Can people with Asperger's hold a job?

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I have always been 'different' and on my journey to find out why I read several books on Asperger's among other things and was sure I had found the perfect explanation for my 'issues'. I had been on a waiting list for a diagnosis and a couple of months ago a social worker talked to me for an hour to do a 'screening' to see if I could be evaluated for Asperger's (now ASD). She observed that I can answer the door and show her in, that although I go off topic she can lead me back in, that my leg twitches, that I can hear my young son when he calls me, and that I can make eye contact if I want. She also found out about all my social difficulties as a child, how the teacher's pressured my parents to get me checked out but they refused, how I couldn't play with other kids or understand how they knew what to do, how I spent my teen years observing and imitating in the mirror, how I have spent the last 20 years working in businesses from my basement using a computer except for 2 years after my husband's accident when he could not work I went out and got a job in an office working with people. It was noted that I have Post-Its above the phone and counter because I never know what to say when people talk to me so I wrote the 'script' next to where I would have to say it. I got so sick from stress I couldn't handle it so I have been going to school for a bit instead (even though we still don't have an income). I can't eat lunch with the other students but the teacher leaves me alone in the classroom. I got the results of her screening yesterday. She says that I am not eligible for an Asperger's evaluation because I can interact with people well enough to answer the door, tend to my son, and hold a job in customer service without getting fired. I was soooo sure I fit the Asperger's profile. Nothing else explains my life. Is it true? If I can hold a job without getting fired than I can't be autistic?? Do any of you, diagnosed with Asperger's, have jobs?

I don't think I could ever hold a normal 9 to 5 job. Because I need to take "decompression" breaks in a quiet room to undo all the sensory overload. And I have to do so at not so appropriate times. I have gotten in a lot of trouble at school for just walking out of class and going to the restroom because of this and I know this would get me fired from a job.

It sound like to me that you've gotten so good at acting(faking NT) that your psychiatrist is convince that you do not ASD. That seem to happen to a lot of people here on WP.

Your story makes me feel sick. I don't understand how having a job that you had to quit is proof of your ability to have a job. It's proof of your ability to NOT hold a job, at least not for long enough to support you when you need it. It's like you're being punished for trying.

I seem to only be able to function in this world to the point of self-sufficiency by dissociating from large parts of me, like my emotions. I am trying to not do this anymore because those parts surface when I am alone are so depressed that I do not want to live. Like, I am more capable than you, but the cost is like losing my soul.

I can't hold a job in customer service or retail or an office job.
I would lose it after an hour of sitting under the lights.
However, I can hold a research job with environment that suits me and flexible hours.

I was doing really well (for me at least) for a while in a third-shift tech support position. I couldn't handle first or second shift because of the noise but third shift was usually quiet, most of our support during that shift was via ticket (e-mail) or LiveChat, and I would just always take the LiveChats so I wouldn't have to take the phone calls. My coworkers were good with this arrangement, everyone benefited. Working third shift took a major toll on me though.

I have always held down a job since I have been working and I was diagnosed as a kid. I think the social worker was ignorant because lot of aspies have kids and I have seen some with jobs especially in customer service.

If being able to answer the door means you can't be an aspie, then I don't think many people here would have a diagnosis anymore. She rather obviously have zero clue. As for jobs, im a student now but I did work a few months as a security guard. A lot of solo work, got to work some night shifts which was nice. I could probably have done that for a few years before getting bored. Only real trouble were the arguments, but a few scripts were pretty much all I needed.

Oh big deal you can answer the door and hear people.....what is so special about being able to answer the door? I can answer the door because if I live somewhere and someone comes and knocks on 'my' door then they are on the spot so to speak and the one initiating the interaction...that is very different than approaching someone and initiating interaction with them which I struggle quite severely with still. Also last I checked being deaf is not a symptom of autism, sometimes we can miss things if we get very focused or space out or something but its not an issue of not physically 'hearing' things.

I personally cannot hold a job currently, but being able to hold a job does not necessarily mean you don't qualify for a diagnoses. Some people on the spectrum might need accommodations, and some might have autism severe enough they cannot hold a job...or like with me they may have other conditions as well that prevent working. Some people with autism don't need accomidations per say and maybe had a bit of luck landing a decent job where some of the social differences where over-looked....it really varies depending on the person and their circumstances.

Some people can . I've been working since I left school but I have struggled always. I have lost jobs because if my symptoms but I can work well most of the time

There are many people on this Site who are Aspergian/Autistic--and who hold jobs.

I've had my job for the past 35 years.

That social worker didn't know what (s)he was talking about. Go to a psychiatrist who can administer the RAADS-R. It's just like the AQ or the Aspie Quiz (you can find both online and take them yourself). I like the RAADS-R best because it's language is a little better. The AQ is too short and the Aspie Quiz is great for telling the difference between Asperger's and neurotypical, but I'm not sure it's as accurate for Auties, or people with non-Asperger's autism.

The benefit to going to a doctor is that you can use the documentation for ADA accommodations and to use in a disability case. If you don't want go to a doctor and you just want to know for yourself, I'd take both the AQ and the Aspie test. Keep in mind that your results may be a little more "neurotypical" than you expect if you are anything other than a white man.

I know a lot of people on the autism spectrum. 95% of them are employed, and they are not all high-spectrum people.

