Job interviews unfair and insulting to people like us

Post Reply New Topic

I have been told this several times. Loyalty is now a negative and yet people keep wondering why people are more coarse and things are falling apart.

instead of an interview, I think companies should do a trial period with you. During the trial period they will see how quickly you can learn and how efficient and reliable you are. Those are big things they can't tell during an interview. I think they should do trial periods instead of interviews for everyone in every work environment. Because even if you're social and good at interviews, it doesn't confirm that you're reliable, a quick learner, a good problem solver, analytical, efficient, etc.

The rules for getting a job are daft, even NTs can tell you that. I've been told several times that if you are already in a job but looking for another job because you want to leave that job, you are more likely to get another job quicker than you would if you was unemployed, as though people who are unemployed are classed as lazy. That's where it isn't fair, because people without a job should be given a chance. Being unemployed isn't always a choice.

And with the interview thing, yes it is all daft. I've probably failed interviews loads of times, all because I had to put on too much of a front and I became too conscious of myself trying to follow all these rules I was told about before the interview, and then it makes me become nervous. My speech isn't that great, I speak a bit like Mike Teavee on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, (but in a cockney accent). I tend to mumble and merge two or three words together, and when I'm at a job interview I have to try hardest not to speak like that, and I end up sounding too nervous.

Also I feel like I'm being watched or observed too much, and being watched/observed/judged is a social phobe's idea of a nightmare as it is, without having Asperger's on top of it! Well, not many people like being judged anyway.

build a business based on entertainment on youtube... gaming... blogs... let's plays.... trolling... ps3 xbox wii pc....
face it the working world won't hire us... so we have to build a business based on the internet...
best bet..

worth a try

All of the interviews I've had have included things such as testing ability to perform the actual jobs, problem solving tests, more general aptitude tests, personality tests, medical tests, background checks and so on and so on. None of them were looking for a mindless ability to babble buzzwords or perfect eye contact.

I have awful eye contact, I'm told I have a 'dead fish' handshake and I am Deaf so cannot even use the phone. I have applied for many many jobs and I have always been shortlisted! It's not that I interview well - I interview like a very awkward aspie. The crucial point though is that I also interview like a competent and qualified aspie who will do well in the job. I have an excellent CV, which gets me in the door for an interview/selection process. Then I do well on all the realistic tests of my ability. I've never had an interview where the interviewer hasn't said they're interested in ability to walk the walk not talk the talk. I've been offered multiple jobs in the same week and had to turn down the ones I didn't choose.

The only bad experience I had was as a teenager when I was taken on for a three day unpaid trial period for a summer job, then let go despite working very well. A succession of other teenagers were then taken on, one by one, for trial periods... For the whole summer. They never hired anyone, they simply had people work for free all summer on three day trials. I had no clue that it was happening when I agreed to it because I was the first taken on and I'm too trusting. I would not do an unpaid trial again, though I'm far above the level where anyone could ask it of me now anyway.

It's not as simple as eye-contact, handshake and buzzwords. Sometimes those things might help if an employer isn't very bright or is rather shallow but unless you're applying for roles where you would be the public face of the business and meeting and greeting is your main job role, then they're not crucial at all. If an employer is the sort to value social schmoozing over actual skills then they're not the sort of person that will make their business successful in the long run. Avoid them at all costs and find a job with someone who will give you an opportunity to use your skill set not a bunch of weasel-words. I've had interviews with people who say they rule someone out as soon as they start spouting jargon as it then comes across as if they're probably all talk with nothing behind it.

Perhaps it depends on the industry you're involved in or the level at which you're applying.

It's not the interview process that's the problem. It's the people who are giving the interview that is the problem. In most cases. The interviewer is NT while the interviewee is AS. That's not a good combination. What needs to happen is we need anti-discriminating laws to protect AS people the same way there are laws that protect people who are handicapped. granted, there are limits like for example. You can force a construction company to hare a person in a wheelchair to install a roof on a building. but you can make an employer hire him for a job that they are qualify to do. Another thing is. employers also need to train their interviewers to handle people with AS or better yet. have an interviewer who is AS themselves so that they can understand the do's and don'ts of interviewing an AS person.

