TV's Favourite Aspie Sheldon Cooper

During an interesting conversation I was engaged in with an employer earlier this week concerning an applicant that had been interviewed for a position within their company previously. It had got me thinking.

What was it that had gone against this person? What in particular was it that had made this individual suddenly unqualified?

On paper according to the employer the applicants skills, attributes and experience were paramount to the position, he was well presented and a good match for the job order………………But didn’t interview well

Through further discussion it became apparent to me that candidate could have possibly had Asperger’s.

Why would this make a difference? I hear you ask.

Well people who have Asperger’s can find the interview process very difficult (more than others) due to the fact that they find it difficult to embrace the simplicities of conversation that is so paramount to the interview process.

They have trouble understanding exactly what we as interviewers are asking of them especially through the behavioural interview questions. You know the ones where we will ask similar questions looking for different insights into a person’s behavioural response.

Where as a person with Asperger’ will look at you and most likely give you the same answer to all, let’s face it by the end of that line of questioning they will probably be thinking ”Do you not understand my answer? Why do you keep asking me the same thing over and over”?  This then leads them to start concentrating on trying to work out more of what “your problem” is rather than concentrating on the situation at hand.

Candidates with Asperger’s can easily be seen by interviewers as unengaging, a true “aspie” trait is that they don’t like to hold eye contact; they may fidget, and have trouble interpreting facial expressions.

They will give you Yes or No answers unless you make it clear that you are looking for more.  They can be very literal in their answers as well ….

So be careful Mr Interviewer because if you ask an aspie:
Often we will find that we are in a’ vicious cycle’, where one action leads to another, but eventually we end up back where we started.  Can you think of a time when you were in such a situation?  How did you break the cycle?

They will be trying to work out the” vicious cycle”.

So as interviewers let’s be clear in our requests and what we are asking.

As a person who spends every day with family members who have Asperger’s- I know how highly intelligent, motivated (as long as they like the subject), diligent and most of all the extraordinary sense of humour they have.

As a recruiter I also understand the amazing benefits a person with Asperger’s can bring to an employer

Let’s face it
“if your business is an aspie’s passion you can’t lose”.