Question to aspies: Do you have a job?

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How did you get it?
Did you go through an interview process?
Did you disclose your diagnosis?
Is your job a good fit for your diagnosis?
Do you like your job?
How many jobs have you held?
Have you ever been fired? Do you know why?
Do you know how to fake it or do you care what your coworkers think of you?
Are you in therapy of some sort (meds included) to keep up with the social demands of your job?

Thank you for your responses in advance.

FYI
I'm a mom of an aspie who has had several opportunities to get college internship or co-op position, but never made it over to the next phase of hiring process (interview). I'm starting to wonder if he would ever have a gainful employment. I'm sad for him, but I have no time for self pity. I just want to help him find a job to keep him busy while he's home on a break from school.

Connections
Yes
NO. Do NOT diclose aspergers if it isn't visible. They will use this on you a LOT. Disability is seen as a liability
No. I am working on getting a different one
this one
no
I can fake it enough to appear normal
No

Yes, I'm a lawyer.


Lots of school, lots of interning, lots of interviewing.


Yes. It was horrendous. Aspies are generally horrible in an interview setting for a bunch of different reasons.


I didn't have my diagnosis then -- but I absolutely would not have disclosed (and still don't).


No -- horrible, actually.


Depends. I like sitting all alone in my office researching and writing (surprise!). I DETEST public speaking and even interacting much with my colleagues (surprise!).


Since college (15 years ago) only a few.


Yes and yes. I wasn't "agressive" enough about getting work at my prior firm, and I was let go due to low billable hours. That's the official story anyway. I think there was probably lots more.


I care a lot, and I think I've learned to "fake it" really, really well. Strangely, I'm actually pretty popular in my office. People junior to me come to me with problems because they know I don't gossip and take a very clear, calculating approach to things; people senior to me come to me with problems because they know that I'm excellent in an emergency -- ice cold with no emotion to get in the way of what needs to get done.


Yes. Weekly therapy of the touchy-feely sort (which is not very helpful). Meds = Wellbutrin and Klonopin.


Good luck to your son. Believe me, I know how tough it is to fight natural inclinations that don't fit well into the typical employment setting!

Nope. No one would ever hire me.

How did you get it? I looked in the local paper and there it was.
Did you go through an interview process? Yes but I was told that my good references had made a big difference to how they viewed me. I thought I also did well at the interview though.
Did you disclose your diagnosis? Not till many years after being hired.
Is your job a good fit for your diagnosis? Not any more. The fit gets worse over time.
Do you like your job? It's complicated, but basically, no I don't.
How many jobs have you held? Two, each for about 20 years.
Have you ever been fired? Do you know why? No, never been fired, not even close.
Do you know how to fake it or do you care what your coworkers think of you? It's a mixture of the two, though I only "fake" (i.e. run scripts) with the social things, I wouldn't dream of hiding my impairments when they pertain to my job performance - if I can't do a job, I won't pretend I can. To some extent I care what my co-workers think but I try not to let it bother me.
Are you in therapy of some sort (meds included) to keep up with the social demands of your job?
Absolutely not. I just continue with my traditional, lifelong attempt to understand and "improve" myself on my own terms, without subjecting myself to external therapy. Taking drugs to cope at work would be, for me, giving ground to the employer. What I can't do at work as I am is my employer's problem. But I'd probably be singing a different tune if employers were as free to hire and fire as they are in some parts of the world. Cool Britannia!

Whats a "job"?

I started out in the military. Many ASD people thrive in the military because there are clear rules, pretty serious structure and clear social rules. Once I left the military I found my "peeps" in high tech. That was 20 years ago and I have no intention of leaving anytime soon. It is a perfect fit and I love my job. I can honestly say that I don't give a crap what people think about me. Does that get me in trouble sometimes? Yeah sure.. But mostly it keeps me from doing stupid things outside of intended purposes. I am very focused and clear in my deliverables. I care passionately about my work and that overcomes any small personal quirks I might have. Wrt being literal and focused and creative (out of the box)... Those are aspie traits that are appreciated at my company.

Again high tech jobs are perfect jobs for ASD folks who do not have a myraid of comorbid issues. It isn't autism that brings us down so much as the comorbid things like ADHD.

