feeling uncomfortable in social situations and work

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Have started to try to go out and socialise so that I am more comfortable around people I tend to make friends but they are not neurotypicals and I need to be able to interact with neurotypicals. When I go out I talk to people however I've never managed to get eye contact right I either look away too much or feel like I stare at people. I've even had people try to escape from me or just look really nervous!

The reason I am pushing myself is that I am soon going to do work experience in a healthcare setting and I need to meet people. I am the kind of person that people can feel comfortable around while they are getting to know me as I kind of warm up to people but if I am meeting people for the first time its different. Does anyone else have this? Beginning to think I've chosen the wrong profession. Really thinking about taking an admin job and just retraining as a translator as people scare me and/or are scared by me. I would unfortunately have problems getting the admin job as my cv is so patchy (have only voluntary work, temp work, self employed work and study). The reason for the patchy cv is the failure at interviews (I pass interviews for voluntary work and temp work as the jobs are less demanding and therefore the interview is a lot easier than a proper job). The other thing that my poor employment history means is that getting references for roles is difficult any ideas?

You just described exactly what 99.9% of aspies deal with everyday. It's not fun and I have to deal with the same thing as well. All I can really say is. "Become a good actor" or get a job that avoids social interaction as much as possible .

I think I also stare too much sometimes and don't always realize I'm doing it until it's too late. Some people seem really uncomfortable around me or seem to hold a grudge against me so I try to make an effort not to stare. I think a lot of people might interpret staring as hostility.

Then when I'm talking to people I have the opposite problem because sometimes I have a lot more trouble getting my words out when I look at them, especially when I talk for more that just a few seconds and it happens even when I'm relaxed.

Wow. Sounds exactly like my employment situation all my life. For my own situation I've found that less social jobs are a good fit and allow me the personal space I need to perform well. But I suppose it depends if that's the kind of job that you'll be happy doing or not.