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1. Career Interview Readiness in Virtual Reality (CIRVR): A Platform for Simulated Interview Training for Autistic Individuals and Their Employers

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3505560  

   Adiani, Deeksha; Itzkovitz, Aaron; Bian, Dayi; Katz, Harrison; Breen, Michael; Hunt, Spencer; Swanson, Amy; Vogus, Timothy J.; Wade, Joshua; Sarkar, Nilanjan (March 2022, ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing)

   Employment outcomes for autistic 1 individuals are often poorer relative to their neurotypical (NT) peers, resulting in a greater need for other forms of financial and social support. While a great deal of work has focused on developing interventions for autistic children, relatively less attention has been paid to directly addressing the employment challenges faced by autistic adults. One key impediment to autistic individuals securing employment is the job interview. Autistic individuals often experience anxiety in interview situations, particularly with open-ended questions and unexpected interruptions. They also exhibit atypical gaze patterns that may be perceived as, but not necessarily indicative of, disinterest or inattention. In response, we developed a closed-loop adaptive virtual reality (VR)–based job interview training platform, which we have named Career Interview Readiness in VR (CIRVR). CIRVR is designed to provide an engaging, adaptive, and individualized experience to practice and refine interviewing skills in a less anxiety-inducing virtual context. CIRVR contains a real-time physiology-based stress detection module, as well as a real-time gaze detection module, to permit individualized adaptation. We also present the first prototype of the CIRVR Dashboard, which provides visualizations of data to help autistic individuals as well as potential employers and job coaches make sense of the data gathered from interview sessions. We conducted a feasibility study with 9 autistic and 8 NT individuals to assess the preliminary usability and feasibility of CIRVR. Results showed differences in perceived usability of the system between autistic and NT participants, and higher levels of stress in autistic individuals during interviews. Participants across both groups reported satisfaction with CIRVR and the structure of the interview. These findings and feedback will support future work in improving CIRVR’s features in hopes for it to be a valuable tool to support autistic job candidates as well as their potential employers. 

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2. 2D and 3D Visualization of Eye Gaze Patterns in a VR-Based Job Interview Simulator: Application in Educating Employers on the Gaze Patterns of Autistic Candidates

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78092-0_36  

   Breen, M; McClarty, J; Langley, C; Farzidayeri, J; Trevethan, K; Swenson, B; Sarkar, M; Wade, J; Sarkar, N. (July 2021, International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII))

   Antona, M; null (Ed.)

   Employment of autistic individuals is strikingly low in relation to the skill level and capabilities of this population. Roughly 65% of autistic adults are either unemployed or underemployed relative to their abilities but there is increasing recognition that this number could be greatly improved through empowering autistic individuals while simultaneously providing a boost to the economy. Much of this disparity can be attributed in part to the lack of awareness and understanding among employers regarding behavior of autistic individuals during the hiring process. Most notably, the job interview—where strong eye contact is traditionally expected but can be extremely uncomfortable for autistic individuals—presents an unreasonable initial barrier to employment for many. The current work presents a data visualization dashboard that is populated with quantitative data (including eye tracking data) captured during simulated job interviews using a novel interview simulator called Career Interview Readiness in Virtual Reality (CIRVR). We conducted a brief series of case studies wherein autistic individuals who took part in a CIRVR interview and other key stakeholders provided lived experiences and qualitative insights into the most effective design and application of such data visualization dashboard. We conclude with a discussion of the role of information related to visual attention in job interviews with an emphasis on the importance of descriptive rather than prescriptive interpretation. 

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3. Design and Validation of a Stress Detection Model for Use with a VR Based Interview Simulator for Autistic Young Adults

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78092-0_40  

   Migovich, M; Korman, A; Wade, J; Sarkar, N. (July 2021, International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII))

   Antona, M; null (Ed.)

   Studies show that young autistic adults are under- or unemployed, with almost half never holding a paying job in their 20’s. Unemployment within this population leads to decreased personal growth and increased dependence on caregivers. Research suggests that the interview process is one of the largest barriers to employment for this population. Autistic individuals often struggle with emotion regulation, which can be exacerbated by the interview process. To address this, we propose the use of a stress detection model in conjunction with a virtual reality interview simulator. This combination will allow for the interview to adapt to the state of the participant to improve the skills and engagement of the user and positively influence their comfort level. Data regarding negative affective responses to categories of questions can also be used to inform employers on better interviewing techniques. A model was designed using data obtained from neurotypical participants completing a modified Computerized Paced Serial Addition Task (PASAT-C) and evaluated on a dataset obtained from Autistic participants who took part in a simulated interview. Agreement between the model and ground truth was compared based on Pearson correlation coefficients. It was found that was r(289) = 0.28, which was statistically significant (p < .001; CI: 0.17 to 0.38). Our preliminary results provide evidence for the validity of observer-based labeling of data captured using a wrist-worn physiological sensor. 

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4. Damned if you do, damned if you don't: How formerly incarcerated men navigate the labor market with prison credentials*

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.12307  

   Lindsay, Sadé L. (March 2022, Criminology)

   Abstract Although employment is central to successful reentry, formerly incarcerated people struggle to find work because of criminal stigma, poor education, and sparse work histories. Prison credentials are proposed as one solution to alleviate these challenges by signaling criminal desistance and employability. Evidence regarding their efficacy, however, is inconsistent. In this article, I develop a novel explanation—the prison credential dilemma—highlighting the numerous and contradictory ways employers may interpret prison credentials as positive and negative signals. Drawing on 50 qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated men in Franklin County, Ohio, I examine howthe prison credential dilemmaand the uncertainty it produces shape their job search strategies and pathways to employment. I find that participants concealed or obscured institutional affiliations of prison credentials on job applications to signal employability rather than their criminal records. In job interviews, however, prison credentials were used to divert conversations away from their criminal record toward skills and criminal desistance via the use of redemptive narratives. Participants also attempted to acquire credentials outside of prison and/or pursued temporary, precarious jobs, aspiring for such physically strenuous and poorly paid work to materialize into stable employment. This study has implications for prison programming as well as policies and practices aiming to improve reentry outcomes. 

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5. Preparing justice involved youth for transition: Employer perceptions

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107270  

   Mathur, Sarup R.; Clark, Heather Griller; Grayson, Annee; Robertson, Kristin Scott (December 2023, Children and Youth Services Review)

   Fernandez, Elizabeth; Merritt, Darcey H.; Sek-yum Ngai, Steven; Shlonsky, Aron (Ed.)

   In this pilot study, we sought to understand employer perspectives on hiring young applicants, especially applicants who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. A survey was conducted to assess employers’ perceptions of qualities young applicants often lack, what qualities they are seeking, and the skills, training, and/ or documents that would be beneficial for young applicants during the hiring process. The survey was deployed to 19 employers; 12 employers responded. Six employers who completed the survey also took part in follow-up interviews. In the interviews, employers expounded on how job and career preparation programs can best prepare youth for successful employment, how their companies approach hiring candidates with juvenile records, and how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills are incorporated into entry level positions. Through both the survey and interview, employers also shared how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their hiring processes. 

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