Dyslexia: How can candidates overcome Job Hunting Obstacles?

DYSLEXIA ACTION

It's important to make sure that you apply for jobs that match your abilities. Alison Bryant, from the charity Dyslexia Action, says: "a lot of [people with dyslexia] have great strengths ... they may be more creative, they may be more entrepreneurial, they are big thinkers, they may be more visually strong, but they may not know what sort of jobs may suit their strengths."

BRIGHT NETWORK

James Uffindel, chief executive of Bright Network, says that while dyslexia is not a barrier to success, applicants should "think carefully about their suitability for the role by looking at what is involved on a day-to-day basis, and whether or not this plays to their strengths.

In particular, if a candidate has dyslexia, they should be looking to excel at any part of the selection process that requires creativity, to show that dyslexia can deliver some significant advantages in the workplace."

JOBCENTRE Plus

If finding the right sort of job is proving to be difficult, Jobcentre Plus does provide disability employment advisers, who are trained to help applicants with dyslexia find work that matches their skills.

Once you have found a role, writing applications can still be deeply frustrating, and the support may not be as comprehensive as at school or university. Alexander recommends contacting your university careers service, even if you have left. 

UNIVERSITIES
"Universities are keen for their students to find work," explains Alexander. "'Employability' is the buzzword – and there will be people at university who can advise, either in the support or careers service or academic tutors." The job centre can also do the same.

UK EQUALITY Act 2010

The next challenge is whether to declare your dyslexia in your application. People with dyslexia can define themselves as disabled in applications, which would cover them under the Equality Act 2010 as it can have a "long-term adverse effect" on a person's ability to carry out their normal day-to-day activities. 

However there is no legal obligation to declare this, and some candidates with dyslexia may be reluctant to do so, for fear it may affect their application. 

DISABILITY 

As Walker says: "The other thing that worries me is that if you tick 'yes', they will think 'well if you have a disability that is going to affect you at work, you're not going to be capable of doing the job so we're not going to hire you.'"

Declaring yourself as someone with dyslexia is not always straightforward either. According to Alexander: "Some applicants may not know if dyslexia will affect them until they start a job and feel that they don't want to suggest problems that won't happen".

However, if you do declare yourself it can be an advantage; support, such as more time for tests during the application process, can be given. 

DISCLOSURE

Alexander says: "Disclosure also shows an open and honest approach. It allows the applicant and the employer to enter into negotiation. Applicants needs to be clear about their weaknesses and what the potential employer can do to help."

Uffindel agrees: "While applicants may not need to disclose their dyslexia, recruiters can only provide support and make the necessary adjustments if candidates inform them as early as possible. 

This will help recruiters put into context any issues around any selection tests."

You do not need to shy away from discussing your dyslexia. "It helps if applicants show self-awareness and market themselves positively," Alexander says. 

"The secret is turning a potential 'weakness' into a positive by showing the steps he or she has taken to overcome difficulties." 

INTERVIEW SKILLS

In an interview someone could talk about the skills that they had gained from dyslexia support at university, and how transferable that it can be for the workplace. 

For example, "developing note taking skills in lectures will have an application in all those meetings at work."

So, there are options. You can have your worked checked, you can mention your dyslexia and you can have considerations given in the interview stage. 

It's just a shame that the first step in the application still depends upon candidates with dyslexia mostly having to still express their strengths via one of their perceived weaknesses.

Read the full article here

Employers: How to Manage Dyslexia in the work place

Dyslexia is a hidden disability that affects 10 per cent of the population. It predominately causes reading and writing difficulties but memory, mathematics, organisation and sequencing skills can also be affected.

If un-addressed, dyslexia can result in underachievement. However, it does not affect intelligence and need not be a barrier to success.

There are many brilliant dyslexic professionals following a wide range of careers. But for those struggling, it is important for an employer to be aware of the ways they can help.

The UK  Equality Act 2010 covers dyslexia so all workplaces need to comply with it if a staff member is dyslexic. This act repeals and replaces the original UK Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

1 Know the signs
Indications of dyslexia in the workplace will reflect the nature of the work and will vary depending on the individual’s difficulties and their severity.

Key indicators might include performance that is not reflective of potential, written documentation that is unexpectedly poor or seems careless, confused memos or messages, deadlines regularly not being met or taking longer to learn new skills.

Have you noticed whether the individual appears forgetful, seems disorganised, has low self-esteem or suffers unduly from stress or anxiety? These are behaviours that may be attributed to dyslexia.

2 Seek confirmation
Many adults do not know that the difficulties they have are the result of dyslexia. If confirmation is required, referral to an occupational psychologist or an expert trained in screening and assessment for dyslexia should be considered.

3 Provide support
Effective support can often be simple and inexpensive. This may include;

• holding regular one-to-one sessions to reinforce aims and objectives;
  
  
• help with prioritising and organising workloads by using calendars with deadlines clearly marked, diaries or electronic reminders; 
• allowing regular breaks; 
• setting realistic objectives and negotiating deadlines; and, if required, 
• professional training and coaching.

4 Use technology
Many products can be incorporated into an office environment,

• spellcheckers are commonplace, 
• encourage the use of a dictaphone for note-taking, or 
• change the set-up of the person’s PC to make it more usable (Consider doing this from both an ergonomic and in terms of operational, as in software default layouts – font size and colour, and the use of a preferred background colour to clarify reading). 
• Consider investing in Assistive technology such as EasyReader, and /or
• voice-activated software such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and /or 
• planning software such as Inspiration may also be helpful.

5 Look at your practices
Develop dyslexia-friendly practices across the business for recruitment, assessment, training and health and safety.

Consider how accessible your communications are and provide alternative formats such as large print or audio.

Plan training sessions and inductions that accommodate extra time or support to ensure retention of information.

For instance, give the individual training materials in advance or present communications in a more dyslexia-friendly layout. This may include:

• bullet points;
• font size of no less than 11pt;
• sans-serif typefaces such as Arial;
• left-justified margin;
• cream or off-white background;
• increased spacing between lines;
• important points in bold (not italics).

6 Consider individual needs
Do not assume or generalise. Dyslexia is complex and the number, type and severity of difficulties will vary.

This will also be influenced by the individual’s ability to manage their own dyslexia. Discussions about support strategies should consider fully what the person feels they need. Listen to them. Do not impose on them.

7 Seek specialist help
You are not expected to be a dyslexia expert and, given its complexity, it may be wise to discuss specific strategies and adjustments with a specialist.

If dyslexia is suspected and formal identification is required, contact an occupational psychologist or specialist service provider.

Avoid New Age alternative therapy 'solutions' and only consider support and assistance from medically or educationally qualified consultants and institutions.

In the UK, the Citizens Advice Bureaus should be able to point you in the right direction.

8 Increase awareness
Encourage better understanding among all staff by including accurate information about dyslexia in internal communications.

Key Points

• Dyslexia need not be a barrier to success, and is recognised under the UK Equality Act 2010.
• Dyslexia is common – an organisation with 50-100 employees could have up to 10 workers who are dyslexic.
• Adjustments can help to maximise potential.
• Do not generalise – treat each case individually.