National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is at an end, but the momentum does not have to stop. It is time to turn all that awareness into action and hire people with disabilities. Below are three practical tips for creating an inclusive interview experience for candidates with disabilities.

1. Understand accommodation needs prior to the interview.

Weaving an invitation to request accommodations into every step of the application and interview process supports a culture of inclusion. This invitation acts as a signal to candidates with disabilities that your organization is prepared to equip candidates and employees with the tools needed to be successful in their job role. Knowing an employer is prepared to offer accommodations to candidates with disabilities builds trust and encourages candidates to feel comfortable with discussing their needs.

For this action to yield successful results, the employer needs to take a couple additional steps. The first is to provide enough information about the nature of the interview for candidates to make an informed decision about making accommodation requests. Many candidates are uncomfortable disclosing a disability unless there is a need for an accommodation due to a fear of bias. Knowing information such as how many people will be present, if they will be required to take a test or make a presentation, if there will be extensive walking during a site tour, standard interview length, if they are required to be on camera, and other common interview practices will help the candidate make an informed decision about a need to request accommodations.

Finally, be prepared to respond to candidate inquiries about interviews and accommodations. Many companies have specific personnel assigned to process accommodation requests for employees. These individuals typically have subject matter expertise into understanding the employer’s responsibilities and capabilities. However, accommodations during the interview process do not always receive the same level of intention. When candidates with disabilities ask recruiters questions about what accommodations may be available to them during the interview process that the recruiter is unable to answer, it impacts the candidate’s perception of that employer. The candidate is left with the impression that the employer may not be effective in equipping their employees with accommodations.

2. Be prepared to adapt behavioral interview questions.

For candidates with disabilities which impact how the individual processes information and communicates their skills and abilities, such as neurodiverse disabilities, behavioral interview questions can create an unnecessary barrier to employment. While we know that hiring people with diverse ways of thinking creates stronger products and increases profitability, common interview practices do not always include adaptations for diversity of thought.

The use of behavioral questions has become so prescriptive at some companies that hiring managers and recruiters are required to read the questions from a script. Further, in some instances, there is no avenue for rewording a question if the candidate asks for clarification. This type of practice creates barriers for candidates who require accommodations related to receiving and sharing information.

Taking time to adapt behavioral questions for those who require this type of accommodation can lead to more inclusive hiring practices and more intuitive interview processes.

3. Challenge bias in the debrief.

More and more employers are coming to understand the value employees with disabilities bring to the workplace. However, if employers want to take full advantage of these benefits, then they need to be prepared to challenge biased beliefs which impact hiring decisions. One way to do this is to focus debriefs away from bias and instead focus on skills and competencies.

Some people make hiring decisions based on who has the best interview, not who is the best candidate. In this way, interviewing focuses on who has the best rapport, who has the most in common with the hiring manager, and who displays traditional interviewing mannerisms. Behaviors such as eye contact (which isn’t possible if you are blind), a firm handshake (which isn’t possible if you have a disability which affects your ability to grip), a confident tone of voice (which isn’t possible if you are nonverbal), and how you dress (which may be impacted by what is available in adaptive clothing lines) do not necessarily tell an employer who would make the best employee. Without challenging these biases during debriefs and refocusing conversation back onto skills and competencies for the specific job role, employers miss out on truly realizing the positive impact that engaging people with disabilities can have on their organization.

If you are interested in exploring how you can remove barriers from the candidate experience at your organization, contact us today!