Does this sound like autism?

[Jaco Johnson]

Hello,
New to the forum here, thanks for the add. Wanted to share a recent experience I had and see if anyone can relate.

I recently went for a job interview in another state. I had done well in the zoom interview and was asked to fly in to meet the whole team of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers.
The interview was to last all day!
After about 2-3 hours into it I started to have real bad anxiety and shaking. I think I was overwhelmed with all the information that was being given, the tour of the large facility, and meeting so many new people and trying (horribly) to make small talk. Being I had no where to escape to I mentally shut down but tried to fake it until the end of the interview. I felt like I was losing track of everyone’s conversations around me and I honestly couldn’t tell if other people were making comments indirectly about how awkward I was (I felt like they were)- like they were speaking code??? I couldn’t tell because my processing of the verbal information was shutting down. At one point one of the doctors jokingly (I think) said “Why are you still here. I bet you’re ready to get out of here!” I didn’t know if he was being sarcastic or honest but I think the latter. A couple of times in the interview I was able to sit and chat in a room with only 1-2 people and I felt more calm then and maybe better able to track what was said. But most of the time I was around 5-10 new people or more and was overwhelmed with the auditory information and felt like the topic of conversation.

Can anyone else relate? Have you ever felt like people were talking to each other about you, right in front of you indirectly like that? Was I just being paranoid (personality disorder?) or is this type of experience common in adults with ASD?

Like I said it’s hard to recall exactly what people were saying but I heard a couple comments about “short term memory” a lot of comments about “team work” “communication” “close collaboration” and “accommodations” a few times. I wish I had recorded the audio so I could go back and listen but I just found it so hard to listen and process. It was quite a traumatic experience and I don’t know why I put myself through that. I realized a lot of things one of which includes being ok with my “boring” job that involves fewer interactions and pays very well.

Thanks for any input!
Jack

 

[garnetflower13]

It sounds like it was an overwhelming experience period, without necessarily having to be about your being on the spectrum! An extrovert would have come away feeling exhilarated, because they thrive on interacting with lots of people. An introvert would be on the verge of meltdown. If you feel that you might be on the spectrum, take a look at the resources on this site: Resources | Asperger's & Autism Forum

Good luck with the job hunt!

 

[Thinx]

Hi and welcome. All the words you quote sound like the kind of words that would be used when discussing starting work at a new place, not as if they were negative words. Sounds like you felt overwhelmed and a bit self conscious and maybe got a bit confused or paranoid/panicked. But autism could be part of it so reading up on it should help you clarify that. It does sound a long day for you, I think that's possibly what that guy meant when he said, are you still here?

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I had a couple of job interviews like that in the past flow in some where to get interviewed, find my way around a strange city with a rental car meet a bunch of strange people, not fun, write a, bunch of tests anxious about landing the job. Having to prove once again that I have exceptional colour vision .So yes I know where you are going through, No I did not get the job, failed a mickey mouse math test adding subtracting a sheet full of numbers while being timed. So stupid thier loss. My real advantage was my being an Aspie which they or I did not know at the time. I f you are one of us, they may never know until later and then kick themselves when they realize what you could bring to the table. in my case the place that finally did hire me realized quickly that I was different and a exceptional employee in ways that they could nor detect through conventional hiring practices.