Sarah Grundy, 42, was disappointed when she messed up her interview at Capita a few years ago. “I wasn’t having a good day and it didn’t go well,” she says. Sarah, who was later diagnosed with ADHD, says her neurodiversity was part of the reason. “Sometimes I struggle to understand what [the interviewer] is asking me to tell them,” she says.
After her disappointing interview, Sarah bravely followed up by sending answers to Capita, the digital services firm, by email. “I was honest and said I knew it wasn’t my best interview, but here are the answers to the questions,” she says. “I think they appreciated my honesty and self-reflection.”
In the end, that initiative and determination impressed the recruitment team and Sarah got the job. She now works as head of career frameworks at Capita and is a core member of the organisation’s Ability Network, which supports staff with disabilities.
Capita’s initial understanding and open-mindedness during the interview process confirmed it was where she wanted to work, Sarah says. “I appreciated Capita’s values and the way they appreciate people who are authentic and open, as well as the collaborative ways of working,” she says. “That really spoke to me.”
From a young age, Sarah says she always felt different. She was diagnosed with dyslexia as a teenager but was unaware she had ADHD until, a week before her 41st birthday, she received a diagnosis – which came as a shock. “I always knew there was something, but I didn’t know what it was,” she says.
As a child, Sarah wondered why others managed to get their homework in on time and she couldn’t, or how they managed the seemingly impossible task of concentrating – instead of daydreaming – in class and exams. “I always thought people were more organised than me,” she says, “and so I felt like I was a failure.”
Later, as an adult living with undiagnosed ADHD, Sarah’s work and mental health began to suffer. For example, being in an office all week would leave her feeling “absolutely exhausted” from trying to fit in and masking her unique qualities. “I felt there was this invisible barrier in front of me and I didn’t know what it was so I couldn’t break through it,” she says.
Six months after she started at Capita, Sarah visited a psychiatrist to try to get some answers and was given a diagnosis. “It was life-changing. I felt like my life and the way I think and behave finally made sense,” she says. “I now have a far greater understanding of who I am.”
When Sarah told Capita, they were supportive. “I was able to be open and vocal about having ADHD,’’ she says. “ADHD can make it more challenging to plan, prioritise and work to deadlines, [so I was given] access to a project manager, who supports me with the project management related aspects of my job. This has helped me immensely.”
Now Sarah wants to ensure others get support too. Capita has a number of different employee networks – from the Rainbow Alliance, which supports LGBTQ+ employees, to the Embrace Network, which supports black and ethnic minority employees.
Sarah is a core member of the Ability Network. “We decided to call it the Capita Ability Network (Can) because we wanted to show that people with different disabilities have a vast range of abilities outside of the norm,” she says. “We wanted people to recognise that and appreciate it.”
For example, some of the core strengths that come from having ADHD are being creative and innovative, Sarah explains. “We are known for finding ingenious solutions, can thrive in chaotic situations, and are incredibly resourceful and resilient,” she says.
The Ability Network has regular meetings and its own Yammer page. “I’m very comfortable advocating for myself, but some people aren’t, or are unable to advocate for themselves,” says Sarah, “so I feel I have a responsibility to make a difference and to help others.”
Sarah’s compassion and sense of social justice is partly what drew her to work in human resources more than 20 years ago. “I liked that you could empower people to progress,” she says.
These values have also helped her to stand out at Capita, where she works with business leaders to define and develop future-focused career paths. “[Part of my role is to] empower employees to take charge of their development and career progression by clearly defining the opportunities within the organisation and the routes to access them,” she says.
Capita values openness, honesty and collaboration, and Sarah says these values align with hers. “Inclusivity and respect are very important to me,” she says.
These days, Sarah is better able to focus on her strengths – such as finding new ways forward and dealing with complex problems, and the role at Capita has enabled her to think outside the box, help others, and be innovative.
Sarah is now glad she plucked up the courage to send a follow-up email after her imperfect interview. “One of the many benefits of having ADHD is being brave and taking the initiative to go after what you want,” she says.
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