What makes it so someone with autism cant work?

[An Arctic fox]

I currently work, during the night, at a grocery store. I don't mind it.

I'd worked, during the daytime, for 2 months, before I discovered that I could work, during the nighttime. The daytime shift was horrible! The crowds of turbulent customers, the expected dexterity, and the abrupt customer questions irritated me.

I could be sticking my head into a cold fridge, while my elbow holds open its door, loudly shoving ice cream tubs deep into bottom shelves when one, of many looming customers, abruptly asks a question I couldn't answer, so I'd have to pull out my head and make them repeat it. Then, I'd have to frantically scour the store for an experienced employee, while possibly getting questioned, by another customer, partway through the walk!

I also hated: making eye contact with everyone, acting allistic, fulsomely reciprocating customers' "small talk," and getting called "Sir," which irritates me, as a non-male-gendered transgender person. I know that the customers defaulted to cisnormative gendering, and didn't intend to offend me, but here's an analogy. Imagine that every stranger who approaches you accidentally steps on your toe. I wouldn't blame them, for unintentionally hurting me, but after someone tramples your toe, every 5 minutes, the frequency and poignancy inevitably annoys. I could inform staff members that I knew of my preferred pronouns, and they'd learn to call me by them, because I'd consort with them regularly. Unfortunately, the company policy discourages criticizing customers; plus, the customers met me, for the first time, and therefore, presumed my pronouns.

After 2 horrid months, of diurnal work, I got the opportunity to try working, during the night. After the first few hours, of my first night shift, I was already crusading to switch to it. That proved to be very wise.

I primarily stock shelves, for 8 hours; the duration includes 30-40 minutes of break time that I can distribute, as I wish. I work with 1-4 kind, familiar coworkers, on a given night; half of our work is solitary and quite quiet. We can also: joke, curse, sing, yell, and be authentic. As long as we finish our work, by 8:00, in the morning, the management personnel don't care how we work. As a bonus, we don't need to wear uncomfortable uniforms, during the night; we can dress more authentically and comfortably. We don't even speak to any customers.

Never would I say that I love my job, as I prefer sitting (and imagining) over labor. However, I'm saving money for post-secondary education. Someday, I'll be able to use my head more than my hands.

As a final note, I got my job, through proving myself during a work placement, which came at the end of a workplace training program. The program was designed to help disadvantaged individuals ease into the workplace; I completed it, in 7 months (though some people stay in it, for 13 months). I discovered the program at a job search center. Guess what? I got the placement, and the job, without a resumé or an interview. I feel very lucky. The organization that helped me, from start to finish, was called Futureworx, which might exist only in Canada.

I went from avoiding everyone (2015), to nearly committing suicide (2015 or 2016), to finding Futureworx (2017), to starting my training program (2018), to getting a job, in 2019. Hopefully, that imbues you with some hope, Arctic fox. Take your journey slowly, and if you can find supportive, patient people who are grateful for every small step you take, you'll make it.

That did give me some hope, thank you

 

[Aspychata]

I find it best to apply for jobs that are short interactions, or jobs where l face a computer all day. I love technical jargon, reading legalise, or retail is okay.

 

[Progster]

There have been many reasons why I have either left or not been able to hold onto a job...

-Not fitting in socially. Not being sociable or friendly enough - that can mean, not joining in banter and small talk; keeping myself to myself.
-Not getting on with the boss's son.
-getting angry and snapping at the boss when she made short notice or last minute changes to the schedule.
- Not being aware of or engaging in office politics, not knowing how to 'play the game'.
- Making social faux pas.
- Being overwhelmed and having mini-meltdowns, meaning: need to go to the bathroom for 20 minutes to calm down and recover.
- Performance anxiety; not being able to cope with school inspections or observed while teaching and being physically ill with anxiety so have to take time off work.
- Not being able to cope with inconsistency.
-Not able to cope with background noise.
- Slow processing. Not able to take in a lot of information at once, slow to deal with things, difficulty with multi-tasking.
- specific problems related to work, in my case classroom management or keeping class engaged (I talk in a slow, monotone voice and the kids just switch off).

