Saira Ali-Khan

Tell us a bit about yourself outside of work – what do you like to do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies/interests/sports – we’d love to know

I love to read, and outside of work, I am part of a book club that meets monthly. I also enjoy spending time volunteering for different organisations; I have most recently joined a mutual aid group. Not only do I do manual labour for them but also help create copy and editing for the group. I also spend time working with young autistic children.

What was the most difficult interview question you have been asked and how did you answer?

I was once asked how I responded to stress and pressure during an interview, this was hard for me as someone with Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and I also deal with anxiety . Being honest about the issues I might face in a workplace is important to me, and this particular issue was hard for me to answer.

Were you open about your disability during the application process? What support was provided to you?

Yes, I applied through a charity which supported people with autism.

Tell us a bit about the type of work you’re doing at the moment; what are your day-to-day tasks?

My day to day work changes all the time. This is quite enjoyable for me as this is my first time working in a corporate setting, so I am able to get a taste for many different aspects of the business. I’ve had a hand in various projects from when I started in November 2021, including doing an audit of the Women@Page mentoring program, helping set up Neurodiversity@Page by creating the terms of references and some fact sheets, and helping create content for the internal network.

How do you manage your disability at work?

For work I use a screen reader and a dictation program to help manage my dyslexia, I also have regular meeting with my manger which helps keep me on track with my work and means that I always have allocated time to ask any questions.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I enjoy being able to meet new people and make new connections. I also enjoy how much I learn every day at my job by attending interesting meetings and hear different people’s thoughts and options.

What aspect of the job have you found most difficult to manage? Is this affected by your disability?

Sometimes I have trouble speaking in meetings with new people in them, even when I do have things to say. This has been something I’ve dealt with for most of my life because of my autism.

What is your organisation’s approach to disability; how has your employer helped you to do well at your workplace?

On my first day at PageGroup me and my Manger discussed adjustment right away and these were put in place straight away. This understanding and action being taken was the first time this has ever happened for me in a workplace and has made a huge impact on how well I am able to perform at my job and it also shows to me how much they actually care.

Tell us about a personal strength or a valuable plus which you have developed, as a result of your disability. How has it helped you in your career?

Because of my disability I an able to see things from a different perspective than maybe a neurotypical person. This can allow me to sometimes see things that other may not, which can be help in my day to day work.

What do you wish you knew when you were at university?

Be honest about who you are, it took me almost six months to tell all my lecturers that I had dyslexia and some of them never knew I had Autism. This caused many issues for me in the long run and looking at my work relationships now I can see how much easier life could have been if I hadn’t been so nervous.

What advice would you give a student with a similar disability, who wants to pursue a career in the field you work in

Don’t be afraid to apply to certain jobs because you think your disability will hold you back, there are always people who want to help you thrive and you’re more capable than you think.