The job market is tough, there’s no doubt about it. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are currently the lowest number of job openings since 2021, meaning competition is fierce. And let’s face it, no one really enjoys applying for jobs, right? 

But for neurodivergent people, the whole process becomes more than simply stressful – it can be overwhelming. Despite growing awareness and understanding of neurodiversity generally, combined with a marked increase in diagnoses, the recruitment process in the UK hasn’t changed much in decades, and it’s clear it’s not cut out for the neurodiverse. 

Here, we take a look at the challenges and stigmas that neurodiverse people can face when job hunting or starting a role, plus how to tackle these challenges for lasting change. 

It’s estimated that around one in seven UK adults are neurodivergent, and that’s without taking into account the huge number of people (women, in particular) who are being diagnosed later in life. In simple terms, being neurodiverse means that our brains function and process information differently to a neurotypical mind, and the term covers autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. 

Neurodiversity can bring enormous benefits, but it undoubtedly makes everyday life a little bit tougher for those of us with a diagnosed (or undiagnosed) diversity. And a major stumbling block for many people is their career. Traditional recruitment processes are fraught with neurodiversity stressors, from filling in an application form to sitting across from an interviewer under intense scrutiny, and it seems that this is having a real impact on our career prospects as well as how we interact at work on a daily basis. 

According to research conducted by the insurer Zurich UK, half of neurodivergent adults have been discriminated against by a hiring manager or recruiter because of their neurodiversity, while three in ten (31%) say the discrimination prevented their application being taken any further once their neurodiversity was disclosed. 

This is causing many neurodiverse candidates to hide their diagnosis, both when applying for jobs and once in a role. There’s no legal requirement to divulge your neurodiversity at any stage of the job process, and the stats show that 51% of the 1,000 respondents worry the stigma surrounding neurodiversity will stop them from getting a job, while 42% are concerned they’ll be discriminated against by recruiters or hiring managers. Unsurprisingly, one in six of the respondents said they wouldn’t disclose their neurodiversity at any point.

But given the extra challenges that neurodivergent employees can face, are we doing ourselves (and our employers) a disservice by keeping all this under wraps? 

1. Recruitment processes are outdated

“Our research shows that traditional recruitment processes are creating unnecessary barriers for neurodiverse candidates and could be excluding as much as 15% of the job market,” says Steve Collinson, chief HR officer at Zurich. “This is why it’s so important that employers adopt inclusive practices at the hiring level – not just to already onboarded employees.”

There’s a sense among the research respondents that current recruitment processes are designed to ‘weed out’ neurodivergent people rather than assess their abilities. Indeed, a recent government review of research and recommendations (The Buckland Review of Autism Employment) has revealed that neurodivergent candidates face more barriers to employment due to the neurotypical design of job applications and interviews.

2. Interviews are challenging 

While it is tricky to speculate on the reasons for a candidate not being offered a job, it’s clear that it can be harder for a neurodiverse candidate to come across ‘well’ in a traditional interview setting. Interviews are anxiety-inducing for everyone, however, more than a third of neurodivergent job seekers have panicked in an interview because the question structure was overly complicated, with other struggles including timed tasks, group-setting assessments and pre-prepared presentation tasks. 

Data scientist Victoria Walls found her role at Zurich with the help of Diversita, a specialist recruitment agency for neurodivergent candidates, and she understands these struggles all too well. “I really struggled to progress with my job hunting, despite my qualifications and academic ability,” she says. “It just felt as if each of my neurodiverse triggers were activated during the interview process. The whole thing was so overwhelming for me. Performing well enough to get to a job offer was so far down the list of things I was trying to process I just fell at every hurdle.”

3. Employers see neurodiversity as a red flag

“With over half of neurodivergent adults experiencing discrimination and two-thirds saying employers see their neurodiversity as a ‘red flag’, it’s clear there is still a way to go when it comes to creating neuroinclusive workplaces,” notes Collinson. “But to run a business effectively you need the widest range of diversity in your teams, and this includes neurodiversity.”

4. Career growth is affected

Unfortunately, once you’ve secured a job, the challenges don’t end there. The modern workplace is kind of like an ongoing job interview, where you’re being assessed all the time on performance, team fit, personality and more. And the research reveals that neurodivergent employees feel the workplace barriers are negatively impacting heir earning potential, confidence, mental health and ability to self-promote, meaning the long-term impact of inequality is far-reaching. 

There is some good news, though. It’s clear that perceptions are starting to change, however gradually – and this is something we can all take accountability for. While it is tempting to keep quiet about our diversities, it’s important to consider the knock-on effects of silencing ourselves in this way. 

According to research, there are some simple adjustments that would make the job application process less stressful.

1. Remove subjective language and keep job descriptions simple
2. Explaining instructions and expectations clearly in advance, especially concerning the interview format, location, duration and process
3. Removing group interviews and assessments
4. Only asking for essential job requirements and qualifications and not specifying, for example, a degree unless it’s essential to the role
5. Avoid using ambiguous, literal or subjective language in job descriptions (don’t just ask for a ‘good’ communicator) 
6. Sharing adaptations that can be given or have been given before as examples

If you feel able to, speaking up for yourself might help pave the way for future generations to have an easier path to employment, and acceptance more generally. 

Images: Getty