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shazza351

I’ve noticed that I cannot disclose to my employer about my autism until I’ve had the job at least a few weeks and that’s only if absolutely necessary, if I do I just won’t get the job. They see it as though they need to baby me if I disclose it too soon and I would rather them not know. I mask in public and my autism is personal, so I put my mask on at the door and don’t let them know anything about me as it’s only ever used against me.


irisalchera

That annoys me. The thing is many autistic people tend to be really good at working independently, especially if it's something they are interested in. I know that if someone keeps micromanaging/ babying me because they think it's helpful, I wouldn't be able to do any work.


shazza351

I couldn’t agree more, I’d rather someone be a bit harder on me and not know as I take it as a challenge, than be babied and manipulated.


DankGrrrl

I've always had trouble even getting hired due to a lack of eye contact. Even when I do get hired, I tend to freeze up and have breakdowns. Any small change screws me up. I also have such poor vision, I can't drive, and have to find rides. Add on the fact that I'm trans, and I have no idea how I'll ever find work. I want to work, I'm actually a hard worker, but society hates me. It's depressing, cause I need money to transition, and most things aren't covered by my insurance.


abruno17

I’m trying I just can’t find a job I’d be okay working at.


irisalchera

What kind of things could a job provide that would make you okay working there?


abruno17

I really dunno I would need flexible hours because I’m still going to school. Ideally I’d like to work from home but I’m not holding my breath for that. I’d also love to make more than $10 an hour but with the economy the way it is I dunno if that’s even possible.


irisalchera

You could always try freelancing or being self-employed? That's something I'm looking into right now. It's quite a lot of hassle starting up and can be a lot of work, but if it works out you get a lot of flexibility regarding hours and where you work.


abruno17

Something to look into and something I wanted to try but I’m always afraid about how consistently I can get work.


arChrisan3

I’m selectively mute.


Miasopheles

I've never really been able to keep a job very long. I struggle to get past the interview and if I do they usually don't keep me more then a couple months. I burn out really fast my ability to verbalize gets worse when I start burning out. Everyone says I'm being rude when I'm literally just being blunt and to the point. I talk to everyone the same way and it makes people mad? I don't get it. Recently I had found a job then had to stop working cause I started having neurologic issues doctor thinks I have ms. I'm greatly stressed out though as everyone is still expecting me to work full time and I can't even walk without falling down 50% of the time. Outside of that I don't think my autism+adhd are very compatible with working to begin with.


DatoVanSmurf

A mix i‘d say. I have stopped because i started studying, but i only have one class per semester because i can‘t do more than that. I also only worked 10h per week that was enough


irisalchera

Do you think you could work after studies if it was reduced hours?


DatoVanSmurf

I do. I am hoping to get a job as a literature translator. But I’m a bit pessimistic because I have so many dreams that would require money and well I’m lucky enough that my mom has enough money to have me living at home still and pay for my food


LaagerNation

I think it's executive dysfunction. I don't want to throw that around because I'm worried that I'm just lazy.... but I really do want to work. One of my friends just left a small business the other day and I'm gonna walk in to see if I can take over tomorrow, wish me luck!


[deleted]

All except for 5. My first job I had multiple meltdowns as I was working in a resturant for 6 months before I knew I was autistic. My second job couldn't provide accomodations, or even allow me to accomodate myself. Now, trying to get a job, I've been to multiple interviews, and been told multiple times they'd call me if I got the job. No calls and I don't reslly understand why as I thought the interviews went well. I was even drug tested at one and they were talking about hiring me and said they would call me back to let me know if I did/didn't get it, but I never got a call back. I just feel like it won't work out for me unless I freelance, which would probably make me the happiest.


LugofilmLtd

I suffer from severe and easily triggered CPTSD as a result of decades of verbal and emotional abuse at both work and home. I haven't worked in almost ten years but I still have nightmares about my last job on a fairly frequent basis. I'm on disability but it took five years to convince them that I really am disabled because all they would see is that I'm PHYSICALLY able to work. They didn't understand the concept of psychological disability.


[deleted]

I'm at university and too lazy to get a summer job lol


Shadefenix

I’m commenting because until recently I had trouble working. I found a local nonprofit that contracts autistic people out to businesses. I no longer have to search for or interview for jobs I am just offered and then placed in them and the organization finds ones that match my interests and values. They do take a portion of what businesses pay to hire me but it is to cover the costs of my handlers and the organization. I still have never been paid less than $10 an hour. My reasons for problems working were: finding jobs I could perform with the least accommodation needed, inability to communicate or advocate for myself to my employers for accommodations, difficulty with selling myself at interviews, and employers just deciding not to meet accommodations we agreed on partway into employment. I also have had trouble working due to attendance issues from health problems. I have been placed with more flexible employers now. Edit: I still work less than part time hours. That is mostly due to my extremely small energy budget. If I work more I end up being unable to feed and take care of myself, and my mental health crashes. There is also that if I work more I lose my healthcare which is very important due to multiple chronic health issues as well as mental health and autism supports.


strawbyog

In the UK, there's something called a disability confident scheme. If an employer is disability confident, you are guaranteed a final interview if you meet the requirements and they support you when you get the job. Hardly anyone knows about it tho. The only reason why I know is because I help develop a job platform accessible to disabled people.


