Do you feel discriminated?

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I often fail interviews for jobs I perfectly fit for. Or even jobs that I'm overqualified for. Actually, I fail the most of them, for no apparent reason.
I feel like this is due to me being an Aspie. I have a mild form, but it's enough to make people think "this guy doesn't look right".
Do you feel the same?

Unfortunately, in today's job market employers have their 'pick of the litter'...and any little thing, even the interviewer's personality preferences, can tip the balance. Technical qualifications are not enough; a job candidate must also fit the corporate or workplace social culture - HR looks at the whole person and what he or she can bring to the job in addition to the technical qualities. They might see that you can do the work, but it sound like your real hurdle is 'how will he fit in on the team?...and a lot of work is very team oriented nowadays...Think of it as another technical requirement like a specialty certificate or a degree.

Just like your other qualifications, you might need special training to learn how to deal with the social issues. Do you have a job coach or other socio/psychological professional to guide you in these things? Getting one and following their advice might be the thing that tips the balance in the interview process.

Don't give up though, I hope you find a good match soon and the job suits you well.

Well, not much time ago any black skinned person would be considered absolutely not fitting. All these talks about fitting the team are a perfect excuse for discrimination.



I don't have much social issues... anymore. But this doesn't help much on the job interview. They're always looking for someone who looks like their perfect paragon of a worker... i.e. very neurotypically.
Of course I can try to act, but I can't do this perfectly (enough). Some things I just can't do. For example, one typical requirement is "show me how you are thinking". Well, I'm thinking by sitting in the chair and staring into an empty space until I find a solution. Without anyone interrupting me.
Certainly this is not what they want from me They want me to comment aloud my every thought. But this is just impossible. I can't talk and think about complex things at the same time.



Well, I still can find a job. But it's underpaid, considering my real qualification.

I have the same problem, I don't do well during job interviews. I get really nervous and I know the interviewing manager notices it. I tend to stare because I'm trying to make eye contact and I am also soft spoken. I feel like I just can't compete with the other NT job candidates. It looks like other aspies are having a common situation, which I didn't know until recently.

Here's a article about it: Young Adults with Asperger's Syndrome Struggle To Find Jobs

BornThisWay wrote:

As for myself, I believe it's a little too late for me. I'm 30 years old now and my work history is terrible. At my age I should have a solid work history or some kind of job training. Employers frown on older people bad work histories.

I absolutely don't feel discriminated. One thing you have to understand, is that you're almost NEVER the only applicant. And you don't know how much experience the other people applying have. Though, yes proper social interaction during the interview is important. If you qualify more than the other applicants, you're going to get the job, more than likely. It's easy to feel singled out, but it's not really discrimination, if they don't know you have anything to be discriminated against. They don't know you have aspergers. You are another joe off the street looking for this job, and that's what they see you as. Don't feel bad, just try again.

Ughm. So, nobody have ever told you that you are "odd"?

Thinking someone is 'odd' doesn't mean you think they have aspergers. Many people have thought I am 'odd' but never suspected I have aspergers, and would probably be shocked if I told them

FireyInspiration - "Thinking someone is 'odd' doesn't mean you think they have aspergers. Many people have thought I am 'odd' but never suspected I have aspergers, and would probably be shocked if I told them"

Exactly. Aspies have poor social skills, which could factor possibly failing an interview, but that depends entirely on the job. If you're working in a job where you have high-paying clients, and you have to make them feel comfortable, then yes, you likely failed the interview if you showed less than required social skills.

Another problem we aspies have is we don't take rejection well. Whether it's a job or a date, if we're told no, we look inside and wonder "What did I do wrong?" "Why did this happen, is it me?". When more often than not, we have nothing to do with what went wrong. It's easy to feel discriminated in this way.

Hell yeah. Apparently, we're liabilities to these guys because of our lack of experience. Which leads to my next point: The only reason we even considered employment with them is so we'd actually have some experience.

Go figure.

Hell yeah. Apparently, we're liabilities to these guys because of our lack of experience. Which leads to my next point: The only reason we even considered employment with them is so we'd actually have some experience.

Go figure.

Interesting article, thanks.

I know I got REALLY LUCKY with my first professional job. #1 my friends dad wanted to help me out. I was always the voice of reason in our group of teenagers. #2 it was a job that wasn't traditional and they had trouble finding people to stay in it, because they had narrow focus or weren't good enough with details #3 there were engineers, they're used to oddness.

He helped me with telephone calls and gave me advice on how to deal with specific people.
The 13+ years I spent in that job prepared me enough for finding another (though I looked/applied/interviewed for over 7 years to obtain the right one).

This doesn't matter at all. They don't have to understand, why they don't like you.

Last edited by XenoMind on 19 May 2014, 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

And if you are continuously rejected from a job, that doesn't require much social skills, where you don't work with any clients?

You apply for 25% of the availabled jobs with the highest competition density, not exactly smart to do. Don't look for the sh***y jobs, the secret is the work/life planning method.

Unfortunately, unless you have a degree, job training, work experience or know someone in the company the only jobs available are entry-level. Entry-level jobs are mostly low-paying and require strong customer service skills which is bad for some people with Aspergers Symdrone. There are good jobs for aspies but a lot of them are out of reach. Not everyone with Aspergers can obtain a IT job or independent office work. There are only so many job positions available and there many other variables to getting a job.

Is there any way you could get training in how to do interviews? I'm really lucky in that it was provided for us at school. There are also lots of books around.

If you have a local job centre they might be able to help (it's something that's available in the UK but obviously I don't know about other places).

There are little things like looking at the bridge of someone's nose if you can't look in their eyes. Lean back in the chair. Get someone to ask you questions beforehand and make sure you've done your homework on the company. And don't tell yourself beforehand that it's a big deal, tell yourself it's just a chat with another human being who is no better than you, and you're interviewing them not the other way around. Make a list of the things you're good at and emphasise them (if appropriate). Don't lie, but don't linger on the negatives.

A bit of research should boost your confidence, which in turn should help you get a job.

And finally - if you don't get a particular job, but it's one where you felt really uncomfortable with the interviewer(s) - would you have wanted to work with them?