An Accessible & Inclusive 5-Step Interview Plan
- Janelle Meredith
- Sep 15, 2025
- 4 min read
This plan is designed to be fair, transparent, and accommodating, ensuring you can evaluate candidates based on their skills and qualifications, not their ability to navigate a potentially stressful or biased hiring process.
Step 1: The Accessible Job Posting on Indeed
The goal of this first step is to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates and make it clear from the outset that your organization is inclusive.
Process:
Create the job description, focusing on core responsibilities and required skills.
Post the advertisement on Indeed and other relevant job boards.
The ad will direct all applicants to a specific page on your website (autismally.ca/employment or similar) to begin the application process.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Considerations:
✓ Use Plain Language: Avoid jargon, acronyms, and corporate buzzwords. Write in clear, simple sentences. This benefits everyone, including people with cognitive disabilities and those for whom English is a second language.
✓ Distinguish "Must-Haves" from "Nice-to-Haves": Clearly separate essential job functions from preferred qualifications. This prevents qualified candidates from self-selecting out because they don't meet every single preferred criterion.
✓ Avoid Ableist Language: Phrases like "hit the ground running," "heavy-lifting," or "fast-paced environment" can deter candidates with disabilities. Instead, describe the actual tasks and outcomes required (e.g., "manage multiple deadlines," "collaborate effectively with a team").
✓ Include a Clear Accommodation Statement: This is crucial. Add a welcoming statement to the bottom of every job post:
"AutismAlly is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive hiring process. If you require any accommodations to participate in our recruitment process, please contact [email address or contact person]. We will work with you to meet your needs."
Step 2: The Pre-Screening Application & Booking
This step automates the initial intake and scheduling, making it efficient for you and straightforward for the candidate.
Process:
Candidates visit the link provided in the Indeed ad.
On the webpage, they use an integrated scheduling tool (like Calendly, Acuity, or a Wix Booking app) to select a time for their 15-minute pre-screening interview.
The booking form should collect basic information (Name, Email, Phone, Resume/CV upload).
Accessibility & Inclusivity Considerations:
✓ Website Accessibility (WCAG): Ensure your website's booking page is WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliant. This means it can be navigated by a keyboard, is compatible with screen readers, and has sufficient color contrast.
✓ Add an Accommodation Request Field: In the booking form, include an optional, open-text question:
"To ensure our interview process is accessible, please let us know if you require any specific accommodations (e.g., ASL interpreter, live captions, interview questions in advance)." This normalizes the request and shows you are proactive.
✓ Be Transparent About the Next Steps: Clearly state on the booking page what will happen after they book:
"After selecting your time, you will receive a confirmation email with a Zoom link for your interview. You will also be automatically subscribed to our free introductory AutismAlly sensitivity training module to help you understand our company's mission and values."
Step 3: Automated Training & Interview Preparation
This step serves two purposes: it provides value to the candidate and helps them understand your company's core mission, allowing for mutual alignment.
Process:
Once the candidate confirms their booking, your system automatically sends a confirmation email.
This email contains:
The confirmed date and time.
The Zoom link for the interview.
A link and login details for the free online training module.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Considerations:
✓ Frame the Training Positively: Instead of a tool to "weed out" candidates, frame it as a resource for their benefit. It helps them prepare and decide if your company is a good fit for them. It is a tool for alignment, not a pass/fail test.
✓ Accessible Training Content: Your online training module must be accessible. This means:
All videos must have accurate, synchronized captions.
Transcripts should be available for all audio/video content.
The platform should be keyboard-navigable.
Text and background should have high color contrast.
✓ Share Interview Questions in Advance: In the confirmation email, include the questions that will be asked during the 15-minute screening. This is a game-changing accommodation for many neurodivergent candidates and people with anxiety, as it allows them to prepare thoughtful answers rather than being tested on their ability to think on the spot.
Step 4: The 15-Minute Accessible Zoom Interview
This is the first direct interaction. The goal is to verify basic qualifications and assess alignment with the role's core functions in a structured, low-stress manner.
Process:
The interviewer and candidate join the Zoom meeting at the scheduled time.
The interviewer follows a structured script based on the questions sent in advance.
The focus is on skills, experience, and motivation for applying.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Considerations:
✓ Enable Live Transcription: The host should enable Zoom's live transcription feature at the start of the meeting so the candidate can turn on closed captions if they need them.
✓ Camera Optional: Begin the interview by stating, "Please feel free to keep your camera on or turn it off, whatever makes you most comfortable." Requiring a camera or judging "eye contact" can be a significant barrier.
✓ Structured & Consistent Questions: Ask every candidate the same set of questions. This ensures a fair comparison and reduces interviewer bias. Focus on behavioural questions ("Tell me about a time when...") related to the job.
✓ Be Patient and Allow Pauses: Allow candidates time to think and formulate their responses. Do not interrupt.
✓ Have a Technology Backup Plan: If there are technical issues, be prepared to switch to a phone call. Reassure the candidate they will not be penalized for connectivity problems.
Step 5: Evaluation & Selection for Second Interview
This final step ensures that decisions are made based on objective criteria, minimizing unconscious bias.
Process:
Immediately after the interview, the interviewer fills out a standardized evaluation rubric for the candidate.
Candidates are scored based on their answers to the structured questions, not on their communication style, personality, or perceived "cultural fit."
Based on the rubric scores, a shortlist of candidates is selected for the longer, second-round interview.
All candidates are contacted with a decision.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Considerations:
✓ Use a Standardized Rubric: The rubric should list each question and the key criteria for a successful answer (e.g., demonstrated specific skill, relevant experience, alignment with mission). This makes the evaluation process objective.
✓ Communicate with All Candidates: Respect the time and effort of every applicant. Send a polite, templated email to those who are not moving forward. Do not "ghost" candidates.
✓ Consistent Follow-up: For those selected, the invitation to the second interview should follow the same accessible principles: provide clear instructions, offer accommodations, and share the topics or questions in advance where possible.
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