More employers than ever talk about neurodiversity. But if your careers page looks the same as it did five years ago, you may be turning away the very candidates you say you want.
For many neurodivergent candidates, including autistic people and people with ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia, job hunting is already hard going. Confusing language, busy layouts and unclear expectations are often enough to make someone close the tab and move on.
This post looks at why your hiring process may be screening out neurodivergent applicants, and what to change.
They want to work for you. Can they get through the door?
You might offer hybrid working, mention inclusion in your values and run employee networks. But if the first thing a neurodivergent applicant sees is a careers page full of buzzwords, long blocks of text and nothing about adjustments, they may never reach the apply button.
Many neurodivergent people describe masking in interviews, worrying about whether to disclose, or feeling worn down by the application process before they ever speak to a person. The problem is a mismatch between the systems employers use and the way many neurodivergent people process information. With a large share of the workforce neurodivergent, that mismatch costs you good hires.
Common barriers on careers pages and application forms
Busy layouts
Bright colours, moving banners and dense paragraphs are hard work for anyone with sensory sensitivities or who finds it hard to filter out distraction. If the page tries to do too much, people give up before they apply.
Jargon-filled adverts
Phrases like “rockstar”, “fast-paced” or “hit the ground running” tell candidates nothing useful. They often signal a culture that rewards speed and extroversion over clarity and careful thinking.
No mention of adjustments
If you don’t invite candidates to ask for adjustments, many won’t. A single sentence such as “We welcome adjustment requests and are happy to support different needs during the hiring process” makes a real difference.
Heavy, rigid application forms
Endless dropdowns, strict word limits, timed tests and long multi-stage processes favour people who process quickly over people who think deeply. Automated screening can make this worse, as we explain in neurodivergence and the rise of AI in hiring.
Unclear interview expectations
Many candidates want to know the interview format, who will be there and how long it will take. If that information is missing, anxiety fills the gap.
How to make your careers page neuroinclusive
You don’t need to rebuild your whole hiring strategy. A few targeted changes open the door to more neurodivergent applicants.
Add a clear inclusion statement
Show you’re inclusive before the interview stage. For example: “We want our hiring process to work for everyone. If you need adjustments at any stage, just tell us and we’ll support you.”
Write in plain English
Say what the job actually involves. Instead of “You will thrive in a fast-paced, client-focused environment”, try “You’ll work with our clients to answer questions and resolve problems. You’ll need to be confident writing emails and following clear processes.”
Structure adverts clearly
Use simple headings such as Responsibilities, Skills we’re looking for, What we offer and How to apply. Short lists help here. Separate essential skills from nice-to-haves so people don’t rule themselves out.
Offer other ways to apply
Let candidates email a cover letter, send a short video, or ask to skip certain assessments. It shows you are willing to meet people where they are.
Explain the process upfront
Add a short timeline: what happens after someone applies, whether there are interviews, tasks or assessments, and how and when they’ll hear back. Sharing interview questions or topics in advance is one of the most useful adjustments you can offer.
Use accessible formats
Avoid italics and underlining, use a clear sans serif font, keep text left-aligned, and check the page works with screen readers. The British Dyslexia Association’s dyslexia friendly style guide and our own dyslexia style guide are good references.
Who is doing it well
Some large employers have built dedicated neurodivergent hiring routes, such as SAP’s Autism at Work programme and EY’s Neuro-Diverse Centres of Excellence, which replace or adapt traditional interviews. You don’t need to be a global firm to borrow the principles: clearer information, flexible formats and an open invitation to ask for adjustments. Remember that the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to job applicants as well as employees.
A note for HR and talent teams
Neurodivergent people are already in your candidate pool. The question is whether your process lets them through or whether they quietly drop out. Making your careers page and hiring process more accessible widens your talent pool and tells candidates what kind of employer you are. For more on the business case, see why neurodivergent talent matters.
How Enna can help
We review careers pages, job adverts and selection processes as part of our neuroinclusion audits, and give you specific changes ranked by impact. To make sure hiring managers apply them consistently, our Reasonable Adjustments: Putting It Into Practice workshop covers adjustments at every stage of recruitment.
Once your process is ready, you can advertise roles on our neurodivergent jobs board to reach candidates who are actively looking for inclusive employers. Book a call to find out more.
