Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are diverse, each bringing unique backgrounds and communication styles and preferences. Acknowledging and responding to these differences allows you to tailor your interview processes to better connect with each person.
Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people there can be differences in communication styles:
- Silences can be meaningful. Longer pauses may reflect thoughtful consideration rather than a lack of understanding.
- Minimal eye contact may indicate a sign of respect.
- Prioritising and talking about collective achievements may be used rather than personal successes.
- Giving a brief response may be due to being shy or feeling ‘shame‘ about providing a more detailed answer.
What actions can I consider?
- Include an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person on the selection panel. If this is an employee, take into consideration cultural load.
- Be aware that candidates may know or have family or community ties to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people on the selection panel. Share in advance who is on the selection panel so they can declare any conflicts of interest.
- Have panel members complete training in cultural awareness and unconscious bias and explain the principles of merit based selection.
- Where possible, ask candidates if they would like a less formal conversation before the interview with a member of the team or, having considered cultural load, an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander colleague. This can provide opportunities to ask about team culture and ways of working.
- Consider the interview setting and how it may support a culturally safe experience. This could include:
- using informal furniture arrangements (sitting around a round table rather than directly facing each other)
- choosing a larger room to allow for personal space
- checking the cultural appropriateness of artworks and artefacts in the interview environment
- holding the interview outdoors.
- Take a candidate centred approach by:
- looking for a topic of common interest by introducing yourself or asking questions about where they are from and then sharing stories about where you are from
- building rapport before asking interview questions
- being clear about the type of answers you are looking for and letting candidates know they can ask follow up questions
- giving candidates time to think through their response
- using conversation to ask follow up questions.
Where can I learn more?
- Read about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on the selection panel.
- Read about Interviewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and other aspects of recruitment.
- Learn about alternative assessment methods such as Services Australia’s storytelling and yarning approaches.
- Read about Communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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