YES John Lewis & Partners!!
Interviewing styles and techniques vary wildly from company. Of course they do.
But one thing we can all learn from businesses like John Lewis, is that by being transparent about how you interview, the format, and even the questions, you are inviting and encouraging candidates to show up and perform at their best, rather than putting them in some form of squirmy, on the spot, mega uncomfortable exam seat.
This is beneficial for EVERYONE, there’s no doubt. 🙌🏻
But it is especially beneficial for those who are Neurodivergent, and will go a long way to becoming a more diverse and inclusive business overall 🚀
“Interviews can feel daunting, and for some – particularly those who are neurodivergent – nerves can seriously impact performance,” said Lorna Bullett, the Head of Talent acquisition for John Lewis Partnership (JLP).
“Anyone who has ever recruited will know that there are sometimes candidates who would be capable of performing to a high standard in a role but don’t always give the best performance at an interview. It made us question why we couldn’t do something different with the assessment process and we decided to publish our interview questions.”
People applying for jobs at the retail group, which also includes Waitrose, can now view a list of compliancy-based interview questions on its website.
The move is designed so applicants can take the time to think about their past experiences and skills, and prepare different examples to take to interview.
It is expected to help the retailer attract people from a variety of backgrounds, and to have specific benefits for neurodiverse people, which can include autistic people, or those with ADHD or dyslexia.
The group stressed that interviews will still be in-depth with detailed follow-up questions, and that people will not know which specific questions will be used during their interview.
Has anyone implemented similar improvements to their interview process? We’d absolutely love to hear how it’s going!