Underemployment

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Much is said and written about the effects of unemployment on anyone (not just those with ASD's). That is understandable.

I don't feel that enough importance is placed on the effects of UNDERemployment. And I have come to see that there are a lot of people on the spectrum who are underemployed. Resources I have read, unfortunately, have given me the impression that even where support services are available, the aim seems to be to get the person into employment, any employment.

I think Tony Attwood is the only author whose book I've read who actually specifically makes the point that underemployment can be as damaging to the person's emotional state and self-esteem as unemployment. His description however of what underemployment is was a little narrow. Underemployment isn't only when the person has e.g. a postdoc qualification in IT but is working as a shelf-filler. IMO it can also apply to people with no particular qualifications but exceptional knowledge or talents at something.

In my own case I feel I didn't achieve at school because I struggled thoughout with severe bullying, wasn't challenged by the curriculum and dropped out because I felt like a failure, even if I wasn't one. Subsequent life circumstances have made it almost impossible to get a college degree, and I'm now working in an office support role where I'm bored senseless.

What are people's experiences with this?

I thought it would be exciting working with James Bond?

Being serious, yes I agree with you. I think there are many of us who are highly skilled and/or qualified who struggle for various reasons to stay in employment or fulfil our potential.

That's the worst part of AS - feeling like you have so much to give, so much squandered talent.

I had such a horrible time in school, I didn't develop intellectually at the rate everyone else did, and I barely graduated high school. I was scared away from college because of the stresses of education. Now all I'm qualified for are menial jobs for minimum pay - if I can even get them. The sort of jobs where you have to work with the public and be socially adept to get ahead. The types of jobs that play directly to weaknesses. It's really humiliating.

I had special ed, so what could i possibly expect? There were some jobs i actually liked, for instance machine adjuster or machinist in different industries, but i was laid off again and again due to the inability to get along with people or rather, they didn't get along with me. Thus, the choice was always very limited and i felt and still feel totally underemployed as far as my technical skills go, but have to accept that my comprehensive lack of social skills limits my possibilities tremendously.

For about the last 10 or 12 years I have worked at "menial" factory jobs. I have 5 1/2 years of college and was an IT professional. Working at those lesser jobs brought lots of suspicion as to what was wrong with me or what's going on. (Note, I only discovered my AS 2 years ago.) I suppose I've come to the conclusion that aspies are damned if we do and damned if we don't. It truly s frustrating.

My experience may not fully apply to the topic but I believe I may be an exception as i'm not underemployed but unemployed.

I can understand this topic completely, I had a hard time in highschool with my teachers believe it or not.. I've never been seriously bullied, worst I ever got was people taking cracks at me but noone bothered physically assaulting me, maybe it was because i'm tall i'm not sure. But anyway, I had a LOT of trouble with my teachers, they always wanted to make an example of me because they thought I wasn't listening since I was not looking at them.. I didn't know I had Aspergers back then and would act out (Tell the teacher off etc.) which would get me in trouble alot. My mother pulled me out of school to keep me from fighting and attempted to homeschool me which was a joke.. I would just read books and learn on my own initiative which didn't last passed a day.

Then I went out and got my G.E.D on my own, I thought I would take it once without studying and figure out what I needed to work on because I wasn't sure of my strengths and weaknesses and ended up passing it with flying colors with only a couple months of freshmen year highschool under my belt >.<. I also attended vocational school for business (only vocation with computers) and passed that top of my class but I never got any work experience.

That was all in my teens, and now i'm almost 23 and have NEVER had a job. I have NEVER been given a chance despite certifications, good work references, letters of recommendation etc. Can't even get a job in fast food.. I live in America and I've heard we're in some kind of recession (I don't watch TV :/) but holy hell! I didn't know things where this hard..

I have been underemployed before, then I was employed at my potential, now I am unemployed.

I think being underemployed is worse because I hate the sense that I am being controlled by an employer to do something that doesn't use my brain. The only way to compensate is to do something taxing outside of work.

I gained a successfully IT career and and mostly it was stimulating and rewarding. However it was then I discovered my AS and now I am unemployed. I think I would rather die than go to a job stacking shelves.

I was in special ed growing up and always got extra help in school with my class assignments from 7th grade and up. I struggled in 5th and 6th grade too and my mother was helping me. Homework had always been a battle for me because I always had tons of it while other kids only had some of it and could do it fine on their own with little help. But I needed lot of it.

