Rejected even with interview questions in advance. What now

[ASDnocareer]

I work in public sector and was just rejected at final interview stage for an internal role. Previously rejected for other internal roles too, despite always meeting objectives etc. This time I really thought I had a chance as I’d done the same type of role previously but at another company, arguably with more responsibility.

I have autism and after asking, the interviewer agreed to send all candidates questions in advance. I first prepped my answers myself, and then asked ChatGPT if my sample answers answered the question and used STAR correctly. ChatGPT proposed tweaks I thought helped with polishing up the structure but then for interview I tried to say it in my own words but keep structure.

Still received yet another rejection.

My feedback was to speak slower and not overwhelm with detail, also to use STAR.
^I thought I’d always been using STAR funnily enough, have known about it since interviewing for uni internship (which I landed), ChatGPT also helped confirm that I was using STAR. I’m not sure why they didn’t think I was using STAR.

I just really don’t know what to do now, I’ve been rejected many times before but this one has stung so badly, because I did this role before in private sector. I’m genuinely terrified that I won’t get a better paid job. My wage does not cover my living costs, have had no heating all winter, and sometimes skip meals.
Have paid for CV review (more affordable than career coach which are so expensive), on a mentoring scheme, good performance reviews, joined network groups but none of it has been enough for me to find a job above admin level, despite having a degree and no CV gaps.

What was the interaction like prior to the interview where you asked for the questions in advance? What reasons did you give for this? It shouldn’t be, but I wonder if it might be that.

It's also frequently just plain wrong. As someone who's a specialist in a particular area and sees what it comes up with, it worries me how people are accepting its output uncritically. It invents information that it presents as facts. I've even seen it invent references (books, articles, etc) that my students have cited in essays - they simply don't exist. Students are failing essays or being brought to cheating committees thanks to their reliance on its so-called "intelligence". I imagine that it's causing similar problems in other sectors.

I know that, but I wondered if she said anything else like why she wasn’t able to cope with questions on the day. For example / I can’t deal with unpredictable events or things I’m not expecting, I can’t think on my feet etc. presumably she explained why she needed that reasonable adjustment not just her diagnosis as not all people with autism would require that.

I’m not saying it’s right if it’s the case, but it might have been a factor. And that’s why I asked what the interaction was like.

I gave someone a job recently who came into the interview to do their presentation and openly said they’d started prepping their presentation by asking Chat GPT. They gave the impression they’d used chat gpt as a starting point only…..whether that’s true or not I have no idea.

But ultimately if I’m asked to do something at work these days I tend to use Chat GPT as a starting point and tweak stuff. I liked the fact I thought she was probably going to be someone who worked smarter, used new technology, etc. 🤷‍♀️

I do agree with a previous point that for internal roles they will often already know who they want to give the job to.

I had a colleague who was suspicious someone was using chatgp during the interview itself. Apparently they kept looking at their phone.

I don't know why people doubt themselves so much that they need AI to write for them.

@ASDnocareer listen to the feedback. It sounds like you could have given more concise examples. I speak fast when I'm nervous too, it's common and experienced interviewers know it's nerves.

My interview observations on some candidates are, if they speak this much in the interview, lordy help me if they end up working here. Some people speak a lot! Think about giving concise responses that highlight the key issues. Issue was this because xxx. I did this, result was this.

When I interview people, concise communication is really important. Can you explain something quickly to someone unfamiliar with what you were doing - this is a transferrable skill, regardless of where you work.

Examples need to be level appropriate. I'll use my recent interview as an example. Applying for a director role, an external recruiter was leading the process. He was giving all candidates pointers and going over things to prepare. I said to him I felt my examples were more doing examples than leading/directing examples. He agreed. I revised the highlights of what I had done to focus on the leader aspect and found more leading examples.

So I'd say reflect on the interview in light of the feedback and think about what you might have done a little differently.

Also autistic and had the same feedback in the past. Essentially, you need to expand on the results bit. So result was A, and the outcome of this was that B and C were improved/changed/updated and productivity increased, as did customer satisfaction feedback.

I hate STAR. Outdated, discriminatory and for people who are good at interviews, not necessarily the potential job role.

Absolutely, I don’t like my current role at all. Moving back to the private sector was my ideal goal as can progress quicker, my friend has had a 15k pay rise at a startup after only working there for a year.
After 100+ private sector applications I only got invited to interview twice though, so had to desperately try internal roles in meantime. I’ve paid someone to review my CV recently too. I also worry it’s because I’ve stayed in bad job for too long it scares employers off.

I know how to work hard once in a role, my most recent performance review was very positive and mentioned going above and beyond / extra curricular achievements at work - but that doesn’t count for anything in public sector if you can’t STAR to their liking.

I’m sad the choice of having a family will be taken away due to being stuck in a bad job. Sounds ridiculous, I’m in a job a school leaver with zero experience could get. I once saw a ‘normal’ person comment in another MN thread giving advice to someone who wanted to get a job with better pay, and they said move to a big city like London as it’s easy to earn 50k as a grad. I appreciate their honesty because that is the reality for normal people, but I’ve fallen so behind after years of trying to improve.

It’s similar to ‘AO’ level of responsibility, pay is so low I sometimes skip meals. Yet workload is high due to lack of team resource. I regularly work 08.30 - 5.30 but from an outsiders perspective it’s only ‘low skilled’ work, and there must be something wrong with me to be doing a low skill job despite 2.1 BSc.
I previously had a higher responsibility role in private sector, not only paid more, but was much less stressful overall, it hadn’t regressed my career either.

