awful interview, WIBU to have ended it early?

[cigarsmokingwoman]

I had an interview this week for a fixed‑term maternity cover role in a field I’ve worked in for years. On paper, it looked perfect — but it turned into a complete nightmare.
The current postholder is full‑time, but they want to replace her with someone part time, on a short contract, no team, and still covering the same massive list of responsibilities. Straight away, it felt like they were expecting one person to do the work of several. Its not a senior role, but sounded it as they kept refering to "supporting our staff of over 2000".
Beforehand, I’d asked for some reasonable adjustments, as I have several disabilities, which they agreed to — but when the interview started, they hadn’t done them. I had to ask twice, which was awkward and made me feel like I was being a nuisance. They did send the questions in advance, again as an adjustment, but then on the day they started asking completely different ones, putting me on the spot and making it much harder to answer properly.
One of the panel was so patronising. They asked me to explain really basic concepts that I’d expect anyone in the field to already know. When I started talking about some of my biggest achievements, they cut across me and actually said they didn’t want to hear about the awards I'd won! The question was literally about qualifications, experience and achievements related to the role.
The whole thing felt off. The tone was wrong, the expectations were ridiculous, and there was no sign of respect for my experience or the effort I’d put into preparing. Eventually, I just said I was ending the interview because it was a waste of both our time. I left the Teams call feeling small, upset, and wondering why I’d ever applied.
I’ve done and sat on many interview panels, but I’ve never had such a bad experience.I've never exited an interview before either and I'm still shaken by it. AIBU to think that whatever the role is, the least you should expect is a bit of professionalism and basic respect?

It doesn't appear either party were a good fit with each other.

Meow.

You can’t have loads of experience yet not seem aware that it is a common accommodation/adjustment for several disabilities

Not one person asked what was “wrong” with you! Some said they would prefer to be able to ask follow up questions and I think someone asked which disability would qualify for questions in advance. I am deaf and I have ADHD, so I am not unsympathetic. Perhaps next time I am being interviewed I will ask for questions in advance! But to say people have suggested there’s something wrong with you is not correct.

Support from me!

They sound shit, you did the right thing - but it's crap you needed to do that.

It's impressive you had the self-respect and wherewithal to call time on that experience.

My company gives the questions out in advance for everyone. They see it as a way to get the best out of people.

ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s, stammering, anxiety, depression, speech impairments, auditory processing.

because the ability to interview well average ability to to the job are two different things.

Because it's quite obvious it's a terrible place to work, if that is how they deal with interview timings.

But someone who needs that accommodation wouldn’t be applying for a role where that skill was paramount.

the ability to sit interviews well and the ability to do a job well are rarely if ever the same skill.

It’s depressing really how backward and ignorant so many people still are.

Well done for ending it! I’d love to have done that a few times but didn’t feel able to

Why would you think that; it's quite clear from the OP that's not the case?

"They did send the questions in advance, again as an adjustment, but then on the day they started asking completely different ones, putting me on the spot and making it much harder to answer properly."

And they make it clear later on that they were not objecting to follow-up questions on the same topic.

An adjustment doesn't introduce unfairness, it introduces fairness.

Perhaps you don't understand the point of adjustments. Perhaps it is still 1970 where you live.

Thanks. Some terribly judgy and worrying responses to this element. Ffs

Support on Mumsnet 😆😆😆😆
definitely not.
if you post venting that hubby for got to Leave bin out, they will tell you to leave him 🚮🚮🚮

Dont dare post anything about inheritance, benefits or grand parents baby sitting.

Good luck looking for support here. 👀

ps, I’m sorry the panel were twats, keep trying, you will get something better x

Sounds like you've dodged a bullet, they sound like they would be awful to work for.

When I was interviewing recently, one provided the questions in advance. Only an hour before, but it helped hugely with nerves and helped me to plan and provide a full answer. I hope it becomes normal practice for all interviews

Yes, actually. My first interview after graduation was like that, 4 candidates called at the same time, each one interviewed separately whilst the others were shown around and talked with the rest of the team. We decided amongst themselves in which order to go. Very good working place it turned out to be as well.

I’d follow up to HR to explain that as a disability confident leader they didn’t reflect that in their interview.

It’s totally normal to send questions in advance as part of RA. I’m sorry you had a horrible experience, sounds like you dodged a bullet OP x

Yes I've applied for a job where disabled people were offered a guaranteed interview. Immediately the job was withdrawn, and then relisted with identical details a couple of days later.

And one where the employer said all the right things about disability, but clearly didn't want to actually do them. During the interview (there was a group stage and an individual section) I asked questions about the training process. And they said there were no wrong answers in the group part, but that was obviously a lie.

My interview feedback said that I didn't fit the company culture ("wrong" answers in the group stage, and too autistic, basically), and they couldn't make reasonable adjustments to the training (firstly I didn't ask them to, and secondly yes they would have to!).

Couldn’t they lie more easily though? Not saying the OP would have, but sometimes shortfalls become clear quite quickly in interviews.

Hi OP, sorry youre getting a hard time on here.

I dont blame you for leaving early. Ive left a couple of interviews early due to interviewers forgetting its a two way street and being incredibly patronising/rude and odd, think eye rolls and pulling faces when it was just not necessary etc as I answered a question pretty well. The first time was when the interviewer didn't have his camera on, so I turned mine off as I felt odd and then he asked me to put it back on, i saidi couldnt see him either and he said thats fine i didnt need to! I felt really uncomfortable as a younger female and older bloke, so said it wasnt for me.

Stick to your guns and dont put up with it shite.

DS has ASD OP and asks for questions in advance for his interviews. Some companies, even those saying they are disability confident are shite! Barclays for example said the only thing they could offer was extra time - not sure what use that would be to anyone in an already 1hr 45 minute long interview! It's not like it was a written exam! (not that he would need extra time if it was). Being disability confident was clearly just a tick box exercise for them.

Other companies were brilliant though and I would say OP it's something to look out for in the interview process to work out if it's the right place for you. DS found the perfect place for him by being quite choosy about it.

I think what a lot of completely clueless people here fail to understand is that the huge stress/anxiety of an interview can impact your processing when you're autistic. It doesn't mean you have shit communication skills (as many people are snidely inferring).

Apologies for the numerous, clueless arseholes on here OP. Sadly their ignorance can also be found in some companies too. I think you dodged a bullet here. Well done for pulling out, I'd say send them some feedback, but you'd probably be wasting your time sadly. They probably wouldn't give a shit.

What's wrong with questions in advance? We do it as a matter of course when recruiting, with the understanding that supplementaries based off of their answers would be par for the course. It's considered good practice to send questions in advance these days and has been for a while. We do it for everyone too, not just those with disclosed prior needs. Not being toady, genuine question, maybe it's just a third sector thing? But it's definitely highly regarded, including when we work with recruiters.

In public sector job interviews, you have to ask all the candidates exactly the same questions. Its not uncommon to have to issue the questions in advance, and good practice in this situation is to give them to all the candidates in advance. Interviews aren't memory tests, they're meant to be a chance to show your competency for the job.

I wouldn't expect to go into any other work situation entirely unprepared, why should an interview be different?