The Lying Game
Why the Standard Interview is a Neurodivergent Minefield
In the world of recruitment, there is a persistent myth that interviews are about finding the best candidate. But as a former recruiter (Farah Sharghi) from tech giants like Google and TikTok recently explained, interviews often aren’t about honesty; they are about strategy and performing a specific version of the truth that hiring managers expect to hear.
For many, this is just “playing the game.” But for neurodivergent professionals—the Autistic, ADHDers, and the AuDHDers—this game is often built on a foundation of social camouflaging and hidden curriculum that creates systemic barriers to employement.
As we look toward a future of NeuroNeutrality, we have to ask: why is the current system so exclusionary, and how do we fix it?
The Unspoken Rules of the Interview Audition
The recommendations shared by industry recruiters often boil down to managing perceptions rather than demonstrating technical competence. Let’s unpack why these strategic answers act as barriers:
The How Are You? Trap: We’re told to always say “I’m great,” even on a hard day, to prove we can “regulate our energy.” For many neurodivergent people, this is a demand for masking. It prioritises a performance of neurotypical readiness over the reality of human experience.
The “5-Year Plan” Performance: Candidates are advised never to mention grad school or personal business goals because it makes them a “risk.” This penalises the transparent, non-linear career paths and deep interests often found in neurodivergent talent.
Hobbies as Brand Assets: We are told hobbies should signal “curiosity” or “patience” (like restoring a motorcycle) rather than just being activities we enjoy (like watching TV). This requires a level of social marketing that can be exhausting for those who struggle with the “unspoken” social value of their private lives.
The Problem with “Negativity”: Candidates are told never to mention toxic workplaces or micromanagement. While framed as “keeping it clean,” this silences people who have been pushed out of workplaces that lacked neuroaccessibility.
Why the Strategic Interview is a Barrier
The current interview model is, in essence, a social communication test disguised as a job assessment.
The Hidden Curriculum: Many neurodivergent people communicate with a high degree of literal honesty. When a recruiter asks “How are you?” or “Why do you want to work here?”, the neurodivergent candidate may answer truthfully, not realising they are expected to provide a scripted, strategic response.
Cognitive Load: Having to monitor your tone, body language, and energy levels while simultaneously translating your experience into “strategic” answers creates an immense cognitive load. This often leads to burnout before the job even begins.
Risk Aversion as Discrimination: Recruiters are trained to cut “risks”. Unfortunately, “risk” in recruitment is often coded language for different. If a candidate doesn’t perform the expected social cues, they are often labeled as a “culture fit” issue.
Moving Toward NeuroNeutrality
If we want to build a world that is truly neuroaccessible, we must move toward NeuroNeutrality. This means creating systems—including the hiring process—that are designed to be neutral to neurotype.
To make an interview more NeuroNeutral, we should:
Prioritise Performance over Performance: Instead of an “audition” of social skills, use work samples or trials that allow candidates to demonstrate their actual competence.
Transparency in Questions: Provide interview questions in advance. This removes the “social trap” element and allows all candidates to provide thoughtful, accurate responses rather than who is best at thinking on their feet.
Objective Criteria: Shift the focus from “energy regulation” and “vibe” to clear, objective KPIs required for the role.
Normalise Gaps and Different Paths: Stop viewing career gaps or changes as “red flags”. Acknowledge that the “right to thrive” looks different for everyone.
Why It Matters
As I often discuss in the Neurodiversity in Leadership newsletter (on LinkedIn), systemic change isn’t just about being nice—its about Human Rights. When we force people to lie or mask their true selves just to get a foot in the door, we lose out on the innovation and perspective that neurodivergent leaders bring to the table.
We shouldn’t have to lie to be hired. We should be hired because our unique ways of thinking are exactly what the workforce needs.
If you or your organisation would like to work with Annie Crowe and the NeuroAccess team in 2026, you can find out more at www.neuroaccess.com.au or send us a DM.
Neuroaccessibility (as defined by Annie in 2022) is when the needs of neurodivergent people are specifically considered, and products, services, environments, a
nd systems are built or modified so that they can be used by people of all neurotypes.
NeuroNeutrality (as defined by Annie in 2024) is the concept of creating systems, processes, and environments that are designed to be neutral to neurotype. It moves away from “accommodating” differences and instead focuses on building frameworks (like hiring or management) that do not inherently advantage one neurotype over another, ensuring the system works effectively and equitably for everyone from the outset.