Back on the Job Hunt - Disclosure of AS?

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Hi all you wonderful, interesting and intelligent people! I haven't been on here in forever. I had kind of taken a break from being fixated on Asperger's because it was frustrating for me when I identified with it so much yet no one (but my family) would believe I had it. So once I got the answer of "just ADHD" from researchers/docs from Mt. Sinai's Seaver Autism Center, I just let it go and went on being me. So what does this have to do with Asperger's and the workplace?

Well, I'm kinda back into focusing or associating with Asperger's, because I have recently been let go from a job FOR THE THIRD TIME IN A ROW. I graduated college in 2011 and haven't been able to keep a job more than five months. In each situation, the person who hired me loved me right away (I do have a very pleasant, presentable, sweet personality, and I'm energetic so that leads employers to believe I'd be great at multi-tasking, which I'm not lol) and they all said I was the right fit, only to notice a pattern of difficulty following directions on my part and also trouble using discretion with clients/patients/coworkers.

So I'm back applying for jobs once again. I could be majorly depressed but I've already wasted enough time in the past being that way about it, and I'm nothing but motivated and focused on finding a job that allows my gifts to shine. I just need to find something that isn't so fast-paced and perhaps something that doesn't deal with people as much (even if I may not know when I'm talking too much or saying the wrong thing, I sincerely enjoy making connections with people).

My psychiatrist offered resources like Access-VR and Abilities Beyond Disabilities, and my mom and I are applying for Access-VR (I'm almost done filling out the application), so I guess this means a job coach would intercede on an interview and let employers know where my difficulties are (because if I did that myself then they just wouldn't hire me?).

Anyway I wonder if it's best to be upfront on phone or in-person interviews and tell employers that I have difficulties with verbal direction and sometimes discretion, or if I should tell them I have very high-functioning Asperger's and I need a job (of course mentioning my talents in editorial and graphic design endeavors).

What's the best way to go about this from your experience or what you've heard?

It's bad enough I have three short-lived jobs on my resume. I need to catch a break!

Thanks guys

<3 Chrissy

Personally I'm against disclosure.

I'm very much in favour of developing coping mechanisms. I need systems to make working work for me.

If you have trouble following verbal directions, keep a small notebook with you. If you don't want to be seen taking notes while the person is talking then do it straight afterwards. Practice just getting key points down.

Then transfer these to a "to do" list, and rank the jobs with importance, crossing items off when completed will give you a sense of achievement and keep you organised.

Interactions with others is harder to manage, all I can suggest is you practice a covering face.
Spend some time thinking about how to maintain a professional attitude at work, create boundaries for yourself.
This might make you seem a little bit stiff but you won't be causing friction.

Or find a job with less interaction.

I can't comment on your resources application.

Good luck, don't give up.

As a disclaimer, I'm in Europe and conventions may differ.

My first impulse would also be not to disclose. Because many people don't understand what these diagnoses really mean, because (unfortunately) the stigma may prevent you from being considered a viable candidate altogether, and because the ever increasing number of diagnoses now has many people thinking we all just want to be special little snowflakes and there is no underlying problem.

What I do is to answer the things that I know I'm not good at or prefer not doing in the "weaknesses" question that invariably comes up ("What are your strenghts, what are your weaknesses?"). For me (and many others on the spectrum, as far as I know), it's teamwork. I loathe teamwork. I don't do people well and boy do they drain me. So as a strength, I state some version of "I like working on my own / I'm good at working by myself" (many people actually aren't and need constant reassurance, so saying this actually helped me get my current job, which is fairly solitary). That way, my disdain for teamwork (phrased more diplomatically) is only the other side of the coin, and the con comes with a pro.

Is that something you would be able to adapt to your situation?

After more than a decade and a half of working (and many different jobs, especially into my mid-/late 20s), I now state outright what I am very good at and what I cannot do well or prefer not to do. Not doing so has resulted in unbearable mismatches in the past. If you wanted a job - any job - at all, then you might want to grin and bear it, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're going for, and that you would prefer to find something suitable.

That seems common here in the UK too.

I worked for a charity where the majority of clients were children with special needs or excluded from school.

My direct boss, with 13 years experience, believed ASD was a mental illness.

Azucar, think very very carefully before you say anything. Personally, I would leave off disclosure.

