If you want to interview a candidate who has autism, it is important to realise that asking each applicant exactly the same question does not always equate to equality of opportunity.

You could adapt the interview for autistic candidates by:

• Providing interview questions in advance - up to seven days before the interview.
• Providing clear and concise written and visual information about the interview, including:
  • directions to, or maps of, the location of the interview and photographs of the entrance of the building (such as google street view)
  • the procedure for arriving at the interview location (e.g. sign in at front desk where you will be collected by Jane (name of the person) you shortly before your interview)
  • the names of the people who will be on the interview panel (with photographs) and information about what their role will be during the interview (e.g., note taking, or asking technical questions)
  • a clear timetable of events during the allocated interview time, for example, the first 30 minutes will focus on questions about your CV and experience relating to the role, and the second 30 minutes will be an aptitude test or technical trial
• Providing a quiet and calm space for the candidate to wait, prior to their interview, away from other visitors or general staff
• Avoiding general questions (e.g. ‘Tell me about yourself’)
• Asking specific questions based on the candidate’s real/past experiences, e.g. ‘In your last job, did you do any filing or data input?’; ‘What processes/procedures did you use to do this effectively?’
• Avoiding hypothetical or abstract questions, e.g. ‘How do you think you’ll cope with working if there are lots of interruptions?’ A better question would be ‘Think back to your last job. Can you tell us how you coped with your work when people interrupted you?’
• Telling the candidate if they are talking too much as they may find it hard to judge how much information you need e.g. ‘Thank you, you’ve told us enough about that now, and I’d like to ask you another question’.
• Prompting the candidate in order to extract all the relevant information and gather sufficient information.
• Being aware that the candidate may interpret language literally, e.g. asking ‘How did you find your last job?’ may result in an answer of ‘I looked on the map’
• Being aware that eye contact may be fleeting or prolonged, depending on the individual
• Providing adequate breaks during long interviews and prompt the interviewee to take a break when needed
• Allowing and prompting the candidate to refer, during the interview, to any written notes that they have made

More advice and support

READ: Advice for employers from the National Autistic Society >

READ: Reasonable adjustments in the workplace for people with autism >

READ: Accessibility and adjustments guide for employers of people with autism >

READ: Advice on interviewing disabled candidates >

READ: Learn more about alternative interview formats >

The Access to Work scheme can provide funding to pay for a communication support worker to attend a job interview with a person with SEND. This includes people who are D/deaf or hard of hearing and need a British Sign Language interpreter or lipspeaker.

Supported internships

Supported internships offer young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) the chance to develop skills and achieve sustained employment. Read the Employer Guide to Supported Internships to learn more.