This is a social worker who came to your house to do a screening. Are you trying to get assistance, state aid or disability? You may not be based in America, so it is possible you have a different medical system than I am familiar with. But, if I understand you right, my thoughts are these:

1. She's a social worker, not a psychologist. This means she is not properly trained or educated to make a diagnosis. Many, many psychologists are not trained to make ASD diagnoses, and those that are often require more than an hour of discussion to get an accurate assessment.

2. She is there to determine whether you are eligible for benefits, not whether you have a condition. Her concern is not whether you have ASD, but whether you would conceivably be able to work some type of job.

I have worked jobs, and I have held a couple for more than a year, but my employment history is rather dismal. I was fired from my last job and I haven't worked for three years. I can work, theoretically, and I would like a job. I just can't seem to convince any employers that I am employable.

Yes, she is a social worker that came to my house to do a screening. I am in Canada and not trying to get any assistance, government aid or disability. I don't even think there is any benefits like that anyway. I wanted the diagnosis to help solve relationship issues, not to get any money from someone. I am able to work but a crowded office was too stressful for me and I got sick, but I did complete the contract as promised. I did not get fired and am highly recommended as a hard-working, honest employee. I am currently trying to get employment from home again but doing schoolwork while I am unemployed. The social worker's specialty is to screen for autism (mainly in kids). It is all she does. Without her affirmative report I am not eligible to see a public psychiatrist. There are private clinics but I would have to travel and the cost would be steep (did I mention that I don't have a job?). Although I am certain I fit the description of Aspie and all online quizzes agree I would like to get a real diagnosis and some help in how I can fix my broken life in the light of being Aspie. I don't understand how she could have disqualified me as being Aspie for being employable.

I have had my job for 14 years. I am a computer programmer but often do other computer related things that no one can figure out. I work for a non profit and have completely changed the way they do things, and they know for the better.

I am lucky enough to have my own office (this is rare, I'm the only one not in a management position with an office). I was also allowed to place a do not disturb sign on my door, both my boss and the big boss know that programming is the kind of thing I need to be locked away for to get things done.

I tried to keep my logic to myself in meetings, but failed (years ago), Instead of being fired I am now only asked to attend meetings they want me to point out the flaws with something. (higher ups are making us do something we don't want to do)

I also smoke... this was used as a socially acceptable way for me to have a "time-out" when things got to much.

When I am really struggling I am able to work from home.

So while I have had my job for 14 years, I have been granted some concessions most would not get. My workplace knows my strengths and weaknesses and applies them such.

The one time I was being written up was when someone I work with entered my office and begun screaming at me for something that had nothing to do with me. Obviously I wasn't going to handle this well. I proceeded to ask them (nicely) to leave a number of times, they did not. I begun to tell them what I really thought of them and they left in tears. My boss was sitting next door and heard the whole thing (why he didn't interrupt I don't know) and said to go have a smoke and a time out and come back up when I was ready. The big boss then called me in and explained I had had a complaint put in against me but he wasn't going to do anything as she IS annoying and I didn't say anything that wasn't true and she had been told to settle down and leave me alone.

My job works, because I am paid to do my special interest, it also works because most of those around me know how good I am at. I would assume my boss has worked out I'm an Aspie, or at the very least thinks I'm weird... but at the end of they day, they have worked out how to use my positive qualities and minimize the negative.

It also comes with many perks. I get paid school holidays, I get software for free, they bought my last 3 or 4 home computers.

Is it hard to hold a job? Yes. I'd rather not be here and it causes me major stress and anxiety on a daily basis, but I need the money and the one thing that scares me more than having to deal with people on a daily basis is being homeless and not being able to afford the things I need to get by or comfort me and I still struggle financially.

PS My score on the RAADS-R for Autism is 164.0.

I was diagnosed with Asperger's 11 years ago at age 35, when I was in counseling during my third episode of major depression. I had numerous issues growing up- hyperlexia, motor deficits, extreme issues with depression and anxiety- but it took both an astute psychologist and my family doctor to put the pieces together and give what has been "wrong" with me from the beginning a name and an explanation.

Even so, I've been working in automotive continuously for over 25 years. I've been a driver, worked parts counter, been a parts manager in various dealerships. I've even been a service consultant (major stress on a stick) and was a fixed operations manager (parts and service) before the stress and long hours of dealership culture got the best of my physical health. For the past 15 years I've been selling parts wholesale to dealers. Most of what I do now is somewhat technical and best of all, it is all either online or on the phone.

I don't usually deal face to face with customers, which takes out most of the anxiety with eye contact and body language. I'm more vexed with apathetic coworkers than with customers. They know I'm not exactly normal, but I get a lot more done than most people. Eccentricity is much better tolerated when you are punctual, don't waste time with banality, and you are willing to do what you need to do.

As far as anxiety goes, I grew up in my Dad's automotive shop. The language and the culture of automotive are comfortable for me. I tried to work as a bank teller for a while when I got out of college. That lasted three months. I hated it- and the old bitties there hated me. I get along better with men, especially those of a technical bent, and have an easier time working with men anyway.

You have to be somewhat comfortable at work or it will be sheer hell. I am thankful I found something I can do and get along. I won't say work is always pleasant or stress free but people with ASDs CAN work and be good at their jobs.