Autism & the difficulty of getting & doing a job

Posted by usernameca @usernameca, Sep 28, 2018

Have you noticed it is difficult to get hired? And if you do get hired, have you noticed how it's almost impossible to do the job? If people with Autism don't stand up for their rights, no one else is going to. And in my opinion, no one has.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autism (ASD) Support Group.

@usernameca

Thanks for responding. Can I ask, what was a job you applied for that you think was a good fit, looking back? Also, was it a Mayo psychiatrist who diagnosed you? If I knew what I know now, I probably would have spent most of my life staying home, watching TV. I'm not kidding. So it's a good thing that I didn't know what I know now. 🙂

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@usernameca My diagnosis did not come from Mayo. Looking back, there were jobs in radically different environments and fields. Each one challenged me at the time, and fulfilled a need at that time. The job I had the longest was training racehorses. In other times, I was an accountant, oil field worker, veterinary technician, law enforcement support, and worked for the court system in California. No position was "cookie cutter".
Ginger

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@sirgalahad

me sanguine now scared how quickly my brain switched to planning suicide and organizing it amazing to look back . the new meds and mood stabilizer are helping but I have noticed after sleeping I always wake depressed and grumpy and unsure why going to sleep is making me like this .I will figure it out maybe need to take a mood stabilizer when I goto sleep .
I sadly found how judgmental autistic people as well as able bodied persons and no support but ignoring what I was crying out about .took me effort to get to my psychiatrist twice to fix myself . I have had over the years so many autistics reaching out to me to support them and being kind and finding help .when it was my turn very few auties mainly able bodies

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@sirgalahad Everyone around this cyber table is here for you. Please let me know how I may help?
Ginger

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@sirgalahad

well guys for the record I have just come thru a very torrid time of planning my suicide due to severe depression and anxieties brought on by the following.
5 weeks I had a massive hemorrhage fro 2 varicose veins which I hit by accident whilst waiting for a smoothies I felt cold liquid on my leg and looked down and saw a pool of blood .I took off to the local doctors and argued with the receptionist to get a doctor I am bleeding out she was more worried about correct paper work .then the doctor was a numbnuts I knew more about my condition and to immediately to elevate my legs to stop the bleeding and I had 15 stitches put into both veins to stop the bleeding no chance of getting to Ed AND TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF BLOOD THINNERS.
I then had 2 wars with 3 prominent autistics in Australia and new Zealand and got very depressed and preached at and rejected and isolated and then euthanatized George my cat and got told off for asking for help from my fellow autistics we don't help see your local mental health team or go to hospital . so I gave up hope and purpose dear usernameca one of the few to keep hanging in with me or would of been dead.
whats this to do with employment unfortunately we still face a world of suspicion abuse denigration and isolation being hassled and bullied in the workplace .we must skill and equip ourselves in my case I found my niche thru working in small pathology teams and morgue work and pathology .I also teach .we must develop resilience to handle things and to be aware its a dog eat dog world even in the work place .people are competitive intimidator and controlling and how ones overcomes that lord knows .in addition with the current American politicians making choices for their cronies and influencers and not to build a country and care for fellow Americans. I am an aussie I can see and read more than those whom live within your borders

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@sirgalahad I for one, am glad you did not follow through with that plan. How scary for you! Our minds often work at warp speed, so fast the thoughts tumble faster than we can make sense of them. Hoping you are feeling better, and can see the lightness every day. I had a saying on my board, that said something like "there is no strong shadow without much light". And the reverse holds true, also.
Ginger