How did you get it? Found it on the internet and sent a CV.
Did you go through an interview process? Yes, via Skype video (the job was abroad).
Did you disclose your diagnosis? No.
Is your job a good fit for your diagnosis? Yes. Getting paid to learn and analyze is a dream job.
Do you like your job? Yes a lot.
How many jobs have you held? Two main jobs, multiple summer jobs as a student.
Have you ever been fired? Do you know why? No, but almost on a couple of occasions due to difficulties showing proper respect to authority figures.
Do you know how to fake it or do you care what your coworkers think of you? Both. I get by and talk mostly about technical subjects (i.e. the job at hand).
Are you in therapy of some sort (meds included) to keep up with the social demands of your job? No.

Of course!
The same way as any NT, I applied for it.
Hell no.
Finally, after fifteen years of searching, yes.
Most days.
Ow. Let’s count. Sixteen since age 13, seven since college graduation.
Four times. Usually because people misinterpret what I say and do.
I’ve learned how to fake it.
Not anymore. Therapy was no help. Meds just gave me migraines.

What worked for me was finding the right job with the right people. I needed a job that plays to my interests, which are luckily very wide. Being a quant in investment banking is good for me. There is a wide variety of work, everybody is highly intelligent and many are Aspies. I get to work a variety of interesting fields, behavioral psychology, econometrics, modeling, programming, game theory, etc… Fun intellectually challenging work, not filling out TPS reports.

I really hate this guy right now^^^^^^^^^


Anyone who has a job where the regularly get to work with econometrics is on my hate list. I am very jealous of you man. Very interesting subject.

I got my first job at age 16 at a take-out/delivers pizza place. I showed up to the interview wearing shorts (it was a couple years before I was taught the does and don’ts of employment). The only reason the manager hired me was because we had the same birthday 10 years apart.

I work for a software company now.

How did you get it? My resume was sent to my current employer by the tech school I went to.

Did you go through an interview process? I interviewed, just like everyone else.

Did you disclose your diagnosis? I didn’t know at that time, so no.

Is your job a good fit for your diagnosis? Yes, I only interface with customers over the phone, and the amount is pretty limited.

Do you like your job? Yes. I enjoy figuring out technical problems.

How many jobs have you held? Pizza place (6 years), Technical Support for two companys (1 year each), delivering pizzas because I was laid off (1 year), medical software implementation/pilot testing (8 years).

Have you ever been fired? No, technically I was laid off of the one job

Do you know why? The company made some bad decisions. There were 6 people in my department when I was hired. There was only one left when they laid me off.

Do you know how to fake it or do you care what your coworkers think of you? I only talk to the people that are sitting immediately around me. It usually takes me a few months before I start talking to new people after seating changes. They normally have to initiate things. It’s no secret that I’m shy and I often say very blunt things. Luckily, my employer is more concerned with my work performance and technical skills.

Are you in therapy of some sort (meds included) to keep up with the social demands of your job?
I was in therapy for a short while after being diagnosed, but not specifically for work issues.


I think my success has a LOT to do with an on-the-job training class I had in high school. Interviewing, public speaking, and employment rules were taught and practiced.

Has your son ever had any job? If he hasn’t, then that may be the obstacle. Employers are reluctant to hire someone with absolutely no work experience. If they know that person also has some type of mental difference, then forget it. What types of places is he seeking an internship at? If it’s a place that would employ professionals, then they would probably be even less likely to take someone in with not work experience.

If the above is correct, then maybe he should get a part-time job that an average person entering the workforce would get; to show some work experience. Then he may have a better chance at being accepted at a work place that would employ professionals that have been in the workforce for many years.

The replies so far have given me some hope that my son may find a satisfying and gainful employment in the future. Thanks to all who responded so far. You are all an inspiration. I want to hear more from everyone else!

How did you get it?
I began as a high school English teacher 23 years ago (before Asperger's was a diagnosis in the USA). The principal who was responsible for hiring me was my cousin---so that helped as teaching jobs were hard to get.

Did you go through an interview process?
Yes, I went through a short interview process with the superintendent and principal. I answered the questions honestly and got the job---though the principal (my cousin) already wanted me for the job.

