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Got hired!

Robby

Robby

Well-Known Member
Well I guess my persistence has finally paid off. I got hired as a File Clerk for a local law firm. I think it will be a good fit for me! I had been at AAA auto insurance and that crashed and burned because of the customer service part and the fastpace audiory element. I figured a file clerk would be much better pace for me. And lo and behold I got hired. So we'll see how it goes! I think it will be a lot more manageable for me. They don't know I have a disability (autism) yet, but I figure I can tell them on my start day as far as any accommodations I might need? (mainly this would be needing instructions and stuff written down so I can follow them better). I start Monday, wish me luck! I did filing work at my school as a part time job and loved putting things in order, I think this potentially will be a good fit for me! I'm also pursuing modeling and acting classes on the side. Oddly, although I hate crowds and people in many settings, with acting I never minded it so much.
 
Good choice. File clerks don't usually involve many interactions with other employees.

A real "plus" for so many of us Aspies. :)
 
Thanks! So far so good. It's basically just pulling sorting and filing legal documents. There is part that needs the computer and the lady was patient and tried to talk me through it but it still confuses me but I'm focusing on the parts I do well.I haven't told her yet that I have mild autism, but may eventually. The sorting and physical filing is fine, just the one part where we have to go into the computer and enter info for one category that's confusing me. I will need time to get the hang of it and pick it up, hopefully if I show up and try, they'll be understanding. Nothing wrong with asking questions right! I'm the type of person once I get the hang of something I'm great, sometimes it just takes me a little to pick it up. And for some tasks I sometimes need someone to model how to do it so I can visually pick it up and have it stick. I love the quiet environment, it's really good so far. If I can just stay in the zen and try my best, hopefully it will go well. I want to do well.
 
Robby said:
I will need time to get the hang of it and pick it up, hopefully if I show up and try, they'll be understanding. Nothing wrong with asking questions right!
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I don't think anyone on this planet is perfect on their first day, or even first week. Everyone needs time to get used to a new job and new responsibilities. :) Sounds like you're doing great!
 
Thanks, it went pretty well and I LOVE the work environment, pretty perfect for me, quiet, relaxing, feels very stress free. Basically just a ton of endless filing. Don't mind it, just that one aspect that used the computer system totally confused me, and she was pretty patient trying to talk me through some of it, but still didn't make sense, that aspect was a bit overwhelming, so will have to ask her for more help to figure that part out. I want to learn it and figure it out and be able to do it well. I am trying to tell myself to stay in the zone and just do my best and keep things in perspective even if something totally confuses me, I am only human and if I try my best and show a good effort, that things will work out.
 
Congratulations. Employment is both so difficult, and so important for us. The cornerstone of the independence we need to create a life that works for us, instead of always being on the verge of unravelling in NT world.
 
Thanks, going ok so far. Endless filing but great in that I'm pretty much left alone. I'm still figuring things out, I have to say the lady who showed me and the other guy around the first day hasn't been that helpful in explaining certain things to me, she seems to just take for granted that I'll figure it all out. Kind of weird, I came in and asked if she could help walk me through part of the computer part, she said she would, but never did. Not a big deal, I'm figuring it out for myself, despite the fact that I'm a bit rusty with Word. This other really sweet clerk there who just started too was really nice and helped me out some, so I think I'll figure it out, might take me some time but I have a good attitude about it and am trying hard. I think it will work out
 
I often get confused with instructions included on pc software, but once I start trying it on my own, it begins to make sense. I'm sure you will get it soon, and probably become very good at it. Hope it goes well.
 
Wanted to post an update..So overall I'd say it's going well, for someone who hasn't worked at all in several years, let alone around strangers and in a work environment, plus all the software and techniques and learning how to use the copy machine and all the office tools and Word. It's been a bit challenging, but I'm handling it as best I can. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude, that helps a lot. I've only been here a little over a week, and most people there seem fairly nice. I'm one of about 4 file clerks, the others seem to understand computers and Microsoft Word a bit better than me, but I don't think it's good to compare yourself to others, so I'm not. I'm just doing my best! Being on time, trying my best, and taking it all in. The supervisor lady who basically assigns me tasks such as files to sort and categorize and then digitally file some of them has been pretty nice and attentive. It's like she realizes that I need some help some things and she seems to be very nice about offering help and even at times volunteering herself to help me with things. The first week, she pretty much turned us loose after a brief initial walkthrough, and of course, with me being very visual I needed more time to learn it all, it was a LOT to process. Basically I just sort files every day and then sort them according to which get manually filed and then which get digitally entered and indexed on the computer. I did it for about the first week finding my way around, but she told me yesterday that I had to make sure and index them numerically in the files so she walked me through that. I am always grateful for her tips. I just want to do my best and try not to make mistakes, but I am human but am trying hard.

The coworkers pretty much do their own thing, not too much interaction, there've been a couple other clerks come to me and ask questions about things I had done and wondering what I had done but I just told them I'm trying to do it now the way the supervisor showed me they seem to be cool with it.

I haven't told my hiring manager yet that I am autistic, not sure whether to or not, I guess it couldn't hurt at some point. One thing, I have a substantial hearing loss in my right ear due to my ear drum bursting a few years back in an accident, and I have to wear a hearing aid because of it, the first few days at work I was afraid to wear it kind of worried about people staring or something but was having too much trouble hearing so wore it today and was night and day I heard pretty much everything! One guy kind of looked at me funny and at my ear but I mean I don't really care what people think if they're going to judge over something like that thats their problem.

Still trying to overcome the social awkwardness part, sizing everyone up, still a bit awkward being new and all, but I am decent at making small talk, but some of these people seem a bit stodgy or square. But it's a good opportunity for work experience, so I'm grateful.

