Hyperfocus Hour Via Resource

Jon Wakefield, Consultant at Via Resource and Lisa Ventura MBE, Founder of Cyber Security Unity discuss various topics related to neurodiversity and imposter syndrome. Here's a summary of the key points from the conversation:
·       Imposter Syndrome Awareness: Lisa discusses the creation of International Imposter Syndrome Awareness Day, a day dedicated to discussing and addressing imposter syndrome. She emphasises the importance of raising awareness and encouraging open conversations about how imposter syndrome affects individuals in their careers.
·       Imposter Syndrome and Neurodiversity: The conversation delves into how imposter syndrome is often more pronounced in neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD or autism. Lisa shares her personal experiences with imposter syndrome, dating back to her school days, and how it has affected her throughout her career.
·       ADHD Diagnosis: Lisa discusses her ADHD diagnosis and how it has provided her with a better understanding of her neurodivergent traits. She mentions her experiences with borderline personality disorder traits and the therapeutic techniques that have helped her manage them.
·       Handling Imposter Syndrome: The conversation explores how neurodivergent individuals can cope with imposter syndrome. Lisa and Jon share their experiences of feeling like impostors despite their achievements and accolades.
·       Gender Pay Gap: Lisa reveals a personal experience with a gender pay gap, where she was offered a role with a lower salary than her male counterpart. The importance of addressing gender pay disparities in the cyber security industry is highlighted.
·       Toxic Workplace Culture: Lisa shares her experience working in a toxic workplace with bullying and how it led her to leave the organisation. The impact of toxic individuals on an organisation's culture and employee morale is discussed.
·       The Importance of Dealing with Toxicity: The conversation emphasises the significance of addressing toxic individuals within organisations to retain talented employees and maintain a healthy work environment.
·       Progress and Challenges: The discussion concludes by acknowledging the progress made in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace while recognising the continued challenges and areas where improvements are needed.
 
About Our Host Jon And Guest Lisa​
Jon Wakefield, Consultant At Via Resource​
Jon joined Via Resource with a year of recruitment experience in the Cyber Security market, where he specialises in Security Engineering and DFIR.
Having placed candidates from Senior Manager Security Engineering to mid-level in highly regulated industries such as finance; Jon has built a comprehensive understanding of both candidate and client needs and addresses each role, and person, on an individual basis to find the perfect fit.
As an avid Star Wars fan, you will often see or hear Jon making connections and references to cyber security. Jon has ADHD and is an avid supporter of neurodivergent talent in the workplace.
Lisa Ventura MBE, Founder of Cyber Security Unity Lisa Ventura MBE is an award-winning cyber security specialist, writer and keynote speaker. She is the Founder of Cyber Security Unity, a global community organisation that is dedicated to bringing individuals and companies together who actively work in cyber security to help combat the growing cyber threat. She is in high demand as a speaker and writer on various topics in cyber security including the cyber skills gap, career pathways into the industry, managing mental health and burnout, imposter syndrome, combatting bullying and abuse in the cyber security industry and the human factors/elements of cyber security. She is also a cyber security mindset and mental health coach and offers help and support to those affected by stress, burnout, bullying/abuse and mental health issues in cyber se

Jon Wakefield, Consultant at Via Resource and Leanne Maskell, ADHD Coach, Author, and Activist covers various aspects of ADHD, including understanding it, supporting individuals with ADHD, and harnessing the strengths of ADHD. They touch on the challenges faced by individuals with ADHD, particularly in corporate settings.
 