Did you disclose your diagnosis?
No, because Asperger's wasn't a diagnosis then. Today, I do not keep my Asperger's diagnosis a secret from anyone. If a topic of conversation leads to something related, I disclose my Asperger's to them. It has not caused any problems for me. Recently I joined a volunteer organization that requires either speaking publicly or interacting directly with people. I told a leader of the group that I was autistic and preferred speaking. He thanked me for my message and told me he would put me in speaking engagements (I also have a dulcimer ministry where I play music and deliver personal testimony) since I am comfortable with that.

Is your job a good fit for your diagnosis?
I no longer teach English at my school. For the past 4 years I am working with the academically gifted students in Independent Studies classes---very small classes and no discipline problems. The students work on their own projects, so it is a very good fit for me. English wasn't bad either, but I always felt challenged with discipline. Teaching works well for me because it is an environment I have been familiar with ever since I was a student.

Do you like your job?
I love the job I currently have with the academically gifted. But I used to dread school sometimes when I was an English teacher.

How many jobs have you held?
As far a career job, this is the only job I have ever had. I did work in an upscale department store during the Christmas season while I was in college. I was a salesman---I had a cousin who was high-up in the store---that helped get me hired.

Have you ever been fired? Do you know why?
Not really. I was asked to resign a golf coaching position once. I didn't like the coaching job and told the board of education that it took too much time away from my schedule. So they asked me to resign it. But, I told them beforehand I didn't care for the golf job---so I wouldn't call it getting fired.

Do you know how to fake it or do you care what your coworkers think of you?
I don't care what my coworkers think of me. They seem to like me---but they know how I am and that seems fine. I think we all (autistic or not) sometimes push ourselves to do things we aren't comfortable with. But I get quite stressed with a lot of social interaction. Many of my coworkers know I have Asperger's, and they don't treat me any differently than they did before they knew I had Asperger's.

Are you in therapy of some sort (meds included) to keep up with the social demands of your job?
No, but I did do some therapy work in late 2008 and early 2009 on personal matters---not job related.

He worked as a file clerk at a pediatric clinic when he was in high school, for a short time. then was hired as an assistant researcher by his prof in his sophomore year in college. Though the prof thought he didn't do a good job so he didn't get invited the following summer/semester. He was a dj at his college radio station one sem. He didn't finish the fall sem this year, so he's basically sitting around doing nothing since we brought him home. We are trying to nudge him into participating in our state vocational and rehab program. That's about it.

He is looking for some sort of computer programming jobs. He's had invitations by big companies for co-op jobs like Sandia lab, Apple, the NSA, etc. But none of them pursued him because he couldn't get past the interview process. He has a very limited communication skills, and usually freezes up when put on the spot. We want to help him on this issue so his therapist thinks that anti anxiety/anti depressant meds might help him to at least give language/communication skills therapy a shot. He's unwilling to try either because he's been disappointed by any treatments he has been given in the past.

I agree with you in that work experience usually is a good indication for employers to take a chance on someone cause it could mean that they are reliable and are worth the expense of training for the job. Thanks for your reply.

I have never been without a job since I was 14 years old, and now I have a career that I love that was acquired through sheer force of will. I am an insurance executive in a national firm whose name you would recognize. The interview process wasn't terrible, though nerve-wracking. The key is to choose a career that aligns with your interests, then an interview is just a structured monologue on what you already know and love. My job is a great fit for my diagnosis as my job is in Compliance. I think in very black & white terms and that is what they pay me to do. Create, interpret and enforce the rules, laws, contracts, etc. I love my job. Over the past 20 years I have held 15 jobs, and have been in my current job for 5 years. As you can tell, before I found this perfect fit longevity was an issue. I have been fired only once, and it was my 3rd job back when I was still a teenager. The cause was directly related to my challenges. I have not disclosed my diagnosis, but do not feel it would make a huge difference if I did. I am eccentric, and everybody knows this. I am fortunate in that my skills and knowledge make me indispensable to the company so I am seen as "worth" putting up with the eccentricities. I am in no therapy and on no medications, though I did spend 5 years on Paxil which was a mistake (another story).

I know that they help me. I absolutely could not do my job without them -- at least at the moment. That said, I'm not at all "pro-medication" and wish I could get off of them.