5 Ways to Make Your Interviews a Little More Accessible
Some basic actions can go a long way
Job searching today is harrowing.
Job seekers have to deal with unpredictable economic policies, ghost job posts, unrealistic job requirements, and stagnant wages. Disabled job seekers also must contend with the inherent ableism in the hiring processes. It is a recipe for hell, especially for the disabled.
Over the last three years, I conducted over 130 interviews and was on the hiring panel for a couple dozen more. Here are some ways I've found to make interviews a little more accessible.
Before we start, there is something I cannot stress enough:
THIS IS NOT A CHECKLIST.
These suggestions are just a starting point. They will lead to better results while improving the interviewing experience. But, they will not make your interviews or hiring accessible or equitable. To do that, we'll need to do a whole lot more work.
Without any further ado, here are five ways to make your interviews a little more accessible.
1. Share Interview Questions in Advance
Send the questions you will ask in the interview in advance, no later than 24 hours before the interview. This helps both the candidates and you as a hiring manager.
For candidates, especially disabled candidates, time helps us do our best. It ensures we have the tools to answer your questions effectively. We can prepare so we can showcase our talents, experience, and what we will bring to the job.
Sharing the questions in advance will let you see the candidates on a more level playing field. Otherwise, you are giving an advantage to people closer to your own experience who are better at smooth-talking.
Most jobs don't require everyone to come up with answers immediately under pressure. We usually have time to prepare, so why not do so during an interview?
2. Be Proactive About Access Needs
When you schedule an interview, ask candidates for access needs they'd like to share. If you're already doing that, that's great. But, we also need to be proactive about meeting them.
For example:
For in-person interviews
Ensure the interview location is physically accessible.
Make sure the location is quiet.
Offer detailed directions, including public transportation options and parking information.
Check-in with the interviewee about masking and Covid-tests.
For virtual interviews
Enable captions on your video chat software.
Paste the questions in the chat as you ask them.
Remember everyone has different tech set-ups. Don't penalize anyone for having to go off camera, not making eye-contact, or external noise.
For both:
Be generous with time (see next point)
Root for all candidates!
3. Be Generous With Time
As interviewers, it is only natural to try to glean as much information as possible from an interview. It's just that sometimes overdo it. We plan too many questions without enough time.
When designing your interview, make sure you have extra time. More time that you think you need. If you can't add time, ask fewer questions.
Speech is a complex process, and many disabilities affect speed, delivery, and cadence. If candidates have enough time to answer, then they can focus on answering your questions to the best of their ability.
You would not ask someone with mobility issues to run sprints, so, why would we do it for speech?
4. Ask What You Mean
Ask exactly what you are looking for. If you want to learn something from a candidate, ask it clearly and explicitly. Don't hide a question between the lines.
Do NOT make assumptions based on someone's answer if you didn't ask that question.
Many neurodivergent folks will answer the question that you ask out loud. Nothing more, and nothing less. Our brains work that way. Don't penalize us for that. In fact, that can is a strength in the workplace, as clear and explicit communication reduce miscommunications.
Also avoid "personality" or unusual questions. They are useless and won't tell you what you want to know. Just because someone likes a lion doesn't make them more effective than someone who chose a caribou, a gnat, or a pink fairy armadillo.
5. Focus On The Answer, Not The Delivery
We often forget about the enormous power differential that exists in interviews. As an interviewer/hiring manager, you hold a lot of power. This is especially true in this country, where access to medical care and basic necessities often depend on us having a job. So, for most candidates, a job interview is a high-stakes situation!
If this weren't stressful enough, society often associates the way disabed people communicate with nervousness, weakness, or incompetence. Stuttering, stammering, long pauses are perceived as incompetence rather than a disability.
Break that cycle!
Pay attention to our message, not if we trip over a word, stammer, or have to pause.
Conclusion
Like I shared in a previous post, The Golden Rule of Interviewing is to root for everyone you interview. That also means ensuring we do everything we can to help everyone succeed.
By the time we are interviewing someone, we have all invested tons of time and effort. Let's not waste it by hindering people's ability to shine.
We will see better results in our hiring processes. And, if we are sincere about these changes, candidates will appreciate this support.
These steps are just the beginning. We have ways to go to make our hiring processes equitable, accessible, and effective. This is just a starting place.
So, let's get started.