Inclusive Interview Checklist
Create an inclusive interview experience
How to Use This Document
Use this checklist together with the Inclusive Interview Questions Template to make your interview process welcoming to diverse candidates.
There are small adjustments you can make to all parts of the interview process to make it more accessible for all interview candidates, including those with a disability.
Remember to:
- Invite candidates to include their job coach in the interview process.
- Consider the diverse needs of all candidates.
- Clearly communicate that you offer accommodations to all candidates during the interview process.
Working With a Job Coach
Offering for candidates to be supported by a job coach is an example of inclusive employment. Candidates and employees can be supported at any part of the employment process by a job coach, including the interview. Job coaches can help candidates to:
- Prepare to answer interview questions.
- Ask for clarification of a question or ask for more information.
- Fill out any required forms or bring documents like references to the interview.
- Navigate the details of attending the interview.
Job coaches can also help you as an employer better understand how to support employees with diverse needs. Job coaches can help you to:
- Rewrite your interview questions to be more inclusive.
- Adjust the pacing of your interview to support all candidates in fully answering your questions.
- Prepare your interview space to be more welcoming.
- Create an inclusive interview panel.
Contact NDMS to get started working with a job coach.
Getting to the Interview
Consider how people with different disabilities might access your building and/or interview room.
Share details about where candidates can locate accessible parking, as well as ramp or elevator access to your building. Other aspects of your physical space to consider are the width of your hallways, any stairs a candidate may have to navigate, doorways, and the interview table or chairs.
Consider including the instructions to your location and accessibility features in a document written in plain language. Sharing photos or descriptions of the physical space may also be helpful for neurodiverse candidates.
Assess Candidate Skills and Fit
Be ready to assess if the candidate has the skills needed to fill the job you are interviewing them for. You should focus on specific tasks and whether the candidate can complete each task. Focus on ability rather than experience. People with disabilities have less access to employment than the general population. Some things you can do are:
- Provide interview questions ahead of time.
- Ask all applicants the same set of questions.
- Rewrite your interview questions to be more inclusive. (Use the Inclusive Interview Questions job aid to support you.)
- Ask “how” instead of “can.”
- Be prepared to ask questions in more than one way.
- Give candidates enough time to answer.
- Interview for the job you advertised for. Don’t start the interview by saying the job has changed slightly. Candidates who have prepared beforehand may be thrown by this.
Design an Accessible Interview Room
Different candidates may have different needs in terms of interview space. If a candidate has requested a reasonable accommodation for the interview, provide it. Otherwise, you can:
- Choose a quiet space, free of distraction.
- Put an “interview in progress, do not disturb” sign on the door.
- Remove things that cause distracting noise, like a loudly ticking clock or buzzing overhead lights.
- Arrange the room to encourage conversation, rather than sitting across a desk from your candidate.
Adjust Timelines
Acknowledge that people with disabilities may need more time to do things than others. Support candidates to showcase their skills by:
- Avoiding short or timed interviews or skills tests. These can cause undue stress.
- Stretching out the timelines for individual interviews.
- Extending time between interviews.
- Avoiding or providing extra time for skills tests if they are necessary.