AS friendly work environments

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I was unemployable or close to it for many years because I couldn't ask for a job. It's still the hardest thing. I am always convinced that the new work environment will match my worst nightmare, and some of them have. My experience is in two-bit disposable jobs because I can't go near the corporate environment without breaking into hives.

It has been helpful but not easy for me to learn some of these things from experience:

There are people who will hire you because they like you, without looking at your resume or calling your references. Your personal presentation is more important than what's on your resume.

A letter of reference from a former employer is worth its weight in gold.

Eye contact might hurt, burn, and sting, but force yourself to do it.

Also, force yourself to keep talking, and calling back at least once a week. Ignore the inner voice that says you are bothering someone by being aggressive.

And force yourself to describe your good points. Talk about what you're good at. Even if it sounds stupid and goes totally against your grain.

Smile and say you want the job in the worst way. Act excited, animated, and enthusiastic even if it's just an act. Aspie traits are easy to mistake for dullness.

Watch Napoleon Dynamite. Find humor in your dilemma.

If you're passing by a place and think, "I could enjoy working there," grab the opportunity to stroll in while you're feeling relaxed and confident, introduce yourself and proclaim that you sure would like a job.

Pretend to yourself that it's no big deal; try to get into a relaxed, confident headspace.

Don't start your spiel till you are talking to the hiring manager. The others can be considered the discouragement fraternity and will misrepresent your interests or even discard your application, or just tell the boss you're weird.

I am no expert, but I've gotten lots of jobs, mostly against my own wishes, but I have to eat. Obviously I only kept one--the one I have right now.

Based on my experience I doubt that I will ever be able to keep a job permanently. I do not tell an employer that. I always lie and say I want the job for at least two or three years.

I just learned I am an aspie, before that I had other less plausible explanations for my so-called life. I am thinking seriously about telling my next potential employer that I am autistic. I think it would help, and maybe screen out intolerant bosses from hiring me just so they'll have someone to persecute.

Jean-Paul Bovee has an interesting article on aspies and work.

My first paying job was at a Sonic Drive In. I absolutely did not like it. Actually, I liked some of the people working there my first year, especially co-manager Colin. He had great stories to tell. After Colin left, things went downhill from there. Rude customers, employees usually asking wether I have a girlfriend, radio with annoying rap music playing too loud while trying to take orders. I had to work in the mornings to open the store, my manager was always late which made me unhappy since tardiness is my biggest pet peeve. He and the other male employees also talked a lot of sexual innuendo, which made me uncomfortable since I was always made fun in high school over this. My manager even had the nerve to ask me when I showed pictures of my trip to the Carribean why I didn't get any pictures of girls with tits. That made me mad.

I do not do well in fast paced environments. All the moving, loud noises and the customers yelling. I don't reccomend fast food for an aspie, except as a last resort. Fast Food is a thankless job where one can easily be replaced. The only reason I stayed there 2 1/2 years was because I did not play around and the job market was awful. Now, I work part time as a delivery driver at Domino's. My manager has me scheduled during the least busy times. I may not get the most tips during that time, but at least I'm not stressed out, I get to work with a map, and you only deal with customers one at a time. Plus, I saved up all my money from my previous job to where I don't have to work 40 hours a week during the summer.

I have learned to be nicer to restaurant workers. I try to tip well and not just the normal 15% of the bill amount like some people do. I also will not tolerate people yelling at fast food workers. If I ever had a girlfriend or a friend in general, and I caught them yelling at a restaurant worker, I would dump them in a heartbeat because that is not cool.

Aaron,

I also deliver pizza part-time. In many ways it's the best job I've ever had. Not being constantly supervised is good, working with the map is good.

Unlike you I enjoy working at the busiest times. I am very tense if my boss is there (the big boss) but the assistant managers are my friends and I helped train a lot of them. I'm 49 and I've had 35 jobs or so. I also help out as assistant manager when there isn't anyone else to do it, but only temporarily.

