How come people with Aspergers can't work ?
I would agree that one of the reasons Aspies have trouble finding work is because we suck at networking. It's not enough to be good at what you do, you have to know someone. I also interview very badly and every single time I've been successful finding work, it's because I've actually been able to show what I can do rather than talk about what I can do.
AardvarkGoodSwimmer
Veteran
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,660
Location: Houston, Texas
One thing I have found is that I think a lot of the jobs that Aspies may have had in the past no longer exist. For example, Pittsburgh used to have steel mills that employed thousands of people and there were stories of steelworkers who had no social skills but with the high pay they could support families. You just don't need social skills to run a blast furnace. When we lost the steel industry in the 80s thousands of jobs were lost. It also created the problem where the places that provided work for unskilled people, for example, McDonalds now had people who had worked with a supervisor and had the skills to work, so McD did not have to hire people "off the street"
Many of the job opportunities now are in retail and in fields like nursing -- trust me, people like us, Nursing is NOT a career option!. In fact, I would say stay away from health care but that is a field that is booming.
I have also found that when someone like us is hired right away they want to fire us. Once I worked at a department store as a janitor but I was uncomfortable around the loss prevention manager. As soon as he found out, he and his people started following me around, thinking I might be stealing, making me nervous. I never stole a thing but ended up quitting because I was uncomfortable. My supervisor, who liked me, was afraid of him too and never stood up for me.
I spoke to the store manager later but all he did was talk down to me. Turns out that people in retail management think that customers (which we were before I worked there) are the enemy.
I have also found that though we may be honest, nobody believes us.
Even if you go bankrupt, it's nearly
impossible to shake off your student loans.
But a lawyer for a former law student trying to "discharge," or obtain
forgiveness, for more than $300,000 in student loan debt recently found
a way.
Last week a Maryland judge forgave Carol Todd's $339,361 loan bill
because she suffers from
Asperger Syndrome, considered a high-functioning form of autism.
According to the legal news site Law.com Todd argued that her
disability prevented her from paying back the $339,361 she borrowed in
order to attend the Baltimore School of Law. Todd, who has a high
school equivalency degree and a Ph.D. from an unaccredited online
school, began law school in 1992 when she was 39 and later dropped out.
She filed for bankruptcy in 2009 at age 63.
While credit card debt and other kinds of loans are forgiven in
bankruptcy, shaking off student loans is much more difficult. Debtors
seeking forgiveness from education debt must prove the loans will
impose an undue hardship on themselves or their dependents.
Sometimes even death is not reason enough to have education debt
forgiven.
The judge in Todd's case ruled that her disability prevented her from
working and was thus reason enough to discharge her loans, according to
Law.com.
As college tuition rises and wages fall, and increasing number of
people are defaulting on their student loans.
And as outstanding student debt in America balloons to more than $1
trillion, some law makers are questioning the strict, unforgiving
bankruptcy laws that were put in place in 2005 to deter students from
abandoning the loans they took out to pay for college.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) has
introduced legislation that would make it easier for private student
loans to be forgiven during bankruptcy.
someone with aspergers can work. the lady was 63 man
she started college at 39, see what im saying? SHE IS TOO OLD TO WORK ALL THAT MONEY OFF YOU FOOL IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER AS SO STOP BOTHERING US BECAUSE THE WAY YOU PRESENTED THIS POST OFFENDED ME GREATLY. so just work on your execution bro
_________________
ignore the spelling, read the message
I, and I believe others here, are very competent in the technical aspect, but not in the "people" aspect. Plus I will never dazzle anyone during an interview process, as a career coach stated that many HR people want to happen.
This may be be specific to my field of engineering and other professional jobs: Another item is that i stayed in the technical aspect, my best area, instead of advancing into management, which many companies expect you to do in your career. They don't understand that management requires a whole different set of skills (that many with ASD don't have). So that is also holding me back as they won't consider me for a lower-level position that does not involve management, though I keep sending resumes for those.
Yes, Been there done that!! ! --- I know just what you are talking about! My real talent is the workings of computer systems - the whole systems or any part of the systems - not managing a gaggle of people doing that. I have watched a fair number of companies hire one fresh from college grade after another - from what I have seen about half have no aptitude for the field and the others half quit as soon as someone comes along offering a few cents more pay or more prestigious title. I have had HR people out and out call me a lier when I tell them I want the job because it is what I like doing and want the job for the simple joy of doing just that job.
_________________
Found in an old and dusty book --- Roger's Axiom: If it is worth doing it is worth over doing!
Found on http://jacobbarnett.org/ -- If you are suffering from Autism - you're doing it wrong!
I can work. Once I get my teeth into a job I can hardly stop myself working. But that's a different thing to being in a job.
I've been in a job for most of my life, but I had to ditch my first job after many years, when it just got too stressful. Second job, not a lot of stress, but the firm went bust. Third job, still here, though I nearly had to quit because of stress, and then luckily I was diagnosed, and the employer made adjustments.
It's not the work. It was being tasked out, getting blurred instructions, being expected to have good executive function, to work in cramped, crowded, noisy places, interference with the way I work, forced teamwork, sudden interruptions, tight deadlines, no clear idea when I can go home, lunch hour rights under constant threat, frequent conflicts between staff.
