NOTE: This copy was drafted in the context and voice of The Rise Journey, and therefore, we suggest that you revise the text to best fit the mission, values, and language of your organization.

Recruitment Stage

Strategy

Examples

Reasoning

Eliminate language from job descriptions that may turn away neurodivergent candidates

• “Team player”
• Excellent communication skills

For many neurodivergent people, communication can present a challenge and if it’s too abstract, it can be easy for folks to disqualify themselves from a role

Use readable fonts in job descriptions

• The best, most readable fonts for folks with dyslexia include Arial, Courier, Helvetica, and Verdana, but you can use any font that is relatively readable 
• Use a video to accompany a text-based job description

Candidates with dyslexia can have a more difficult time reading job descriptions that are in a font that is too small or too unreadable

Avoid making judgments based on small errors

• Ignore small misspellings in resumes, CVs, and cover letters

Candidates with dyslexia may have typos in their resumes or cover letters or even in emails. If spelling things correctly is not relevant to the role, it’s likely that it doesn’t matter much.

Make your job descriptions concise

• Avoid jargon or unnecessary information
• Distinguish between “required” skills, “preferred” skills, and “nice-to-have” skills

When job descriptions are lengthy and text-heavy, it can be difficult for neurodivergent candidates to parse out what’s important information versus what is not

Review your company’s careers page to ensure that it is inclusive

• Limit the use of multimedia like videos, photos, animations, etc

While media like videos and banners can be aesthetically inviting, they can also be overstimulating for neurodivergent folks so it’s important to use them with discretion

Avoid disqualifying candidates with short stints at companies or a “spotty” work history

• Focus instead on their skills, accomplishments, and qualifications

Short stints at companies or a “spotty” work history does not mean that the candidate is “unreliable”, “disloyal”, or “fickle”. It could mean that they were unsupported in those previous positions and made the decision to find a better situation

Interview Stage

Offer flexible options for first-stage interviews

• Offer candidates a phone call, video call, in-person interview, or a written assessment, etc.
• Limit the first-stage to a shorter time frame; ie instead of 30 minutes, schedule it for 15 minutes

The first stage is often a recruiter phone interview, which typically involves small talk and conversation often used to determine “culture fit”. For many neurodivergent candidates, this can be difficult as some folks have difficulty understanding figurative language, differences in tone and inflection, etc. It risks disqualifying qualified candidates due to communication differences or non-typical communication patterns.

Explain the interview and hiring processes early

• Provide a visual or explanation of the interview stages prior to launching the candidate through the process
• Outline the typical interview process on your careers page

Candidates can have a difficult time thinking abstractly so a visual of what to expect can help ease any anxieties

Be specific when asking questions and ensure that they are focused on the candidate’s skills

• Ask behavioral-type questions that measure how they have responded to a similar situation in the past
• Avoid asking questions like “What would you do if…” and instead ask “What have you done when…”
• Instead of “Tell me about yourself”, try “What responsibilities did you have in your last role(s)?”

Autistic candidates may interpret questions literally, have a more difficult time answering hypothetical questions, and may dislike answering questions that seem too personal.

Provide enough thinking time for candidates to answer a question

• Send the interview questions in advance
• Use a timer to give candidates 30 seconds to formulate their response before sharing out loud
• Allow them to restart an answer

Candidates may need more space and time to think of an answer to a question, especially if it requires remembering a past experience or formulating a structured answer. Autistic candidates may experience anxiety if they hear the question for the first time during the interview or may have a harder time thinking on the spot.

Avoid disqualifying candidates for behaviors that are not perceived as typical

• Allow candidates to come prepared with notes
• Welcome lack of eye contact, moving around, and occasional interrupting
• Focus on the candidate’s answers rather than their tone, inflection, or whether they “seem” disinterested

Candidates can be hypersensitive to their environments and may need to move or look around. Similarly, candidates may interrupt without meaning to be rude and may use a tone or inflection that is not typical

Ask for feedback after interviews

• Send a survey link after a candidate has gone through the interview process, regardless of whether and when they were rejected for the role

You won’t know what is working well and what is not if you don’t seek feedback! Invite all candidates to share feedback about the recruiting process so you can get more insight into how you iterate on your process to be more inclusive of neurodivergent candidates.

Hiring

Provide an outline of the onboarding process as soon as possible

• Similar to providing an outline or visual of the recruiting process, provide an outline for the onboarding process

Candidates can have a difficult time thinking abstractly so a visual of what to expect can help ease any anxieties

Allow new hires to opt out of icebreaker activities

• Ask new hires to say “pass” if it’s their turn to share
• Allow new hires to share answers in a virtual chat if remote

Icebreaker games can produce anxiety in some neurodivergent people as it sometimes requires thinking on the spot and sharing personal information