Advice on your job application

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. We want to support you in your recruitment journey and we understand there is a need to recognise individual needs rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ approach. To ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities, we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

A reasonable adjustment is any change or modification made to the standard recruitment process to enable candidates with a disability or other mitigating factors, to participate on an equal basis with other applicants.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are required to make reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities to avoid discrimination and ensure fairness in the hiring process.

Requesting a reasonable adjustment 

Prior to application – If you require any modifications to the application format, please refer to the accessibility guidelines for using the recruitment application system. Alternatively, if you need a paper copy of the application, kindly contact ResourcingSolutions@northyorks.gov.uk.

Application stage – When submitting your application, you will find a section within the Declarations and Consent section of the form where you can indicate if you require any reasonable adjustments, should you be successful in being shortlisted for an interview. This allows us to make the necessary preparations ahead of time and ensures your needs are considered in the recruitment process.

Invite to interview – If you are invited to interview, you will have the opportunity to inform us of any reasonable adjustments you may need in order to attend and participate comfortably. This could include changes to the interview format, timing, or location.

What happens after I make a request?

Once you have made a request for a reasonable adjustment, we might need to contact you to further clarify your requirements. If for any reason the requested adjustment is not possible or we believe another adjustment may be more suitable, we will discuss alternatives with you. Once we’ve agreed on an appropriate adjustment, we will confirm the details with you, ensuring that everything is in place ahead of your interview or assessment. We aim to ensure that every candidate has the best chance to succeed.

Examples of reasonable adjustments we could provide

We will endeavour to meet your needs, some examples of reasonable adjustments might include:

Interview adjustments:

• providing extra time to answer questions, complete tasks or assessments
• adjusting the format of the interview (e.g. offering interviews virtually)
• allowing a support person to attend with you (they would not be able to answer on your behalf) or interpreter (e.g. sign language interpreter)
• providing a quiet room or reducing distractions
• ensuring the lighting is adjusted to suit your preferences (well-lit or dimmed lighting)
• providing questions ahead of the interview or in a different format. Ensuring long questions or multi-part questions are presented in a different way to provide full context
• providing hardware (such as amplified hearing aids) or software (such as text to speech) is available were possible

Assessment adjustments:

• changing the format of written tests (e.g., offering larger print, braille, or digital formats)
• providing oral assessments or alternative methods for completing tasks

Location adjustments:

• adjusting the interview venue to ensure accessibility (such as wheelchair access, accessible parking, ground floor rooms, or adjusting the layout of the room)
• offering flexible interview locations (such as remotely Microsoft Teams or phone call)
• time-based adjustments (for example, allowing breaks between panels)

Examples of where reasonable adjustments have been applied

Deaf candidate – A candidate was apprehensive about their interview. A discussion was had with the candidate, and it was arranged that they would have their interview online with subtitles added.

Neuro-divergent candidate – A candidate requested and was provided interview questions in advance. Candidate requested a well-lit room and to be able to take a note pad and pen into the interview. 

Learning Disability - A candidate with a learning disability would usually attend interviews with their Supported Employment Worker. However, their worker was on holiday so their father attended instead, purely in a moral support capacity.

Further support

If you have any questions or need additional support regarding reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please feel free to contact us. We are here to help and will do our best to ensure you can participate fully.