It's not really surprising that if employers expect staff to use skills that Aspies don't have, Aspies are going to be in trouble in the workplace.
It's not the work. It was being tasked out, getting blurred instructions, being expected to have good executive function, to work in cramped, crowded, noisy places, interference with the way I work, forced teamwork, sudden interruptions, tight deadlines, no clear idea when I can go home, lunch hour rights under constant threat, frequent conflicts between staff.
It's not really surprising that if employers expect staff to use skills that Aspies don't have, Aspies are going to be in trouble in the workplace.
These are the reasons why aspies can test 130 IQ in a small dim quiet room with 1 other person in it but, they would score 60 if they had to take the test in a normal work environment. Some people don't understand that out in the real world we don't always speak and act like we do when we're sitting in our quiet familiar home typing away on a forum.
I can work. Once I get my teeth into a job I can hardly stop myself working. But that's a different thing to being in a job.
I've been in a job for most of my life, but I had to ditch my first job after many years, when it just got too stressful. Second job, not a lot of stress, but the firm went bust. Third job, still here, though I nearly had to quit because of stress, and then luckily I was diagnosed, and the employer made adjustments.
It's not the work. It was being tasked out, getting blurred instructions, being expected to have good executive function, to work in cramped, crowded, noisy places, interference with the way I work, forced teamwork, sudden interruptions, tight deadlines, no clear idea when I can go home, lunch hour rights under constant threat, frequent conflicts between staff.
It's not really surprising that if employers expect staff to use skills that Aspies don't have, Aspies are going to be in trouble in the workplace.
I think these are the problems that really need to be addressed. I'd add lack of taking initiative to lack of management skills. This may be related to both executive functioning and not being able to see the whole picture / too much focused on details and rules (rigidly sticking to rules).
Getting a job, passing an interview is only matter of practice, patience, and sufficient education in my opinion.
I always had a job but I work well below my education (degrees, certificates). I guess I was lucky in several aspects: I had a sought after profession when I graduated in finances, got an opportunity to taking part in a post-graduation program, have a fortunate combination of financial and some computer knowledge, and last but not least I have a passionate friend who helps me with life matters including jobs like if he was my mentor.
I have worked in various jobs for 20 years - some have not suited me and have been hell - others including my current role suit the manifestation of my condition, both playing to strengths and mitigating weaknesses.
My role is technical and numerical - when I join in conversation it as a specialist and I am talking about my special interests. I have been on the edge of dismissal for 3 years because I struggle with organisation however I am fortunately too good at the bits I can do to make it a good course of action for my boss.
Bizarrely work is my safe environment - home is where I struggle most.
kx250rider
Supporting Member
Joined: 15 May 2010
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,140
Location: Dallas, TX & Somis, CA
I don't think there's any reason we can't work, unless there's a heck of a lot more than just Asperger's at cause. I've worked since I was a teen, and never been fired from any job, and always gotten whatever job I applied for. It probably also depends on the kind of job. Before I got married and became a farmer, I was an electronics technician, which was basically an alone-type job, but I also was a TV repairman and did housecalls to fix big screen TVs in homes. I don't think Asperger's ever got in the way. But on the other hand, I'd have been unhappy, and made the workplace unhappy for others probably, if I had been in a sales or office job, or any kind of labor job with a foreman breathing down my neck. That would not work for me.
Bottom line is that I think there's every reason to believe that most all Aspies can work; in the appropriate environment. Same goes for NTs also, of course.
Charles
WhoKnowsWhy
Snowy Owl
Joined: 27 Jul 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 132
Location: Virginia, United States
I think it's more (or at least just as much) the opposite. Many of us would succeed at jobs if we were given a chance, but employers don't want to take a chance on us. That's how I feel anyway...
I find it depends on leadership in the workplace. I'm an Aspie, and in my many years working as an interior architect, I've always been prone to overworking myself. Being a workaholic comes naturally. BUT it's only at one company where I was managed correctly and also paid what I was worth.
Most people I know aren't really interested in understanding Aspergers as they believe it's a crutch I/we use to excuse anything we do. This is UNFORTUNATELY not true. If only it was as easy as that....
But if I could be brutally honest with an employer and they would listen, they'd understand how to harness my strengths. I've worked for a person such as that in the past. The person actually closed down the company to start their own motivation speaking business etc and is extremely successful.
The person told me, when the company closed down, that one thing I taught them, is patience.
People with Aspergers desperately WANT to work, but feel marginalized....and for good reason.
For those clever enough to understand our weaknesses and utilize our sregths, we can be one of the strongest assets to their business.
I work its not always easy though but I deal with the stress and anxiety on a daily basis sometimes I borderline from walking off the job but I keep telling myself it beats not having a purpose in society and tommorrow is a brand new day. Most of my work places I keep my AS to myself because if I did not initialy the work places I have worked for would deny me employement secretly assuming I would be a liability.
_________________
Your Aspie score is 193 of 200
Your neurotypical score is 40 of 200
You are very likely an aspie
No matter where I go I will always be a Gaijin even at home. Like Anime? https://kissanime.to/AnimeList
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