Asking for a copy of questions at job interview

[goldbutton]

I'm currently job searching and have had a few interviews. Some interviewers ask long questions with multiple parts, which I've struggled with. I find myself answering the first part of the question and then having to ask them to repeat the second (or sometimes third!) parts of the question... because I have forgotten what it was! I had an interview recently when I've had to do this repeatedly and it made me feel embarrassed and more nervous.

I have another interview coming up and was thinking of asking for a written copy of the questions to refer to (to be clear, for them to give to me on the day, at the start of the interview). We have already had an informal meeting/tour where I spent 2 hours in a really positive conversation with 2 members of the organisation, one of whom will be interviewing me at the more formal interview.

WIBU to ask this? What would you think of a candidate who asked this? Would you expect to be given a reason, and if so, what is the best thing to say? It's for a small charity and I have not been diagnosed with any neurodiversity or disabilities.

Do not ask for a printed copy of questions. I have interviewed hundreds of people and don’t even have a list printed. I go with the flow of the conversation, probe more or less depending on their CV and answer.

Notepad and pen is reasonable.

We now do this as standard, usually giving them to the candidate 15 minutes before the interview. It is increasingly recognised as good practice.

This article explains the rationale:

www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-time-start-sharing-interview-questions-before-karl-rinderknecht#:~:text=By%20telling%20candidates%20what%20you,space%20they%20need%20to%20prepare.

It becoming more common for interviewers to provide the questions in advance (I work in education). When recruiting, I have never done this however, but wouldn’t think twice about being asked to repeat a question. It’s really common for candidates to go off on a tangent and need a prompt to bring them back on track. No issues with that.

I can see that working for certain roles/levels. Just because it’s on LinkedIn does not mean it’s the right thing to do in all circumstances.

For people I’m hiring, if they can’t get through the interview without needing to see the questions first and will get stressed, they’re not the person anyway to be blunt.

I was interviewed recently and as the panel asked the question they slid across a sheet of A4 with the question printed on it. It was a vastly superior experience to being asked questions of multiple sections and having to recall them all. I think recruitment is moving in this way as the point is to get the best candidate not the best person at interviews.

if you decide not to ask do go for a note pad

Write the questions down ☺️ I'm always happy for an interviewee to do this

Tbf, sometimes people are neurodiverse and just don't know it..

I take notes. Literally write down the key elements of the question and words reminding me what the sub questions. Never had any issues. I tick them off and also use my notes to summarise at the end of each question too

I'd be fine with it. I'm not interested in testing how quickly you can remember specific examples from your working life in a stressful situation. I want to know if you can do the job.

Thanks all for your advice and input everyone, it's been very helpful.

I totally understand that some organisations would be looking for those who can retain long pieces of information/verbal instruction under pressure. I don't think this organisation, or this role, is one of them.

It's interesting to see the different approaches that are being taken by different organisations. This organisation seems very progressive and open minded in terms of flexible working and staff wellbeing, so it seemed like a safe space to try something different.

I'm familiar with the STAR/CAR method of answering questions and do pre-prepare those answers according to the person specification given in the job description. I guess it's nerves that makes me concentrate so hard on answering the first part of the question that the second and third parts just sort of fall out of my ears, unfortunately!

I think I will go in with a notebook and just mention that I'm going to take notes of the questions.

Actually I had a couple of interviews with organisations (charities and a big London art centre) recently who have started to send the questions to all shortlisted candidates in advance.

I think they are doing this to be as inclusive as possible and to avoid the possibility of some people with disabilities/long term health conditions having a disadvantage at the interview stage.

Usually application forms have a section where you are asked if you need any reasonable adjustments for the interview and you might want to suggest you would like to see the questions in advance. The alternative as people have suggested is to have a notepad and make some quick notes.

As someone who has conducted a lot of interviews as well as a manager. I avoid asking any long-winded questions in several parts and I prefer to break them down into separate questions. I think it is poor interview practice to bombard a candidate with 3 questions at once and expect them to give a cohesive answer, I especially hate organisation that cram several unrelated topics in one question.