Overview
Introduction: The conversation begins with one of the speakers expressing a desire to accidentally buy a year's supply of beer or whiskey, which leads to a discussion on ADHD and its relevance in the workplace. Three Key Points About ADHD in the Workplace: The conversation focuses on three main points related to ADHD in the corporate world. These points are: Understanding ADHD: This involves explaining what ADHD is, addressing misconceptions, and discussing how it impacts executive functioning and work performance. Supporting ADHD: This section covers strategies and policies for supporting neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, such as providing written instructions, coaching, and access to resources. Harnessing ADHD: This part highlights the strengths and positive aspects of being neurodivergent and encourages embracing diversity in the workplace. Gender and ADHD: The speakers touch on the gender disparity in ADHD diagnoses, discussing how ADHD can manifest differently in men and women. They also mention the higher risk of suicide among individuals with ADHD. Dealing with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD): The conversation delves into RSD, a concept related to intense emotional pain in response to real or perceived rejection. They discuss strategies to cope with RSD, including understanding the thought processes behind it and validating one's own experiences. Ideas and Innovation in the Workplace: The speakers discuss handling a situation where someone has innovative ideas but faces resistance or rejection in a corporate setting. The advice includes writing down ideas, presenting them thoughtfully, and considering implementing them independently, if possible. Personal Experiences and ADHD Coaching: The conversation also includes personal experiences of the speakers, the importance of coaching, and how coaching can help individuals with ADHD About Our Host Jon And Guest Leanne​
Jon Wakefield, Consultant At Via Resource​
Jon joined Via Resource with a year of recruitment experience in the Cyber Security market, where he specialises in Security Engineering and DFIR.
Having placed candidates from Senior Manager Security Engineering to mid-level in highly regulated industries such as finance; Jon has built a comprehensive understanding of both candidate and client needs and addresses each role, and person, on an individual basis to find the perfect fit.
As an avid Star Wars fan, you will often see or hear Jon making connections and references to cyber security. Jon has ADHD and is an avid supporter of neurodivergent talent in the workplace.
Leanne Maskell, ADHD Coach, Author, And Activist​
Leanne Maskell is an ADHD Coach, Author, and Activist, having presented to the World Health Organization on improving global access to support for ADHD. Previously working in mental health and disability law, Leanne set up ADHD Works to empower as many people as possible to learn about how to make ADHD work for them through courses, talks, and coaching. After being diagnosed with ADHD aged 25, Leanne published 4 books, including her latest book 'ADHD Works at Work' & ‘ADHD: an A to Z’, as featured on Sky News.

Jon Wakefield, Consultant at Via Resource and Simon Monaghan, Founder of Odd Shoes discuss their experiences with ADHD as recruiters, including struggles with impulsiveness, inattentiveness, and prioritising tasks. They also discuss the challenges of being spontaneous and the guilt that comes with having ADHD. Simon shares their structured approach to generating and refining ideas, as well as their experiences with neurodiverse candidates in the workplace. Emphasising the importance of understanding and accommodating individual differences, and discussing their unique approach to helping candidates prepare for interviews through personalised microsites. They also discuss how ADHD has impacted their career, including difficulty with listening and interrupting others, having many ideas but struggling to follow through on them, and leaving jobs. They advise others with ADHD to be transparent about their job history on LinkedIn and explain why they left each position. With also touching on rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) and suggests ways to make the hiring process more bearable for neurodivergent individuals. 

Points Highlighted in this Episode: 
Encourage open communication and support from employers for neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. 

Consider a structured approach to generating and refining ideas to combat the negative aspects of ADHD. 

Prioritize quality over quantity in the recruitment process and work closely with clients to understand their needs. 

Be transparent about job history on LinkedIn and explain reasons for leaving each position. 

Take responsibility for one's actions and avoid blaming others, especially in job interviews. 


Overview Of Podcast 

Introduction & your ADHD tax  5.45 What does your normal workday look like?  40.46 Neurodiversity for candidates with hiring managers  58:26 Microsites for Candidates 01:14:16 Biggest impact ADHD has on a professional career 01:27:52 Rejection, Sensitivity, Dysphoria 

About Our Host Jon And Guest Simon 

Jon Wakefield, Consultant At Via Resource 

Jon joined Via Resource with a year of recruitment experience in the Cyber Security market, where he specialises in Security Engineering and DFIR. 


 Having placed candidates from Senior Manager Security Engineering to mid-level in highly regulated industries such as finance; Jon has built a comprehensive understanding of both candidate and client needs and addresses each role, and person, on an individual basis to find the perfect fit. 

As an avid Star Wars fan, you will often see or hear Jon making connections and references to cyber security. Jon has ADHD and is an avid supporter of neurodivergent talent in the workplace. 

Simon Monaghan, founder of Odd Shoes 

Simon spent his adult life bouncing around sales jobs, promoting house music and singing in bands. He knew he had a problem with being distracted, distracting others and struggling to listen and focus; it wasn’t until he got into recruitment at age 35 that he realised that he couldn’t continue not taking life seriously and meeting his potential, so he got diagnosed. 

That diagnosis changed everything, and structure/organisation became the platform he stood on, building a reputation in recruitment until he set up his own company at the beginning of COVID-19 in 2020, intending to change tech recruitment one hire at a time.  

Now happily married and living in France, he’s made serious steps towards his lofty goals. 

Jon interviews Gabriel Severi, a Security Architect, about the economic impact of neurodiversity and management. They discuss the concept of ADHD tax, where neurodivergent individuals spend extra time and money on tasks that neurotypical individuals can complete more efficiently. The conversation also touches on the flaws in current productivity metrics and the negative impact of bad managers on the economy. Gabriel suggests measuring candidates based on measurable metrics such as IQ, problem-solving skills, and pattern detection rather than experience or knowledge with a particular tool. The podcast concludes by emphasising the need for continuous learning and training for everyone.
 
