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Looking for some career advice

aspiewoman30

New Member
I am a 30 year old female aspie who was diagnosed a few months ago. I am currently struggling to find a suitable career for myself. I am extremely high functioning, and have had a full-time retail job for the past seven years. I have forced myself to stay at this job because I'm financially independant and need the money.

My job is very stressful and involves a lot of social interaction which is making me very anxious and depressed. I am desperately looking for a career change but don't know what to do.

My special interests are: fashion, poets, writers, and musicians (I'm very good with facts), psychology, and the 1960s. My skills are writing, editing, and proofreading. I also love gathering and organizing information.

I am wanting to start my own freelance writing and proofreading business, but I realize that it takes time to start a business and earn a substantial income. This is why I'm trying to figure out another career option so that I can earn a substantial income while starting my freelance business.

I don't feel comfortable interacting with people socially, so I prefer to work by myself quitely. I am willing to go back to school, however, I can't afford graduate school.

Based on this information, does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Welcome to AF.jpg
 
I am a 30 year old female aspie who was diagnosed a few months ago. I am currently struggling to find a suitable career for myself. I am extremely high functioning, and have had a full-time retail job for the past seven years. I have forced myself to stay at this job because I'm financially independant and need the money.

My job is very stressful and involves a lot of social interaction which is making me very anxious and depressed. I am desperately looking for a career change but don't know what to do.

My special interests are: fashion, poets, writers, and musicians (I'm very good with facts), psychology, and the 1960s. My skills are writing, editing, and proofreading. I also love gathering and organizing information.

I am wanting to start my own freelance writing and proofreading business, but I realize that it takes time to start a business and earn a substantial income. This is why I'm trying to figure out another career option so that I can earn a substantial income while starting my freelance business.

I don't feel comfortable interacting with people socially, so I prefer to work by myself quitely. I am willing to go back to school, however, I can't afford graduate school.

Based on this information, does anyone have any suggestions?
A publishing house ?is there a magazine devoted to the retail sector and an employment section? there maybe a job that you would be more suited to .
I know a friend had a stressful time as an attorney and changed career ,to work at a university as a pa ,seems to suit her
 
Welcome to the site! While you search of a new career would it be possible to shift to a new position where you are at that would have less interaction with the public? I worked in retail for a bit and couldn't handle it after awhile, but there were a couple positions in my store that worked almost exclusively behind the scenes. I envied those people.

If you are detailed and organized (which a lot of Aspies are) then consider looking into jobs involved in handling money/finances and/or paperwork. Tedious work can be really boring, but it can also pay well and keep you from dealing with lots of people. Transcription (medical or otherwise) is also an option, but you have to be pretty good at it to make a living doing it.
 
Hey, hello and welcome!
Because I work in a medical profession, my first ideas were: medical transcription, or working in medical records and information. Another position that exists at a central office within many medical regions/ facilities is 'scheduler'. Any of those positions would likely require some sort of diploma program, but nothing as extensive as grad school.
If you have handled a retail position full time for 7 yrs, that says to me: you may not need to make a drastic change in career, just better tailor your work to minimize some of your stressors. I really struggled working in retail, since the main type of interaction there involved me 'selling' something to strangers. I find it MUCH easier to interact with people if they come to me looking for help or information. In primary healthcare, as well as information services, education, etc. you still interact with lot of different people, but clients are seeking your expertise. You are the one who has the power to assist them. They are often feeling vulnerable, which tends to level the playing field in terms of overall awkwardness. I have found that I truly enjoy my interactions with healthcare clients. There are clear expectations on all sides, and conversations do tend to follow predictable scripts, so I can focus on the person in front of me, and work out how to best help them (vs. what I should say/ how I should act/ how to impress them/ how to make them buy what I'm selling). Turns out I like working with people when the circumstances suit my Aspie nature!
 
My special interests are: fashion, poets, writers, and musicians (I'm very good with facts), psychology, and the 1960s. My skills are writing, editing, and proofreading. I also love gathering and organizing information.

I am wanting to start my own freelance writing and proofreading business, but I realize that it takes time to start a business and earn a substantial income.

Jinx! Me too!

My special interests are: fashion, poets, writers, and musicians (I'm very good with facts), psychology, and the 1960s. My skills are writing, editing, and proofreading. I also love gathering and organizing information.

Hmm. Well firstly you are right, there are bills to pay and writers aren't that well paid. I did a similar thing, I have a "day job" which actually allows me to write what I want without being at the mercy of an editor.

So. The day job. Hmm, psychology might work what about human resources? Every institution has an HR department, even universities and colleges. You could do HR in an environment that you are comfortable in.

Gathering and organizing information. Lends itself to project management. Every industry has project managers/ PMOs, program managers.

Or data entry/ accounting. I knew someone who was responsible for data protection, what personal details to give out, she worked in a hospital with patient records.

Writing, editing, and proofreading. Corporate communications uses these skills, writing memos, reviewing documents, even technical writing.

And best of luck!
 

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