Artyswan Reasonable adjustments are for people with disabilities. I'd be fine with the OP's request but very very unimpressed if an abled candidate asked for it as a reasonable adjustment.

I don't see the issue, that would help me massively.

An interview is a 2-way process. I always have a note book with some bullets in, some questions for the interviewers if I need a prompt and take notes during the interview. I say 'i hope you don't mind me taking notes too' at the start. They can't say no!

Good luck!

The last interview I went to was remote and the interviewers dropped the question into the Teams chat after they asked it. It was really helpful as I could glance back at the question if I needed a prompt or to check I was on track with what I was saying.
I think more and more organisations are doing this. This was Civil Service by the way.
I’ve also been an interviewer loads and a lot of candidates note down the question so I think either asking for the question or taking notes would be perfectly acceptable.

I quite like it when people take notes of questions. It shows me they are fully listening, and I often get better answers. I also wouldn't have an issue with a candidate asking me to repeat for example the second half of a question, then jotting it down. Just say something like 'I'm just taking some notes to make sure I'm answering your question fully.' but don't make a big deal of it.

Some excellent advice re interview preparation from PP. Do sit down with the job description/ ad and prepare 2 or 3 good examples of behaviours / successes for each skill or experience required. Use the STAR format. Practice them over and over until you can do them in your sleep.

Good luck OP!

For some people with a disability it can be considered a reasonable adjustment.

This is such a good idea - I may do this next time.

In some industries, such as the arts and third sector, providing the questions in advance of the interview is becoming the norm.

I think it’s fantastic as it ensures everyone has a level playing field walking into the room in terms of knowing they’ll be asked the same questions and have had the same information and time to prepare as everyone else.

Very few people who interview others have been trained in interviewing and questions are often poorly constructed, excessively long winded and obtuse. If organisations had to provide questions in advance I think it would probably make them think more carefully about the quality and clarity of the questions. Quite frankly no verbal question should have two or three parts to it. Just ask three separate questions! If people have to ask you to repeat or rephrase - which I’ve often had to do in interviews - then your question itself is clumsy.

OP I would see no issue whatsoever in asking. The more people who do, the more organisations might realise it’s the way forward! And if an organisation resists your request then it’s probably not somewhere you’d want to work. Good luck with your interviews!

It's really going to depend on the necessity in the role for capturing complex information verbally. Making notes is fine at work, as long as they are short I see that as a positive in a candidate.

I'm a bit confused by all these multi-part questions though, is that some new interviewing style? "Tell me about a time when you X and how you Y?" is usual, "Talk me through your CV with detail about any roles you feel were particularly relevant", "how do you usually approach Z processes and why" etc etc. I can only think of questions that may have two instructions, but the first is selection and the core requirement is answering the second part.

You absolutely should be taking a pen and paper in with you and taking notes for multi part questions. I do a lot of interviews and the well prepared and high calibre candidates often take notes - and also ask for parts of the questions to be repeated. Good luck!

My last company did that.

As the interviewer, it would raise a big question about your ability to understand simple instructions and questions about work on an ongoing basis - I wouldn't take the risk of considering you for the role.
Were you expecting to be supplied with the questions in advance (giving you an advantage over other candidates), or have one of the intervoew panel rush around at the start of the interview arranging a copy for you?

I had an interview recently (and I got the job). It was over teams and they put the questions in the chat as they were asking them- it was so helpful. It wasn't something I requested though they did it for all candidates.

@ThinWomansBrain

An interview is not the same as a day to day work meeting or conversation.

Nerves and stress flood the body with adrenaline which makes it very difficult to respond to questions and retain information. The unknown element of the questions in an interview is a huge factor in generating this stress.

This is why a lot of sectors are moving towards sending questions in advance as it actually means you get the best out of candidates and discover what they can really offer as you’ve removed a major source of stress within the interview context.

It’s disappointing that as an interviewer you wouldn’t have the ability to appreciate the difference between performance in an interview context and performance in role. Also, providing questions in advance is a recognised reasonable adjustment. Are you seriously suggesting that a candidate who asked for this due to a disability would instantly be discounted by you? If so I would suggest you need to go on some diversity training.