I understand people would find it hard to believe someone as thick as me would actually be capable of doing well at a professional job, but I have held private sector jobs similar to SEO level of responsibility. I know I’m autistic but in everyday situations outside of interview pressure I can come across as normal, sociable. Most of my neurotypical friends think I’m neurotypical too, and some are very successful and intelligent.
I can socialise normally and work hard, I just can’t STAR well enough.

Have you tried doing some mock interviews ? Clearly something isn't working and you need more detailed feedback

OP, remember it isn't really about the STAR, it's about finding the candidate who best meets the job specification and the behaviour profiles, which may have been weighted to reflect the demands of the role. STAR is just the convention for setting your examples out. The panel will be making judgements based on your whole performance at interview against the key criteria, including the extent to which your answers are plausible and at the right level for the job.

@NonplasticBertrand thanks, it’s just this role in particular, from looking at the ad I would have thought I had a good chance as I’ve done this role before externally and met desirable reqs. In terms of behaviour profiles, regardless of role my company assesses you against same behaviours/values. Internal candidates have to upload recent performance review, where your line manager has commented on how you met these behaviours etc. Mine has only been positive but because I come across terribly at interview and don’t STAR well enough (evident in feedback) it overwrites any ‘good’ things going for me.

For a junior role, it could go both ways hire someone who has done it before or someone who hasn’t done xyz but good attitude and interview skills because ultimately it’s still a junior job most people could easily do.

Answers being plausible / the right level for job - completely fair but the examples I used did happen, and I didn’t think were too basic considering I was working at higher responsibility level. Again, I know I sound stupid for messing up such a ‘easy’ junior interview so doubt people will take my word for that. Frustratingly, I don’t know if at least some answers I used were satisfactory or all were way off the mark and specifically which examples used were bad.

The reason I obsess about STAR is because in internal public sector interviews the way they mention it in my feedback - ‘you should structure your answers by STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)’
^ it’s as if I come across as someone who has never heard of it 😓

Thanks, I’ve not but I think mock interviews would be an excellent idea, as I need far more detailed feedback to guide me. if anyone has paid for a service like this and could recommend me someone I’d be highly appreciative

It really doesn't sound like you messed it up. Perhaps just that panel members are getting a bit too much detail. Does it help for each example to give yourself a core script of the top 5 points you need to get across. Much more than that can become 'noise'?

Couple of ideas.

1. When reading aloud focus on reading out the small forgettable words. So in previous sentence make sure you pronounce 'on' and 'the'. Rest usually follows.

2. There is a lot of civil service. Some more ND friendly than others. DfT - especially rail - HMRC, DSIT and analytical teams generally less chokka with neurotypicals.

Do you have a mentorship scheme? Or a neurodiversity network?

I think when they give feedback saying use STAR more or better when you have used STAR it's standard generic feedback and means bugger all often. They have to give some feedback and thats an easy out.

I think your ND is making you hyperfocus on this and means you haven't been able to recognise this is generic feedback probably given to every unsuccessful candidate.

I would worry less about STAR and focus more on any aspect of feedback that really is specific to you assuming there is any.

Often it really is a case there was just a candidate who was better suited than you but that doesn't fit their feedback template!

It may not even be your fault. I'm in a similar situation atm, unemployed following a redundancy in the summer.

I've applied to several roles where I am completely qualified and have relevant experience and am rejected, sometimes even before interview.

When I've asked for feedback one company told me I came across well but lived further away than a few other applicants who were also good and that they have had almost 100 applicants for the role.

There is just so much competition for jobs at the moment with companies going under left right and centre.

Out of genuine interest, why would one the candidates having autism mean questions were sent in advance? I think the very fact you asked for the questions beforehand may have gone against you.

@Spirallingdownwards thank you, it’s killing me not knowing for definite what exactly is my weakest point and how far exactly am I from passing interview. I really want to re strategise in the most efficient way but struggle to know how to do that as finding the feedback still too vague. I also know the interview panel don’t even owe me anything, and I don’t want to piss them off and ruin chances of applying to futures roles in their area.
At least in the civil service I believe they score you on each question answer, so at least you know what was a good example to use etc.
I’m too scared to probe interviewer for more detailed feedback especially to the extent of scoring each of my answers, I’ll risk coming across as annoying and bitter and in a work situation they’ll never be 100% honest anyway.

As pp said, I think paying for mock interview service would maybe be next best strategy. Sadly very expensive but I guess long term investment

@ladyamy and a few pp who have suggested me asking for questions in advance ruined my chances.

I haven’t always done this but just some further context, I work in public sector where people with disabilities are often overrepresented. If you meet minimum reqs of a job ad they will prioritise shortlisting you etc. I wouldn’t ask for this adjustment when interviewing for a private role as it’s too risky it may reflect badly, but I’d say the risk is lower in public sector. I even previously asked MNetters in another thread, and many CS interviewers were saying it was fine to ask.

I know it may evidently give a bad impression to some people but organisations such as Change 100, Ambitious about Autism, and Uni of Bath recommend this as a reasonable adjustment for interviewing autistic candidates. They partner with many companies too.

I previously attended a summer employment support programme for young autistic people with JPMorgan and Universiry of Bath which aimed to support autistic students to find graduate level work, and we were heavily advised to make the most of reasonable adjustments inc asking for questions in advance.

I mask very well in my personal life and previously would never declare the autism because who wants to work with someone who sucks at communicating right, and seemingly playing the disability card for an advantage. I understand that mentality and I think perhaps for many companies it may still exist but less of a risk for a company like mine

I successfully applied to a competitive mentoring scheme at my company. Only just started but I’m extremely grateful to be on this programme but sadly it still doesn’t fully solve the issue I’m incapable of interviewing well.

I am also part of autism network, disability network, and few other networks of choice but I don’t see how they would help me get a role if I’m seemingly this bad at interviewing.