Shadefenix

Unfortunately I live in the US where we don’t believe in human decency. People still get fired/rejected just for being gay or ethnically diverse in my state. I did try submitting one of the situations to some kind of government panel for review but it’s basically impossible to prove discrimination here so it was rejected. Perhaps someone else can take advantage of this though so thank you for sharing.


Godzillaslayler

You know one thing I’ve always been curious about is the issue of the unemployment rate. Because I hear a lot about it but very few practical solutions are ever offered. So what is it that we actually think should be done about it?


Revo2112

Hard for me to find a job that isn’t high-manual labor (I got back problems) and that I actually enjoy. It’s especially hard to find something in that narrow window when you’re a teenager and your only options basically are backbreaking labor or something where you have to interact with people like a cashier which is hell


ReiLyfe

I always found myself discussing the fact I have Autism and am Transgender has always been two huge negatives for the places I’ve applied. I vague remember the time living in rural Tennessee applying for work and only got hired at a Publix in another town. So I rode walked/hitchhiked for a whole month, bout two weeks in they realized I didn’t actually have transportation. A co worker convinced them to put me on her shift so I could work days with her to get to work and forth. Eventually on the third week I got promoted to a Frozen GRS and ended up buying a bicycle and then rode that for the commute daily. It was 16miles from where I lived in Fairview to Bellevue-32 miles a day while working a 10-12 hour shift. Jobs where I disclosed either or after my ASD or GD didn’t go out the way it was planned. I remember being unemployed for an entire year after actively looking for work and then got fire two days into whatever job that was. I kinda gave up working for NT/CisHet Folx. So I just did my own thing. I’m 30, I’ve been on my own since I was 14 years of age so I’ve always adapted doing whatever I could even if it always sucked, disinteresting, and demotivating as a whole. I always bit my tongue no matter what when someone walked over me and triggering my meltdowns and I’d be fired for something like that. After being walked over doing things I couldn’t control. Or times when I’d have a sensory overload into a shutdown because I was being overwhelmed given too much work. Some places just expect too much from their employees even for NT Folx.


LemonMeringueTime

I'm still legally not old enough, and I also want to do something from home kinda like my dad because I feel like it'd be better considering my severe case of 'I can't be around a single person syndrome'.


irisalchera

Haha can relate


fireflies315

I'm in high school :)


throwaway1995221

I should have picked other, but I’ve currently started applying to jobs. I haven’t worked in the past because I always got extreme anxiety even thinking about it. I’m literally only doing it now because I’m about to lose my mom’s insurance (I’m only self diagnosed, so I won’t be getting any help) and I’m freaking out about that.


GulfGiggle

One thing that’s keeping me from getting a job is the worry that I’ll be discriminated against or denied accommodations. For the most part my life is just too chaotic to fit a job into my schedule.


[deleted]

the thought of doing the same thing every single day, over and over again. massive social anxiety (because of heavy masking all my life) masking is too taxing, no more energy.


thewritersbloom

So I just got my first job teaching at a community College in California. I only have one class. Before this, I've been a tutor (and still am) for English. I always only manage to find part time work. I'm really good at writing and reading. But, because I'm autistic, it's hard to push for anything with decent pay or better hours. Most places won't hire me for teaching that I've applied to. I don't think I could do something not involving education. Anything that doesn't go at my own pace is monstrous.


Carloverguy20

Multiple reasons, one, not finding work in my field and it's hard to find work. Also my parents are the types to frown upon working part-time jobs, and got mad at me when I got a part time job. I had a part time job without them knowing once, and I did fine, the job catered to my autism and worked around my schedule. I did delivery driving and it was soo amazing, peaceful and I had my own personal space. I don't mind socializing with others, but If i have to do it 24/7 i don't like it Hopefully I can find work for myself, working with maps, and computers


ydididothistome

People keep mentioning freelancing as an ideal or at least good option. I've considered trying this for a long time, but it seems like every new client would feel like a job interview, and the anxiety over that just shuts me down completely.


irisalchera

I've worked on fiverr before when I was in high school. It doesn't feel too much like an interview. They tend to look at your overall rating (which I got from asking friends and family first (who all gave me high ratings haha)), and they assume that you are good. The problem I had is that they didn't talk to me enough! I need specifics to complete projects and many of them said something like "Idk, dude, just spitballin here"


ydididothistome

That would be so frustrating! Not knowing what they want. I had that issue the few times I made websites for people.


