IN 2020, 2000 PEOPLE

...have been supported by Pentreath towards their vocational goals.

IN 2020, 166 PEOPLE

...have built their confidence and found employment and been successful in getting a job with Pentreath's help.

IN 2020, 286 PEOPLE

...have found the confidence and believed in themselves and started or returned to education and training.

96% OF CLIENTS

...would recommend Pentreath to their family and friends.

Resources

Job Adverts & Role Profiles

Take time to put job adverts together- do they truly reflect who you are looking for? Taking time to put a well-thought out advert together could ensure you get the best candidates for the job but also show your company in the best light. Do job adverts that have been used for years need refreshing?

Consider your choice of words and how they may be construed by a potential employee e.g. ‘work as part of team’. It could help a potential employee to explain what this teamwork would look like on a day-to-day basis (why is teamwork essential to the role) but also what kind of team the candidate would be joining (existing/new, small/large) and how they would fit into that team.

Consider the job advert as a whole- does it focus more on the social aspects of the job (work as part of team or good communicator when this may not be necessary) or reflect the skill set required?

It is useful to be accurate when listing job location so that potential employees can check to see if they are able to use public transport to get to work. Cornwall can be difficult to navigate so listing ‘St Austell area’ could prove misleading when a role is in Roche, for example.

List the steps of the recruitment process– many potential candidates who are on the Autistic Spectrum say they would find this useful so they can see the whole picture. For example, you could say if your application is successful, you will receive a telephone interview. If this is successful, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview where you will be given a selection of role play scenarios. This can take the fear and uncertainty away for many candidates or they can decide if this application process is one they can comfortably proceed with.

 It can be useful to know what the start and finish times of the job would be and whether this would be negotiable for someone with Autism as they can start to think about what their working life would be like and how this would balance with their other commitments.

When compiling a list of essential and desirable attributes for your perfect candidate, consider why you are listing them e.g. ‘degree essential’- why? Some employers believe that this shows a level of commitment to a role but could this be reflected in a different way like through 3 years experience in a job role. If you are unsure as to why an attribute is listed, think twice about including it as it may cause confusion or even prevent some excellent candidates from applying.

Consider that for some potential employees, ‘desirable’ attributes can also be seen as equal to ‘essential’. This may be due to the layout of columns on a page. Could a further description be added to explain what desirable means and if you need to have any of these attributes? Some candidates on the Autistic Spectrum say that not having some of the desirable attributes stops them from applying which means you could be missing out on an excellent employee.

Is your job advert and role profile saying all you need to say? Is it specific and concise? Be aware that too much information can put potential candidates off, as can too little information.

Here are some further resources you may find useful:

How recruiting autistic people could change your business for the better SAP and The Telegraph

National Autistic Society recruitment advice

National Autistic Society advice on recruitment and interviews

Autism Speaks advice for employers

Pentreath Ltd

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If you feel that you need to talk to someone urgently then please call the 24/7 Cornwall mental health helpline on 0800 0385 300.  You can call for free, any time of day or night, if you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health.  The team behind the 24/7 telephone service will listen to you and determine how best to help. Alternatively, please call the Samaritans on 116 123.

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