Visualizing How NTs Get Ahead

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I know many of you are visuospatial thinkers and like pretty pictures. Well, I have been contemplating how other people get jobs without too much trouble and how, even though I fill out tons of applications, I can't even get a crappy wage-slave job (going to call some places from the phone book to try to get an IT or Web development job or internship for over winter break and thereafter). NTs, even if they're not very smart, have an advantage in this regard: their good social graces and their connections. I call it nepotism!

I have made art of my frustrations, egregiously infringing copyrights in the process:



Sources:

• Business type flexing hands: CEO's Success Credited To Unbelievable Handshake (The Onion)
• Handshake: http://www.tkai.com/images/photos/shaking_hands.gif
• Smiling cartoon character: http://www.focusedaudio.com/images/mat_dogCartn-GuyFace6_tpBlu.gif
• Dollar signs: http://photos1.blogger.com/img/270/1626/320/Dollar%20Signs.1.jpg
• Pen: http://www.usfca.edu/law/tung/images/PEN.JPG
• Stacks of paper: http://www.humanities.curtin.edu.au/img/art/Reys_0001.jpg
  

Having good social skills does help you get along in life. However, NeantHumain, your definition of nepotism is wrong.

nep·o·tism n. Favoritism shown or patronage granted to friends or relatives, as in business.

So nepotism is not favouring someone for their social skills, but rather favouring somone due to having a personal relationship with that person.

I was taking a bit of an extended view of nepotism. Most NTs have friends who help them grease the wheels of gaining employment. A friend might work at a place and know the manager, for example. All nepotists basically avoid the usual channels of gaining employment (so I'm extendind nepotism to mean employment gained in such a fashion). Of course, I'm already quite well aware of what nepotism is.

I really can't speak out against NTs who get jobs through nepotism because the only 'job' I've ever had I gained through nepotism. I work at the ballet school my parents own. So people with AS use nepotism too.

I also have gotten through nepotism a few times myself at least 5 times myself that I can count on one hand. Wait that is one hand. It did keep me employed over the years. Sorry to say it does work for many people in life. As it has even for me.

I've used nepotism twice to get the jobs I've gotten. I can't seem to manage to get a job through the application process alone. And believe me, I have been working hard at it.

In my case, the people who I knew were just employees at the workplace, and they basically served as trustworthy references in the manager's eyes. People do get jobs without nepotism, the process is just longer/more difficult, because it requires you to stand out in some other way.

I think you're spot on NH. After all, there's the old cliche "It's not what you know, it's who you know".
That is so true.

Clearly AS creates a disadvantage in that regards, as compared to NTs.

I am NT (my son has autism and he is perfect), and I must say, interviews are difficult for everyone. I am usually extremely nervous during job interviews, because I too, fear of making a bad impression or just plain screwing it up. I have to force myself to smile and make good eye contact because I know that will make me look like a decent, trustworthy employee. I have never had any "help" getting a job, although if I knew someone who could help me obtain a desireable job I wouldn't hesitate to ask...but I think that goes for anyone.

Even though this isn't the case with you, employers are afraid of hiring someone who will turn out to have a bad attitude, and that is where the social cues come in. I don't know how you would feel about this, but maybe just telling them about your situation, and if you come off a certain way you certainly don't mean it. Then tell them you are a hard worker, honest, reliable employee and they won't regret hiring you. Honesty is the best policy.

I wish you luck!

Helloooooooo... There's PLENTY of nonAspies who fail at getting jobs, too.

But many Aspies are not good at the interview side. Having an EXCELLENT PORTFOLIO already in place is the best bet. Show them what you can do. Let your work speak for itself.

Neant, from speaking to your IRL I know you have often had plans of doing such things like putting together mock websites as part of your portfolio but you do not follow through with them. I really don't mean to pick on you but if you don't do the work to show them what you can do, why should they hire you?