My hiring manager did call me in this morning she needed a copy of something and asked me how it was going I told her great that I like putting things in order and she said it looked like my filing was coming along good so that was good! She seems really sweet.
 
Thanks, I'm trying my best! I heard once a quote that showing up and having a positive attitude is half the battle, which is what I'm doing. I found out yesterday that the other file clerk who I work near, is actually the son of the founding partner of the firm, which is a bit intimidating to say the least. He's like 13 years younger than me, and some of the secretaries in the office seem to be overly nice to him probably because of his dad being a main attorney. It's intimidating and makes me want to to perform even better! I'm always worried about being labeled as "slow" or something, even though I know I'm not, I just think and process info differently than others, and while I am very organized, I'm not the most technical person. But all in all, this job has more pros than cons for me. Yesterday I found myself getting extremely overwhelmed but I tried to just stay calm and focus. He's also way younger than me, so he's obviously just doing it for like a summer job or something. But he seems nice enough, just hard for me to read people. He came in once and asked a question about something I'd done, that he couldn't find a file or something. I just tried to tell him that I am learning the filing system better every day. I'm just trying to do my best and stay positive even if I feel overwhelmed at times. Still haven't really connected with anyone there, a couple have been quite nice, and my supervisor seems nice and helpful. Just trying not to overthink things. The computer and indexing work is still confusing and overwhelming at times. I've been doing my best and I hope getting better each day. I've only been here a couple weeks so just trying to tell myself to relax and that in time it will get clearer. The other file clerks seem to be much more adept at the computer work but they've probably had much more experience with computers and software than me. But I'm trying! It's a part time job with good hours and good pay so hoping to stick it out at least a few months so I can get some experience and maybe a reference or two. Trying to stay positive and hopefully my supervisors will see that and recognize my efforts.
 
Robby said:
Thanks, I'm trying my best! I heard once a quote that showing up and having a positive attitude is half the battle, which is what I'm doing. I found out yesterday that the other file clerk who I work near, is actually the son of the founding partner of the firm, which is a bit intimidating to say the least. He's like 13 years younger than me, and some of the secretaries in the office seem to be overly nice to him probably because of his dad being a main attorney. It's intimidating and makes me want to to perform even better! I'm always worried about being labeled as "slow" or something, even though I know I'm not, I just think and process info differently than others, and while I am very organized, I'm not the most technical person. But all in all, this job has more pros than cons for me. Yesterday I found myself getting extremely overwhelmed but I tried to just stay calm and focus. He's also way younger than me, so he's obviously just doing it for like a summer job or something. But he seems nice enough, just hard for me to read people. He came in once and asked a question about something I'd done, that he couldn't find a file or something. I just tried to tell him that I am learning the filing system better every day. I'm just trying to do my best and stay positive even if I feel overwhelmed at times. Still haven't really connected with anyone there, a couple have been quite nice, and my supervisor seems nice and helpful. Just trying not to overthink things. The computer and indexing work is still confusing and overwhelming at times. I've been doing my best and I hope getting better each day. I've only been here a couple weeks so just trying to tell myself to relax and that in time it will get clearer. The other file clerks seem to be much more adept at the computer work but they've probably had much more experience with computers and software than me. But I'm trying! It's a part time job with good hours and good pay so hoping to stick it out at least a few months so I can get some experience and maybe a reference or two. Trying to stay positive and hopefully my supervisors will see that and recognize my efforts.
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Try and keep calm about the family member thing and don't compare yourself with other workers as you will work in a different way probably. That doesn't mean it's worse though. Comparisons with others can result in unnecessary conformity which may stunt your natural strengths. Just bear that in mind if you find yourself anxious and stuck in a rut of thinking you don't get it yet. It's only early days and you are comparing with people who have had time to grasp the job.
 
So coming up on close to a month here so far, and overall it's been good. The people are nice, basically it's a nice work environment and fairly quiet so good in that way, pretty much organizing and sorting tons and tons and tons of files, filing them in physical files, and using a software program for the law firm to categorize and index the files digitally. That part is still challenging, I am not a technical person at all, and it takes me time to learn things like that. I'm getting the hang of it, and on the plus side, I know how to use the printer now, without feeling anxiety. I worry about making mistakes, but am trying my best, and trying each day to just pace myself and look at quality over quantity. The guy who's another file clerk is the son of the partner of the firm, and on days when he's there, I am nervous, he seems ok, but he's obviously much more tech savvy than me, and once or twice he's come to me asking me about a file I had already done digitally or something, or sometimes he'll make like a suggestion about doing something differently. Maybe he's being helpful and I'm overthinking it, kind of unnerves me, not sure if he's legitimately asking about something I did or if he's just that type of person. He's like a computer wizard and math genius. So when he asks me about something I already did it freaks me out, not sure why he does that. But he asks in a respectful way, so maybe I'm just reading too much into that. Just kind of makes me nervous that he's the main lawyer's son I feel like I have to walk on eggshells around him, but whatever. I'm doing my best. I'm not a computer wizard, and I'm trying my best. Haven't had any problems with anyone, my immediate supervisor seems nice and is always very willing to help me, I seem to click with her quite well. Today I had run into a confusing issue with saving a file and it not saving under the right title, and she had to go in and help me out and show me how to correct it. She's very patient and always helpful, and we often are the last to leave work together and make small talk and chit chat, something I'm pretty good at. She seems to like me, and I hope she sees that I'm trying. I haven't told anyone there that I am mildly autistic yet, not sure if I should or not? Overall I like the job, but should I tell someone about the autism thing? My mom told me to just relax, that I've only been there a few weeks so to just take it easy and do my best. I'm just glad to finally have a job and even though the technical parts and Microsoft Word are very confusing at times, I'm trying! I'm always on time and always put in a good effort.
 
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