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No matter how happy you are in your current role, job postings with big name companies can easily have you itching towards that ‘Easy Apply’ button. It’s only natural – it’s prestigious to work for an industry leader - but when you’ve got dyslexia, the jobseeking process across the board can feel difficult.
That's why we need to talk about dyslexia-friendly recruitment.
Job applications involve at least some reading and writing and many corporate ones involve a lot of it. So barriers emerge between people with dyslexia and the roles they want and are qualified for. This is largely the fault of the way that we recruit and require people to apply for positions, especially at large companies and businesses– and it means that once again, people with dyslexia feel 'frozen out' of the business world, of these high-end opportunities and industry lead roles. But there are a couple of changes we can make the next time we’re looking for new colleagues...
How can I Commit to Dyslexia-Friendly Recruitment?
Allow people the opportunity to disclose neurodiversities, if they feel they want to - it's important to make sure we're allowing people to tell us about themselves, adaptations they might need, and anything else they want us to know about how they work.
Leave software out of the equation. Larger companies tend to use CV-filtering software that’s bad news for applicants whose spelling or grammar might not measure up to the machine’s idea of perfection. People are much better judges of role suitability than an AI core, so where possible, assign CV selection to people rather than programmes.
Make sure that your talent and HR department is up to speed on dyslexia. Workplace training is key in ensuring that we’re not making worth judgments based on the spelling and grammar skills we see on a CV.
Recruit from diverse and inclusive job boards. Posting to Indeed and LinkedIn is fine, but there are some job posting sites around that specialise in roles optimised for neurodivergent people, companies that practice inclusive recruitment, or even just present information in a way that neurodivergent people might find easier. Seek these out – you’ll find neurodivergent talent that might have given up on the classic job site format.
Allow people to apply using pre-designed templates. If you’re on LinkedIn, allowing people to Easy Apply is a great option as it requires little to no writing, filling in forms or ticking boxes. And lose the cover letter – these can make people who are nervous about their writing skills just drop out of the application process altogether. What do you need to know that you can’t get from a CV and a follow-up call?
Raise the profile of neurodivergent people at your company. This doesn’t mean finding your one ADHD colleague and putting her on all the posters, it means actively recruiting, progressing and giving external, profile-raising opportunities to neurodivergent colleagues. Send them to conferences, elect them to leadership and get them in webinars (if they want to). Show you’re committed to a the build - actively create a place where ND people can thrive so that applicants know they’re wanted and supported.
Be open to switching up the format. If somebody emails you back after an interview offer and says they’d rather do it over the phone or on video due to anxiety, make the change. If somebody messages you on LinkedIn and asks to apply via a phonecall rather than writing out a CV, make the change. Allowing people the opportunity to talk about their skills in a comfortable environment is important when you want the best fit for the role, so let your candidates lead.
Why Big Business Needs to Get Behind Dyslexia-Friendly Recruitment
It’s up to larger companies to lead the charge when it comes to dyslexia-friendly recruitment. Small business change changes lives for individuals, and is invaluable; but widespread policy change and attitude shifts tend to come from industry benchmarks.
It’s the thought leaders, market dominators and brands of tomorrow that we look to for futureproofing and strategy, especially in complex economic climates like this year’s. We emulate them and borrow their procedures because they tend to know what’s working on a big scale. So that’s why we need these big names to be setting a precedent – and if they aren’t, start raising the question and asking them to.