Smiley face on a job application.

[RunBackwards]

Please, just don't

Probably don't mention twice how good your "banter" is either, it distracts from the fact that actually, your experience could be just what we need.

[quote Scautish]@CulturallyAppropriatedName

Thank you for making the point on eye contact. Im autistic and find eye contact extremely uncomfortable and when I do manage I can’t listen to what people are saying as all I can think is “this feels wrong I am staring into your soul and I should not be doing that”.

I also found out this week when I had an actual rather than Zoom meeting that my eye contact has got even worse over lockdown as I’m out of practice so interviewers please be aware of that.

From my experience as an interviewer, when asked what you’d do on the first day of the job don’t say “phone my Mum and tell her how excited I am”. Though it endeared me to you as a lovely person, it is not really the best answer.[/quote]
This is so true. Also, I find being able to see myself on zoom while participating is seriously off-putting. Additionally, I've been told that to look as if you are looking directly at the person, you should be looking instead at the camera light on the top of your screen, not at their face on the screen. This is something that's both a little reassuring, but hard to keep up.

@CherryPavlova

Wow, how concerning that you feel you can exclude autistic people based on a lack a neurotypical trait.

I’d really like to understand why do you feel that autistic people cannot engage at board level just because they don’t make eye contact?

Autistic people face huge discrimination and lack of understanding. Your attitude contributes significantly to that.

I wish someone would send me a Kit Kat with their job application

@Scautish. I’m sure some autistic people could function well but many could not.
Why is eye contact important? The same reasons the ability to interpret body language, to observe faces and understand people’s reactions is. Many people with autism are unable to demonstrate that skill. I need to recruit people who can assess and respond, who can build rapport quickly and who can engage fully at board level.
I wouldn’t exclude someone with autism who could demonstrate high functioning in this area. Neither would I employ someone who simply couldn’t do the job, that wouldn’t be fair on them and borders on tokenism.

When asked what your strong points are, don't tell me your star sign.

^

Brilliant

@CherryPavlova

So you concede that some autistic people could do the job but because they won’t make eye contact you’ll consign them to “back of house”.

I agree you need to employ someone who can perform the role - tokenism helps no- one - but you’re automatically discounting autistic people who don’t make eye contact. And whilst you are correct in saying that picking up body language, tone of voice etc is not an autistic strength (not mine certainly) you seem unaware that there can be other compensating characteristics which actually could, and do, benefit companies, including at board level.

You clearly are being very calm and measured in your responses, but I don’t think you realise how patronising you are being and I stand by my point that some refresher training may be worthwhile. Unless of course you work for an employer who is still in the dark ages and is looking to recruit the alpha males and females at all costs - suspect you are performing your role for them will aplomb.

Fortunately I work for a very informed and considerate employer (in the very top tier in what their field) and they even allow me to have a “front of house” type role. I can meet people without a chaperone I can hold grown up conversations/negotiations and I get to attend meetings with quite important people to explain my ideas. I am generally upfront with fact I have Aspergers/ASC and explain how that might explain aspects of the interaction and most people respond well. But some firms still in the dark ages and they will miss out. As will the autistic people you discrimination against.

Don't ask if the ages and marital status of the women in the team and wink at me.

My personal favourites....

Bursting into tears/hysterics when I tell you that you didn't pass stage 1 will not persuade me to progress you to stage 2. You have my utmost sympathy that your new bride will now be deported because her visa is conditional on you getting a job but honestly, that's really not my problem to fix.....

Having turned up 2 hours late for your first interview because you misjudged how long the 3 hour drive would take you, please don't turn up an hour late for your second interview, because you misjudged how long the 3 hour drive would take you

and please don't flounce when I tell you that your 3 hour drive was wasted because I won't be interviewing you seeing as a) you are late (AGAIN!) and b) didn't bring your ID which I explicitly told you that you needed to get past security and into the building.

I had a great application once that said in supporting information, I will be really good at this job and if you want to know more about me please phone me on my mobile!!???

We had a candidate who, in answer to a question about salary expectations, put "astronomical". We suspected that he only applied to keep his job centre quota up, and were tempted to call him in for an interview regardless.

When interviewing for an admin job, I had an application from someone who said they had a qualification in money laundering.

Don't send me a CV with a paragraph all about looking for a role in the construction industry when the role I am advertising is in a completely different industry.

I’ve heard and read recruitment and disability awareness training aplenty.
I recruit to posts where the ability to engage, to communicate effectively, to present formally and informally are a core requirement. If you can’t overcome challenges in making eye contact and engaging a Board, I cannot employ you.
There are other roles in the organisation where people with autism can work but not ‘front of house’. I don’t recruit to those roles.

Whilst I can believe you have heard and read disability awareness training, I find it hard to believe that you have appropriately engaged with this training, given honest answers and passed the tests.

To say that someone with autism cannot work in a "front of house" role is frankly shocking and obviously discriminatory.

You are aware it's a spectrum, right? I know plenty of autistic people in senior roles and interestingly, are actually on those 'Boards' and are being presented to as well.

When job-hunting, it is always a good idea to avoid filling your Facebook page with stories of pulling outrageous sickies (this was our final step before offering the role...)

@SnuggyBuggy

Are these people from the jobcentre being compelled to apply for jobs that they don't want?

of course. there is a daily quota of applications to be made. if you don't fulfil it and prove you have done so, you don't get any money. it's a very hostile environment. saps confidence. but need to register as unemployed to cover national insurance.

Don’t bring your boyfriend to the interview and leave him sitting in reception, especially when there’s a perfectly good coffee shop downstairs that he could have waited in.

@BikeRunSki

Please have a sensible email address, you know, based on your name. Not anything like”GiddeeCow@“. Please don’t tell the interviewers to “oh fuck off”.

And definitely not the one that was submitted to me, of [email protected]

@Gorganzolabrie

When interviewing for an admin job, I had an application from someone who said they had a qualification in money laundering.

is that a bit like being a criminal lawyer ??

where i used to work some teams dealt with civil matters of contract, and some with criminal prosecution work.
it turned some heads in local cafe when meeting colleagues as they would announce, no i'm entirely criminal myself . !

Interviewers, please don’t waste time interviewing potential candidates when you have already decided prior to the interview who is getting the job and have to be seen to pretend that it’s an open competition. It causes so much distress and anxiety for decent candidates who have taken time and trouble to fill out application forms and stressed about their interview. It is a waste of everyone’s time. So many job interviews are just box ticking. This is quite a nasty sneering thread

This. Also, if someone takes the time to apply for a job, even if they sound totally unsuitable at least have the courtesy to send a reply to let them know they have been unsuccessful. I've had so many businesses not bother to do this. Apart from being rude do they not realise that I could have required the service they offered at some stage? They most certainly won't be getting my custom in future, and I also tell others about how unprofessional they are.

Interviewers need to remember that it is not just they who are doing the interviewing. The job interviewee might be the best person for the position, but if they aren't impressed by you they may well turn down the job offer.

WHAT FONT SHOULD WE BE USING?

Shit, sorry for shouting.

@MrsBrunch

WHAT FONT SHOULD WE BE USING?

Something dull and unremarkable like Ariel, times new Roman or callibri Unless you are a graphic designer, artist or similar.

@MrsBrunch

'WHAT FONT SHOULD WE BE USING?'

An alternative to choosing a font is to do what I do and write out my CV freehand - with my crayon!

(still unemployed, despite numerous applications)

Many people just find it uncomfortable making eye contact with people they're not intimate with.

It would be nice if the eye contact fans didn't promote it as the true and only way to behave.

🙈🙈🙈