Jobs that aren't for Autistic people?

Post Reply New Topic

I've had a lot of jobs in my life, and the ones that were best for me were oddly enough exact opposites of each other. I spent 18 years doing information research and records management, in libraries, real property title companies and the Alumni Association of my university. And I've spent 6 years at various times as a cashier in various convenience stores.

The research jobs gave me plenty of time to indulge my pathological nosiness and love of information, and I didn't need to be a "team player" to do the jobs...although the company expected me to be anyway. An aside...why do corporations expect you to socialize, via holiday parties, team-building outings, luncheons, with the same people you just spent 40+ hours a week with? Anyway -- I loved this work. I really dug someone asking me for a piece of information and being able to pull it seemingly out of nowhere. I loved spending hours in databases putting together reports on various topics -- I wrote bios and newsletters and financial reports.

The convenience store jobs have helped me with my social skills. I don't have to actually sell anything. Everyone comes in there with a purpose -- usually snacks, gas or cigarettes -- so I don't have to make conversation. And when they come up to the register, I am behind a counter and thus feel safer than if I was in the middle of the store like in retail clothing establishments. No further conversation has to take place other than that necessary for the transaction. But I've gotten comfortable enough over the years that I find I can carry on a little more with the customers. I still get into trouble when I try to hold customers in the store too long because we seem to have something in common or the conversation is going well. I don't always recognize when they want to leave.

The worst? Direct sales. I can't bring myself to push my product on a customer, My attitude is that if I ask the customer if they want it and they say "no."...end of transaction. But you have to be MUCH pushier and aggressive than that, especially when the job pays on commission only -- you don't sell anything, you don't get paid. You're supposed to convince the customer that they in fact DO want the product, even if they aren't aware of it at the time.

I would say that a library page job isn't necessarily the best fit for someone with autism, but it depends on the person and what duties the said library assigns to that position. I'm saying this because for some years I had a co-worker was quite possibly on the spectrum, and while she was great at some aspects of the job, she could be really hard to work with because she didn't communicate well, it took her a lot longer to get things done (because she added extra steps to tasks), and she didn't adjust well to changes in the way we did things.

Forum mod would be less than an ideal job for stevenjacksonftw7

I don't think that other people would want me to be an air traffic controller.

Prison and probation officer. You have to be assertive, streetwise, empathetic, and possess ultra neurotypical traits.

perhaps a better question would be which jobs' application processes eliminate autistic folks before they're ever given a chance to perform or show credentials?

I worked on a Help Desk for a large company with Retail stores. I was very good at it, but got fired after 5 years because I didn't get along with my NT supervisor. I enjoyed helping people over the phone, solving the problem, and chatting.

I think a really bad job for an ASpie would be professional magician or juggler. I don't think we could bluff people like a magician does. I once saw a juggler tossing three clubs while balancing on a teeter board on top of a barrel, and thought BLIMEY, I could practice for years and years and not do that.

Remember Tom Cruse in that movie Cocktail?

Not for people on the spectrum.

I have an extensive vocational experience. All work has its disadvantages, and it is not anything exclusive to the autism community. EVERYONE hates their jobs some times.

5 year full time job in a bank - alcohol fueled culture of conformity. Having to abandon my ethics constantly. Passed over for promotion repeatedly despite looking good on paper. My social deficits made me a bad fit in the banking culture. It was my only full time job.

Kitchenhand (several times)- they'll hire anyone in hospitality. here you get to be a slave in a dangerous environment, usually cash in hand where I live (illegal). I had no training and did not recognise OH&S dangers. Last job ended with microsurgery to my fingers thanks to a meat-slicer without regulation guard. I am so grateful I can still play the guitar. However, I hear of autistic chefs doing okay, so maybe its a matter of special interest. I love cooking. Just not in a professional capacity.

Retail - again, look good on paper, but alienated customers. Not good in a store that sells adult DVDs and marital aids. The armed holdup I faced alone left me with PTSD. I have since been declared unfit for work on the basis of this event - PTSD + ASD.

Call centre - couldn't keep up with the quota. Had to discard some research because my communication impairments tilted the questions in ways that undermined the research being conducted.

Volunteer Radio DJ - that was a good time, ran a special interest show for four years. The tone and attitude of the show had me in trouble with management quite regularly though, and led to my eventual ejection.

I've had work that didn't suck, usually took place in volunteer settings, or bush regeneration work, or small scale farm work. My favourite work is what I'm doing these days, spewing up art and music for my employer (myself).