Points highlighted in this episode Consider the concept of ADHD tax and how it may impact neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. Evaluate current productivity metrics and consider alternative methods for measuring productivity. Provide better performance management and people management training, especially for neurodiverse employees. Measure candidates based on measurable metrics such as IQ, problem-solving skills, and pattern detection rather than experience or knowledge with a particular tool. Emphasise the need for continuous learning and training for everyone.  
About Our Host Jon And Guest Gabriel Jon Wakefield, Consultant at Via Resource Jon joined Via Resource with a year of recruitment experience in the Cyber Security market, where he specialises in Security Engineering and DFIR.
Having placed candidates from Senior Manager Security Engineering to mid-level in highly regulated industries such as finance; Jon has built a comprehensive understanding of both candidate and client needs and addresses each role, and person, on an individual basis to find the perfect fit.
As an avid Star Wars fan, you will often see or hear Jon making connections and references to cyber security. Jon has ADHD and is an avid supporter of neurodivergent talent in the workplace.
 
Gabriel Severi, Security Architect Gabriel is a cybersecurity professional with just over 6 years of experience and exposure to multiple industry sectors. Currently he works as a Senior Consultant, specialising in Security Architecture. Outside of cybersecurity, Gabriel has a deep interest in Psychology and Game Theory, which he has used to analyse the current job market and identify areas which are causing negative impact to the economy. He was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021, and has been trying to upskill companies in neurodiversity management, one employer at a time.
He identified that this might be too slow a method, so now he is campaigning more strongly for better management practices in general, which he hopes will improve the score for neurodiverse employees holistically as a result.
 
Overview Of Podcast Introduction & your ADHD tax 06:22 ADHD Management and the Economics of it – Video Game Theory  13:10 Trend 1: Bullmarket 15:50 Trend 2: Promotions 17.01 Trend 3: Bad Management 25:22 Wage Inflation & Hiring Market 46.14 Skills Gaps and Hiring 59:11 Diamond in the Rough 64.27 The Big Five 70:42 Personality Traits 87:01 Last Comments  

Hyperfocus Hour podcast discusses hyper fixation and upskilling with ADHD in the cybersecurity field with guest Chris Roberts, a  Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager at Direct Line, emphasising the importance of understanding and playing to the strengths of neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. Chris discusses their experience with ADHD and how it can be an advantage in cybersecurity due to the ability to quickly extract information from limited data. Hyperfocus Hour discusses the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals in obtaining qualifications and succeeding in the cybersecurity industry, emphasising the importance of curiosity and hands-on experience over qualifications alone. Chris suggests researching potential employers to see if they have an inclusive culture for neurodiverse individuals.
About Our Host Jon and Guest Chris: Jon Wakefield, Consultant at Via Resource
Jon joined Via Resource with a year of recruitment experience in the Cyber Security market, where he specialises in Security Engineering and DFIR.
Having placed candidates from Senior Manager Security Engineering to mid-level in highly regulated industries such as finance; Jon has built a comprehensive understanding of both candidate and client needs and addresses each role, and person, on an individual basis to find the perfect fit.
As an avid Star Wars fan, you will often see or hear Jon making connections and references to cyber security. Jon has ADHD and is an avid supporter of neurodivergent talent in the workplace.
  Chris Roberts,  Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager at Direct Line
Chris Roberts, an accomplished expert in cybersecurity, brings over a decade's worth of experience to the table. His professional journey in offensive and defensive cyber threat intelligence, as well as information security, is characterised by adversary-based breach and attack simulations. His record illuminates a dynamic fusion of profound technical acumen and leadership skills. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris cultivates a well-regarded security blog and news aggregator. His interests extend to photography, music - where he showcases his talent on the drums and cinema. A fervent explorer of modern technology, Chris delves into the world of machine learning during his free time.
 
Overview of Podcast Introduction & your ADHD tax Hyper fixation 2.49 Hiring Process 19.06 Exams and certifications 26:28 Undiagnosed in cyber security 34.41 Chris Advice: 45.20 Last Comments 47.58

Welcome to the first episode of Hyperfocus Hour. Our first guest speaker Beth O’Malley, Queen of Chaos, Co-Founder of Astral Digital and ADHDer. Beth was diagnosed with ADHD over 2 years ago and it’s given her a new purpose; to use her brain to wrangle even the unruliest of CRM and marketing projects with her clients and to make change for other ADHDers and neurodivergents in the professional world. ADHD is Beth’s greatest strength and greatest weakness, but she keeps it real, bringing you real life experiences and a disruptor who's rewriting the all the rules.
 
Thank you Beth for being part of Hyperfocus Hour!