To request online interview as a reasonable adjustment

[bluecogturning]

I experience mental health issues (for which I've been prescribed medication and go to counselling) and am wondering if it would be reasonable for me to ask if it would be possible for me to attend a job interview via Teams or Zoom. In-person interviews cause me a lot of anxiety in an environment I am not familiar with, whereas I feel more comfortable and can give a much better representation of my ability when I can be in my own home during an interview.

On three previous occasions I have been offered the job when interviews were conducted remotely, and I have been less successful during onsite interviews. However, in the past it has always been the employer that has specified the remote interview format and I don't know if as the applicant I would be within my rights to request a remote interview when this time the employer would otherwise conduct the interview in person.

Ypur company sounds really sensible and enlightened @Singleandproud. It would be great if more followed suit.

I understand this completely. My son is on meds for anxiety and when it gets out of hand he struggles to control it. He starts to get facial and vocal tics for a start, which make him even more anxious. Worst case scenario is a full on-panic attack where he goes rigid, or he literally runs out of the room. I understand what you mean about bringing it back down to a level that is controllable, and more in line with what most people experience. He is 21 and not in employment and he has bottled a few interviews, but the state he was in, it wasn't appropriate to force him to go.

What I did for the one job he did get (but subsequently managed to lose sadly) was requested a visit to the place beforehand, just so he could meet the person who would be interviewing him and just get himself familiar with the place. Because he wasn't expecting to go for an interview as such, he was more relaxed and actually had an interview and got the job without even realising it. He thought he was just chatting to the man a few days prior to the actual interview. But we got a phone call that evening to say he had the job!

Interestingly, he HATES Zoom meetings, He has had a few medical appointments via zoom and it has been a struggle to get him to stay in front of the screen.

This

I interview for staff and we've started giving the questions to candidates an hour in advance.

Do you mean you get all the candidates in an hour ahead of their actual interviews? Otherwise, how can you be sure all candidates can access the questions in advance and have time to prepare their answers? Some might be travelling, or unable to leave their present jobs until it's time for the interview.

But if there is a question script then that takes all the spontaneity out of the interview,

Sounds deadly dull, and really hard for candidates to shine and employers to pick.

@CeliaNorth I reckon she means say your interview was this morning at 11am, you'd get the questions at 10am and if my interview was at 4pm I'd get the questions at 3pm. Whether or not at 3pm I am underground/ in the shower/ picking my nose etc is not their problem.

They get the question an hour before their actual interview time. It's part of the interview, so they need to show up at the time scheduled. They will then get the questions and a quiet room to sit in to do what they want with them for an hour. Then we do the interview, normally 45min or so. I would - and have - stay late at work, up to 7pm, to ensure we can interview candidates that are currently in work and struggling. Not ideal, but needs must.

We base interviews on capability, so you can't really google the answers, we are looking for examples from their previous work experience which we can cross check against CV's etc.

We haven't changed the questions much @topcat2014 we have to have a script, as all interviewers score all candidates against the same questions to ensure the process is fair. There is scope for some spontaneity as discussions develop, but we moderate scores so there isn't scope for a totally free flowing session.

@hhoophoophooray thanks for the update. I just recall one interview (as candidate) where every question was "give me an example of..." it was totally robotic.

I didn't get that job, but didn't get a good impression of the employer either!

For us, we couldn't change to online at short notice
If we give a reasonable adjustment like that then we would give it to everyone. All of our interviews are the same questions, done in the same format with the same panel for each candidate that applies for that job opening .

We do give out questions in advance if needed, if someone says yes or requires this then we give it to every candidate in that round

Go online and buy Alprazolam?! This is utterly ridiculous advice, not to mention unsafe.It’s not just a drug that should be taken to “calm nerves”. If medication is absolutely necessary, then OP could explain the situation to their GP and request a low dose diazepam or non benzo anti anxiety medication perhaps. Alprazolam is significantly stronger than diazepam etc.
But advising someone to purchase a controlled drug online, which is illegal for them to buy or possess without a prescription with no idea what current medications they may be on or what interactions they might cause is absolutely irresponsible and dangerous.

@DedicatedFollowerOfFashion84 Yes, I 100% agree with you. I was simply offering a personal experience of what works for me.
I'm assuming that the OP is an adult with agency, capable of assessing risk, pros/cons, and taking variables into account.

Forgive me, if I should rather treat them like a child/non equal.

Have a nice day.

It’s not about treating them like a child. It’s about encouraging them to engage in actions that could result in them ending up with a criminal record. 🙄 There’s a reason Xanax isn’t available on the NHS here.

@Trinityloop

A reasonable adjustment is something a disadvantaged person needs to make the status quo equitable.

So in OPs case, she is within her rights to ask for a virtual interview if she has a condition that would disadvantage her if attending in person.

Same as if a visually impaired person needed the preparation papers in braille, or a deaf person needed a sign language
Interpreter. You would only need to provide that to those who them, not all candidates.

@DedicatedFollowerOfFashion84 Fair point.
There's nothing worse than online armchair psychologists, so I'm gonna try not to fall into that trap: however, the OP sounds like they have a mental health condition over and above the normal "interview nerves".
For myself, therapy went some way to help with my CPTSD and panic attacks. Xanax in moments of extreme anxiety is a short-cut. Without it, I would probably be just another ESA/PIP statistic on some government chart.
Yes, the NHS has black-listed it because it works just too damn well! The potential to rely on it too heavily, and habit-formation is well-documented.
I just believe in finding what works. Doctors are not gods. Especially when it comes to MH issues.
Anyway, I honestly agree with everything you've said - hence why I caveated my original post with "maybe my post SHOULD be deleted if not helpful!"