Once you are confident and know your way around, I suggest you turn up the volume a little and make better money. People tip double on Friday nights plus the volume is there, you really owe it to yourself to get the most out of it.

Luther

This could be the title of the story of my life.
I am in the process of losing the job I've had for the past 5 years. I do psychiatric crisis evaluations. I have a PhD in psychology but couldn't get a job doing that because it really is all about networking.
Working overnights was best for me. Lots of neurouniques there! But I switched to days because I was trying to keep my six year relationship from sinking (another story!). Worst mistake I ever made. Five years and countless social gaffes later (me to boss: I'm not interested in your personal life; me to presenter: will you please be quiet and listen to my question! - in front of my boss, of course) they are trying to fire me and I seriously think even they don't know why.

I have a persona that I use for interviews. Instead of making eye contact I look at the space between the eyes or at the person's nose. I smile and make jokes if appropriate. I have stock answers adn stock jokes. Job interviews exhaust my social skills reserve for weeks.

I too have done workshops and presentations. I am really good at this - I can make an audience laugh or cry if I want to. Then I run away before I have to talk to too many people.

I am hoping to find a job in an academic environment where they know about Aspergers and value me for having it. Where I am now they value mediocrity and conformity at the expense of the quality of other people's lives.
Independence, high standards and open-mindedness will be what I look for in my next job/boss. Honesty would be great, but I think NTs have a really hard time with that.

I like this site because if you say life sucks there's no requirement to say it will get better...
even though it often does.

Hmmmmm? I shall pick your brain here a bit, if you
don't mind! Hmmmmmm.....slight dramatic pause~~~
~! !! !! !! !! !! !! !

Alot of people have different view on PDD-NOS,
HFA, and Aspergers, and they are the bearers of
these torches. You on the other hand work the
the torch bearers evaluation market place.

Hmmmmm? What are your views on the 3 categories
I have listed above??????

And regarding your job title and work....
What kind of shifts and job duties did you
have? Hmmmmmm?



Hmmmmm? Are you Aspergers? PDD-NOS? HFA?
ASD-spectrumed? I am Ghosthunter, HFA based
on thorough research and self & family evaluation
and research I have done~!



This explains security guards and desolent
posts preferred!



Perk! Ears risen, snout in air! and a interesting
tidbit afloat in the air! Hmmmmm? Do tell!



I pull out my magnifying glass and Sherlock-Ghosthunter
on the case!

What do you do consciously that is unusureral?
Under what circumstances does this or these
character traits come out?
What exactly do you do for these people that is
not playing your strengths?
How do your co-workers describe you?
How do you describe yourself?

Now come dear Watson, and let go follow this trail
afoot!



So far I smell aspergers? But let's not be hasty!



I would say this communication skill is like mine!
HFA type!



Hmmmmm? ASD-spectrumed area!



Very Good!



So! True!



Hmmmm? I am agreeing wiht this statement.

I like this site since it isn't those PG13 type that
require ineffective politness that doesn't do anything
but fluff a cupcake with no nutrients, just air and
non-substance!

Hmmmmmm?
Ghosthunter

I have been very lucky in getting jobs. My first job was in the family business so no interview Working in the business taught me a lot of skills for business.

My next job was one my mother-in-law got me and I did very well at the orgainzation and accounting. I left that job for the job I enjoyed the most. In this job I prepared and maintained the compay for ISO certification. ISO is a standarization program to make companies working internationally able to have similar quality. Quality improvement is a great place for someone with AS because it is all about creating standards and processes.

Since that job (I left for health reasons) I have had three jobs. Two I got through friends and the last one I got the traditional way

I have spent the last seven years working on process improvements and policies and procedures. Most of the time I have worked for an ISO certified company. Because this type of work calles for someone that is almost obsessive compulsive it works great for me. However, I often find that all the people interaction does exaust me.

I have had some public speaking classes to help me learn to cope with people. Often the tricks NTs use to keep their fear at bay works for me. However, I find that using the fear to motivate me is when I perform best.

Hope some of this helps.