Finding a job had always been hard for me and I had help with employment in high school in my senior year. Then with my third job, mom has been involved with my boss regarding my job and I was lucky she gave me so many chances and tries. Then with my forth one, I decided I wanted to do it myself and try and handle things on my own without her. I didn't want her calling my work to talk to my boss for me and that would look so wrong. Even in my third job I didn't want her calling my boss for me so I would try and handle it myself. Instead I would go to my mother and tell her what I have to do and what do I say to my boss about it and I would write things down. I wanted to be an adult and independent. I would rather work jobs I can do but I hate the roadblocks they set. I think the only time I ever got a job on my own was my forth job I had. But the current one I have now, my husband had to help me. I feel only a few places are willing to give me a chance. I know there is lot of competition out there when it comes to hiring and it's hard for me to win the position.

What exactly is underemployed? Not working enough hours or working a job that is less than your skill level and you can do more than that and do something that is a higher skill level? I am not sure if I am under employed but I am employed.

I am only slightly underemployed. I intentionally sought a job that I was overqualified for, so that I didn't have to deal with stuff that I'm not really cut out for. People in my life are a little disappointed that I don't work harder, but this is my life.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I get to make enough money to support my lifestyle and my job carries enough prestige so as not to be embarrassing when I talk about it. But it doesn't tax me emotionally or mentally. The work assigned to me is well within my skill set and I'm able to do most everything with ease. Frequently it's so boring that I literally fall asleep at my desk. But that's better than crying at my desk or banging my head against my desk.

The best thing is that I get to go home and use all that energy that I didn't waste on "hard" stuff on activities that I really care about.

But I'm not as underemployed as I could be, especially in this economy. I have done McJobs and hated them. But some "McJobs" are better for than others. For instance, I hope to God I never have to ring up customers ever again. But sorting mail at the post office? Not so bad.

his is what really hurts! I should be working in a lab or in a University. Or at least at Sea World as an Animal trainer. Am I? No, I am working in a big name ( not going to use it) pet store. Oh, I love animals & all, but I always seem never to completely succeed because of various "problems"
Its the second most discouraging thing about the whole situation!

Sincerely,
Matthew

It definitely hurts to be underemployed, but I think its better than unemployment (I'm unemployed again at the moment) as they give me money. I have a couple of science degree's and a number of further qualifications have worked for multinational companies for 10 years but anythings better than living on the £52 ($81) a week I have to spend now.

Keep getting pushed to apply for retail/personnel jobs but I know in the unlikely event I get it, that it won't last as I'll get bored (start thinking), annoy the boss (start thinking and say what I think) or get promoted for the ideas (by bosses boss) (boss gets more annoyed because I was right, he didn't listen, then sabotages me (I suck at office politics)) or get so stressed I go into sensory overload melt down or shut down and get sacked.

One odd thing is that the job center are trying to push me into any job 'I can do' but instantly discounted 'caring' jobs. I know I'm not suited for them but didn't think I was that easy to read. Has anyone else found that?

Unfortunately, I think this will be the future that awaits me. I've been out of education for a good while now, I was at college then progressed onto 3rd year in university and the set up made me feel more lost than ever which made me leave. I'm only capable of learning something in depth if it catches my interest. If not, I would find myself not being able to focus and take little in. That along with my lack of social skills, poor executive functioning, and anxiety made my entire educational life a struggle. While I was at school I didn't want to accept I had Autism so refused any help. Then in college, I was offered no help. Maybe I could have done better with the right help, who knows.

As for work, I've only had 3 months worth of experience through a work placement I got before college. I'm qualified for computer networking but I really don't think I could handle any similar work due to the reasons I said above. Also, I'm poor at thinking on the spot and handling deadlines, so I think any technician work is ruled out for me. I will most likely try and find work that isn't full of stress and high workload and responsibility, because I know I can't handle these things. It seems negative, but I think its good I know my weaknesses rather than becoming completely out of my depth. I wish these limits I have weren't present, but there's not much I can do about it.

I'm underemployed. I'm a qualified teacher working as a teaching assistant for very little money. For once though, I don't mind as much as the work isn't stressful. When I was underemployed in a stressful role, it was worse than being unemployed.

I'm certainly underemployed. Willing to work does not mean that people are willing to hire you. Being over-educated isn't helping me either.

When I was in my mid-teens I participated in a summer job program through the school district, essentially they could not turn anyone down. Once that passed, I was lucky to have a route delivering newspaper excerpts to get people to subscribe so I would stop delivering these things to them. It was literally the only thing I could find that didn't require a car and clean driving record at the time

Before my current talent kicked in I took the random auto detailing or construction helper crumb, but my preoccupation with playing music had underemployment of its own, causing me to play in groups with influences and directions outside of my interests and often on the bass which was not my preferred instrument (although listeners praise my playing now)

Even still, although I have people seeking out my wrenching skills I very frequently underquote myself, I'm on a subcontract gig at the moment and the primary said to me I need to stop cutting myself short. I see it as wanting to charge fairly but the delineations between skill, qualifications, a sustainable price and greed are hazy