Getting ready for work: a guide for neurodivergent people
For ADHD, autistic and neurodivergent people who want to work but are not in work now. What suits you, a routine that works, skills and the help you can get.
Eight short chapters. Go to the one that made you open this page. Each one stands alone and tells you how long it takes to read.
Start here
After this chapter you will know what this guide covers and who it is for.
This guide is for people who want to work but are not in work now. You may be looking for your first job. You may have been out of work for a while. You may want to change careers.
It is written for people who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are autistic, have AuDHD (autism and ADHD together) or are neurodivergent in other ways. You do not need a diagnosis to use it.
Getting ready for work is not only about your CV. It is also about knowing what suits you, having a routine that works and knowing what help you can get. This guide covers each of these.
When you are ready to apply, read our job search guides.
This guide is general information, not legal or careers advice. Use the chapters in any order.
What kind of work suits you?
After this chapter you will know what to look for in a job, beyond the job title.
The short answer: think about how you work best, not only what you are good at. The same job can feel very different in two places.
Questions to ask yourself
- What do you enjoy doing? Think of tasks, not job titles. For example, fixing things, making things tidy, helping people or finding answers.
- Where do you work best? At home, in an office or out and about. Busy places or quiet ones.
- What about noise, light and smells? Some places are loud or bright all day. Others are calm.
- What hours suit you? Full time or part time. Fixed hours or flexible ones. Early starts or later ones.
- How do you like to get instructions? In writing, out loud or by being shown.
- How much contact with people? Some jobs mean talking all day. Some mean working alone most of the time.
Write your answers down. They help you choose which jobs to apply for. They also help you ask for the right adjustments later.
How do I build a routine before I start?
After this chapter you will know how to practise a work day before the pressure starts.
The short answer: start small, and start now. A new job brings a lot of change at once. If some of your routine is already in place, there is less to change on day one.
What helps
- Pick a start time. Get up at the same time on most days. Move it slowly towards the time you will need for work.
- Plan one thing each day. A course, a walk, a job application or some volunteering. One thing is enough to start.
- Write things down. Keep one list of what you need to do. Do not try to hold it all in your head.
- Notice your energy. When do you think best? When do you get tired? Plan hard tasks for your best time.
- Practise the journey. If the job is in a new place, try the trip before your first day.
Some days will not go to plan. That is normal. Start again the next day.
What skills can I build now?
After this chapter you will know simple ways to build skills and show them to employers.
The short answer: you already have skills. The goal is to build a few more, and to keep a record of what you do.
Ways to build skills
- Volunteering. It gives you a routine, people who can give you a reference and something to talk about at interview.
- Free courses. Your local council, college or library may run them. Many are online.
- Small projects. Something you made, fixed or organised counts. So does helping a friend or family member.
- Workshops. Local groups and charities run sessions on CVs, interviews and digital skills.
Skills that are in high demand help you stand out. AI is one of them. In our training with Included VC, fellows used AI skills, and systems they built on Humble, to be harder to ignore when they applied for jobs in venture capital. Read the case study.
Keep a record
Each time you finish something, write it down with the date. Note what you did and what you learned. When you write a CV or go to an interview, you will have real examples ready. This is much easier than trying to remember them later.
What support can I get before I start?
After this chapter you will know where to go for help, before and after you get a job.
The short answer: you do not have to do this alone. There is free help in the UK for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions who want to work. Many neurodivergent people count as disabled in law, even if they do not use that word.
Where to start
- Your Jobcentre. If you get benefits, your work coach can tell you about local support and training.
- Local employment support. Councils and charities run programmes to help people into work. Ask your council what is near you.
- Access to Work. This is a UK government scheme. It can pay for support at work, such as a job coach or equipment. You can apply once you have a job offer and a start date. Apply early, because it can take some weeks. Our Access to Work guide explains how.
- Your doctor. If your health makes work hard, your GP can talk with you about what might help.
How do I explain gaps in my CV?
After this chapter you will know how to talk about time out of work, without saying more than you want to.
The short answer: keep it short and honest, then talk about what you are ready to do now. You do not have to give medical details.
What helps
- Use one plain line. For example, "I took time out for my health. I am now ready to return to work."
- Add what you did. Courses, volunteering, caring for someone or projects all count.
- Move on to now. Say what you want to do next and why this job fits.
- Practise saying it. Say it out loud a few times, or write it down. Then it is easier on the day.
Whether to tell an employer about your condition is your choice. Our interview guide covers what to say on application forms. Our guide for employees covers telling your employer.
Where Humble fits
Humble is a second brain: one place for your notes, tasks and calendar. It is built with people who have ADHD, autism and other kinds of neurodivergence. These are the parts of this guide it helps with most:
- One list for each day (chapter 03). Your tasks, notes and calendar are in one place, so there is less to hold in your head.
- A record of what you have done (chapter 04). Every note keeps the date it was written and appears on your timeline. So your examples are ready for a CV or interview.
- Workshops with LIFT and Islington Council. We run employability sessions with them for neurodivergent residents who want to work. People leave with the tools set up on their own devices, and keep using Humble after the session.
It is one option. It is not the point of this guide.
Sources and about this guide
Who wrote this, what it is based on and when we last checked it.
The team at Humble wrote this guide. Our team includes people with ADHD. It uses what we learned running employability workshops, and the official sources below. We checked them on 22 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Access to Work (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK, Contact Jobcentre Plus (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK, Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026. We review this guide again every six months.
This guide is general information, not legal or careers advice. For help with your own situation, contact your Jobcentre, your council or a qualified adviser.
Is something wrong or missing? Email us. We read every email.
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