Autistic or ADHD? 5 questions to ask before your next job interview

Job interviews can reward fast answers, social fluency and comfort with ambiguity as much as they test whether somebody can do the job. For autistic and ADHD candidates, a few questions in advance can help make the process fairer — and more useful for the employer too.

Interviews are stressful for plenty of people. But for some autistic and ADHD candidates, uncertainty about the format, rapid-fire questions, sensory overload or needing longer to process what has been asked can create an additional barrier.

That does not mean lowering the bar. It means making sure the interview is testing the things the employer actually needs to know.

“An interview is designed to assess whether you are the right person for the role, not how well you cope with an unnecessarily difficult process,” says Dr Devendra Karnal, consultant psychiatrist at Private ADHD & Autism UK.

For candidates whose autism or ADHD amounts to a disability under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments in recruitment. Acas guidance says the duty applies when an employer knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that somebody is disabled.

So what is worth asking before the interview?

1. What will the interview format be?

Ask who will be there, how long it will last and whether it will include a presentation, task, panel interview or informal discussion. Knowing the shape of the process can remove a large amount of unnecessary uncertainty.

2. Could I have the questions, or the main topics, in advance?

Not every employer will provide a full question list, but some will. Others may be able to share the areas they plan to cover. That can give candidates more time to organise their thoughts without changing the standard being assessed.

3. Can I have a little more processing time?

If you know you need time to think before answering, say so. That might mean a slightly longer interview, a pause before responding or avoiding pressure to answer immediately.

4. Is there a quieter or alternative interview setting available?

For an in-person interview, that could mean a quieter room or fewer people coming in and out. For some candidates, a remote interview may reduce sensory load; for others, face-to-face is easier. The useful adjustment is the one that removes the particular barrier.

5. Who should I speak to about reasonable adjustments?

If the invitation does not make this clear, ask. Dr Karnal recommends raising adjustments when the interview is arranged rather than waiting until the interview itself, giving the employer time to put them in place.

There is a wider lesson here for recruitment teams. Candidates should not have to be unusually confident or knowledgeable about employment law to get an accessible interview.

Acas advises employers to ask people coming to interview whether they need reasonable adjustments. A simple line in every interview invitation, a named contact and clear information about what to expect can do a lot of the work before a candidate has to ask.

That fits a broader point in our recent coverage of neurodiversity at work: many of the most useful changes are not elaborate programmes. They are clearer processes, fewer unnecessary barriers and better-designed work.

About Dr Devendra Karnal

Dr Devendra Karnal is a consultant psychiatrist at Private ADHD & Autism UK. He is registered with the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, has more than 20 years’ NHS experience, and specialises in the assessment and treatment of ADHD and autism.