Message: Hi I am enquiring as I am trying to negotiate with my employer regarding possible alternative interview arrangements for the future. Has anyone given or been involved in process for a job role where there has been multiple applicants and one or more of the applicants has had e.g. job trail, submitted a portfolio in addition to an interview, as a reasonable adjustment ? If so how did this work ? What was your experience? I work for the NHS as a speech and language therapist.
I work in the public sector, and have been an assessor for interviews. I think that it's unlikely that public sector organizations would accept one candidate submitting a portfolio, because of the difficulties in ensuring fairness. Private organizations might be more amenable. I'd suggest isolating what your specific problem would be with an interview, and ask for a reasonable adjustment with that in mind, or alternatively ask the potential employer what reasonable adjustment options are available given the nature of your difficulty. For example, if you're liable to get nervous and forget something, then I would accept a person having more time to answer the questions, bringing in notes with them, bringing in a comforting item, etc.
I work in the public sector, and have been an assessor for interviews. I think that it's unlikely that public sector organizations would accept one candidate submitting a portfolio, because of the difficulties in ensuring fairness. Private organizations might be more amenable. I'd suggest isolating what your specific problem would be with an interview, and ask for a reasonable adjustment with that in mind, or alternatively ask the potential employer what reasonable adjustment options are available given the nature of your difficulty. For example, if you're liable to get nervous and forget something, then I would accept a person having more time to answer the questions, bringing in notes with them, bringing in a comforting item, etc.
Most interviews are based on a "competency framework". They ask specific questions around target areas to understand how someone will fit with the role. To make this process fair and analysable the questions themselves are the same to each candidate. By asking for a copy of questions in advance along with the sequence they will be asked in, you could prepare all the answers in advance. This will reduce the anxiety around unknowns and hopefully allow you to perform better. They could offer this to all applicants to make it a level playing field.
