Careers research tips for students with dyslexia

Posted on 23 April 2026 • Career planning, Job search, Neurodiversity

“When I read long job descriptions, I lose the thread. But when I talk things through, everything clicks.” Undergraduate OU student with dyslexia.

Exploring career ideas can be a challenge when you’re dyslexic, especially if traditional text-heavy resources don’t play to your strengths.

Start with your strengths

Build your future with career confidence by identifying your skills, interests and values. Dyslexic students often tell me they focus on what they find difficult, such as reading dense information or managing lots of written detail. But dyslexic thinking brings real advantages too, such as big picture problem-solving, creativity, visual thinking and original ideas. Start your careers research by recognising your strengths. It helps put you in a positive and confident mindset.

Find approaches that work for your thinking style

There’s no single “right” way to do careers research. Try using videos, podcasts or employer talks instead. Many students with dyslexia also find mind mapping, voice notes or text-to-speech tools helpful for gathering information.

If reading long job descriptions feels overwhelming, scan down and look for patterns. What skills do they mention? Do they include tasks you enjoy? Does the organisation feel like a good match for you?

You might also prefer short bursts of research rather than long sessions. Join a Career together session, held on the first Thursday of every month, to focus on a career activity in two 25-minute bursts in the friendly company of your careers team and other OU students.

Know what help is available

Our Careers and Employability Services can support you to explore options, understand where and how to search for roles, and prepare applications. Whether you want know your rights at work, talk to employers about what adjustments could help you, or simply talk through ideas, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.

 

Fiona Munday is a Careers and Employability Consultant with 30 years experience supporting adults and young people in education, the secure estate and community settings, helping them towards achieving their career goals. At the OU, she combines work directly supporting students and alumni with developing useful resources and services to help OU students of all diverse backgrounds.