Neurodiversity and the Job Search: What to Know
Let’s talk about neurodiversity and the job search. Don’t feel like reading? Listen here!
When we talk of workplace diversity, many people assume we’re talking of race, gender, age, and ethnicity. And while those types of diversity are certainly important, we can’t forget about neurodiversity. About 20% of the adult population is neurodivergent. And approximately 80% of neurodivergent individuals are unemployed. Part of the reason for the neurodiversity gap is how the hiring process works.
What does getting hired look like for neurodivergent people? Is the job search harder for them than for neurotypical people? And, should those who experience neurological differences consider disclosing their diagnosis during a job interview? Will such a disclosure work for them or against them?
The playing field is already uneven for neurodivergent job seekers. It’s important to know the risks of disclosing your diagnosis before you sit down for your next interview.
What Is Neurodiversity?
In the late 1990s, the term neurodiversity was developed to describe variations in the way people’s brains function.
Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. (Harvard Health)
Neurodiversity is often used as an umbrella term. It includes autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), dyslexia, and other specific differences. Neurodiversity affects the way people experience and navigate the world, including
- Thinking
- Focusing
- Processing
- Communicating
- Strategizing
- Behaving
- Learning
Since the vast majority of individuals are neurotypical, being neurodivergent presents some challenges. Thinking and behaving differently means that common and assumed behaviors cannot be taken for granted. For the neurodivergent, common expectations may actually feel jarring. As any neurodivergent individual will tell you, it’s not always easy being different.
And being different in a job interview doesn’t always get you off on the right foot. Which is a pity. Diverse teams have distinct advantages. And neurodiversity in the workplace comes with distinct benefits.
Neurodivergent Individuals Can Strengthen the Workplace
While there are always outliers, neurodivergent people bring an arsenal of strengths to the workplace. Benefits of neurodiversity may include:
- Creative “outside the box” thinking
- Agility in understanding and managing systems
- Drawing connections between seemingly unrelated ideas
- Ability to multitask and/or hyperfocus
- Resisting social pressure to conform
- Broad visual-spatial awareness
- Keen attention to detail
All these strengths add value to the workplace. Industries are beginning to see how their teams can benefit from the presence of neurodivergent members.
Neurodiversity, like any other type of diversity, empowers communities to be more adaptive and resilient. Different ways of perceiving and connecting to the world are needed now more than ever, as industries hope to endure the swift changes in their market’s needs. (Employee Benefit News)
The trick for neurodivergent people, however, is learning to navigate the hiring process. With few exceptions, a process that has been designed by neurotypicals for neurotypicals.
Neurodiversity and the Job Interview Process
Neurodiversity is not necessarily a barrier to success in the workforce. However, a traditional job interview might pose unique challenges. People experiencing conditions such as ADHD and autism interact with the world differently from neurotypical people. Because of this, their strengths may not display to their best advantage during an interview. And the habits that help them feel most comfortable might actually work against them.
For example, neurotypical people view lots of direct eye contact as a sign of confidence and honesty. For many neurodivergent people, eye contact can be uncomfortable to maintain. This has nothing to do with their confidence or trustworthiness. Unfortunately, many interviewers, hiring managers, or prospective employers are only attuned to neurotypical behavior. They might turn down the best (neurodivergent) candidate for the job based on false assumptions.
It’s incumbent on employers to consider how their hiring process might be adjusted to accommodate the roughly 20% of adults who are neurodivergent. But, it is also the responsibility of the job seekers themselves to determine whether it’s wise to disclose their diagnosis during an interview.
Neurodiversity: To Disclose or Not to Disclose?
Disclosing that you are neurodivergent at any point in your job search can be a tricky decision.
On the one hand, you’re giving potential employers access to vital information they need to evaluate you on your own terms.
On the other hand, hearing terms like disorder and autism could cause some prospective employers to dismiss you out of hand, no matter the strengths your neurodiversity allows you to bring to the table.
So there are definitely pros and cons to disclosing your diagnosis during a job interview. Daniel Cook, who is the head of Human Resources at the law firm Mullen and Mullen, understands this tension completely.
Being an HR head, I have often had people approach me to ask if neurodivergent job seekers should be disclosing their neurodivergence to the interviewers or not. While I have always tried to promote honesty and openness during interviews, I am aware of why people are hesitant in being completely honest in a situation like this.
Cook points out that many employers around the world are becoming attuned to the benefits neurodiversity can bring to their organization. They are therefore actively seeking to hire neurodivergent job seekers. For this reason, he tends to advise candidates to disclose their diagnosis during their initial interview.
There are other advantages as well.
Pros of Disclosing Your Diagnosis in an Interview
Disclosing your diagnosis during an interview can be nerve-wracking, but there are many good reasons to do so.
- Recruiters/Employers have a better ability to make a well-informed decision.
- You can be evaluated on your own terms and with fair criteria rather than within a simplistic neurotypical framework that may not apply well to you.
- Interviewers will understand that there is a reason behind any atypical behavior you may exhibit.
- They may ask more about how you experience your diagnosis. This gives you an opening to play up your strengths and how they can be leveraged on the company’s behalf if you’re hired.
- Recruiters and interviewers are given the opportunity to adjust their strategy, offering you a better experience and them a stronger foundation from which to make an evaluation.
- Disclosure could eliminate the potential for unwanted or unpleasant surprises down the road.
- Employers who value openness and honesty will appreciate your candor.
The best reason for disclosing your neurodivergent diagnosis in an interview is that many employers are increasingly seeking to build diverse teams. In such cases, they may see your disclosure as a plus. You could be just what someone’s looking for!
Cons of Disclosing Your Diagnosis in an Interview
Just as there are pros to disclosure, there are also definite cons.
One major con is summed up well by Kamyar K.S., a highly enthusiastic and result-oriented CEO at World Consulting Group. He took the time to weigh in on this question for us.
Some employers might not be so open-minded and may make their final decision depending on your condition. They would see your neurodivergence as a weakness and not as a strength, and how [it would] help add value to the team.
He’s right. Interviewers may turn you down or make judgments based solely on your condition.
They also might buy into negative stereotypes and unfairly apply them to you. They would be missing out on the value your neurodiversity might bring to the group. “For example,” Kamyar told us, “individuals with ADHD have difficulty focusing on one task, which means they can focus on multiple assignments at once, which can help with productivity.”
In the end, disclosure is a risk, but it’s a risk you may want to take.
The Risk of Disclosure
There are inherent risks to disclosing a neurodivergent diagnosis during the interview process. But, there’s some evidence that it might be a wise move overall.
Those who disclose an autism diagnosis are over three times more likely to be currently employed than those who choose not to disclose.
For a group that tends to be underemployed, that’s a statistic worth noting.
Getting Hired: Neurotypical or Neurodivergent
A truly diverse workplace includes and values everyone, neurotypical and neurodivergent alike.
Neurodivergent people can struggle with getting hired. And the standard interview process certainly plays a part. Most employers, recruiters, and hiring boards still have a way to go before their interview process works well for all individuals.
And to turn things around, we’re all going to have to work together. The evidence shows that open communication and willingness to share information can create a stronger and more diverse and inclusive workforce for all.
