Why it matters

The interview starts at the car park.

Interview nerves are near universal, access needs are common and missed interviews cost employers time. Here is the national picture, with sources.

Nerves and no-shows

Almost everyone feels anxious about interviews, and missed interviews are a widespread headache for employers.

93%
of people have experienced job interview anxiety.
JDP survey, 2020 (US respondents), via StandOut CV
86%
of UK jobseekers say they have missed an interview without warning.
Indeed research, 2024, via Startups Magazine
89%
of UK businesses see candidate ghosting as a problem.
Indeed research, 2024, via Startups Magazine

Access needs are common

A quarter of the population is disabled, and disabled people are far less likely to be in work. Any barrier at the interview stage widens that gap.

1 in 4
people in the UK are disabled: 16.7 million people.
DWP, Family Resources Survey 2024 to 2025
29.7
percentage point gap between disabled (52.8%) and non-disabled (82.5%) employment rates.
DWP, The employment of disabled people 2025 (April to June 2025)
22%
of autistic adults are in paid work, the lowest rate of any disabled group.
ONS data for 2020, reported by the National Autistic Society

What candidates can check before the day

Seeing the route lets candidates spot a problem and ask for an adjustment before the day, rather than on it.

  • Where to park and how far it is
  • Which entrance to use
  • Steps, ramps and lifts
  • Where toilets and water are
  • Where they’ll wait
  • The room they’ll be seen in

Social value

If you bid for public contracts, inclusive recruitment is part of the social value you are scored on. A Prewalk tour is a visible, practical step you can point to.

10%
Minimum weighting for social value in central government contract scoring.
Cabinet Office, PPN 002 guide to the Social Value Model, Feb 2025
£15,166
Social value proxy for each full-time job created for a disabled person.
National TOMs (NDA 2020 guidance), measure NT6
£13,636
Social value proxy for each young person aged 16 to 24 taken on from NEET.
National TOMs (NDA 2020 guidance), measure NT5

Under the Equality Act 2010, the duty to make reasonable adjustments covers job applicants as well as staff. Letting candidates see the route in advance helps them tell you what they need.

What do no-shows cost you?

Put in your own figures. Cost per interview is the staff time for the panel, room and admin.

Missed interviews a year
30
Cost of those empty slots
£4,500

Starting values are examples only. Replace them with your own.

Sources

These figures describe the wider picture. They are not results from Prewalk tours.