Is being underemployed or struggling to get into a career that pays enough to support oneself, common for people on the autism spectrum?

[AprilR]

You have no reason to feel ashamed and self conscious. It has been hard to find a job nowadays for some time. Having autism or a similar condition makes it even harder even when the traits associated with it could be an asset due to the focus on networking skills which we tend to struggle with.

Thank you. The problem is when i made my career choice i did not know i was autistic and thought my lack of social skills was because i had a bad/cold personality. Because of this i also wanted to quit college multiple times but my parents talked me out of it.

Now people at work always look at me like i am kind of mentally slow and weird for working minimum wage at my age.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I'm assuming that the rn refers to being a nurse. If the hospitals don't think your social skills are sufficient for interacting with patients, is there another position like back room lab tech or work from home medical billing and coding that you could use your medical knowledge to switch to?

 

[AprilR]

I'm assuming that the rn refers to being a nurse. If the hospitals don't think your social skills are sufficient for interacting with patients, is there another position like back room lab tech or work from home medical billing and coding that you could use your medical knowledge to switch to?

I am an attorney actually. Although i interacted with clients in the past, the main responsibility was always on my boss. I don't think i would be able to have my own firm because of my lack of social skills, but that is what all my peers do. I don't think i would be able to find clients either way.

 

[FayetheAspie]

I think there are law clerk positions that don't interact with the public much.

 

[Shamar]

You have no reason to feel ashamed and self conscious. It has been hard to find a job nowadays for some time. Having autism or a similar condition makes it even harder even when the traits associated with it could be an asset due to the focus on networking skills which we tend to struggle with.

Too many years ago, during a period when I had trouble finding work (I think it lasted from when I was 18 until I retired), I paid money I didn't really have for a job finding program. The first thing they said was that I approach someone in the industry and ask for contacts, then ask those contacts for contacts, and so on, and develop a network contacts to find where unadvertised job openings were. My first reaction was "This is the stupidest idea I have ever heard! Approach strangers and ask for a favor? ME?"

For the record, the job program where they noticed my autism was a different program and much later.

 

[Wolfiedog]

i wouldn’t know what a career was if it hit me in the head.
All i knew was work work work until something better came along.

 

[Steelbookcollector217]

yeah, i don't get it how why or how either most people, or just many people, are able to just naturally figure it out so easily on what they want to do with their lives career-wise.

I will admit, i kinda envy my cousins because they were able to get into stable careers without college education, but they mainly moved up or stay at their employer the longest.