Inclusive Hiring Programs

For people with Autism, finding a job is not an easy process.  Lee Cowan recently did a feature story for CBS Sunday Morning highlighting companies who do have inclusive hiring practices.

“Nearly three years ago, when tech giant Microsoft announced that it was starting a pilot program to hire autistic workers, they received more than 700 resumes within a few weeks. German software maker SAP has instituted a program to bring people with autism into its workforce worldwide, and other companies are following suit. By all accounts, giving those on the spectrum an opportunity to use their talents productively has been a tremendous success.”

Featured in the CBS story is twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Pauley who thought he had it all figured out when it came to looking for a job.

“He had a detailed spreadsheet of each and every position he applied for — at least 600.

But despite his degree in computer science from California Polytechnic State University, he went two years with barely a nibble.

Did he get discouraged? “Oh my gosh, my morale really started to drop towards the end,” he said. “In fact, there were days where I would either hardly fill out any applications at all, or just simply not apply on anything.”

He knew he had the smarts for most jobs; he was a former Spelling Bee Champ, after all. But Pauley struggles with social and communications skills because he’s also autistic…”

Watch the full video from CBS or read the entire transcript of the show.

Take a look at Microsoft’s Inclusive Hiring Program. Microsoft will have an Ability Hiring Event in April of this year.

Also, take a look at SAP’s Diversity and Inclusion Program.

There are more and more companies who are committed to being inclusive in their hiring practices which is a win/win situation for the company and the employee.