Job hunt status and bringing up Aspergers at the inteverview

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Update on my job situation.

After sending what I think were 50 applications, the call backs started to come in. I got about 4 of them. Better than nothing I suppose. I got 2 interviews (one at THQ (Yes, the video game company), one for some place looking for engineers with QA experience) I am doing next week and one pending. I did suffer a lost opportunity being not qualified enough as a candidate. I just shrugged it off and move on to the next job opportunity. So far i am stating to get nibbles but still waiting for a bite!

I have a question for all of you. Is it ok to mention you have Asperger's at the job interview and explaining the challenges you went though to get to this point? I was suggested by a friend to do this and I have a gut feeling it may be working against me since I have mentioned to employers. I intend to let the employer know who exactly who I am but showing showing that I have Asperger's does that kill my chances of getting the job?

I would like to hear what you think.

I would never mention Asperger's at an interview.

At any part of the job search, you should always emphasize the positive and not bring up anything negative that you don't really have to.

I just hate when they ask about my weaknesses because i can't bring myself to make up BS about how I'm a perfectionist or some crap.

But still, no, do not bring up aspergers, even then. Nothing good can come of this. The only time you should bring it up is if you get into a bind where stating it can get you a stay of execution for a few weeks while the legal department comes up with a better way to terminate your employment.

Thanks for the opinions! I spoke to a fellow aspie on this and she said that I should only bring it up at an appropriate time. I don't know when that time this could occour. Maybe it's during the interview or when I am employed and I do something related to my condition and management wants to know what the heck is going on (the latter is what I call the "bait and switch" scenario). I find that in ether situation, coming out of the aspie closet would come and bite me and do me in career wise. I hope they are all equal opportunity employers.

4 out of 50 is good! Wish I could get that!

NEVER mention you have asperger's in an interview.
Asperger's is a disability and most employers are prejudice against disabilities, even if you get the 1% who are not prejudice or who are specifically looking to fill their disability quota for equal opportunities, it's still too high a risk. Employers are spoiled for choice, rather than looking for the best person for the job a large part of the application/interview process is about them finding excuses to drop you out of the running for the job, a disability (even one that is not a disability in your case, or one that makes you better suited for a role) is an excuse to rule you out. It's sad, but there it is...even with so-called 'equal opportunity employers'.

Possibly inform them once you have the job.
I say 'possibly' because if an employer is prejudice they may find an excuse to let you go based on this, they can't outright say that you're fired because of having asperger's but then can always say you're not suited to the role or find another excuse to get rid of you. Only inform them of being an aspie if it causes problems in work - major problems only, for example don't let them know you have asperger's just because it's making it hard to socialise with co-workers...unless this issue with socialisation may be reason to fire you.

The only exception to the rule is with guaranteed interview schemes.
Not sure if you have this where you are, it's also not available for all employers (watch out for it on application forms) - the scheme is that if you're disabled they guarantee you an interview. This can backfire too, but if you find you're not getting anywhere for a while during job searching this can be useful because it gets you in the door, although you're letting them know you have a disability at the same time you're able to sell yourself, deal with any concerns they have and they get to fill their disabled quota with someone with a lesser disability.

The thing is you should never apply a negative label to yourself during the time when you are getting associated with a new workplace.

If you can identify what your strengths and weaknesses in that workplace are, you may be able to extrapolate from that a number of things you can communicate with your superiors about how they can help you be as effective as you can possibly be at your job.

You don't want to say "I have a disability" which is what they will be hearing if you say you have aspergers.

You want to say "I work best with clearly stated goals. Even if those goals seem like they should be obvious on the face of the task."

Or something like that.

You want to offer them solutions rather than get them thinking about potential obstacles.

I wouldn't bring AS up at all. The connotations associated with it are not positive. When companies are interviewing maybe hundreds of applicants, you're just making their job of culling the interviewees easier.

_________________
http://defeatingthedoginthedaytime.blogspot.com/

the trials and tribulations of a girl pretending to be normal

You mention Aspergers and more than likely the employer will not give you the job even if you were the best interviewed qualified candidate for the role. Employers regard people with a neurological, psychological impairment as a risk. Employers want to minimum risk.

Do not mention your Aspergers and if the employer did fire you because of your Aspergers, you can take them for discrimination against Aspergers Syndrome and possibly win a big pay day.

In my opinion: Aspergers discrimination should be treated as a hate crime.

Don't mention it. Not when you are being interviewed, and not once you get the job.

If you act in a "strange" way at work, try to play it off as being "quirky." There is no way I would let anyone at my workplace know I had Asperger's.

And telling someone who is interviewing you about all of the difficulty you went through to get to that point will win you no points.

Sell yourself as a potential asset to the company, not someone the might see as a potential liability. And make sure you believe you will be an asset to them!

How many employers will have the slightest idea what you're talking about? Then you'll have to explain it to them and that's time the could be better spent going after the job.

I think only people with physical disabilities need to mention them if they're relevant. People aren't interested in employees with mental issues of any kind.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like il make it a non-issue and il go into the interviews without mentioning it to them. I got IBM and THQ interviews next week and i gotta make an impression!