Scientific study on Asperg/Autistic adult job experiences

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‘Almost all participants..also reported lengthy periods of unemployment and/or underemployment, as well as lack of opportunities for career advancement. In the words of one participant, "I spent much more time being unemployed than being employed altogether." In the words of another, "The years roll by, and I stumble from one job situation to another, and nothing consummated into a promotion or career type move." Another referred to his job history as "sparse," and a fourth as having a "pretty checkered work career."

According to several participants, having to account for histories of unemployment and underemployment – as well as experiences of being fired repeatedly from jobs – often made it difficult to find new jobs. This is because job opportunities and career advancement are generally predicated on previous vocational success. Because of uneven job histories, several participants expressed frustration at being placed in entry-level positions for which they were over-qualified. These participants had often prepared themselves for professional careers by completing graduate level coursework, yet found themselves working in food-services, or placed in low-level administrative or customer service positions doing simple, repetitive tasks.’

Unfortunately, terribly familiar for me.

http://www.autastics.org/JVRpaper.htm

my gawd, you just posted MY RESUME/CURICCLUM VITAE!

Take it down immediately or my boss will see it and I will get canned, AGAIN!


I attest to the truth of the above information, Bonzo Dog!


Merle

Another problem that I certainly have experienced is discrimination. I have been bullied and taken advantage of in more than one workplace because of my AS, and there was nothing I could do about it because the whole organisation seemed to think it was okay to pick on someone who was different, so there was no point in reporting it to a more senior person.

I have also lost a job because of my AS - my employers just couldn't understand me and despite my explanations and willingness to give them information about AS, they weren't interested. They even told me that there was no problem with the quality of my work - it was just my AS issues - so getting rid of me on those grounds is acutally illegal (here in the UK).

I also had a job offer withdrawn when they found out I had AS.

I think a big part of the problem is that people are more accepting of physical disabilities, although there is of course still prejudice there too.

But it is still considered 'okay' and even 'understandable' by many people to pick on those whose disabilities manifest in an emotional or behavioural manner.

Employers are often unwilling to make reasonable adjustments to help those with AS, such as, for example, using email as the main form of communication, or allowing the person to sit in a quieter area of the office, or not giving them a hard time for not wanting to socialise with the other staff.

There is also not very good employment support for those with AS.

I think a big part of the problem is simply the attitudes of employers and colleagues. This is a combination of prejudice and ignorance and has to change.

For those of you in the US, you might have protection from the EEOC. Check out their website. I worked at a place with people who were disrespectful and did crappy things to me, I filed a complaint against them with the EEOC, and I actually got some money out of the deal. If enough of us do this, word will get around that hostile work environments are not acceptable.

This is a brilliant paper. I can say no more. It sums me up perfectly as I'm sure it will many others. It also describes feelings i have had that havent been able to describe as articulately as the examples listed here.

In job contracts I usually go through a process of constructing the whole plan for success and doing most of the work implementing it, educating the entire team, bringing fun, harmony, and intelligence to the workplace and despite sabatoge bringing home the win, then after the success is safely in the hands of the team, getting disinvited to the big party celebrating my success because it makes people feel uncomfortable taking credit for my ideas and work, then being bullied into leaving or risking my mental health.

I have also been lucky to work for some of the best human beings you could imagine, had jobs that made people super jealous, but then my employers would sell their businesses or move on to new projects leaving me with "new management that exhibits no respect" or no work at all. However, I still have a positive outlook, would not stoop so low to flame old employers personally, and am ready to try again and again to succeed for my family, because nothing is going to stop me while I have life to live. I am an aspie, this is how many aspies live!

Listen, y'all. I spent twenty long years learning social skills, I only had a boombox in my room as a teenager, I work hard to get good grades, and I try to socialize with customers at Market Basket for every waking moment I am there, not to mention that as a teenager, I also had very low tolerance for teasing of any kind.

So, I'd better be able to have a rewarding career when I grow up. If I get stuck in low-level positions for the rest of my life, I will be EXTREMELY angry!

I think my aspieness is at least as responsible for my successes in the work place as it is for my failures.

I think the nature of the work system naturally discriminates against people with AS, and other people with certain differences or "difficulties." It sucks, but everyone needs to make a living somehow.

I am lucky with the job I have now, but I am in a lower-level position and definitely overqualified for what I do. Sadly no one would hire me for anything better. I go to job interviews and try so hard to look and act professional, but I almost always slip up or my sparse work history gets in the way. I'm going to go back to school, get an MLIS and become a Librarian. Screw this.

the workforce has been my biggest challenge in m life.
i excelled in school and all before the i graduate from univ.
and the saga begins, fired from my first two jobs, (one the first day, one a year later) is not helpful on my resume. spent time unemployed.
left my third for sex harassment, not me, my boss. i just left one day, with all my pics and stuff in my desk. i couldn't look at him again.
relocated, fired from 4th job after one year. spent time unemployed. then took contract jobs in real estate. with bouts (one 9 month) of no employment.
then took a job i loved with a psycho! we couldn't comunicate at all. we would fight every day, it was wretched. so i left one day.
have been employed since. had two interviews this week and waiting to hear from one i had last week. i finally realized that i wasn't going to get the level of work i was qualified for. i either hear i am overqualified for jobs, which i usually am if i got the interview. or i get an interview where i am qualified then i don't get the job. there have been exceptions, as i have been hired for very good jobs. but career advancement is impossible with those gaps in my resume and jumping from industry to industry.
anyway i am going to take one of the jobs i am overqualified for and do it for a bit, while i further my hobbies and try to start my own biz. i wont be happy any other way. i am tired of trying to get validation from some boss or whatever and when i really don't care what they think. but they are instrumental in my advancing. so thats my conclusion.

cool article, thanks. i have actually posted here " i have been employed for as much time as i have been unemployed."