Some people don't know what Asperger's is, and don't care if you can't pass the probation period that come with so many jobs. What it takes is you knowing your core strengths and weaknesses, and you taking the time to figure out how to use your strengths to adapt. It's ok for you to mention that you have a problem with x and do y to fix it, so that your boss does not feel that he or she has to hold your hand. Take that from someone who used to be an Ontarian and who drove her previous boss nuts that way.

If I were you, I would look into the LDAO and see if they have ADHD job coaching. My job coach from the Ldas is awesome, and the skills taught are transferable between ADHD and Asperger's. They at the LDAO offer also courses on knowing the jobs that are right for you.

Take heart. It took me ten or twelve part time jobs and contracts over three years (one of which I was fired from, but most of which I was not rehired from either) to find my place. It just takes time.

If you do need to discuss your challenges, try to do this in a positive manner and on the second or third day at work, not the first day.

Sorry azucqr, from the Mt Sinai in your poet, I thought you were Ontarian. Regardless, see if you have a Learning Disabilities association or an ADHD organization as ADHD coaches can be wonderful in teaching things like communication and organization. Instead of focusing on what you can't do, let your boss know in general terms the ways that you communicate best and get his or her opinion on it. Like, 'I am awesomely a quick about responding to email. Does email work best with you for communicating?' and over time, work things out so that he or she can also feel like his or her needs can be met with you.

Only if your disability is a barrier (and only if you have a diagnosis too, I might add), should you disclose. For me, ADHD is something that I would see as being enough of a disability when it is explained properly. Never assume your boss knows or will think positively about a disorder.

Generally the advice from most professionals is *not* to disclose on your resume and in your application or interview.
Most people don't know what it is and therefore will reject you for them not knowing what it is.

Most professionals advise that you disclose it once you have been in the job for a month or so, if you think you would like to stay. In that case, you disclose that you have Asperger's and state the things you might need some help with (like them giving you written instructions rather than verbal ones) and continue on regardless.

As someone who's studying HR, this is my personal opinion:

Tell the employer about your strengths and weaknesses, but not necessarily with the label of Asperger syndrome. If you do specifically refer to AS, save it for a context where you'll be able to adequately explain what it entails. As has already been mentioned, a lot of employers don't fully understand AS, so if you just casually drop it into your cover letter or resume, they may assume you're not capable of doing the job and reject you on the spot. I also wouldn't make it the first thing you mention in an interview, since the interviewer might (consciously or subconsciously) decide from the beginning that you're not qualified and perceive the rest of your answers through that filter. Very few will deliberately discriminate, and awareness about ASDs is spreading, but it still happens.

A good interview will involve some variation of the question "Is there anything else you'd like me to know?" toward the end. This, in my opinion, is the best place to bring up anything pertaining to AS. If you get such an opportunity, tell them what you told us - you're energetic, friendly, motivated, and focused. Play up your strengths, and then be honest about the areas where you may need help (but only if they are relevant to the requirements of the job). Once again, you don't necessarily have to apply the label of AS - lots of people struggle with one or more of the things you mentioned. If you do decide to use a label, keep your explanation mostly positive. There are lots of unique strengths that come with AS, but not everyone knows about them.

While this is not the time or place to go into great detail, I feel it's okay to take 1-3 minutes and briefly explain. There are lots of great jobs out there suited to your unique skills, and honesty is the best way to find them. The interview process is just as much about making sure the job is a good match for you as it is about making sure you're a good match for the job. You don't want to get into a position, only to discover that involves talking to customers for 8 hours a day and following lengthy verbal instructions.

If you don't get the chance to explain during the interview (or decide not to) and are offered the job, I would still encourage explaining your situation to at least your direct supervisor, and do it before a problem arises, not after the fact. Include the same information - your unique strengths, areas where you struggle, specific ways you can overcome obstacles - and keep it positive. Don't frame the conversation as "This is why I can't do my job." Instead, emphasize that you'd like to be as successful at your job as possible, and there are a few practices that you think would maximize your effectiveness.

Of course, this is all highly idealized. Some people are prejudiced jerks. Some are just misinformed. Some companies simply haven't made the jump into the 21st century. But the good companies will be happy to work with you as long as they feel you're adding value to their organization, and really those are the ones you'd probably prefer to work for in the first place.

Wow, thanks for all the helpful feedback. I'm definitely going to come back and read it all when I have a little time.

Chrissy