I recently updated my CV and decided to get some feedback from a few friends and colleagues. One of them asked if I was sure I wanted to include my dyslexia. This question took me a bit by surprise, even though it shouldn’t have, just because I hadn’t thought about dyslexia in a negative way for a while.
Sure, there are some obvious drawbacks. Especially during my school years life could have been much easier without dyslexia. But in recent years, particularly since I started working on creative projects, it hasn’t negatively impacted my life much at all. And thanks to tools like ProWritingAid and ChatGPT, which can proofread documents, I’ve managed quite well (though I still recommend having a human check your work too, especially for important stuff).
More importantly, the strengths nowadays attributed to dyslexia have significantly shaped my life and career.
Dyslexia is a Creative Asset
Here are some of the strengths associated with dyslexia and how they’ve helped me with my work:
1. Good Problem Solvers: Dyslexics are known for thinking outside the box. Be it by seeing connections others might miss or using intuitive approaches to solve problems.
2. Creative Minds: Dyslexia often goes hand in hand with creativity. Whether it's art, music, or even sports, dyslexics tend to excel in creative fields. For me, this creativity goes through all levels of my life
3. High Levels of Empathy: Many dyslexics have heightened empathy, allowing us to read situations and understand others' perspectives. This trait is invaluable in any design field centered around humans. We need to understand people struggle if we want to do anything about it.
4. Strong Narrative Reasoning: Dyslexics excel at learning through experiences and engage with experiences on an emotional level. This strength helps to craft compelling narratives, ensuring stories are not only told but felt by their audiences.
5. Three-Dimensional Thinking: We often think in 3D and can manipulate objects in our minds, which is incredibly useful in fields like architecture and fashion design. This skill also helps in UX, especially when it comes to AR and VR design, where understanding spatial relationships is key.
Embracing Neurodiversity
I believe all neurodivergent types bring strong benefits to the workplace. It’s the mixture of diverse strengths that drives innovation and success. For instance, I’ve met highly successful people with ADHD who excel because they constantly explore new ideas and approaches.
So, even if including my dyslexia on my CV means I might get invited to one less job interview, I’m committed to working with employers who value diverse strengths and aren’t solely focused on traditional scholastic achievements. I think its important to break down the stigma around dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.
I want to be transparent about my strengths and weaknesses.
Inclusion and diversity aren’t just buzzwords; they’re essential for creating dynamic, successful teams. By openly acknowledging my dyslexia, I hope to encourage others to recognize and celebrate their unique strengths too.
