How many adults on wrongplanet with asperger syndrome are...

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mainstream job is something an NT would have no problems with at all, e.g. constantly dealing with social situations, constant NTs pushing their believes onto you.
the opposite of mainstream being: self employed, or something thats really comfortable for someone with AS, not having NTs pushings their believes onto you
Does that makes sense?

Okay, by that definition, my job is far from mainstream. The average NT would go crazy in my job, because of the lack of human interaction and need to pay attention to little details. The only people that I can see who would do well at it are aspies or NTs with a lot of Aspie traits.

I know I would be a disaster in a job that required negotiating office politics or was in a highly competitive setting. Aside from that my current employment situation is mostly due to all the years I lost to depression. I just got through the day in whatever menial job I was in and didn't have the drive or focus to better my situation. I have a BFA in painting that's pretty useless. I don't know how to do anything. I don't even make art anymore. I clean offices. I like it because it's so brainless I am free to let my mind wander.

I am self-diagnosed, but am considering getting a formal diagnosis and some professional help after a bad review at work, which basically said I have terrible social skills. It's kinda weird, because I am the only person here that really relates to our software engineer, and you would think they would appreciate the translation that I do between him and everyone else to get what they need out of the program. But I have to relate to everyone else better it seems. I have been at my current cubical job 1 year, and before that was laid off after restructuring from another cubical job after 2.5 years, I miss that job as it was a smaller and nerdier office environment. That one was my first "mainstream" job, before that I did tutoring for high school calculus and physics, and before that I made balloon animals on the street and in restaurants for tips (when I was in college).

I did one three month stint in retail two years ago
it was very stressful, lots of personal interaction with the public,
very loud, very busy, frantic at times...it was a nightmare.
I've mentioned to people before that I would bawl hysterically before I had to go in,
they'd ask why, and I thought the reason was quite obvious.

That was before I was diagnosed,
and realized that most people wouldn't suffer near-nervous breakdowns working minimum wage in a clothing store.

I was in the same position, and finally began the process of seeking a formal diagnosis late last year. Now that I have my diagnosis, I'm reluctant to 'officially' disclose it. There are some unscrupulous and unkind folks in my office on the fast track towards management jobs, and I'm not sure I want this on my HR record for the rest of my career for any and all future managers to see and interpret at their leisure.

For the record, I'll be celebrating my 12th anniversary at my current job in a few months; I work as a clerk for the federal goverment. The first several years were difficult, dealing with clients and coworkers and a rigid, performance-based work hierarchy. I had many angry/frustrated outbursts, often went home crying or called in sick or laid awake at night worrying. The past few years have been better, I seem to have had enough sheer experience in my job to be able to handle most situations that might arise in an average day for me, and I don't freak out nearly as much these days. (Also, I've discovered ways to escape from my job throughout the day, taking frequent 'bathroom breaks' where I sit in the ladies' room and just breathe, or run away to stand in the alley behind my building.)

I work as a direct support staff at a group home and I work at a call center. I also have done babysitting and might try free-lance grant-writing. We'll see.

I basically learned decent interview skills "the rules of interviewing" and I had a mom who basically gave me a 50's style social skills education so I learned the rules of being polite.

The only problems I run into are sticking my foot in my mouth when I'm trying to be helpful, but it comes out in a misunderstanding. For example, at a new group home that I was trained at today, I gently corrected what I thought was a client's misbehavior, but apparently the staff said he always does it and to let it go. That sort of made sense to me, but I had to have the staff point it out. I wasn't 'getting' that they were letting it go. Other times I give people too much technical information, but that generally doesn't interfere with things

I am more interested in maybe getting a therapist that could give me some specific coping strategies than letting my bosses know., but I've chatted about it with a friendly coworker already, I am not really planning to hide it either. I totally used to go the bathroom for 15 minutes at a time to hide, too. I am getting bolder though.

I've had various jobs; none have lasted as long as the one I currently have, (4 years so far).
None of my previous jobs have caused me quite so much stress, anxiety, fear, and a general sense of apathy about having to work as this one; on the plus side, it's allowed me to pay off my student debts and I have an income.

I wouldn't call myself succesful in what I do now, it's just a run of the mill, poorly paid, 'hard slog' job.
I applied for it as a 'stop gap' to earn a regular income and because I struggled with certain aspects of self employment in the career I began prior to this job, (this is following 4 years of university study that almost made me bankrupt!).

I now realise that those aspects I found difficult in my 'chosen' career, (which are also proving difficult in the work I do now, amongst many other issues), are directly related to AS. So, although it's been hard, I think the environment I work in now has given me enlightment and clarity on what I've struggled over the years to realise; what it was/is that is 'wrong/different' in me.

I hate my job and have been planning my resignation from it, (and the return to my 'chosen' career), since the 4th month I started there (4 years ago!); but, it has actually been a bit of a godsend in some respects, I'll never admit that out loud though!

Despite the fact I loathe my job and all the negative emotions it 'sparks' in me and the negative emotions I seem to 'spark' in others there; I wouldn't swap it for being unemployed again. I think I'm probably quite lucky to have a job at all.

And now I shall end my long and boring addition to this thread!

secretary.