The lead up was positive, with the online application form and communications all giving a really positive impression of the organisation. The interview was questions that they sent out the day before when requested. Doing the classic anti autism format of starting with a broad and nonspecific 'welcomer'. It seems that the inclusivity awareness of the organisation had not quite reached the staff recruiting. The main challenge was that one of the interviewers was rushing from the start. Said hello and went straight into questioning. She then proceded to interrupt repeatedly throughout the interview. I am experienced in running interviews, and in running inclusive interview processes. It was so frustrating to be in a situation where I could see exactly what was happening and how it was impacting me, but be completely powerless to combat the impact bad interview technique has on my neurodivergent mind. I didn't get the job, not helped by the fact I performed terribly. But safe to say, so did they.
The interview then ended and I was moved straight into a budgeting task. There was no break. Now recognition of the fact that in a face to face interview, there would always be a small gap to allow task transition. Just 'interview over, you have 30 minutes to submit this'. The task was straight forward. But the pace and way it was started so immediately at the end of the interview was frankly awful and not remotely reflective of the reality of how you would structure similar work in a job. No idea if I made daft mistakes, but the ridiculous artificial stress and task switch with no preparation or transition break, it would invite worker error. Given that person would have line managed the role and clearly doesn't understand human brains and how to support people to perform at their best, I'm glad I didn't get the role. I had been so excited about the charity and the role right up until the interview. This isn't just bitterness about a role. I have a very good understanding of how to run an interview well, and how to do well in a well delivered interview. This was a bad interview.