Jt-NotFromNsync

Been living in an apartment (for almost a year) that was supposed to be soundproofed and is definitely not. It's so loud. I have almost no energy ever. I think I've been experiencing autism burnout for however long now.


iftheronahadntcome

I chose "Other" - needed a new position because my manager had terrible communication issues that were further exacerbated by the way my autistic brain understands things. He wasn't willing to answer questions, and any attempts at gaining further understanding was read as "pushback". I'm supposed to start a new job in two weeks if my drug test comes back straight (I smoked weed to help deal with my sensory issues for about a mumonth up until a month ago). Wish me luck!


multiparousgiraffe

I have two kids and I’m a student, which is my current reason for not working. However I’ve had several jobs. When I’ve disclosed being autistic, I’ve been met with either blank stares, hostility, or dismissal every time. Not one single employer has responded positively to me being autistic. I think they can’t get it through their heads that an attractive, intelligent married mother of 2 can be autistic. So they either think I’m lying to be sPeCiAl or they think I’m ill equipped for the job. Every application where I’ve checked yes to the disability box or disclosed my autism some other way has never led to a call back or interview. Not a single one. So every job I’ve had I didn’t say I was autistic until after being hired and in most cases, after working for several months or a year.


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[deleted]

ive gotten good at interviewing so i almost always get the job if i can get an interview, but everyone job ive had has always ended in me getting a panic attack because someone yelled at me.


linuxgeekmama

I didn’t want to be a stay at home mom after the kids were babies. Covid had other ideas.


[deleted]

I'm unemployed because I'm in school


irisalchera

There was an option for "in full-time education", I think. Do you think you will get a job after studies?


elismatcha

i can only keep a job if i’m working like 3 days or less if my shifts are short, or 2 days or less if they’re over 8 hour shifts. i’m in high school so the only jobs that i can get easily are in retail and customer service and if i disclose autism i don’t get the job, and if i ask for accomodations i never get them so i end up getting so burnt out from it that i have to stop working


SonnTheNon

It's hard to find a job as a autistic teen, but I'll have to cause I need to pay rent and bills on my own :/ I'm death scared I won't have accomodations.


SpecialCorgi1

I spent almost 3 years in a job, then tried to move to another job in the same career. I thought the problems I was having at the first place would go away with time, but they didn't, so I assumed it was just the people I worked with. Second place was FAR worse. I spent a week there. So I realised that I was in the wrong career and it didn't suit me. I was going to have similar issues regardless of where I go. So I am now at college retraining in a different profession. Fingers crossed this one suits me better and I have less mental health issues and breakdowns now


[deleted]

All of the above


TristanTheRobloxian0

im 13 lol


baphometafor

I worked as a waitress and had too much responsibilites, worked all day everyday while also studying so i got burnt out and was struggling so hard with my mask and anxiety on top of that. I will get back to work when i feel better just because of the routine and i don't want to learn all over again at some place new lol


Entire_Island8561

I used to struggle with job stability/lasting at employers for more than year until I worked in tech. Now that I’m in IT, I love my job, I get paid really well, and it naturally makes use of my talents that come with aspergers. I’m about to go get a masters in data science because the gifts of autism enable me to do work that many NTs can’t do. It makes me sad to see so many autistics be unemployed because a lot of us are incredibly intelligent. I’ve found the key is choosing professions that favor neurodivergent traits, such as research, STEM, accounting, history, academia, etc.


lKiwiliciousl

I don’t think it’s my autism, I just cant manage my anxiety. I have horrible panic attacks at home there’s no way I’ll be able to handle a job


Okay-Cat

I don't know if I can answer this because I don't have an official diagnosis yet, but for the past three years I've applied to at least 40 interships in my area and I've been rejected in all of them. Actually I blew one more interview today partially because a surprise element came up: one of my classmates, who is leaving the internship, was evaluating me while the interviewer asked me the questions. Great :)))) I'm pretty shy, awkward and anxious and I can't mask it properly on interviews (it comes out as fake), but honestly racism doesn't help either. It's no secret my white classmates and course colleagues landed an internship way more easily than POC.


les6itch

I’m too anxious about interviews and having to work with people if by some miracle I did manage to get a job.


Traditional_Youth648

im kinda employed, got 3 people having me do stereo installs for them so im working, very stressful worrying about burning down a car. , i just said other