Page 10 - Cyber Warnings

Cybersecurity may be an area particular geared toward people on the spectrum. At a British
cybersecurity conference in March, a presentation on neurodiversity in the industry suggested
that individuals with autism may make excellent pen testers and SOC analysts. Meanwhile, a
guide to incorporating people with autism into the industry notes the following traits associated
with autism that are an asset to the cybersecurity industry:

● Strong memory of facts
● Methodical thought process
● Skilled in pattern recognition
● Attention to detail
● Strong problem-solving skills

For obvious reasons, skills like these can be a phenomenal asset for someone who scans lines
of code, meticulously analyzes data, or performs any other number of other cybersecurity tasks.

Creating a Welcoming Workplace for People with Autism
In many cases, the hiring process is stacked against people with autism, as traditional
interviews emphasize social skills and communication abilities — areas in which many autistic
people operate outside of traditional social norms.

This is likely a large part of why as many as 90% of American adults with autism are
unemployed or underemployed. The Harvard Business Review described one such man, who
needed two years to find a tech job despite having two master’s degrees with honors, this way:

He seems, well, different. He wears headphones all the time, and when people talk to
him, he doesn’t look right at them. He leans over every 10 minutes or so to tighten his
shoelaces; he can’t concentrate when they’re loose. When they’re tight, though, John is
the department’s most productive employee.

Or there’s Aaron Winston, who has wanted to be a video game programmer since he was a
child. He enrolled in college after high school, but dropped out immediately because of the
social atmosphere. By age 22, though, he was employed full-time by the nonPareil Institute and
had already created his own video game — all because the Institute was designed to take a
chance with people like him.

For companies who speak about being committed to innovation, growth, and new ideas, it’s time
to recognize a reality: if you want people who think outside the box, you must accept people
who behave a bit outside the box, too.

That’s why initiatives such as the Autism at Work program at SAP include an interview process
custom-designed for prospective hires who have autism. The program aims to tackle some of
the biggest hurdles autistic people face when seeking jobs.

SAP didn’t stop at the hiring process. The organization has also taken steps to ensure a more
welcoming work environment for people with autism once they’re hired. Through the Autism at
Work program, candidates are matched with a mentor at the start of the hiring process. Once

10 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – June 2017 Edition
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