Filling in that blank Word document can feel daunting at the best of times. Throw autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or any other neurodivergent wiring into the mix and it can seem twice as tricky. Relax. Your brain already does brilliant things every day – your CV just needs to prove it on paper (or PDF). This guide will help you shape a friendly, engaging CV that shows employers the real you, minus the corporate waffle.
Celebrate What Makes You Brilliant
Before you touch the keyboard, grab a cuppa and jot down the skills your neurodiversity gives you in spades. Maybe you spot patterns faster than others, can hyper‑focus when a deadline looms, or dream up ideas nobody else sees. Those are gold dust in any workplace. Your CV is the place to shout about them.
Quick exercise: Think of three times you saved time, money or stress because of a skill linked to your neurodivergence. These mini stories will become bullets later.
Keep the Layout Clean (Your Future Self Will Thank You)
Ever opened a CV with six different fonts and a rainbow of headings? Recruiters see them daily – and hit delete. Stick to a clear typeface (Arial, Calibri or similar), size 11, with bold headers and sane margins. Bullet points beat paragraphs; white space beats walls of text.
A simple structure does two jobs:
- It calms the reader. Busy HR Managers skim; an uncluttered layout lets your achievements jump out.
- It’s disability‑friendly. Many neurodivergent folk (including the recruiter on the other side) prefer straightforward formatting.
Tailor, Tailor, Tailor
Yes, it’s tempting to fire the same CV at every vacancy – but tailoring pays off. Copy the advert into a document, highlight the must‑have skills, and mirror that language (truthfully!) in your CV. If a role screams “teamwork”, weave in examples of your crisp communication or people‑wrangling prowess. If they want detail‑driven accuracy, push your track record of catching errors nobody else saw.
Show, Don’t Just Tell
“Excellent communication skills” means little without proof. Turn duties into impact:
Original: "Responsible for updating customer database."
Better: "Updated 1,500‑record customer database, spotting and fixing 280 address errors, cutting returned mail by 30%."
See the difference? Numbers, outcomes and verbs make hiring managers sit up. Use the list you wrote earlier to craft similar bullet points.
Should You Mention Your Neurodiversity?
There’s no law saying you must. Some candidates prefer to share later – in a cover letter, on an application form, or at interview – especially if they need adjustments. Others like to drop a brief reference in the personal statement, as in the earlier example. Whichever route you pick, keep it positive and short. Remember:
- Pros of disclosing: Shows confidence, explains any gaps, sets the scene for reasonable adjustments.
- Cons: Bias is still real in some organisations. Withholding the info until later can avoid early filtering.
If you do include it, link directly to a benefit:
“My dyslexia fuels outside‑the‑box thinking – I redesigned our weekly newsletter, growing open rates by a quarter.”
Neurodivergent life is being over‑ and under‑ estimated by a lot of people. You’ll often be seen as a ‘genius’ with ‘unique talents and ways of thinking’ who is ‘full of potential’, but also as an ‘eccentric’ person who is too ‘awkward’, ‘unfocused’ and ‘unlikeable’ to succeed.
— Callum Stephen (He/Him) (@AutisticCallum_) January 19, 2024
Proofreading: The Final Polish
You know that great memory or eagle eye for detail we talked about? Put it to work now. Read your CV aloud, line by line, or use a text‑to‑speech tool. Then hand it to a friend, mentor or careers adviser. Fresh eyes (and ears) catch rogue commas and clunky phrasing. Spelling in UK English? Double‑check “organise”, “colour”, “programme”.
If writing isn’t your strongest suit, use tools like Grammarly or the free Microsoft Editor. They’re not perfect, but they’ll flag obvious slips.
Quick Fixes for Common Wobbles
Employment gap? One line does the trick: “2022–2023 career break for health reasons; now refreshed and ready to work.”
Lots of short contracts? Group them under one heading like “Freelance Projects” – keeps the page neat.
Low grade due to late diagnosis? Mention it briefly: “Achieved 2:2 while managing undiagnosed ADHD – experience built resilience and time‑management skills.”
Remember: recruiters want competence, not perfection. Offering a simple context stops them guessing.
Final Thoughts (and a Friendly Nudge)
Your CV isn’t a corporate brochure; it’s a snapshot of how you’ll make life easier for the hiring manager. Lead with achievements, sprinkle in the quirks that set you apart, and keep the language human (avoid using AI, such as ChatGPT). Take breaks if the process feels heavy.
Most of all, believe your neurodiversity is an advantage. Employers increasingly know it too. So push send with confidence, and let your skills do the talking.
