Some job interviews are changing

Joining the BBC has given the pleasure to talk a bit more openly about disability and in particular, neurodiversity. This piece looks at workforce in New York where 75% of the staff are on the autistic spectrum. Through a radical overhaul of their recruitment strategy, and the ways they work with their employees, they've been able to tap into a group of amazing and insightful workers who are criminally underserved in the workplace. I still find this statistic amazing. Only 16% of people with an ASD disorder in the UK are in full-time work. We have so much more work to do. #bbc #newyork #autistic

The number of unemployed adults with autism is staggering. Companies that develop innovative programs and new inclusive workplace practices, are successfully engaging the neurodiverse talent of tomorrow. #neurodiversity

Having a sibling on the spectrum, I have seen first hand just how many skills and talents somebody labeled "disabled" can have, truly unique skills that could be invaluable to businesses. Still, I worry about his future. I fear that he will struggle to have a professional career. Initiatives like Ultranaut give me honest hope in his future. Kudos to you, Ultranauts Inc (formerly Ultra Testing) #Neurodiversity #autismawareness

Brains don’t all work the same way. At Ultranauts Inc (formerly Ultra Testing) we see that as a competitive advantage. Thank you BBC and Robbie Wojciechowski for helping us tell the story! #futureofwork #differentbetter #neurodiversity # #qualityengineering

Super interesting article. Some companies hire outside of their typical practices in order to check off boxes, meet quotas or to gain PR recognition. This company flips the script and proactively taps into the vast pool of workers on the autistic spectrum.

When I read these things I look for that one key term: Eye Contact. It is such an ingrained part of society and is nearly universal advice. Jobs, interviews, dates: Eye contact is seen as the golden goose of body language. People who don't make eye contact are liars, lack confidence, aren't interested in what you're saying... or are Autistic. Difficulty sustaining eye contact is a classic sign of Autism. I am at my best having perfectly natural, productive conversations while staring comfortably at the floor. October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. As Autism employment becomes more the norm, keep this in mind. Next time you go into an interview or meeting and the other person doesn't make eye contact, consider there might be something going on. Maybe they are #actuallyautistic. Or maybe they're just nervous. #interviewskills #hiringthebest #employment #humanresources #emotionalintelligence #autism #people

For people on the autism spectrum, ?nding work after leaving school can be hard. Lack of support and the attitude of employers are two of the most common barriers. About 1 in 150 people in Australia are affected by ASD. Employers are gradually getting better at recognizing the value of including neurodiverse people in their organizations. Perhaps the best known employer of people with autism is Microsoft. Lesser known companies include Passwerk in Belgium, which employs autistic consultants with specialist software testing skills. Siemens reports its autistic software testers process 50 percent more than their non-autistic consultants. Many autistic soldiers have been recruited by the Israel Defense Forces into Unit 9900, a selective intelligence unit which utilises their heightened perceptual skills. The cosmetic giant L’Oréal has hired adults with autism to pack products and update databases. Experts say the high unemployment rate is at least partially because many adults with ASD don't make it through the interview process. So how do you conduct an interview with someone who is on the autism spectrum to ensure that their strengths are highlighted? https://bit.ly/2lQBvd2

My coworkers and I haven’t been able to stop talking about this wonderful program since visiting the Dallas office earlier this year. Hiren Shukla and his team definitely have the secret sauce.