Neurodiversity in Tech and Why We Should Care About It, with Parul Singh

Meet Parul Singh 🇬🇧! Parul is a Tech Careers & Neurodiversity Consultant, ADHD advocate, board member at Manchester Tech Festival, Public Speaker, and a former recruitment marketing partner and tech recruiter. The last time she was on the show, she gave us advice on how to stand out and land a role in tech.Today, we're talking about neurodiversity! What does it mean, why do we need it, why do tech companies seem to attract neurodivergent talent, and how can we create a more inclusive workplace? In this episode, you'll find out why neurodivergent conditions aren't superpowers (but sometimes feel like they are), why some people get diagnosed late, and whether self-diagnosis is valid. Parul is passionate about these topics because of her own lived experience with ADHD and autism, which intersects with her being a woman of color. But even if you're not neurodivergent yourself, chances are you've worked with or managed somebody who is... so tune in!🔗 Connect with Parul👨‍💼 Linkedin📪 Parul's Dopamine Diaries Newsletter🌐 Linktree🐦 Twitter⏰  TimestampsWhat are they: neurodivergent, neurotypical, neurodiversity (02:22)The medical model of neurodivergent conditions is deficit-focused (04:13)Stereotypes and internalized ableism (05:53)What is masking? (08:16)Are neurodivergent conditions classified as disabilities? (09:02)Is being neurodivergent a superpower? (10:08)What are the challenges for an employer in working with neurodiverse employees? (12:43)How many people working in tech are neurodivergent? (14:01)You have probably already worked with neurodivergent coworkers (15:43)On setting expectations, handling challenging situations, and sharing personal stories (16:43)Double empathy problem (20:20)Modern corporate culture and delivery pressure (22:09)How Parul got diagnosed with ADHD at 25 (24:56)Misdiagnosis, and why autism and ADHD mask each other out (26:34)You are diagnosed based on how much you inconvenience other people (28:13)ADHD medication (30:26)The importance of intersectionality (32:29)Learned skills vs. habitual skills (34:10)Is self-diagnosis valid (37:22)🧰 Resources MentionedAnnual Report: Diversity in Tech in the UKParul's Dopamine Diaries NewsletterParul's previous interview⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so that he can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏 Or tell Jan he's butchered your name here.