A government interview should assess your capability, not how quickly or smoothly you can speak under pressure.
For candidates with a stutter, speech disability or communication disability, the standard panel interview can create unnecessary barriers.
The answer is not to avoid assessment.
The answer is to adjust the communication format so the panel can hear the substance of your answer.
Adjustments that may help
Useful adjustments may include:
- extra time to answer
- interview questions in writing
- permission to pause before answering
- panel members not interrupting or finishing sentences
- written response option
- alternative communication method
- video or phone option depending on what helps
- clear turn-taking in panel questions.
Why extra time helps
Extra time is not about adding content.
It allows the candidate to communicate the answer without being rushed, interrupted or penalised for speech pace.
What to ask for
> I am requesting a recruitment adjustment for the interview. I have a communication disability and may need extra time to answer questions. Please provide questions in writing and allow me time to complete my responses without interruption.
Simple. Direct. Useful.
Useful next steps
If this topic is relevant to your application, these related Team 3Thirty guides are the best places to go next:
- interview questions in advance
- reasonable adjustment examples
- bringing notes to a government interview
Useful resources
These official resources are worth checking if you need the source guidance behind the adjustment examples: