When it comes to actually looking for a job, it’s fairly safe to say that most job hunters will immediately head to sites like Indeed, Reed or Total Jobs – pages that often contain thousands of roles for each field. The problem here, however, is that these spots aren’t always the best for people on the spectrum.
That’s not because they demonstrate any anti-autistic practices though, it’s just that, when it does come to applying through these channels, it’s not uncommon for the application process to be tailored by the site and not the company you are applying for. This often results in applicants having to jump through multiple unnecessary hoops before they can even submit a CV, a process which, 9 times out of 10, rarely results in a response (let alone an interview).
For autistic people who usually want answers the moment a question is asked, this can be an anxiety minefield and that’s why, instead of going out and searching for roles, investing time in LinkedIn can make the roles come to you. According to [professional recruiter] Jordan, this is because LinkedIn is the first stop for recruiters and, subsequently, because of the way the site is structured, candidates are being chosen not solely on what they do best but under what circumstances they perform best in.
In my personal experience, this has resulted in awesome opportunities when, after seeing my engagement with the neurodiverse community, I have been contacted to help organisations improve their accessibility. Whilst, in other examples, I have seen viral messages about making Human Resources departments more neurodiverse, resulting in the creation of roles specifically for that very issue.
Writing a cover letter
Okay, so cards on the table, nobody likes cover letters. They are long, cumbersome and, according to surveys created by Jordan, both employers and candidates have come to view them as nothing more than a fluffed-up version of a CV. However, whilst mostly everyone in the interview process wishes they could do without these tedious timewasters, they are often viewed as a necessary evil to weed out those who are applying for the sake of applying, from those who really want that particular role.
This is important to keep in mind when writing a cover letter, as it serves as a reminder to format it as though you are speaking directly to a possible interviewer; wherein the final output should respond to the question ‘What makes you think you’re right for this job?’ – a question which can be answered in roughly 4 sections:
Section 1: Although some places will state that the first section of a cover letter is your opportunity to write a gripping introduction that sweeps the reader off their feet, it’s more accepted (and thankfully a lot easier) to instead use this starting block to lay the groundwork; stating who you are, what you are applying for and how you found out about the job listing.
Section 2: Remember when you jotted down all those strengths which you had in the first section? Well, section 2 is when you bust these out, as you explain what skills and experiences you have that make you perfect for the role. Just like the CV, it’s always great here if you can provide examples with facts and don’t forget to include the outcomes of your work and how their business could similarly benefit.
Section 3: If section 2 is considered as your explanation of what makes you great for the role, then section 3 is what makes you great for the organisation. This is where you explain how, out of all the jobs in that field, their organisation is where you want to be – something which will need a little research and a lot of brown-nosing. Nevertheless, remember that this is your cover letter, so don’t get lost talking about the business without referencing it back to yourself i.e. if you start talking about how you admire their values, relate it back to your own.
Section 4: While the last part of the cover letter should always be the easiest (as you are essentially just rounding up what came before), for me, it’s always exceptionally tough, as the bravado and grandiose statements which it requires go against every fibre of my autistic DNA.
Of course, trying to overcome this is never easy especially when we live in a community plagued by imposter syndrome. However, autistic people are also pretty good at imitation, so use this to your advantage and put your self in the shoes of another version of you; one who knows that this is the role you were born for and completely deserve.
With all that said, if an application doesn’t ask for a cover letter or it says that a cover letter is optional, it is often advised to go without, to save everyone involved many a wasted moment.
LinkedIn profile
Once upon a time, anyone could find a position if they had a well-tailored CV and an even better-tailored suit. However, the world has evolved now and how you present yourself digitally is inarguably more important than any label you bought off the shelf.
For autistic people, this is an absolute blessing, as with the right attention to detail we can subsequently have employers coming to us which, although from my experience can result in some truly bizarre offers, does give us the much-needed confidence to shake the aforementioned imposter syndrome that weighs us down.
So, how do you make the virtual you shine? Well, in truth, it all starts with LinkedIn: a somewhat social media platform aimed at professionals looking to explore and excel in their field (although it also isn’t opposed to the occasional cat meme). Hopefully, most of you will be aware of LinkedIn by now and some of you may already have an account but, if you haven’t got around to it yet, all it takes is your name and email and you should be up and running.
However, not everything about LinkedIn is quite as simple as setting up the account as, once on, you will find that running your page can be quite the balancing game – in which, while LinkedIn should be treated as a virtual resume, it’s also worth considering that, at its very core, its status as a social media platform means you’re going to want to leave some wiggle room for personality – i.e. while the professional/ personal ratio of your CV was about 80:20, LinkedIn should be a solid 50:50 split.
With that said, knowing when to be personal and when to be professional on your LinkedIn profile isn’t as clean-cut as that last statement would have you believe, so here is a quick breakdown of things to consider when creating your profile:
About
Starting at your intro summary, this is probably where the above statement can be read in its most literal sense, in which you’ll want to write a quick 2 sentence summary about who you are; with the first sentence reflecting who you are as a person (your skills and interests) and the second part describing you as a professional i.e. what has driven you to the field you are in/pursuing
If you want to really get yourself noticed, don’t be afraid to throw in an emoji or two, just make sure they are appropriate to the field you are pursuing and that they always make sense and aren’t, you know, the poop one.
Profile picture
It’s not hard to take a good profile picture for your LinkedIn profile but, if you looked at the state of the images some ‘professionals’ are using, you wouldn’t think it! Whilst having common sense is an easy solution here (and not using a picture of you on holiday, half-dressed or with other people – beer in hand), the second simplest option is to go outside when there is good natural light, wear something smart like a shirt and then take a close up shot clearly showing your shoulders and face.
As someone from Manchester, I understand that getting good natural light isn’t always easy, so, if you just can’t get Mr Sunshine to send you some rays, instead go to a well-lit room and then turn the picture to black and white. Remember a picture can say 1000 words so make sure none of those words are ‘scruffy’, ‘unprofessional or ‘sluggish’.
Experience & education
If you’ve been chronologically following this guide so far, then this is where you’ll want to breathe a sigh of relief as, when it comes to updating your experience on Linkedin, it’s as easy as copy and pasting what appears on your CV However, if you have been Spider-Man-ing up and down the page, click here to go back to that advice.
Skills & endorsements
Okay, so this is where things get really funky on LinkedIn as, while your first instinct might be to copy and paste your skills from your CV into the LinkedIn skill section, what you really need here are 30 traits that appeal to both employers and recruiters.
Finding these traits isn’t complicated though (especially when you can just Google your industry and then follow it up by ‘buzzwords’). However, LinkedIn also encourages you to get endorsement for these skills from other LinkedIn users and that’s when things can get tricky.
One easy solution to get endorsements is by dishing them out yourself (in the hope that people will return the favour) but, if that doesn’t work, there’s nothing wrong with outright asking people to endorse you – especially when most people are happy to oblige if you tell them that their opinion matters to you and could make a big difference.
More information
This article is part of James’ ‘Complete guide to autism and employment.’ Also featured in the series are:
