Problems with staying at a job

[MidAgedChineseFemale]

Do you find yourself not being able to stay at a job? When I used to work, I could only work there the most for a year. Whatever reason I would quit that job. It's not only true with working, it's wherever I go, I have problems staying there long term. The longest I stayed at a place was 3 years. It was school, I didn't complete my degree anyhow.

 

[Momo]

I have the same problem, I usually have to move every three or four years and really struggle to keep the same job, friends, school and so on. It can be difficult at times, you just have to work at it. 慢走

 

[The Penguin]

I did had this issues for many employers I worked for. I'm glad I found one that more understanding of my LD.

 

[Judge]

I have just the opposite issue. Once I find a job I'll cling to it tenaciously, even when it becomes toxic.

For me, the work, its routine and getting along with coworkers isn't usually so difficult. It's looking for work and interviewing that always has remained my worst nightmare.

 

[OlLiE]

I've never managed to stay more than three years in a job, i usually end up leaving when i feel things start going wrong, it's usually problems with hierarchy or problems with colleagues. I also get bored really quickly and have no tolerance for politically inspired managers who compensate lack of knowledge with with arrogance and bullsh*t. I can appear very sociable and charming although its exhausting, and that has unfortunately led to jobs in sales and management positions, at the end of the day i was running myself into the ground doing my job and trying to pretend to be someone i wasn't. Once i got my diagnosis, i tried to move to jobs i thought would be more appropriate, but things actually got worse. It then got to the point where i couldn't go on and didn't even have the energy to stand in the lift let alone get my job done. I've managed to find job counselling focused on people on the spectrum. I also realise that it will probably mean taking a few steps back, but i've accepted that.

 

[Ambi]

Do you find yourself not being able to stay at a job? When I used to work, I could only work there the most for a year. Whatever reason I would quit that job. It's not only true with working, it's wherever I go, I have problems staying there long term. The longest I stayed at a place was 3 years. It was school, I didn't complete my degree anyhow.

Yes, definitely. I have a hard time staying more than a year, I usually leave before I've reached the 2 year mark. I've also had the same problems with academic programs.

 

[Katleya]

In a not particularly bad setting, I will start withering after a year. After that, I'll get very bored, won't stand any of what I'm doing because I find it stupid, and will look for new opportunities, which I rarely find, making me more frustrated, and so on.
In a bad setting, I'll feel the toxicity nearly right away, and if it's some crappy, temp job that can be easily replace, I have no qualms leaving after even a few hours or days, but if there is an element of stability, I will, like Judge, "cling tenaciously to it". And I'll end up exploding or imploding somehow.

In either case, mine is essentially a 2-year cycle from hiring to never seen again.

 

[Tyrantus1212]

I'm surprised as to how I've managed to keep a job, out in the real world, for over 5 years. My guess can only be good programming skills and my ability to treat a client with respect because in theory I should have been fired years ago. Outside of these two realms, my communication skills are pretty terrible and it might take me several tries to understand what a coworker is talking about. I'm also very slow when it comes to doing my job because I always tend to overthink. My social skills are terrible, I'm guessing that is why I don't get assigned to communicate with clients. I get nervous and totally fall apart whenever I make mistakes and automatically start making excuses so that people wouldn't think I'm an idiot (and in reality no one there thinks that). I also understand things literally, lack common sense, and tend to assume a lot due to that lack of common sense. I tend to exhibit my low self-esteem and often put myself down in front of my colleagues.

I'm best when I either program solo, or when working with a calm and patient coworker. So far two of them have been losing patience with me multiple times, one of them hasn't, and the 4th one is new so there's still unexplored territory there. I was even asked why I only look that patient coworker in the eye whenever my coworkers and I have team meetings. Despite all these things I still do my best even though it might not seem that way. I'm just not very well adjusted to the real world, and these issues can lead to mistakes that another person would likely catch before actually making. I will too be clinging to this job as much as I can, doing the best I can considering...and I haven't told my boss I have Asperger's because I'm worried he might think I'm using it as a get out of jail free card; like I said, I make excuses to make myself not seem like a total idiot (and ironically the excuses just might do the opposite), and I'm known to be an excuse maker down there. With all that said, I just cannot afford to get fired - I'm gonna be in a pretty tight financial spot if that happens, and I'm not even sure if I'd be able to find a different job; I was pretty lucky to have landed this one in the first place.

 

[tw3]

My forty plus year career consists of positions that never lasted more than three years for apparently different reasons in each case. It took me thirteen years at three universities to finally get a degree through night classes while working full time at multiple jobs.
At the start of each job I worked hard and got good reviews. Eventually I would get bored. My work quality fell off so I got bad reviews and then I would go find another job before getting in more trouble.
Later, as a CPA and CFO I was recruited to companies that had huge bookkeeping and accounting problems at very good salaries. After a year or two things were always running well. The owner or CEO would eventually decide that they were paying me too much for this 'easy' job. They would hire an 'assistant' that I would train. Six or nine months later the company decided a good way to save money was to eliminate my position especially since my assistant could do the job at half the price.
Being a typical Aspie I never saw the handwriting on the wall or read between the lines. There were multiple situations where a work 'friend' was using me and even taking credit for my work.
Since I was truthful, I thought everyone else was too. Even though I have a very high IQ, I thought everyone at work knew more than me and they were smarter because they worked there before I did.
At any rate, I never lasted more than three years.

 

[Hallzers]

My forty plus year career consists of positions that never lasted more than three years for apparently different reasons in each case. It took me thirteen years at three universities to finally get a degree through night classes while working full time at multiple jobs.
At the start of each job I worked hard and got good reviews. Eventually I would get bored. My work quality fell off so I got bad reviews and then I would go find another job before getting in more trouble.
Later, as a CPA and CFO I was recruited to companies that had huge bookkeeping and accounting problems at very good salaries. After a year or two things were always running well. The owner or CEO would eventually decide that they were paying me too much for this 'easy' job. They would hire an 'assistant' that I would train. Six or nine months later the company decided a good way to save money was to eliminate my position especially since my assistant could do the job at half the price.
Being a typical Aspie I never saw the handwriting on the wall or read between the lines. There were multiple situations where a work 'friend' was using me and even taking credit for my work.
Since I was truthful, I thought everyone else was too. Even though I have a very high IQ, I thought everyone at work knew more than me and they were smarter because they worked there before I did.
At any rate, I never lasted more than three years.

Wow... sounds like we have a lot in common. I've made millions of dollars for others... and I usually ended up feeling like I was eaten by a wolf and crapped off a cliff. I'm presently working about 70 hours per week doing a lot of other people's jobs for them.

 

[Progster]

My longest was 6 years, but before then I had a history of quitting or being fired after a few months, or weeks, even.

 

[Zuliac]

My max is about four months. I also move around every 2-5 years.

Like others, I get bored easily. Bad management or office politics often has something to do with it as well.

I have just discovered my aspie status and it is really gratifying to see that others have this issue, too. I could never explain to others why I am like this. I also change hobbies and interests pretty quickly. I just like to learn and get involved in new things. Once I get a feel for the workplace or an activity I am ready to move on to something else.

I have no problem at all getting jobs. I know how to write a superior resume and pass through an interview. I know what people want, I just can't seem to keep that act going long-term. It is exhausting.

I graduated business school last year and never even applied for a job (even before I learned I was aspie) because now I recognize myself as a completely unreliable worker. I'm good at whatever I do and work hard, but I know that I will not last. It seems rude to mislead people for a few month's income.

I've gone so long without a job (3 years) that now I am terrified to even try. I am much better at going to school and would love to find a way to do that forever.

 

[Bella Pines]

Yep, same. 2 years 11 months used to be my hard stop, after which I would literally go insane. Can you go contracting?

 

[Mary Anne]

I see myself in every single post here. I too grow bored, and cannot stay with anything for long. Just quit my job at 11 months! No backup plan either, and plenty of bills. I always thought something very wrong with me. Everybody else seemed to work for years, decades and stayed in jobs. I felt so much shame! Thanks everyone for allowing me to see I am not alone.

 

[Mattymatt]

Do you find yourself not being able to stay at a job? When I used to work, I could only work there the most for a year. Whatever reason I would quit that job. It's not only true with working, it's wherever I go, I have problems staying there long term. The longest I stayed at a place was 3 years. It was school, I didn't complete my degree anyhow.

I definitely have problems staying in one job. The longest I've ever lasted at an employer was 5 years. I haven't come close since. Typically 6 months to a year and I am told that I am just not working out.

 

[Gracey]

Two different types of jobs (one military, one civilian) have seen me there for almost five years.

Similarities were uniform (no decisions to make on what to wear)
Scripts, protocol, ridged rules, clear expectations and most interaction is a non emotional’get on with it’ type.

Most of what I’ve done since has lasted until I learned all I wanted to learn or I considered management to be taking the p*ss, presuming employees are unaware of company policy or working time directives, data protection and well, take the p*ss.
Whichever happened soonest.

I’m all for going the extra mile to meet the needs of the business but don’t present it like it’s compulsory and not in breach of a few EU guidelines.

My work history is sketchy, my CV probably laughable.
I currently have many “unfortunately we’re not taking your application further” and those are just the ones that have bothered to acknowledge my application for work.

If a definition of madness is always doing the same thing and expecting a different result,
Maybe I could try a different type of job? New area? Re train, study?
(Or a different way of keeping my big mouth firmly shut!)

Or both

 

[Ames]

Yes, yes, and YES to everything everyone has said here! I have had health issues that have prevented me from working for several years. I had some improvement recently, but I have no idea how to try to get back to being a functioning member of society. I could never explain to people why I can't "just get a job!" They think I am lazy or think I'm too good for entry-level positions, but it's that those sorts of jobs are the worst for me (overwhelming sounds, smells, people, etc.) and I would be the worst at them (no sense of direction, get bored easily, struggle with time, etc.). I have a few degrees, but can't do anything with them.

I always thought I would figure out a job that I could do well - all I ever wanted was to be useful. But even now, after over 40 years, I have no idea what I could thrive at doing. I'm afraid there is no answer (at least for me).

I wish it made me feel better to know this isn't an uncommon problem, but it just makes me feel terrible that so many other people are going through the same thing.

 

[Anthracite]

o/ Longest job I had was a year which I then left (on good terms, the only good terms I ever left on) to start an apprenticeship, which I was then "let go" from after 4 months. Every other job I've had I've been sacked from for varying reasons, mostly for autistic blunders or issues (I wouldn't mind but I'm so polite I usually end up getting screwed over for it). I've never had a job where an employer knows I'm autistic (because I didn't know), but now I'm just like, why? Why would I put myself through that shizzle again just to make the 1% richer?