A job interview is a social situation: you are asked questions, you answer, and each side observes the other. It calls on social skills that you can practise in advance. This article gives practical pointers to prepare for it: knowing how it goes, preparing your answers, saying them out loud, deciding whether to mention your autism, knowing who can help. Take what is useful to you.
What happens in a job interview
Here is one possible sequence: welcome, introduction, the interviewer's questions, your questions, the end. Knowing it in advance can take away some of the unexpected. Every company has its variations: you can ask in advance how long the interview lasts and how many people will be there. None of the sources cited here describes an interview: this table is a practical pointer from Sociami.
| Step | What happens | What you can prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | You arrive, say hello, and are introduced to the person receiving you. | The journey, your arrival time, a sentence to introduce yourself. |
| Introduction | The job and the company are presented, then you are asked to talk about yourself. | Two or three sentences about your background and what interests you in this job. |
| Interviewer's questions | Questions about your background, your skills, what motivates you. | Written answers to the usual questions. |
| Your questions | You are asked whether you have any questions. | Two or three questions noted in advance: a typical day, the team. |
| The end | You are told what happens next: when you will get an answer. | A sentence to say thank you, and the question "When will I hear back?". |
Prepare your answers, then say them out loud
Write down your answers to the usual questions, then say them out loud, several times, with someone or on your own. Keep each answer short: a few sentences are enough. Introducing yourself, answering, asking a question: these are gestures that can be rehearsed. You can start by reading the outline in a social story, before rehearsing your answers.
Possible questions:
- "Tell me about yourself."
- "Why does this job interest you?"
- "What are your strengths?"
- "Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem."
- "Do you have any questions?"
HAS, the French health authority, recommends that professionals offer autistic adults support programmes for work skills that include "training in the social skills specific to the work context" and "help with writing a CV and preparing for job interviews". It also recommends ways to understand social codes "through experimentation and exercises in concrete situations", with, if needed, "a practice partner who goes over the skills acquired and plays them again" with the person. NICE, in its guideline for autistic adults, describes social learning programmes that should typically include "individual feedback" (or peer feedback in a group) and "suggested strategies for dealing with socially difficult situations".
At home, the practice partner can be someone you trust who plays the interviewer. You can also rehearse with an AI: Sociami lets you replay situations out loud or in writing, as many times as needed. None of the sources cited here has evaluated it.
Talking about your autism, or not
It is for you to decide. About support in employment, HAS writes that any action by the person supporting you at work "requires the agreement of the person, who may wish that their diagnosis not be known to the employer". Keeping it to yourself is one choice, telling the employer is another: both are yours.
Whichever you choose, prepare it in advance. If you decide to mention it, write one or two sentences: what you do well, what helps you at work. Say them out loud, like your other answers.
Getting help to prepare
You do not have to prepare alone. A person you trust, an employment support service or a professional who knows you can do it with you. NICE says that for some autistic adults who are having difficulty obtaining or maintaining employment, professionals should consider an individual supported employment programme, which should typically include "help with writing CVs and job applications and preparing for interviews". Which services exist depends on where you live: ask a person you trust or a professional who knows you.
A person you trust can also help: ask you your questions, read over your answers, listen to you say them.
On the day
Check the journey beforehand, arrive early, keep your notes with you. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be rephrased. If you need time to answer, you can say so: "I'm thinking for a moment."
After the interview
Note what worked and what you want to prepare differently. You can read a negative answer as information about this job, not as a judgement on you. Keep your notes: they will help for the next interview.
To rehearse a job interview out loud or in writing, see an example session: a first job interview, with example data. This article gives practical pointers, not medical advice. For a situation that worries you, talk to a professional who knows you.
FAQ
Should I say I'm autistic during a job interview?
It is your choice. About support in employment, HAS writes that the person "may wish that their diagnosis not be known to the employer". Decide in advance, and if you choose to mention it, prepare a few sentences and say them out loud before the day of the interview.
How do I answer "Tell me about yourself"?
Keep three parts, in a few sentences: who you are today, what you can do, why this job interests you. Write them down, then say them out loud until they feel natural. You do not have to tell your whole life story: choose what matters for this job.
What should I do if I do not understand a question?
Ask for it to be rephrased: "Could you rephrase the question?" You can also repeat it in your own words to check that you understood. If you need time, say so: "I'm thinking for a moment."
Can I bring notes?
You can ask in advance whether you can keep a notebook with your questions and a few key points. Saying at the start of the interview that you have prepared notes can avoid taking them out by surprise. Keep them short, so you can read them at a glance.
Who can help me prepare for a job interview?
A person you trust can play the interviewer and ask you your questions. NICE says that supported employment programmes for some autistic adults typically include help preparing for interviews. You can also rehearse on your own, or with Sociami, to work on your social skills. To choose between reading the outline and playing it out, read Social story or role-play: what's the difference?.
Sources
These texts are about autism and employment. None of them has evaluated Sociami, and none describes how an interview goes. HAS recommendations are addressed to professionals. Passages from sources in French are translated by our editorial team. Links checked on 13 October 2026.
- HAS and Anesm (France), Trouble du spectre de l'autisme : interventions et parcours de vie de l'adulte, good practice recommendations, December 2017 (in French). Page of the recommendation.
- NICE, Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management (CG142), recommendations 1.4.2, 1.4.11 and 1.4.12, updated 14 June 2021.
Sociami is a tool for practising social situations, not a medical device.