4 Key Tips for Building Inclusive Interviews

Interviewing is more than screening for skills and fit – it’s an opportunity to connect, understand, and empower talent from all walks of life. Yet traditional interview setups can unintentionally disadvantage candidates who think or communicate differently, or come from culturally distinct backgrounds.

Throughout my years as a hiring manager, I came to realize that giving everyone a fair interview process was important to me, and I needed to adapt how I designed and conducted my interviews. As a coach working with people preparing for interviews, I’ve witnessed the stress and anxiety they can cause, particularly for neurodiverse individuals.

Interviewing is more than screening for skills and fit – it’s an opportunity to connect, understand, and empower talent from all walks of life.

The main purpose of an interview is to get to know the candidate; to evaluate whether they have the skills and knowledge required for the role and determine if they would be a good fit for the organization’s culture. Interviews are stressful for most people because it’s hard to talk about ourselves, the stakes are high since we need a job, and we often don’t know what the hiring manager is looking for.

My previous blogs on the interview process explore both the manager’s and interviewee’s perspectives, offering strategies for identifying fit and presenting oneself in an authentic and accurate way. This blog builds on the others by helping hiring managers tailor the interview questions to thoughtfully include neurodivergent and culturally diverse candidates who may be the best fit for the role.

For interviewees, look for a progressive and inclusive workplace culture to join. If you find the hiring manager making efforts to accommodate diversity, that is a good sign!

4 Useful Tips I’ve Discovered as a Hiring Manager

1. Design questions that focus on facts and actions rather than social norms

Neurodivergent individuals may interpret questions literally or struggle with abstract social expectations. Similarly, cultural norms around self-promotion and storytelling vary widely. Designing your questions to take these factors into consideration reduces stress and helps the candidate better represent themselves.

What to do:

• Avoid vague or open-ended questions like “Can you tell me a bit about yourself?” or “What’s your greatest weakness?” Try these instead: “What are you most proud of in your career and why?” and “What’s one thing you are working on for personal growth.”
• Use clear, specific prompts such as, “Describe a time you collectively solved a problem while working with others.”
• Avoid using idioms or coloquialisms. For example, “Can you tell me about a time when you didn’t want to rock the boat?” may not translate well in some cultures, even if you intended to ask about when the person has avoided conflict. A better question would be, “Can you tell me about a time when you had a difficult conversation? What happened?”

2. Share interview format and questions in advance

For candidates with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or different cognitive processing styles, surprises and ambiguity can be overwhelming. Some may view providing interview questions in advance as cheating, but not everyone can think quickly under pressure, which is often what interviews demand. Many candidates simply need more time to process.

How to do it:

• Send the structure of the interview in advance. For example, include who they’ll be speaking with, how long it will take, and what types of questions they can expect.
• When possible, plan an extra 20 minutes for the interview and provide the interview guide while they are in the waiting area. This helps everyone prepare and demonstrate their best selves.
• Plan an appropriate number of questions for the interview duration. For example, having 20 questions in a 60-minute interview allows only three minutes per question. While it’s important to avoid overly long responses, it’s better to allow at least five minutes per question to provide room for follow-up discussion and processing time.

For candidates with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or different cognitive processing styles, surprises and ambiguity can be overwhelming.

3. Build flexibility into the interview process

Not all candidates thrive under pressure or in verbal-only formats. Flexibility shows respect and increases access to diverse talent. For individuals with learning or memory disabilities, only hearing the question can be challenging to understand and remember. Only reading the questions can also be a problem if the person has dyslexia or if the interview is not in their first language. Even if the candidate is capable and potentially the best fit for the role, they might not be able to showcase their strengths if the interview structure creates barriers. As a result, all parties could miss out on a valuable opportunity.

How to do it:

• Respectfully ask in advance if the candidate requires any accommodations or has a preferred learning style. This will help you understand what you can do to support their comfort and success during the interview process.
• Allow breaks during long interviews and minimize distractions (especially important for sensory-sensitive individuals). Even a break such as chatting about something non-interview related halfway through the interview can help break the stressful cadence and create relief.
• Use a range of formats (visual, written, interactive) to accommodate different communication styles.
• Keep your questions short and clear. Ask others to review them beforehand to ensure they make sense from different perspectives.

4. Train interviewers in cultural and neurodiversity awareness

Even the best intentions can falter without training. Biases, whether conscious or unconscious, can influence tone, evaluation, and assumptions. Being genuinely curious about others, trying to understand their actions without judgement, and showing compassion aren’t always natural skills. A progressive and inclusive organization embodies these qualities and strives to create a safe space where people can thrive.

How to do it:

• Provide interviewers with resources or training on neurodiversity and cultural sensitivity. Ask what approach existing employees would have liked during their interview and incorporate their input.
• Invite employees to review the interview questions and provide feedback on clarity and ease of response. They may offer valuable perspectives based on neurodiversity or cultural  differences.  There is no need for them to disclose their person information – you could ask anyone for input.
• Encourage empathy-driven listening and avoid snap judgements based on eye contact, pauses, or tone. Ask follow-up questions for clarity if you feel the answer is off base.
• Have more than one interviewer (but not too many) to offer varying perspectives and assessment.

Take a trauma-informed approach

A trauma-informed approach to interviewing prioritizes empathy, safety, and empowerment – especially when speaking with individuals who may have experienced adversity. Since we can’t know what trauma or challenges someone has faced, a trauma-informed approach recognizes that their reactions may be shaped by past experiences, even if they aren’t aware of it themselves.

4 strategies for a trauma-informed approach:

• If a candidate reacts in an unusual way, be curious and compassionate rather than judgemental. I had a woman become emotional in an interview once when we asked about a time she needed to keep confidentiality. The story she told was very traumatic for her, and I appreciated her authenticity and the challenge of coping with that extremely tough situation.
• If you inadvertently trigger someone’s trauma and the candidate is having a difficult time answering, offer a choice to the interviewee on when and how to proceed (take a break, skip the question, or come back to it). They can’t skip every question, but some may be too hard to answer.  
• Build rapport before diving into the harder, more emotional questions.
• Validate answers through reflective listening. Focus carefully and try to relate to what they are saying. Identify their resilience,  strength, and leadership skills in different scenarios. This will boost their confidence throughout the process and create a safer place for the interviewee to shine.

Inclusive interviews create space for everyone to represent themselves in the best way they can, not just those who fit the mold.

Inclusive interviews create space for everyone to represent themselves in the best way they can, not just those who fit the mold. And when you centre equity, authenticity, and accessibility, you tap into the deepest potential of human talent. One thing that keeps me focused on diversity in the workplace is that I have a family member who is neurodiverse, and I am hoping for someone to give him an interview where he can shine. You may also know someone from another culture or who is neurodiverse that has challenges with the interview process.

Please consider being the hiring manager that people need.