Using AI to Break Barriers in Hiring Neurodivergent Talent

Ed note: Posts published on From the Workplace are written by outside contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SHRM.

Traditional hiring processes often create barriers that prevent talented candidates from moving forward, like inaccessible job descriptions, disorganized interview formats, and unconscious bias. AI has the potential to make hiring more fair and accessible for job seekers who are neurodivergent or have disabilities, ensuring candidates aren’t overlooked based on outdated expectations or assumptions.

Take an Experience and Skill-Based Approach to Hiring Decisions

Despite efforts to make hiring fairer, unconscious bias is still a big problem in traditional hiring processes, especially for neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. The numbers show a huge gap: in 2023, the unemployment rate for people with a disability was 7.5% —more than double the unemployment rate for people without a disability. Discrimination is a driving force for this number being so high.

On top of that, hiring systems that favor neurotypical behavior and lean into ableism can put pressure on candidates to mask parts of their identity. This can lead to mismatched jobs, burnout, and a sense of isolation. Personality-focused interviews are especially tough on candidates who may be great at the job but struggle with the interview itself. For example, candidates might be unfairly evaluated if they can’t make eye contact, juggle small talk, or stay focused in a noisy, high-stress environment.

This is where the subset of artificial intelligence known as interview intelligence comes in. AI tools in this category offer a way to make hiring more inclusive and less biased by extracting and highlighting the candidate’s experience and skills, rather than subjective measures such as social interactions or how enthusiastic they seem.

These tools listen to interviews and generate an objective summary, leaving out subjective insights like whether the candidate seemed "confident" or "well-spoken." They help hiring managers focus on what really matters: how well the candidate’s experience and skills match the job. They even check how thoroughly the interview covered the key points from the job description, making the process fairer for everyone. Interview intelligence also benefits hiring managers and recruiters who may struggle to keep organized, subjective notes on each candidate interaction.

Remove Application and Interview Barriers for Both Applicants and Hiring Managers

Interview questions are often thrown together at the last minute or even improvised, creating an inconsistent and stressful experience. This can be a major issue for neurodivergent candidates and/or those with disabilities who may require a more structured and accessible interview process. A study by the Human Capital Institute (HCI) found that 60% of job seekers report a negative candidate experience during the hiring process in large part due to “interviewers who were not prepared or appeared disengaged or disinterested during the interview.”

AI can play a role in improving the process and removing barriers by auto-generating objective job descriptions and behavioral interview questions, which hiring managers can refine as needed. While AI-generated descriptions and questions aren’t always perfect, they provide a solid starting point and ensure consistency across interviews. This way, job descriptions and interview questions can be more easily adapted for candidates who use screen readers, or need interview questions to be presented in writing.

This consistency and structure can also benefit neurodivergent hiring managers and recruiters. Especially when screening for roles they may not be familiar with, AI-generated questions save time, eliminate the need for extensive research or back-and-forth, and make it more straightforward to compare candidates’ skills and qualifications based on a consistent interview process.

Smart Resume Matching

Leveraging resume analysis solutions can be a game changer for promoting inclusivity and bridging employment gaps. Unlike traditional keyword-based systems, AI can assess candidates across multiple dimensions—job functions, skills, and industry expertise—resulting in smarter and more personalized job matches. Autistic professionals, for example, can be up to 140% more productive than neurotypical employees when properly matched to jobs.

AI can help organizations recognize differences as assets, not obstacles. By focusing on proper job matching, solutions like smart resume analysis make it easier to connect candidates with roles that suit their cognitive preferences and unique abilities, offering opportunities with clear responsibilities, flexible environments, or tasks tailored to their skills. This approach boosts job satisfaction, increases retention, and creates a more inclusive workforce for everyone.

Follow the PEAT Framework

Introduced in September 2024, the PEAT framework “Will help employers reduce the risks of creating unintentional forms of discrimination and barriers to accessibility as they implement AI hiring technology.” It outlines best practices for using AI in recruiting and hiring, focusing on legal compliance, employee training, risk management, vendor oversight, and accommodations for applicants. In line with other AI guidelines, such as the European Union AI Act, it emphasizes transparency, human oversight, and the need for continuous monitoring and management of AI tools to ensure fairness and accountability.

Richard Mendis is the CMO at HireLogic and has more than 20 years of experience in the enterprise software industry and currently helps companies hire smarter and faster using interview intelligence platforms.