Aibu to ask for interview questions in advance? (ASD)

[EastLondoner1]

Diagnosed with autism, and have interview for software testing role - not client facing, and testing in my industry isn’t a role you have to think under pressure.

I really struggle with interviews due to ASD, but desperate to seek better employment. Spend extreme amount of time preparing, do mock interviews, record myself etc etc but I’m still awful.

I often accidentally misinterpret vague language or accidentally go on a tangent and say too much detail in my answers. I’m trying super hard to do better and fix my issues to get through interviews but was thinking of asking for some reasonable adjustments at interview stage
e.g., interview questions in advance and for panel to be made aware I may struggle to maintain consistent eye contact.

However, I have previously seen MN posters say it will reflect very badly asking for interview questions in advance (some going as far to say they would instantly reject someone like this).
I am happy for other candidates to be given interview questions in advance too, don’t want to seem like I’m playing disability card or anything. I am just terrified of job interviews and desperate to try something that may help me get through.

thank you

Sounds fine to me. I've had candidates asked before, and we've just sent them to all the others too to even it out.

Also if of any relevance the University of Bath Centre for Applied Autism research, Employment Autism charity, Ambitious about Autism charity, Buckinghamshire Business First all recommend questions in advance for interviewing autistic people.

however, I’m happy to receive the realistic/non PC answer and if anyone could advise whether it will risk ruining my chances?

You're still likely to get some follow up questions though in the interview. But that's just for more detail l. I'd definitely ask.

You can make notes of any follow-up questions so you have those in front of you too - it's fine to ask for a second to do that.

I'm sorry someone was saying they would reject someone who asked for questions in advance. You wouldn't want to work for someone like that anyway - it's discriminatory.

I'm always happy to send questions in advance. We usually finalise them when we do the recruitment pack with application form etc. Sometimes what happens is they send them to everyone to make it equal, which is fine.

YANBU, most employers are happy to do this, either as a reasonable accommodation or, if one person asks, they'll send the questions out in advance to all candidates.

I work in this sector - defiantly ask.

An interview should be a 2 way thing. If they won't make this accomodation is it am organisation you want to be working for.

They should be keen to create a relaxed environment when you can demonstrate your experience.

Yes definitely ask. If they do say no then would you really want to work for them anyway?

Looks unanimous here! Go for it and good luck with your interview.

It'd also occurred to me and I'm trying desperately not to stereotype, but I bet they've had this before with software related jobs. So it shouldn't be an unusual request.

Definitely ask.

If they won’t accommodate it tells you all you need to know about the organisation.

Unfortunately there are still plenty of places with less enlightened attitudes but honestly best to be alerted to that early than find out later!

I think it’s fine, however I would point out that you’ve given us an awful lot of information about your disability, before you’ve said that you would be happy for everyone else to get the questions too. I think give them a little bit less waffle about how you going off on tangents and struggling with eye contact. Keep your request simple.

Also I'd say (as a ND person working with other ND people) that I would see asking demonstrates an awareness of your needs and ability to advocate for them which I'd see as really positive.

I'd suggest framing it in a positive way: e.g. "If you can provide X I will be able to..." rather than "without X I will not be able to..." or "I need X otherwise I cannot attend the interview"

Maybe consider a concise method that will help you be clear and brief about your answers. For example the STAR method and saw one or two sentence for each letter. Google it as it may help you.

If I was asked as an employer I would be happy to provide them but would provide them to everyone.
I would also have a different level of expectation in terms of the answers if people have had lots of time to prepare. I actually don't expect a set of perfect answers, they are more a chance to get a sense of a person.

I would be less keen on doing this if a big part of your role was being able to give spontaneous advice etc, because part of the interview would be testing that skill set. But some roles don't require it and it would be reasonable in those instances

Also as a recruiting manager I find I get much more out of interviews when we've sent the questions in advance, because the candidates are better prepared to give you fully rounded answers and not the first example that comes into their head.

It's pretty standard at decent employers these days to automatically give "crib sheets" in advance as to the type of questions they're going to ask, both in terms of subject content and question style, and also how many and who will be attending the interview from their end.

The days of dodgy employers trying to be smart by ambushing you with trick questions are long over and I'd be very wary of employers/managers still playing that kind of trick.

My son went through the application stages for numerous graduate scheme actuary jobs with big banks, accountants and financial services firms. At every step of the way during the initial online process (inc online live interviews) and the face to face interviews, every single potential employer provided very clear and detailed information about the next stage, and yes, all the potential questions in their bank to take their choice from were provided so applicants could prepare.

DS with ASD asked for questions in advance when he was applying. He found a lot of places wouldn't give them even if they were 'disability confident' - the only thing some would offer was extra time, as if anyone wants/needs extra time in a 90 minute interview! (Barclays was one of his worst experiences incase you're wondering). It made it very clear to him though which places were likely to be supportive and he got a job eventually where they had been very happy to give him the questions in advance. He absolutely love it there.

I would ask OP, if they say no and then reject you after interview due to you asking/being autistic then they probably weren't a good place to work anyway.