Here are some guidelines for interviewing aspie's

1) Interviews need to take place in a dedicated room (Most are).

2) Interviews should always be one on one with no more then 2 people in the room.

3) Light levels should be lower in the room and flickering needs to be avoided.

4) Eye contact need to be avoided and interviewee should be allow to and encouraged to wear sunglasses.

5) Avoid asking illogical questions like "Why do you deserve this job".

6) noise making and animated machinery (ie. oscillating fan) need to be avoided as such thing can easily compete for an Aspies attention, cell phones need to be turned off.

7) casual/plain dress need to be allowed. Good hygiene a must. granted, you don't want someone dressing like a punk with gang colors and tattoos but don't expect them to wear a suit ether. Women should not be required to wear makeup. It's important to know that Aspies don't like dressing in clothes that draw attention.

8.) When ever possible. The interviewer should also be an aspie as well. That way. the interviewee will feel more comfortable by lowering stress and tension levels and a more accurate and thorough evaluation of the interviewee can be obtained since both parties have the same mental condition and can easily relate to each other.

From my experience. NT vs NT interviews are stressful enough as it is. AS sv NT are order of magnitude worse. I used to be a manager at a McDonnalds and I used to give interviews as well as getting them. My point is. both the AS and NT mind are different and when it come to interviews. this need to be taken into account.

But people aren't going to know someone has AS until they tell them.

Tips:

1. Try to get recommended for the job by someone in the company or close with the company. Then, the resume (CV) and interview is somewhat of a formality. This is the secret.

2. Prepare a bunch of good phrases and use them (appropriately) when asked those evil open-ended questions (like "why do you want this job?").

3. Answer questions in a way that indicates you really want the job and that you are generally experienced with and familiar with the tasks/skills.

But, mostly, number 1. So, maintain a good list of acquaintances.

My last company did week long trail/tryout periods for internships. Even for the NT world a tryout period gives candidates and the company a better idea if the candidate is a "good fit" then the scripted, tense, formal interview situation.

At one interview (it was one on one) the interviewer basicly spent the whole time telling me why I wouldn't like the job and why he wasn't giving it to me because he preferred to give it to the relative of someone already working there. I was dumbfounded. But it would be my word against his.

After another interview I was informed that I didn't get the position, when I asked why, their main reason was "You looked nervous" , but also that I didn't seem to have enough direct experience. (I thought I did) . So if I could lie comfortably about my experience I would have got it?

The interview process seems to involve interviewer asking ridiculous question that has nothing to do with the position, interviewee giving ridiculous lie, interviewer mentally noting that it is a ridiculous lie; but the correct one; so they must have researched the correct ridiculous lie, meaning they are self -motivated and the best person for the job. Never mind that they are a liar, manipulator, and possibly the worst person for the job, as no actual work related questions get asked.

Yea great advice for people with ASD!

I don't agree totally with that statement that job interviews are unfair to ppl with AS.
I agree that I had some disadvantages, because my social scills are not so good BUT it halse had good parts for me because I can behave disciplined, I'm socially calm, I don't cause trouble, I'm not bossy and so on.

I'm working in a kitchen at the moment and noone cares there about my social skills, but more about discipline. So it really depents on the job.

Well, the simply fact is that EVERYONE I know with AS under 40, both diagnosed and "highly suspected" on my end are ALL either students in their 30s or are working near minimum wage jobs. Seems to me given that they are generally good people there must be a reason they cannot seem to get ahead and it's obvious the whole ridiculous interview process at 95% of companies is why.

Doesn't matter how smart, intelligent, hard working you are if nobody will give you a chance.

Maybe we need our own Affirmative Action

It's not all about job interviews, you know.

while they do look for positive people skills they are also looking for other things too.

i used to interview people for my employer (actually quite enjoyable being on the other side of the table!) and things like arriving on time, looking presentable, having done their homework etc all counted much more than people skills as they showed how much someone actually wanted the job and the effort they may put in if you hired them.

if you do loads of homework on the company and can explain to them who you believe they are and how you can help them then it can often count for much more than someone that doesn't know much but is able to crack a great smile

I guess it all depends on the type of job and the interviewer