How do I prepare for a job interview when I'm autistic?

Ask for reasonable adjustments as soon as you’re invited — above all the interview questions in advance. Under the Equality Act 2010 employers must make them, but only once they know you’re autistic. The single change most likely to alter the outcome is getting the questions ahead of time, because what disadvantages you in a typical interview is usually the speed of processing and forming an answer out loud, not the content of what you have to say.

First, ask for the questions in advance

Send a short written request the moment you are invited. You do not need to explain your condition in detail; you only need to say that you are autistic and to name what would help. Asking for the questions ahead of time is treated as a recognised adjustment, and the Buckland Review of Autism Employment (Department for Work and Pensions, 2024) calls sending interview questions in advance “vital” for reducing anxiety. The same review found that around three in ten autistic people are in work — one of the widest employment gaps of any disabled group — and that the burden of identifying adjustments still falls too heavily on the candidate. So ask early, in writing, and be specific.

Then name the other adjustments worth asking for

You can request more than the questions. Pick the ones that match how an interview is hardest for you:

• The questions, or the topics and competencies, a few days to a week ahead.
• The names, roles and (if possible) photos of the people on the panel.
• The format and the venue described in advance, or a short pre-interview visit.
• Permission to refer to written notes, and no requirement to make eye contact or shake hands.
• Breaks during a long interview.
• Competency or experience-based questions rather than abstract “what would you do if” ones.
• A single named point of contact before and on the day.

This is the employer’s legal duty, not a favour

Making reasonable adjustments for a disabled job applicant is a legal duty, not a goodwill gesture. An employer must take reasonable steps to remove a substantial disadvantage caused by the way they run the recruitment process, and that duty covers interviews (Equality Act 2010, s.20 and s.39). Autism counts where it is a long-term condition with a substantial effect on everyday activities, so you can ground a request on a clear self-identification — you do not have to hold a formal diagnosis letter. The catch is that the duty only bites once the employer knows you are autistic. That is why a brief written line about being autistic, sent with your request, is what actually switches the protection on. Whether to disclose is your choice; the law does let the employer ask whether you need any adjustment for the interview, even before a job offer (Equality Act 2010, s.60). For the underlying mechanism, see our note on reasonable adjustments.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.