Is it ever OK to mention autism/Asperger's in an interview?

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I'm particularly thinking about whether it is OK to mention it as a part of the answer to the question "Why have you been out of work for so long?"

It seems kinda risky to me. I wouldn't recommend it. Mentioning your AS might just make them quiz and probe you more, as they may not know what AS is and they might want to know if it'll affect your job performance.

I speak partly from experience. I unavoidably HAD to mention my AS to my employer. Not in the interview, but not until a meeting to register me as a new employee. There, I was asked if I had a disability, and I couldn't lie. I got quizzed and grilled about what AS is, and the whole thing was really harrowing for me.

I explained AS affects my interaction and communication with others. I'm sure my boss didn't want someone who has a communication problem, especially in such a large team, and I'm lucky I'd already been sworn into the job.

I explained that a big part of AS is narrow, focused interest patterns - all my boss could say in response to that, was to ask whether I was interested in the job.

I've been in this job 3 months now, but regret that I had to mention my AS.

depends on what the statutory rules are in your contry with regard to employment.
if you live on the uk your answer would not be alloweed to discrminate against yo and woul dprovide an explanation as to why you are off work for so long and also tells your employer that you are aware of the condition and not a loser.
i would tell if i were in the UK.

Yeah, the general rule around here is that nobody can be discriminated against, no matter what.

Save it for later.

In my opinion, honesty is the best policy. Be honest to your self and to others, to the best of your ability. If one decides to hide who they are, in all probability it will be be self defeating. The only time I would choose to be dishonest is if the issue was of vital importance. Some may argue that employment is vital, I agree. Though one should also consider the circumstances. I have been unemployed for an extended period yet I am still breathing, thinking, and have not starved. I am thankful for those around us who do show compassion. An official diagnosis has not yet been applied to me, though I contend that I am afflicted with most of its traits. This creates a dilemma for me because even though I believe I have met the criterion for A.S., if I tell a potential "employer" about it, they can discriminate and I have no means to prove discrimination because I have not been "officialy" diagnosed. I still choose to list it as a disabling mechanism because I see it like this - If I am capable of performing the stated functions of the "job" and yet am discriminated against for past history even though I have attempted to inform the deciding party of why I have not been able to maintain long term employment in certain circumstances, it is likely that this particular organization has been conditioned to believe certain supposed "truths" which may or may not be rational. I tend to have difficulty when someone attempts to command something that does not make any sense what so ever. It perplexes me that someone can come to a decision without attempting to understand reason. I suppose much discrimination comes with the idea that humans tend to fear that and those which they do not understand. There have been jobs that I have been able to maintain over the long term. These were all jobs with minimal contact. Driver, security guard, etc.. As of today, mostly focused sensory type job functions. I tend not to perform well with crowds, to many variables perhaps.

I really don't think you need to tell them when you're trying to get the job. I realize that honesty is a great policy but you don't have to tell someone everything about yourself in a job interview (nor is it expected). Withholding that type of information is not akin to lying...evading a question would be.

If it is discovered that the question itself was evaded or affirmed in the negative, it may be held as grounds for termination. Most applications I've reviewed have a clause that stipulates this.

I have the same problem from 2002 to 2004 i didn't have a job then for a few months in 2005 i worked as a dishwasher and when i went to vocational rehabilitation, my caseworker told me, "well its not going to look good on you're resume if you don't put that you weren't working, but just doing nothing" and im like well obviously im not going to lie about something i didn't do. we got nowhere of course and thats where i am today, nowhere. she wanted me to "make something up" to put inbetween that time frame. i never thought about asking her to put my disability in thier, i'd imagine it would be ok to do, and if you meet all the qualifications of the job your applying for they can't discriminate against you.

In these situations I just say that I have been studying. When they inquire into where and I say Earth it can create conflict.

I would have to agree with the "save it for later" part. Off the top, it would be like mentioning that you have a broken back. I recently changed jobs and been at the new one for 3 months now. It seems to be going good and people seem to like my dry humour and slightly screwed up personality. I go into new places saying "I'm wierd, I know it and I am perfectly happy with it".
Then I might tell the closest people I get along with that I "have a mild variant of autism".
....So far so good.

I say, if it won't negatively affect your job performance, and you think you can convince them of that, tell them. Because otherwise they will not call you back. Why? "There was just something.. weird about that guy. I can't put my finger on it. Whatever, moving on to some people who are good at giving eye contact and various other social things which really shouldn't be part of the hiring criteria at all but unfortunately are because I'm an irrational NT job interviewer person. Dum dee dum."

At least, that's been my experience, until I finally got a job at my dad's workplace without going through the formal interview process. As an aspie, it helps if you can find a way to distract them from their preoccupation with pointless interviews, and show them what your actual job skills are.

What's below is only my own opinions, feel free to disagree.

If I were you, I wouldn't disclose it as a "disability" until LONG afterwards, if EVER. Maybe the only good time to mention it would be if you've gotten in trouble for something.

I work for a major publicly traded company, and I don't think it would go over well here, even if you find one of the more progressive bosses. Why? You're labelling yourself. You're now the person with the "condition", not the person who seems kind of different but is highly efficient.

What if you're in a place where you're legally required to disclose a disability upon hiring? Is Asperger's a disability from the standpoint of getting in the way of productive work? That is, do they now have to build a special ramp for you, or let you bring a dog to work, or buy you a special phone, or keep an Epi-Pen in the first aid kit in case of emergency? I hope there is a lawyer here who will answer that question, but I can't see how Asperger's would qualify under any Disabled legislation.

(I could understand if schizophrenia counts as a disability, and maybe clinical depression, since both of those can negatively affect the safety of the affected employee and the workplace if something goes wrong. But I don't know. Maybe they don't.)

As for "why were you out of work so long", I would just feed them a lie. Or just tell them less of a lie, and say you were doing a terrible job of finding work and got very discouraged. There, you've sounded honest, and any boss who's worked at one company more than 5-10 years will feel sorry for you - a lot of long-time employees are scared to death of getting let go, because they no longer even know how to write a good resume.

Professional poker player

My two cents:

I would not tell the truth and give them a reason to discriminate against you.

For a reason for the gap between jobs: I have a couple truthful ones -- feel free to borrow them if you like them:
1 - I was caring for an elderly parent with terminal cancer
2- I was doing freelance writing, and getting paid for it

It's illegal to discriminate against a person with a disability if accomidations can be made which would allow that individual to do the job (as well or better)then others who are appling for the position...this is a very subjective process...some companys may get benifits for meeting a hiring quota with disabiled individuals(some government jobs)but most companies are not going to want to take a chance in hiring anyone who may miss work or not be a good "team player"...dont fool yourself into thinking that their is any ethics involved...money talks loud...and going to court to prove or disprove "discrimination"is difficult enough with a seen disability....AS...that would be tough....


why have I not been gainfully employed?......

I am a lousy liar unless I can rehearse and actually have a grain of truth in my "lie"


I have had some personal issues that I needed to work through before I felt I could be the best worker I could be...I have dealt with these issues and think the insights I have gained will make me a much more focused and capable employee..." (AS may be a "disability but its more accuraately a "different"ability....None of my co-workers have AS and they are some of the laziest,unlogical,unreliable,unethical,unempathetic individuals I have ever met!! !)