Microsoft Hosting Job Fair For Those On The Spectrum

April 11, 2017

By: Shaun Heasley
Source: Disability Scoop

In a bid to help more people with autism land jobs, Microsoft and other Fortune 500 companies are teaming up for a virtual career fair specifically for those with the developmental disorder.

The first-ever Autism @ Work virtual career fair will allow people with autism to connect with recruiters from the tech giant in addition to AT&T, EY, Ford, Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Dandelion program, JPMorgan Chase, NCR and SAP, Microsoft said.

Participating companies will have virtual job booths during the online event with representatives ready to answer questions, discuss openings and accept applications.

“The vast majority of people with autism are either unemployed or underemployed, leaving a large pool of untapped talent,” said Neil Barnett, director of inclusive hiring and accessibility at Microsoft, in a blog post about the recruiting event. “Each of these industry leaders have a hiring program to support candidates with autism and help them bring their best selves to an interview.”

Microsoft introduced its own autism hiring initiative two years ago, which features a nontraditional interview process designed to help those on the spectrum highlight their talents and overcome barriers to employment.

In addition to connecting with employers, organizers said that LinkedIn will host two sessions during the career fair to teach people with autism how to use the online platform to find jobs and get noticed by hiring managers.

The autism-focused virtual career fair will be held Thursday between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. PST.