How to support professionals with speech impediments to progress through the recruitment process

Firstly, what is a stammer? 

Stammering and stuttering mean exactly the same thing. In the UK, we tend to talk about stammering, whilst elsewhere it is called stuttering.

According to the Michael Palin Center For Stammering, a person who stammers may: 

• Repeat whole words, e.g. “and, and, and, then I left
• Repeat single sounds or syllables, e.g. “p-p-project”
• Prolong or stretch sounds, e.g. “sssssssometimes I go out”
• Block, where the mouth is in position, but no sound comes out
• Try to physically push the word out by making other movements. e.g. stamping a foot, shifting body position, nodding their head or jerking their head to one side, screwing up their eyes, tapping their finger, clenching a fist or making other gestures with their hands
• Display body language that indicates they are feeling self-conscious about stammering, e.g. looking down or away or covering their mouth

• Breathe in an unusual way, i.e. hold their breath while speaking, talk to the end of their breath, and then take a gasp, or take an exaggerated breath before speaking 

The impact of COVID-19 on people with speech difficulties

The COVID-19 virus has resulted in several changes in our behaviour to reduce the spread of infection. Some of these changes have had an impact on how we communicate. Charities and support services are reporting a rise in the number of people experiencing speech, language and communication difficulties. Wearing a facemask, lack of face-to-face conversations and increased use of instant messaging have all contributed, because for people who stammer, non-verbal communication is something that has been lost, and the opportunity for spontaneous communication is dramatically reduced. 

According to leading charity STAMMA, 2020 and 2021 have reported a significant reduction in the number of NHS services available for people who stammer. Restrictions meant that face-to-face therapies went remote, or were stopped completely, as speech and language therapists were redeployed to help tackle the pandemic.

Consider your job adverts and descriptions 

“Strong communications skills” are a hallmark of most job adverts and descriptions. But before you add that to the specifications, consider what “strong communication skills” actually mean in reference to the role. “Strong communication skills” could mean different things depending on the role

• Write well 
• Listen 
• Be empathetic and understanding
• Read body language effectively 
• Use the appropriate tone of voice 
• Read situations 
• Analyse and summarise information 

• Speak fluidly

So, in the context of the vacancy, what is the most important communication element for the role? 

Tailoring the interview preparation 

As a talent consultancy, we have an unwavering responsibility to represent everyone in our network in a fair and ethical manner. At Marks Sattin, we are committed to providing a high level of service to everyone. As part of that service, we are happy to help you prepare for your interview to ensure you get the opportunity you want. 

Furthermore, under the Equality Act 2010, if we know or could be reasonably expected to know that a candidate has a disability, we have a responsibility to ensure reasonable adjustments can be made so they have an equal opportunity to succeed in the hiring process. This could mean extra time in interviews, face-to-face interviews instead of video or telephone, and written tasks instead of oral. 

We work with many of our clients on an exclusive basis and have excellent relationships with employers throughout the UK and Ireland. Therefore, we are in an unparalleled position to be clear with candidates about what to expect during the interview and answer generic questions about what to expect and who will be interviewing them. This small act could reduce feelings of anxiety around the situation. 

Reasonable adjustments during the interview 

Even if someone has thoroughly prepared for an interview, it is normal for their stammer to increase during an interview. It is important to focus on the words and messaging, as opposed to how they are being spoken. According to STAMMA, allowing extra time is the best place to start, as it means the candidate is less likely to be focused on trying to say everything they need in a short space of time. However, further allowances should be made if the candidate:

• Gives answers which are too short or lack depth
• Look away while trying to get words out, or pause, or even start somewhere different and scramble to try and find words they can pronounce
• Pause for some time before answering 
• Give an overly elaborate or convoluted answer 

These behaviours should not be misinterpreted as being an ineffective communicator or not knowing the answer to the question. Instead, according to STAMMA, some additional reasonable adjustments interviewers can make include: 

• Ask follow-up questions if answers are short or lack depth
• Speak more than you might usually as the interviewer to give them time to relax and formulate their answers
• Look at their oral answers and the written information from their application, giving the latter equal weighting 
• To see what a person is capable of you could invite them to provide evidence from a previous job, or set up a work trial
• Give them the opportunity to write up anything they were unable to say after the interview
• Provide written questions in advance
• Let them give written answers to questions