Neurodivergent Job Hunter Experiences & Tooling Needs

Adult self-identification (no formal diagnosis)

Video call (behavioural / experience interview)

Live coding (shared editor, interviewer watching)

Whiteboard / architecture diagram interview

Timed online assessment (HackerRank, Codility, etc.)

System design interview (verbal or whiteboard)

Masking — maintaining neurotypical presentation for extended periods

Reading social cues (when to stop talking, what the interviewer wants)

Processing speed — needing extra time to formulate answers

Sensory environment (bright lights, noise, open-plan offices)

Unstructured / open-ended questions ('tell me about a time…')

Hypothetical / abstract questions ('how would you design X?')

Interruptions — interviewer cutting me off or finishing sentences

Maintaining coherent narrative / avoiding tangents

Interpreting what the interviewer actually wants vs what they're asking

Only disclosed to HR / recruiter, not the hiring manager

Accommodations were provided but felt inadequate

The process became more rigid / gatekeepy

I've withdrawn from every process at some point