INNOVATIVE INNOVATIVE EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT STRATEGIESSTRATEGIESA NEW APPROACH TO A NEW APPROACH TO

GETTING ASD CANIDATES GETTING ASD CANIDATES HIRED HIRED

ProblemProblem

Large population of ASD Students with Large population of ASD Students with strong technical skills unemployed or strong technical skills unemployed or underemployedunderemployed

Parents actively involved as advocatesParents actively involved as advocates Candidates with good resumes, good GPAs Candidates with good resumes, good GPAs

and internships and/or relevant experienceand internships and/or relevant experience Colleges and Universities providing help Colleges and Universities providing help

with interview skills and access to with interview skills and access to recruitersrecruiters

Job prospect ends at interviewJob prospect ends at interview

““A JOB INTERVIEW IS ABOUT A JOB INTERVIEW IS ABOUT CHEMISTRY ;CHEMISTRY ;

PEOPLE LIKE HIM FLUNK WITHIN THE PEOPLE LIKE HIM FLUNK WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES AND THEY NEVER FIRST FEW MINUTES AND THEY NEVER GET TO TELL WHAT THEYGET TO TELL WHAT THEY’’RE GOOD AT.RE GOOD AT.””

- Thorkiel Sonne, founder of - Thorkiel Sonne, founder of SpecialisterneSpecialisterne (The Specialists) talking (The Specialists) talking about his sonabout his son

Anatomy of an InterviewAnatomy of an Interview

Hiring managers strive for consistencyHiring managers strive for consistency

Treat each candidate equallyTreat each candidate equally Same questions and approach for all Same questions and approach for all

candidatescandidates Determine skill and fit with companyDetermine skill and fit with company Assess ability to work on a teamAssess ability to work on a team Evaluate passion for subject and Evaluate passion for subject and

motivationmotivation

Interview Pointers for Interview Pointers for Managers Managers

Introduce yourself and greet the candidate with a Introduce yourself and greet the candidate with a handshake and a friendly smilehandshake and a friendly smile

Use Use ““small talksmall talk”” to break the ice; ask about the to break the ice; ask about the weather or trafficweather or traffic

Look for enthusiasm in responses which indicate a Look for enthusiasm in responses which indicate a passion for the topicpassion for the topic

Ask open-ended questions, not just those which Ask open-ended questions, not just those which require a require a ““yesyes”” or or ““nono”” answer answer

Consider using group interviews to assess team Consider using group interviews to assess team interactioninteraction

Ask one question such as Ask one question such as ““why should we hire why should we hire you?, you have no experienceyou?, you have no experience”” to learn how to learn how candidate responds in a stressful situationcandidate responds in a stressful situation

CONDUCT = CONDUCT = COMPETENCECOMPETENCE

Interviews rely heavily on body Interviews rely heavily on body language and social clueslanguage and social clues

Equate Equate ““upbeat talkupbeat talk”” with passion with passion and motivationand motivation

Assume stilted or monotone answers Assume stilted or monotone answers mean inadequate skillmean inadequate skill

Every candidate needs to display Every candidate needs to display strong leadership skillsstrong leadership skills

What do Hiring What do Hiring Managers Need?Managers Need?

Awareness of depth and skill of ASD Awareness of depth and skill of ASD candidatescandidates

Assistance in identifying ASD candidatesAssistance in identifying ASD candidates Permission/Encouragement to change the Permission/Encouragement to change the

interview processinterview process Education on alternate interview Education on alternate interview

techniquestechniques Understanding how ASD candidates work Understanding how ASD candidates work

successfully on teamssuccessfully on teams Confidence through role playingConfidence through role playing

Interview Interview TrainingTraining

OrOr

How to ensure top How to ensure top talent in your talent in your organizationorganization

How would you like an How would you like an employee whoemployee who

Is giftedIs gifted Focuses on tasksFocuses on tasks Likes the detailsLikes the details Can visualize solutionsCan visualize solutions Is a creative thinkerIs a creative thinker WonWon’’t take shortcutst take shortcuts Can remember huge amounts of factsCan remember huge amounts of facts Says what he meansSays what he means WonWon’’t participate in gossipt participate in gossip

Then you need some Then you need some new interviewing new interviewing

techniquestechniques

You canYou can’’t solve t solve problems with the problems with the same thinking you same thinking you

used to create themused to create them

How do you recognize an How do you recognize an ASD interviewee?ASD interviewee?

A Candidate with ASD may:A Candidate with ASD may: Not make eye contactNot make eye contact Seem uncomfortable in the chairSeem uncomfortable in the chair May fidgetMay fidget Have minimal change in facial expressionsHave minimal change in facial expressions May not pick up on your changes in tone, May not pick up on your changes in tone,

expressions or humor expressions or humor

If youIf you’’ve met one person with ASD, ve met one person with ASD, youyou’’ve met one person with ASDve met one person with ASD..

Changes to Interview Changes to Interview ProcessProcess

FromFrom Thank you and small Thank you and small

talk to open interviewtalk to open interview

Discussion about open Discussion about open positionposition

Using behavioral Using behavioral interview techniques to interview techniques to get informationget information

Ask specific open-ended Ask specific open-ended questions to assess questions to assess technical skillstechnical skills

ToTo Thank you and specific Thank you and specific

question about resume question about resume

Written detailed Written detailed description of positiondescription of position

Ask same types of Ask same types of questions using the questions using the Socratic approach to Socratic approach to get informationget information

Provide a written Provide a written problem to solveproblem to solve

Additional Interview Additional Interview Preparation Preparation

Candidate may have spent hours Candidate may have spent hours practicing interview techniquespracticing interview techniques Struggling to make eye contactStruggling to make eye contact Unusual speech patterns and tonesUnusual speech patterns and tones

Answers to questions can be very exacting Answers to questions can be very exacting or detailed and the candidate may need to or detailed and the candidate may need to be moved off subject.be moved off subject.

Some comments may seem inappropriate; Some comments may seem inappropriate; ““DonDon’’t you want to ask me about….?t you want to ask me about….?””

The candidate may not pick up on clues The candidate may not pick up on clues that the interview is completed. that the interview is completed.

Next StepsNext Steps

Gather input from todayGather input from today Finish training moduleFinish training module Test with EP Alums and current Test with EP Alums and current

candidatescandidates Review with HR and Staffing Review with HR and Staffing

professionalsprofessionals

Your TurnYour Turn

Disclosure issues?Disclosure issues? What is missing?What is missing? What would help with an interview?What would help with an interview? Suggestions and ideas to add or Suggestions and ideas to add or

eliminateeliminate