Finding and Keeping jobs - Tips and Advice

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"Want to work" sounds insane to me. Who actually wants to work? Wants to wake up early in the morning or leave home for a night shift and, for example, clean public restrooms or wrap sandwiches at whatever McDonalds. Even if you have an opportunity to be a privileged office worker, would you really sincerely WANT to sit in that office for 8 hrs surrounded with annoying people rather than doing something you really enjoy doing? I highly doubt that!
Unfortunately I believe, that interviewers understand that too, also, I can't lie. I would not be able to say on interview that I want to work (unless I'm going to get paid for something I enjoy doing, like watching movies or smth, but that never happens, right?).
I have to work to pay bills and I choose the least hard thing out of what I got offered. I would say: "I can do this" or "I'm ok doing that". If I could be absolutely sincere and they wanted to hear details, I would say: "I could never ever in my entire life imagine, that at some point in my life I would have to scrub poop from the walls of a public restroom to be able to survive, but alright, I will try, if I absolutely have to..".
But desire and want to work... Puh-leez

Here's some tips I learned today:
#1 - Be sure to find a job that interests you along with being able to be passionate about
#2 - Do not look in the classifieds for applications because it's just people trying to sell you stuff you don't need
#3 - Be sure to have a resume if you don't have one. Here's how to organize one

Address
Phone #
Email
Name
- Skills
- Experience
- Education
- Awards

#4 - Find a place that will help accommodate you while using your weaknesses as strenghts

I have dealt with this in the worst way. Working for startups they all claim to want entrepreneurial personalities, people who will own their work, be dedicated, and develop efficient process and procedure. I think many aspies could easily be described as entrepreneurial because, at least for me, I find enjoyment in the random jobs I get by diving heavily into the learning process, putting together the industry "puzzle" from the ground up, and problem solving; I prefer to work autonomously as it seems to limit social miscommunications, but I'm always open to helping others if they ask for it as I tend to develop successful methodologies for whatever it is I'm doing; I also enjoy teaching.

One such job I had already far surpassed my sales quota and all the higher-ups were really happy with my work, but my boss didn't like me—he also didn't understand the technology we were selling, and encouraged lying as a part of our sales process, which broke one of my ethics rules therefore I could never abide—and so in a meeting with him and HR the HR person literally said to me, "We appreciate your entrepreneurialism, but it's unnecessary." I was so confused it's a good thing I knew to take a propranolol before any meetings with my boss, which stopped me from ever having a workplace meltdown, raising my voice, etc... This place literally had words written on the walls describing the type of entrepreneurial environment they were trying to foster. The double talk was maddening. And guess what? The company is still not profitable. They have never hit their quarterly/annual targets. I wonder why...

NT's have sucked the life out of my professional hustle by consistently sabotaging my efforts. I'll still do it for myself sometimes if there's something I really want (snowboarding equipment) and need to figure out how to get it—if I'm going to buy something it has to be the highest quality version of that thing; kind of like how I find myself staring at my Rolex because of its technical precision and unparalleled craftsmanship (fyi it was a gift, I basically have no money, but can't get myself to sell the watch). Just putting the watch to my ear and listening to the second hand movement is like listening to a perfect rendition of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. I used to have no problem with hustling, but it takes so much energy and effort and I've had the rug swiped out from under me so many times I just don't have the energy for it anymore.

The below link is an interesting article on a beta blockers study and how it can improve the social skills of people on the spectrum. I know that for me using beta blockers, especially in the workplace, has significantly helped me in social situations, it's just very annoying that they cause me to get very bad heartburn, which would be fine if antacids didn't contribute to my having kidney stones. It also makes me extremely tired after the social situation I needed it for ends, and it ultimately didn't stop me from getting let go from any jobs. It basically just assured that I wouldn't get let go for insubordination or instability as a result of a workplace meltdown/sensory overload—which thankfully I have always been able to successfully avoid, albeit likely at the expense of my physical and psychological health. Maybe your experience will be different?

https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/sc ... ion-skills

My partner is good at masking in job interviews and gets employed he has had 9 jobs in the past 10 years, he just can’t last in the job that’s the problem, he dont tell his employers of his limitations, like changing his routine if someone calls in sick and he has added pressure, or noisy environments, he has never socialised well so can’t get along with co workers and looks grumpy all the time, he can’t work with the public or with elderly or children as he is really sensitive to meltdowns so it’s not safe really, if he does have to mask in public get a exhausted after a few weeks and totally burns out to the point he’s depressed and suicidal. Is there any AS folk who can’t work or is there something for everyone

Same here. 10 last years I had around 20 jobs, possibly even more I don't really count. I'm very very good at masking in interviews too! So easily employed, and few months later everything is wrong: I feel frustrated, angry, I need change, I even start to be depressed on the surface.

