Employer Insights: Meet Specialisterne USA

The Employer Relations team is working with employers to highlight different aspects of their organizations, from applications, to culture, to diversity, and more. We plan to showcase employers from across all career industries throughout the semester, so check back soon for more Employer Insights!

Specialisterne USA

Specialisterne works with businesses to tap into the talents of autistic or neurodivergent job seekers.  We’ve seen first hand how creating a neurodiverse work environment is good for business. A different perspective, alternative communication style, or a passion for detail can be a great asset to any employer, but standard recruitment processes and management practices remain barriers to employment. Our goal is to change the employment landscape by supporting businesses to hire people who think and communicate differently. You can learn more about Specialisterne and our mission on our website here

​​​Who is eligible to participate in your hiring programs? 

Specialisterne supports job seekers who self-identify* with one or more of the neurodivergent labels / identities listed below, have experienced barriers to finding and/or maintaining employment related to their neurodivergence, and are open to receiving workplace support and guidance from Specialisterne during their first 3 months on the job. 

  • Autism (including Asperger’s and PDD-NOS) 
  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) 
  • Learning Disability (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia) 
  • Intellectual Disability 
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
  • Tourette Syndrome 

*A formal diagnosis or documentation from a medical professional is not required. 

Learn more about eligibility for our program here

How can students engage with your company early on? (internships, recruitment events, etc.) 

Students can engage early on by joining the Specialisterne Talent Pool community! No matter where you are in your job search, we’d like to get to know you. The best way to get started with our program is to complete an online application to join our USA Talent Pool

Specialisterne Talent Pool members receive access to the following resources: 

  • Priority Job Alerts: We announce new job opportunities as they arise with our employer partners, and our Talent Pool is first to be notified anytime there are new roles available. 
  • IBM SkillsBuild: Access to IBM SkillsBuild to be able to explore learning pathways and develop new skills at no cost while waiting for suitable opportunities to arise. 
  • Talent Events: Invitations to exclusive webinar events that we host throughout the year, including learning sessions to help with your employment search. 
  • Talent Newsletter: Automatic subscription to The Dandelion where we share monthly updates on job opportunities, employment resources, community events, blog posts, and more. 

Even if you’re not looking to join the Talent Pool at this time, anyone who is interested in receiving our monthly talent updates can also subscribe to our Dandelion Talent Newsletter here

Are there any specific recruitment timelines students should be aware of? 

We announce Neurodiversity Hiring Initiatives throughout the year as new opportunities arise with our employer partners. The types of positions we recruit for, their respective locations, and the timelines for the recruitment process vary for each hiring initiative. 

As part of our Talent Pool, you will have the opportunity to apply directly for jobs through our Neurodiversity Hiring Initiatives. When you receive a job opportunity from Specialisterne that you are interested in applying for, you will be invited to submit an online questionnaire to Specialisterne. This questionnaire asks basic questions about your skills, knowledge and experience. Applicants are shortlisted based on their fit for the roles that we are recruiting for with our employer partners. 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in Specialisterne’s Assessment Process. We know (and research confirms) that traditional ways of recruiting and assessing candidates such as resumes and interviews are not the best tools for finding great candidates. Resumes and interviews can actually get in the way of allowing a candidate to showcase their potential fit for the job. Specialisterne’s Assessment Process is designed to remove those barriers often embedded in the traditional hiring process and provide a hiring experience where job seekers can be at their best. 

Specialisterne’s Assessment Process is: 

  • Inclusive and comfortable – Designed to reduce the stress and anxiety of traditional assessment approaches such as interviews. 
  • Collaborative – Specialisterne works with the hiring business to take a more inclusive approach to candidate assessment and selection. 
  • Hands-on and task-based – Specialisterne works with our employer partners to develop hands-on, task-based opportunities for you to showcase your knowledge, skills and abilities in a relaxed setting. 

Learn more about how our recruitment process works here

​​​Are you currently hiring for any positions? 

We are proud to be partnering with Goldman Sachs to recruit for several summer internship opportunities as part of their Neurodiversity Hiring Initiative in October 2024! 

At Goldman Sachs, we believe who you are – including everything that makes you unique – contributes to how you add value to what you do.  We are committed to fostering a supportive environment that welcomes and celebrates all ideas and perspectives. 

The available internship roles will include Audit Analysts, Oversight Analysts, Operations Analysts, and more. These opportunities will begin next summer in June 2025 and will be located in Salt Lake City, UT; Dallas, TX; and New York, NY. 

To learn more and apply, please visit ​​Specialisterne’s Job Opportunities page

Where can students learn more about your company? 

This year marks Specialisterne’s 20th anniversary as a global organization! Born in 2004 in Denmark, Specialisterne is considered a pioneer and leader of a worldwide social movement to include autistic and neurodivergent people in the labor market. Check out our 20-year celebration video on Youtube to see how far we’ve come since then. 

Follow us on social media below to stay up to date on our current hiring initiatives, latest news, upcoming events, and more:

By Willa Mayo
Willa Mayo Recruiting Coordinator, Employer Relations