Over 30 and still no job

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I have had two paying jobs before in my life both part time and temp work that lasted no more than a few months. What I find very difficult is the lack of support for adults like me in finding work. THe job centre when i was on job seekers sent me on endless courses that never covered the reasons I was not working. I can write a CV fine and fill in forms, I get the interviews but never the actual job. Interview help is not very helpful since most interviews I have had are not like the old days that job seekers courses seem to assume they are still like. A few are you and an interviewer ask you questions, but a lot now require you to join a group thing with tasks and to interact with other people. I can do the tasks, but I come out as a bit odd I guess. In those types of interviews there is no place to talk about my autsitum or mental health issues I have. It is very hard to know how to address my asobergers with potential employers, for a start they often assume i would be good at maths, far from it, I don't want an employer to sterotype me then be disappointed I am not some genius at this or that.

Is there an organization in the UK that specializes in Job Training for people with Autism?

There is one in Connecticut because a father wanted his son to get a job, so he started a private organization to do job training about 10 years ago.

Some people don't trust the government to help out. They would rather do it themselves.

Most people with autism are better off working away from people. Perhaps in light manufacturing, even if it means having to travel to work.

about 5 years ago, I remember at an group interview for "The Gap" (clothing store), they wanted you to engage in little sales skits in a group interview situation. On top of being aspie, I have a slight speech difference. I did not receive a job offer.

I actually do good in the somewhat-structured, task-oriented interaction with a real live customer.

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I'm thinking of the analogy of musicians. It's very personal, too personal, to try to sell your own stuff, which is why musicians benefit from having agents. For those of us on the spectrum, who are different but definitely have stuff to offer, something like an agent might actually be a good idea.

Fran1, you should ask the job center about when and how to tell employers/interviewers about your disabilities.

Adult support in the UK? Job Centre are just about ticking boxes, seeing you have been looking for work. There are companies out there, on paper they are supposed to help. I got refereed to one by the NHS where I was getting help for certain issues and not the job centre, wise ability they are called? Absolutely useless, no help what so ever, just want to plonk you in any job they can so they can get they can get paid for getting you into work, no support in anyway with my mental health problems or my Asperger's diagnosis, non at all.

These new type of interviews seem terrifying to me, luckily I have never had to do one, what kind of work are you looking for?

Thank you for being honest about your real life experiences.

Wow, as a person who lives in Houston, Texas, I kind of idealize the UK as being about 5 years ahead of where we are as far as spectrum rights and spectrum appreciation. Although I had read before that besides a possible diagnosis for adults, there's not a whole lot of practical help. But to see it so starkly, very disappointing.

In time, I think we have to start our own organizations, vet volunteers as far as criminal record, it's often okay to have a record, we just want to know going in. And then, the volunteers can do much of the leg work and genuinely work with people to help our members get some jobs, and in due time, some pretty good jobs at that.

And I favor an approach that's kind of multi-track and all of the above. We can have our own organizations, and we can also engage with local, state, and federal government for them to take responsible action to open up avenues for those of us on the Aspergers-Autism spectrum.

keep trying use one click apply sites like total jobs

When do you go over to Universal Credit? I was working for a long time and then had to go onto UC about 3 months ago. The last time I was on benefits was 18 years ago and jobseekes. UC is very different. I see the same person every time, I told them I was Aspie, and she has allowed me to apply for jobs that I can do as opposed to applying for everything. I wonder if things have stagnated in those areas not UC yet because they know everything is changing. The UC got a lot of bad press (rightly) which I think they've ironed some of the problems out of so hopefully when you get it things will be better.