What if discovering your neurodivergent could unlock a deeper sense of purpose—and make your recruitment business more impactful?
In this episode, Adam Tobias shares how getting diagnosed with ADHD and autism in his 40s reshaped not only how he works, but why he works. That discovery ignited a new mission: helping organizations remove the hidden barriers that exclude brilliant, underrepresented talent.
Adam Tobias is the co-founder of Inventum Group, a purpose-driven recruitment and consulting firm based in London and Johannesburg. With over 25 years in the industry, Adam has built a company that’s as values-led as it is commercially successful. Today, he advises clients ranging from FTSE 100 companies to fast-growth SMEs on recruiting inclusively and building more resilient teams.
Episode Outline and Highlights
- [02:40] How Adam got into recruiting, leading to his 20-year-old recruitment firm.
- [07:50] Avoiding ego-based growth: What Adam considers his lessons and learnings in his recruitment journey.
- [15:04] Key elements to success.
- [17:55] How finding out about his neurodivergence became a stepping-stone for inclusive consulting.
- [24:40] Adam’s discovery of his neurodivergence.
- [34:46] Strategies that help Adam manage ADHD and autism at work.
- [38:33] Channeling Adam’s advocacy as a differentiator.
- [45:57] Inventum’s business model.
- [48:38] The top hiring barriers for underrepresented candidates—and how to fix them.
- [56:39] Discussion on behaviour, cultures, and values.
- [59:00] The value of candidate experience.
Turning Purpose into a Differentiator
Being diagnosed with autism and ADHD past 40, Adam had a renewed perspective on how to help clients be more inclusive in their hiring process. Once he uncovered his neurodivergence, he stopped trying to fit a mold. He started building around what actually worked for him, leading with empathy, structure, and a culture where people could just be themselves.
This inspired him to develop The Inclusive Recruiter, a CPD-certified training program that’s now core to Inventum’s offering. It’s not just an add-on; it’s embedded into how they hire, train, and work with clients.
“So what we’re doing now is helping clients fix their hiring processes—not just make placements,” Adam shared. “It’s not about how well someone interviews. It’s about how well they’ll perform over time.” How did this benefit Adam’s recruitment firm?
The ROI of Inclusive Hiring
Adam believes that inclusive recruitment is more than a moral imperative—it’s a business advantage. Structured, unbiased interviews, clearer job specs, and a candidate experience that makes people want to re-engage aren’t just “nice-to-haves”—they improve long-term placement success.
They also turned this mission into a consulting arm of the business. Inventum has added new revenue streams while deepening client relationships. Whether through advisory, workshops, or training, Adam’s team proves that purpose can drive profit.
“I think we’ve done well in a tough market because we’ve stayed true to who we are,” he said. “That’s what’s made us resilient.”
Top Hiring Barriers for Underrepresented Candidates
Adam shared insights on the commonly observed barriers to underrepresented groups and how they would advise their clients in terms of solutions.
Below are outlined common challenges and recommended solutions:
Challenges
- Limited Outreach & Narrow Channels
- Overloaded Job Descriptions
- Masculine-Coded Language in Job Ads
- Reliance on Outdated Job Descriptions
- Unclear Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves
- Unstructured Interview Processes
- Culture Fit Bias
Solutions
- Proactive Candidate Engagement
- Simplify Job Descriptions
- Audit Job Ad Language
- Start from Scratch with Job Specs
- Ditch the “Desirable” List
- Structured Interviews with Scoring
- Reduces bias and makes evaluations more objective.
- Use Multiple Independent Interviewers
- Focus on Values, Not “Culture Fit”
- Client Education & Conversations
