Why we do not time Sapia Smart Interviewer assessments

We do not time our Smart Interviewer assessments.

Why does it matter? It is clear from candidate feedback that removing time constraints from our assessments greatly improves fairness and accessibility for anyone with a disability. We see this in direct feedback comments, some of which are shared below. Candidates can also review and revise their responses. This, too, is unique for an assessment.

We believe that fairness starts with your application process and your technology choices. Using the ‘wrong’ technology will automatically exclude a cohort of candidates before they even complete the assessment experience. By removing the time restrictions, we have leveled the playing field for all and increased the inclusivity of the experience.

Our candidates love it, too:

“I found the application very comforting, easy to follow and respond to; as I’m diagnosed autistic and become overwhelmed by the idea of in-person interviews. So doing one online has helped me be more confident with my responses, as it felt like there was much less pressure.”

“It was an unusual experience but as an autistic person, I appreciated being able to interview via text rather than phone. It gave me the chance to really consider my responses in my own time.”

“As i’m on the autism spectrum, pre-recorded video interviews are a mild challenge due to my way of thinking, i feel slightly forced to undertake them.”

“I know i’m not forced, but possibly consider that some people with disabilities may not have the easiest time doing impromptu pre-recorded clips. Thank you.”

We made a decision early on to design for inclusion, which means our chat AI assessment is blind and not timed. That has been profound for this candidate cohort in reducing interview anxiety.