How hard is it for as aspie to find a job

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My eye contact is terrible, and I can't make small talk for more than a couple minutes. But, I can look really good on paper by researching every certification needed for a job and getting them. As a tree climber here that is certified arborist, commercial drivers license, pesticide applicator license, flagger certification, and first aid card. I sold a lot of work when I was self employed too, because I was passionate about the work. I also developed relationships with other tree guys, and lawn services that would hire me to climb for a day or refer me work because they knew I wouldn't screw them over.

Not true for us all.
For me finding a job is close to impossible, holding onto a job once I've got it is easy.

[quote="Bloodheart"]Being AS, health problems and poverty meant I didn't get to go any further with my education, so I'm restricted to either call centre or admin work (both involve telephones) or retail work (which only offer between 16-20 hours - I need 35+ hours) - there just aren't any jobs available, unless I can get back into education or re-train (which I can't as being unemployed means I can't afford to do this, let alone any other factors like the AS) I'm stuck! /quote]
That is what life is like under Tory governments. No help for the needy/weak.

Agreed. I've had trouble with both (been fired once and had to resign once-I don't put the former on my resume since it was a very short period of time), but moreso the first. Someone in the thread said they got a job offer for every ten they applied for? I wish! On average, I would say 1 in 30 jobs that I apply for even leads to an interview. I read a news story about a college graduate (from UCLA, which is a pretty good school) who applied for over 600 jobs and got two interviews. That's an extreme example, but still...nearly half of the unemployed in the U.S. have been out of work for six months or more.

Thats quite interesting that you say this. I thought about it later I could have easily over-exaggerated all my social problems for the vocational rehabilitation intake session. But I came in and the guy made me feel quite uncomfortable and I didnt know what to say so I sorta got frustrated with him at first because he came across as a huge douche so I was feeling very awkward. I thought later, my body language alone was enough for him to think I was much less socially competent then I actually am. I could tell, he was giving me obvious advice and making assumptions about certain "social" things that he thought would be more problematic then they actually are. I probably should have told him Aspergers is a form of "autism", not a mild form, just a form. Because once the autism word is spoken, people tend to freak. For once the bad rep autism has can actually work to my advantage.



Yeah that's another one of my concerns too. People tend to notice, Im a good worker, I'll get done the task efficiently but Im socially awkward and closed off. I notice female authority figures tend to have a bigger problem with that one.

I had an interview at Safeway back in... October I think? That was the first interview I had had in 2 years, and I haven't had one since. 3 months out of college, and I have nothing. You can't even be a barista in this crappy town unless you have 2 years of experience. I've also applied to be a bank teller, pizza delivery driver and a merchandiser. None of them called me back. I applied to 2 government jobs a few months back (both of which related to my major!), and I was rejected from both of them. At this rate, I'm going to end up living in a box.

Oh my its difficult to hold onto a job... ive had about 4 or 5 different jobs in the last few years... each of them lasted no longer then 3 weeks...

I was lucky to get my current job... delivering pizza for a small take away shop around the corner from my house... A friend of mine had the job before me... but he had a terrible attitude towards the job and quickly left... My brother has worked there for about 2 years already so i got a bit of an advantage... its a small town so the other employees have always been aware of what im like... and they accept it so its cool... currently 2 months into this job...

I guess just being honest is the best thing... mutually knowing your future boss or work mates before hand helps to

This has been my experience as well. Particularly with female authority figures. Thing is, the workplace drama factory is what eventually burns me out. Literally you need to have your social 'intranet' within the office that requires a lot of your energy to make and sustain..leaving little to do actual work... and if you dont and simply excel at your work and become the quiet guy in the corner and get promoted because of it then people start wondering who the heck is this guy and why is he getting raises and promotions and awards... do you know him? I dont know him! He must be sleeping with the boss... I heard from accounting that he constantly corrects their mistakes ...really? he must think hes too good ... yada yada yada....

I mean seriously. WTF.

Were they federal, state, or local government jobs? Applying for federal government jobs is a waste of time. You REALLY have to know someone.

They were state/local jobs as entry-level 'research economists'.

I got hired for the first job I ever applied for. I consider my self lucky though; it was a menial labor job, but it paid decently, and I could work independently most of the time. I still actually have it, in truth; been working at the same place for three and a half years, now. Although, my relocation in the next two months is going to force me to put in my two weeks' notice kind of soon. And then it's off to find another job on the other end...

Well and you think NTs have no troubles getting employed? They have trouble too. Besides finding a job these days is hard enough. I know many NTs who simply didn't find a place to work at.

I have a hard time getting a job interview, let alone "passing" one sufficiently well enough to get hired.

The problem may be that some of us learn a superficial social repertoire to get by, but it isn't enough. For example, I've learned some rote social skills - but in panic misapply them in the wrong situation. Sometimes my mind is a blank as to what to say to the interviewer, then in panic I pull a rabbit out of my hat (of the learned social repertoire) which doesn't quite fit the occasion.

Sometimes it is better having no social skills than just a few and getting misunderstood.

Yep. This year, 700,000 jobs are being added while there are 2 million college graduates graduating this year in the USA. You can imagine the rude wakeup call many grads will have. (I'm going to graduate in the fall time, so I do say that soooooo enthusiastically.)