Interviewing

Interviews are often the most daunting step of the application process. Some candidates, especially people from marginalised communities, may go in thinking they are at a disadvantage. A hiring risk is advertising and running interviews in a way that means only people who’ve done similar roles before will be successful.¹

Before the interview

Give candidates supporting information to prepare for their interview. This could include a copy of the interview questions. This may reduce nerves, increase confidence and maximise their ability to sell themselves.

Or, you could give them a response matrix that outlines how they should respond to interview questions and when they could be asked for more information.²

When arranging interviews or assessments, model inclusiveness:

• Ask all candidates if they need any reasonable adjustments and organise these. Clearly outline the steps in the process so candidates can assess if they will need support or adjustment at any stage.
• Let them know that the physical location of the interview is accessible.
• Ensure candidates can access any online platforms used or offer an alternative.³

Preparing the panel

• Use a diverse panel to conduct interviews. This could include people who reflect the communities the organisation serves and panel members from different areas of the organisation. A range of opinions and voices helps assess candidates more fairly and recognise diverse skills.
• Ensure panellists understand how bias can influence their decision making.² Brief the panel on the type of candidate you are looking for.

During the interview

• Take simple steps to ensure the interview is inclusive and culturally safe. For example, include an Acknowledgement of Country. Acknowledge victim survivors who may be there at the beginning of the interview.
• Limit questions to no more than six to eight.
• Align your questions to the selection criteria outlined in the position description. This will ensure candidates are more prepared.
• Ask the same questions of each candidate, and in the same order. This will ensure fairness.

Scoring and feedback

When scoring applicants:

• It’s important for each panel member to assess and score applicants on their own. Calculate all scores before discussing the candidates.
• Candidates perform differently in interviews, and their performance does not necessarily reflect their suitability for the role. Try to consider applications as a whole, including reference checks, and not just interview performance.²

Offer unsuccessful candidates feedback on their application. Giving feedback can encourage applicants to reapply for another role in the organisation. If there are too many applications to offer individual feedback, you can give applicants with a generic response that outlines common reasons why applications were unsuccessful. This can help the jobseeker to improve their application for next time.²

Many of the tips on this page are from the Recruit Smarter: report of findings(opens in a new window). Read the full report for more tips on inclusive recruitment.

References

1. G Lloyd, Three inclusive hiring tips to attract top talent(opens in a new window), HRM website, 2022, accessed 13 January 2023.

2. Department of Premier and Cabinet and Centre for Ethical Leadership, University of Melbourne, Recruit smarter: report of findings(opens in a new window), Victorian Government website, 2018, accessed 13 January 2023.

3. Australian Human Rights Commission, Attracting and recruiting people with disability to your organisation(opens in a new window), IncludeAbility website, 2021, accessed 13 January 2023.