not seeming engaged’, this is arguably ableist, especially if we’ve disclosed our neurodiversity.

• Flexible working options (UK-specific). In 2023 in the UK, the Flexible Working Law was updated so that employees can request flexible working options and, rather than the employee having to prove why they need it, the employer has to prove why they can’t provide it. This could be hugely helpful for a range of people but especially for the neurodiverse among us. Probably best not to ask during the interview itself, but when you’re offered the job. Or if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, the change to the law means you now have the right to make the request on your first day.

Remember, these requests are NOT you being difficult, a luxury option, your personal ‘preference’ or even a costly burden to the organisation. They are tiny adjustments to help put you on a level playing field with other candidates. If you had a broken leg it would be perfectly reasonable to request access to a lift to the interview room – and while your brain isn’t ‘broken’, per se, you are disabled by a neurotypically-designed world and so it is similarly reasonable to request what you need to be able to show up as your best.