Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello. I'm new here and I'm really hoping that someone can help.
Has anyone got any experience about asking for adjustments to the recruitment process, especially interviews?
I'm trying to help someone get a job and he is worried about not being able to answer questions in an interview situation even though he would be able to do the job itself well.
I've thought about asking for the interview questions in advance, but don't want to jeopardise his chances by putting off a potential employer. He worries that it will look like he's 'cheating'.
We've looked at work placements which would lead to a job, but haven't had any success in getting him one.
Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions that might help us?
Many thanks.
Kate
(Development worker)
Hi Kate,
Interviews are a nightmare for people with Aspergers. I am going through this myself at the moment. I originally sought diagnosis after yet another interview had gone spectacularly and incomprehensibly wrong. being unable to establish a rapport with other people and not being able to understand other peoples body language and not being able to give the right signals is a big disadvantage in an interview.
His worries about cheating are not surprising - autistic people are sometimes over-scrupulously fair and do not want to take advantage. If you explain that this is a Reasonable Adjustment then he may accept this - having autism is not fair!
What sort of work is he trying to get? What stage of his career is he at?