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@sirgalahad

well guys for the record I have just come thru a very torrid time of planning my suicide due to severe depression and anxieties brought on by the following.
5 weeks I had a massive hemorrhage fro 2 varicose veins which I hit by accident whilst waiting for a smoothies I felt cold liquid on my leg and looked down and saw a pool of blood .I took off to the local doctors and argued with the receptionist to get a doctor I am bleeding out she was more worried about correct paper work .then the doctor was a numbnuts I knew more about my condition and to immediately to elevate my legs to stop the bleeding and I had 15 stitches put into both veins to stop the bleeding no chance of getting to Ed AND TO REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF BLOOD THINNERS.
I then had 2 wars with 3 prominent autistics in Australia and new Zealand and got very depressed and preached at and rejected and isolated and then euthanatized George my cat and got told off for asking for help from my fellow autistics we don't help see your local mental health team or go to hospital . so I gave up hope and purpose dear usernameca one of the few to keep hanging in with me or would of been dead.
whats this to do with employment unfortunately we still face a world of suspicion abuse denigration and isolation being hassled and bullied in the workplace .we must skill and equip ourselves in my case I found my niche thru working in small pathology teams and morgue work and pathology .I also teach .we must develop resilience to handle things and to be aware its a dog eat dog world even in the work place .people are competitive intimidator and controlling and how ones overcomes that lord knows .in addition with the current American politicians making choices for their cronies and influencers and not to build a country and care for fellow Americans. I am an aussie I can see and read more than those whom live within your borders

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As you can see @sirgalahad there are many of us who are here for you.

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I didn't know I was autistic, am autistic. I.m 64 years old. Diagnosed bipolar 14 years ago. Never tested or whatever 4 autistic. But my mother can list the symptoms still - NO touching #1. Still my #1. No noise. When I was young, even in elementary school, if I was involved in a project - LEAVE ME ALONE. On the positive side, I've gotten super jobs in computer research, night jobs with FEW people, people like me. Find a high tech computer lab - Intel, HewletPackard, DEll. Don't TELL them you're autistic. Just flaunt your capabilities. SHOW them what you can do. They'll snap you up, pay you big bucks and be grateful.

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@gingerw

@sirgalahad I for one, am glad you did not follow through with that plan. How scary for you! Our minds often work at warp speed, so fast the thoughts tumble faster than we can make sense of them. Hoping you are feeling better, and can see the lightness every day. I had a saying on my board, that said something like "there is no strong shadow without much light". And the reverse holds true, also.
Ginger

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thanks gingerw bear hugs

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@hopeful33250

As you can see @sirgalahad there are many of us who are here for you.

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bear hugs and cuddles and thanks heaps

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@stlouisgmajenn

I didn't know I was autistic, am autistic. I.m 64 years old. Diagnosed bipolar 14 years ago. Never tested or whatever 4 autistic. But my mother can list the symptoms still - NO touching #1. Still my #1. No noise. When I was young, even in elementary school, if I was involved in a project - LEAVE ME ALONE. On the positive side, I've gotten super jobs in computer research, night jobs with FEW people, people like me. Find a high tech computer lab - Intel, HewletPackard, DEll. Don't TELL them you're autistic. Just flaunt your capabilities. SHOW them what you can do. They'll snap you up, pay you big bucks and be grateful.

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I appreciate your post, @stlouisgmajenn, because it sounds as if you have learned to make the most of your abilities and to find the right fit in your employment.

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@kanaazpereira

Hi @usernameca,

I'm also tagging Mentor @mamacita @sirgalahad to bring them into this conversation.

Along with advocating, I do think that educating people and employers, about the benefits of hiring those on the autism spectrum, is crucial as well. People are hesitant because they are unfamiliar with how a person with autism will perform on a job. Employers need to be made aware about the tremendous skills that those with autism can bring to the work place.

Another reason education is important is that today's work culture has shifted focus to include communication and 'social' skills, as criteria for hiring – and from what I've learned, on Connect and elsewhere, this is not easy for many on the autism spectrum. So, if employers or interviewers are educated and can understand the behavior or actions of a potential candidate who may have autism, the process and the opportunity for getting a job would be far better.

These are just my thoughts, and I'd really like to learn more from all your insights.

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You are correct! People fear the unknown so unless they have had experience with a disability or a diverse individual they will not "get it". Good news is that many many companies are moving towards diversity hiring initiatives. Not only to hire but to educate their current employees, understand accommodations, etc. It is a slow process because of so many people involved but at conferences, etc. all the buzz is about this and how to make the change etc. Hope is on the horizon!

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Thank you for your forum for this particular topic.My 22 y.o. son,who is in his 3rd yr of college is having the toughest time finding a job.I forgot to mention has high functioning autism.If you have any suggestions, please leave me a message.Thankyou kindly.

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