Job Interviews

Post Reply New Topic

Has anyone got any tips for disguise Aspergers traits during job interviews? I can usually look NT for about 10- 15 minutes, everything seams ok then it all goes wrong! I really need a job! I am of quite high intelligence and I think I frighten the interviewers? I am really sick of having to do low level jobs that I hate.

I don't know how to do that either. Even if I act as normal as I can, I still think there's something odd about me they can pick up on anyway, but hopefully the interviewers think it's just to do with nerves or being too polite.

Luckily I don't do any unusual stims when nervous, also I don't have some sort of weird meltdown. I have full control of my actions, but sometimes I think it's the way I speak that gives it away. Not enough to have others suspect AS, in fact AS is probably the last thing they suspect of me, but they suspect that I'm a bit odd or extremely nervous or shy, and seem to believe that just because one is a little bit odd or shy or nervous it means they can't do the job, which is BS and I would have thought employers would be proffessional enough to know better.

So I don't know, just be quite natural, we can't all be perfect even at job interviews. But knowing I have AS does set me back, because I know I can be a bit odd and I lose all hope because of it, also lose trust in myself.

I currently have a job, but this is supposed to end soon. I had the luck to have been interviewed by a very nice lady. I don't think she was an Aspie, but she was somehow different. She liked my profile and I found her sympathic. Unfortunately she had to go four months after I joined the company. And my boss warned me: "She was similar to you!" as if he wanted to say that I will get fired for the same reason: Missing adaptability.

What I never understand: I think I am able to appear like NT, but they all say the same after the interview: I was looking relaxed or will not be able to interfere in case of conflict. Or missing leadership experience. How do they think to judge that? I look into their eyes, I speak all the time in appropriate voice but they think I don't fit into the team, even there is not team when I would be alone for one department! Either I am too high qualified for certain positions or they think anything is wrong with me.

I think everyone hates job interviews. I know I do because I can't focus. Especially if the interviewer is a brunette. For some reason the throws my concentration off. The one thing that I can suggest is at the end of the interview just tell them "I just want you to know that I really want this job and am ready to do it."

Good Luck!! !! !

I had a first interview and they gave me these psychological tests and asked me weird questions and it kind of rattled me and they must have seen something they didn't like or picked up on something and I didn't get the job and I think I talked too much and was very accommodating by answering the questions frankly-on my second interview for a different job I kept my mouth shut much more and answered the questions with less detail and I was told after I was hired that I was not going to be hired but two people who already worked for the company stood up for me and told my now boss that he wouldn't be disappointed in me and he wasn't-- but there has to be a balance somewhere-I gave too much info on the first interview and not enough on the second-there has to be a balance somewhere,and if they start throwing ambiguous psychological questions at you it gets really difficult because they tend to be questions that have really no correct answer.

The only interview i ever succeeded at was conducted by a crazy person.

Every other interview has gotten me shooed out the door.

I have had many interviews and am currently often on interview panels, I am on one this Friday and then again Tuesday for the same post.
First thing to do is apologise right from the start and say that you are very nervous as interviews always mnake you nervous..
That will relax you and funnily enough the interview panel normally.
Try to relax as much as possible, think about your answers before speaking, try to focus on a part of the job you really like and be enthusiastic about the company, learn some back ground and throw that into a reply if you can.

Interviews are about showing your best bits, hiding the not so good, you may not get the first job but keep trying the techniques, you have a small amount of time to sell yourself without being a dick !

good luck.

Stu

Camo makes some good points - I agree.

Apsion, it's hard to give more specific advice with the level of detail you provided (ie. not much at all), but have you tried asking for feedback after interviews? Not immediately after, of course, but when you get notified that you were unsuccessful. It does takes some confidence to ask for it and not all interviewers will give useful feedback (or any at all), but if you ask 5 of them at least 1-2 might and that could be enough to help you improve. Being represented by a recruiter instead of going direct can help here, because then the feedback is indirect (via the recruiter), so it's easier for the interviewer. In fact, the recruiter will usually ring you up to give feedback without you even asking.

When I went to a job interview for Dunkin Donuts, they were hiring 4 people and 5 of us showed up. I wasn't nervous or anything and I felt really good. I thought I did awesome during the interview with trying to make eye contact, being polite and answering questions well. I've never done so good before in my life. I still didn't get the job. I even went to one of the store that I can walk to where the manager who was at the interview works and asked again and he said he would call, but didn't.
I've taken a test for Weis grocery store, I didn't do as well then and I didn't get the job there either.

You also have to remember that even without Aspergers, it's hard for everyone to get a job.

i would say, drugs or alcohol? ><

unfortunately most jobs require a drug test.