what carreer should an aspie choose?

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What carreer should an aspie pursue? I wanted to add my two cents, to a an old thread.

You can make innumerable arguments for one carreer or another, or you can choose to say: "You should study what you like the most", but really, is that the best way to go? I have mixed feelings about this, I've already went through college, and I've already experienced living alone, having a real job, etc.

So this is my own particular perspective:

As King Arthur requests Merlin in the Excalibur movie: "No poetry. Just a straight answer.
Which is it?" I am no Merlin, but I would say --Systems Engineer--. Yes, that's the one, or any other one which involves you and programming computers.

Why? well it's obvious for a person with aspergers. There are many reasons to why, but the most important:

- Good future for the carreer
- Good money
- Few social interactions

That's my personal experience. heck, im making a long post again, so ill stop here

world dominance?

I'm actually considering that, after mastering every other mortal discipline on this planet. Currently interning as a software engineer for IBM, with the potential to continue with a co-op. At either rate it will give me more work experience and if I do well I'd be potentially hirable. The alternate path I was considering was joining a naval officer program that says by committing upon graduation, they pay the remainder of your college, which would be great if I wanted to add a second major on top. Plus there is the technical part of me that says I probably would be an efficient nuclear sub commander.

It depends on the aspie. If they have a dream what they want to go for, go for it.

Thats my point, we grow up hearing that, but is it really the way to go? What if my dream has to do with a carreer that requieres social skills (as almost all the carreers do). Also getting the best jobs has to do with social relations, knowing someone in there, or another person in this big company etc. I say systems engineer because your work shows by itself (you don't need to know anybody). If you really want to be independent in the short run, theres not much other choice.

I've heard about aspies being nurses, actors. That deals with people. Lawyers too. If an aspie can't truly pursue in something, they need to find another career, it's like this with everybody. My aid in high school wanted to be a vet but what stopped her was she isn't good in math and vets have to use lot of math. My 18 year old brother wanted to work with wiring but what stopped him was his color blindness. I'm not sure if he is NT or not. He has SAD and depression.
My boyfriend wanted to be a roofer but what stopped him was he is too heavy to work on roofs. they changed the law about it. You have to be 199 lbs or under and my boyfriend's natural weight is 200. he also wanted to be a contractor but he can't cut a straight line. He also wanted to work with sheet rocking but him being unable to cut a straight line stopped him.

I have to second the motion: it depends on the aspie.

I woudn't have the skills to be a systems engineer. . . and a lot of us lack the skills to get through school in engineering, or the interest to teach ourselves.

After hours security does very well for me, at the moment. There is no one best job; it depends on the person and the circumstance.

I think my idea could apply to everyone, on the spectrum or not.

Do what ever you are good at and happy with.

I am undiagnosed but im rubbish or average at everything.
My only talent is photography and im not good enough for it to be my career so I think im going to live in a box.

Yes - for me, at least. If I chose a sensible career, I'd have an easier time in life; but if I abandoned my dream I'd be miserable. It's not worth it. (Not to mention, I don't think there's any traditional job I could manage to work at, but that's a whole different issue.)

Really, it depends on the individual person's priorities. But I think dreams should always at least be given a chance. Otherwise you might wake up one day and realize you've wasted your life on something you don't even like, and your dream is just as far away as it's always been.

YES.
If you don't study what you love, then theres no point in studying anything. If you study something that you are passionate about, then it's more likely that you'll succeed. If a person doesn't have the "skills" required for a career, they can be learned. But if a person doesn't have the motivation and the desire to do well...then no matter how many skills they have, they WILL fail.

I've spent my whole life doing things for other people, and I know for a fact, that it's one of the reasons that I failed. My mother forced me into doing a computer course. I didn't want to do it, but I did just to make her leave me alone. I didn't even finish the course, I had no interest in it and there for just stopped trying and eventually, stopped attending.
I wanted to go to tech but my mother said that I "wasn't ready", so I didn't enroll. What happened? I spent my days hating myself and regretting listening to her. If I enrolled, I could have succeeded as I had the motivation and desire to do well.

Don't do something just because it's easy, or because other people expect you to do it. Work towards what you want. It may be hard, you may struggle, get frustrated and want to give up. But if you stick at it, the reward at the end is well worth it. You will get an official qualification on your learning record, and the personal satisfaction of achieving something that you set your mind to.

Just because someone in an aspie, it doesn't mean they have to do any specific job.

What if you have all the motivation and desire in the world, but because you're a recently diagnosed aspie and don't have a good education/employment history, just a history of depression, you just can't get into college?

I'm a pretty good programmer, have a lot of experience modding games, and really wanted to go into a career of game development, but the university I applied to rejected my application, without interview, or in fact asking for any more information other than what was on my application (I even requested interview as I felt the form was totally biased to favour school leavers). I think that's totally unfair considering how I'm a mature student with a disability, and have a lot more that needs to be said about me on top of what an 18 year old high school student has to say, never mind the fact that my poor employment and education history happened a long time ago.

The Uni's disability department got in touch a couple of days after I sent my application, and they gave a really good impression of the level of support I could get. I'm not likely to have financial problems, as I get more help with funding, so I was really hopeful that I'd be able to do this.

So much for having a productive future. I thought I had put the depression behind me and could really make some progress on improving my life, but my past just ensures no-one will take me seriously, and I'm going to continue feeling worthless, unwanted and depressed.

Last edited by polarity on 29 Apr 2008, 6:42 am, edited 2 times in total.

I'm majoring in biotechnology. My aspie traits fit in very well with lab work, things are done one step at a time and one variable at a time. I am doing undergrad research for credit (it's the only thing I'm doing at college right now because of financial aid issues I hope to get worked out by this Fall), and guess what the project is on? The biochemistry of neurotransmitters as it relates to Autism!

I think that it depends on each individual. I think that each person should get a career, or a job that they know they're going to like.

hey dude why don't you try online school for game development they have places like thegameinstitute if your looking for a technical school type atmosphere and there is places like DeVry University which also gives online classes. This is assuming that theres no other places around you that would take you as a student.

EDIT: Links
Game Institute
Devry University - Game and Simulation Programming

If in that situation, there may be more "political hurdles" to overcome than anything else. Although, I seriously doubt that all colleges (or universities) will reject your application, so keep your options open. You may have to do some bridging programmes before you can actually do the course that you want if you don't have a good education history, but it's worth it.
As far as employment history goes, you aren't at college to get a job, you are there to learn so you can have a better job. If they judge you negatively because you haven't been employed, or have quit jobs in the past/been fired, then it's their problem for having too higher expectations and you should look somewhere else. Heck, no ones got a "perfect track record".

Your history of depression doesn't matter if it's actually "history"...but if it's there, then you need to get it under control before you attempt anything major. You may be motivated, but the depression will soon get the best of you as the stress of college increases. So, talk to someone about it, go on meds if needed, but just get it sorted out.
As far as having a new diagnosis of AS is concerned, colleges can't judge people on the basis of disability. They have disability services anyway (which you are aware of), so use it if you need.