And very sorry I don't have a solution. Working self-employed and remotely (contract worker in IT related stuff) definitely helps, but it's not a very stable solution. And in my job it's a big limitation because more often than not, my customers want and need me onsite.

What should we tell interviewers and HR people regarding our diagnoses?

Also, how do we know if we’re being discriminated against? What proof would be needed?

I have ASD and my specialty is in being an artisan so I could craft a very fine quality product but mass production just feels soulless. However digital high quality items once produced can easily be replicated and the higher the quality the more demand whereas hand crafting demand and production are low because it's an oversaturated market. Think about furniture design or glass blowing. So I'm also good at online networking but terrible at in person. I want to work from home so that if I move my job moves with me. Independence would mean I could some day get off SSDI. The only thing is I'm used to working with manual products and skill set I have no idea what digital products I could refine a mastery in considering their might be some techies who do this kind of work what digital products do you guys suggest? And who would hire me?

My advice is avoid working at Walmart. And retail in general.

A lot of my suicidal ideation has gone away since I have gotten away from Walmart and it's online communities.

IF you have to work at Walmart choose a position where you do not interact much with the customers.

For reference, I worked at a metropolitan area Walmart. I am not going to give more details then that so don't ask.

Why don’t they save time in HR and request iq?

Most of my jobs have been customer service and ive officially come to hate that field, especially companies that put the customers happiness above the associates well-being. I've had some supportive bosses but its rare. I mean they do have to keep the flow of business smooth, its just sort of at the cost of those on the front line. I had to handle orders and when something went wrong (that I had nothing to do with) I was the first person to get chewed out. And yes, something's I chewed back. I think customers can be the worst human beings. I'd much rather be in the background

Never invest too much mental energy into coworkers, don't try too hard to impress them....can't look like a pushover or like someone they can walk all over. I sort of learned that with the last job, which unfortunately I could not find something new before quitting. But I do get SSI so if I inform them I am not working I should get the full of that amount back till I find a new job. As they have to reduce it depending on how much you are working and what you make.

How are any of you able to keep jobs? I can't hold one for longer than six months without losing my mind. Are there jobs for people who can't handle stress, horrible people, where they can sit in a chair and have a one hour lunch break, that pays enough to meet the cost of living?

I found a job like that once, though there were horrible people unfortunately, and it paid way under the cost of living so there was no way to survive on it. How are there jobs in the world that don't pay enough for a person to at least have a hovel?

As someone who had four accounting jobs so far throughout his life I just thought I would share what I've learned. It's not always easy but I'll give some things I've learned so far. I think these tips are applicable anywhere you go. The longest job I been at was for six years at one company.

"Be open and willing to learn new things". I know that's not easy and can be scary but I promise if you do you will add value to whoever you work for.

"Try to find one close coworker at work you can talk with and be yourself around". It's not easy but hopefully you have one person you can relate to on some level. Another thing I would say and it's something I need to work on at times,

"Don't be scared of asking questions or asking for help". I know that you've probably heard that phrase many times and with having autism this can be very, very difficult but it's necessary. You don't know if you're doing something right or have feedback unless you ask.

Just a kind of amusing story but I took a position as a "Assistant Project Manager" for an electrical contractor about 10 years ago and the owner who had a "different" personality said "Timid dosen't work here". I took that to heart and even though I didn't stay there long it helped to break me out of my shell while I was there. He was a little difficult to work with but that is something I still take to heart today. I didn't like Project Management however so returned to Accounting after.

The two most important things I've learned:

1. Work is a means to an end. It does not define who you are as a person.

2. Never take a rejection to heart. You can be turned down - or accepted - for a job for completely ridiculous reasons, or for no reason at all. Here are a few I've had:

(a) I was turned down for a job because my degree was too good; they wanted someone who had 'lived a little at university'.
(b) I was turned down for a job because 'we've already seen someone from your company and we don't want to see any more'. (They'd interviewed a guy who had been sacked for absenteeism and was clearly suffering from mental illness.)
(c) I was turned down for a job because the MD of the company hated my prospective boss and wouldn't let him employ anyone he was happy to work with.
(d) I got offered a job at a startup, and then the owner ghosted me for five months. He then suddenly phoned me and asked if I was still interested. I was less than polite.
(e) I went for a job and when the interviewer asked me 'how many lines of code I'd written' on a particular project, I laughed in his face. Three years later I went for another interview at the same company, though the agent had to persuade me that it was worthwhile given the previous circumstances. I got the same interviewer, and he didn't remember me. I got the job.