Why The Performative Rules Of Job Interviews Are Filtering Out Neurodivergent Talent

For neurodivergent candidates, the "correct" answers to interview questions can feel like a lie.

Since last July, Edward James Herath, a brand and strategic comms consultant, has taken part in more than 120 job interviews. The feedback is often the same: he’s “too direct,” “too honest,” “abrupt,” or “confrontational.”

Herath, 39, who is diagnosed with autism and ADHD (AuDHD), believes his literal and questioning demeanor is costing him jobs.

He finds interviews particularly difficult because of their “indirect, passive-aggressive, and theatrical communication style,” he tells HuffPost UK. He believes they measure how he performs under pressure rather than his ability to do the job, and his real self – someone who cares deeply about his relationships and career – doesn’t come across.

“There’s a strong emphasis on reading between the lines and softening language,” he says. For someone who values clarity, that’s a difficult tone to strike.

Hearth is by no means alone in this struggle. Research suggests neurodivergence is widely seen as a barrier to employment. A 2024 Zurich survey of 1,000 neurodivergent adults in the UK found more than half believed recruitment processes were designed to filter them out, while over a third said interviews had triggered panic. A 2025 UK survey also found that 40% of young people believe being neurodivergent was a hindrance in the hiring market.

The consequences are significant for employers, says Sharawn Tipton, Chief People Officer at Greenhouse. She says traditional hiring often favours similarity over talent, despite evidence that diverse teams perform better. Neurodivergence, she says, is “no different than height or personality.”

“When you think about neurodiversity, it’s really around understanding that the mind works differently for........

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