I have never been fired directly, but twice left at short notice and other times found my contract terminated or not renewed.

 

[An Arctic fox]

There have been many reasons why I have either left or not been able to hold onto a job...

-Not fitting in socially. Not being sociable or friendly enough - that can mean, not joining in banter and small talk; keeping myself to myself.
-Not getting on with the boss's son.
-getting angry and snapping at the boss when she made short notice or last minute changes to the schedule.
- Not being aware of or engaging in office politics, not knowing how to 'play the game'.
- Making social faux pas.
- Being overwhelmed and having mini-meltdowns, meaning: need to go to the bathroom for 20 minutes to calm down and recover.
- Performance anxiety; not being able to cope with school inspections or observed while teaching and being physically ill with anxiety so have to take time off work.
- Not being able to cope with inconsistency.
-Not able to cope with background noise.
- Slow processing. Not able to take in a lot of information at once, slow to deal with things, difficulty with multi-tasking.
- specific problems related to work, in my case classroom management or keeping class engaged (I talk in a slow, monotone voice and the kids just switch off).

I have never been fired directly, but twice left at short notice and other times found my contract terminated or not renewed.

Well I'm sorry that happened to you but that was really informative and helpful (though I dont see how not being social can cost you a job but I've never been social so I dont know what I'm loosing I guess)

 

[Progster]

though I dont see how not being social can cost you a job

Because you stand out as being different... most workplaces put a lot of emphasis on fitting in, so if you are different or prefer to keep yourself to yourself, you are seen as not fitting it, and when other staff members see that someone is different, they will often gang up on that person and push them out.

 

[An Arctic fox]

Because you stand out as being different... most workplaces put a lot of emphasis on fitting in, so if you are different or prefer to keep yourself to yourself, you are seen as not fitting it, and when other staff members see that someone is different, they will often gang up on that person and push them out.

Oh ok that makes sense

 

[Crossbreed]

...when other staff members see that someone is different, they will often gang up on that person and push them out.

Especially, when we are curve-busters!

 

[Progster]

Especially, when we are curve-busters!

What do you mean?

 

[An Arctic fox]

What do you mean?

I had to look up the definition for it but they are people who get good grades, at least that is what the short sentence I read was

 

[Crossbreed]

What do you mean?

In some grading systems (school, job performance, etc.), the person doing the grading will grade according to average performance, not against some rigid standard. That is called "grading on a curve."

When everyone gets around the same score, they are comfortable with that. If their average would have been a D, grading on a curve makes it a C.

If one member gets what would have been an A+, the Ds stay Ds. That is called "breaking the curve."

(Most teachers will "throw out" the highest & lowest scores for this calculation.)

 

[Bolletje]

For me, it’s the comorbid depression that makes working difficult. My ASD is not the problem.

 

[BlueSky Aozora]

I dont think I'd be able to work then, unless I worked another not normal job

But I heard that many Aspies are working and rather in successful profession. Maybe in research jobs or IT jobs? Maybe also depends on how well you mask & type of jobs.

 

[the_tortoise]

But I didn't know I had the option to NOT work.

Being unable to work is not the same thing as making a choice not to work.

 

[Noba Loney]

I started working at a young age and did OK for a while. I had youthful energy and technical ability and people make allowances for you when you're a kid.

The expected socialising with colleagues meant going to the pub, so alcohol made that fairly easy. Boozing is also easier to maintain when you're in your teens. I don't enjoy alcohol any more, certainly not the aftermath ;-)

What became an issue was increased stress related to changing jobs ("careering") and in retrospect failing to successfully navigate or even recognise office (or just general primate) politics. And later the equivalent in academia and sadly even in 'DIY' creative and other more voluntary social situations, with eventual burnout making it altogether unmanageable.

If I'd known I had ASD / Asperger's it would surely have made some difference but knowledge of the condition and coping strategies still don't make it go away. At least now though I can accept my needs and limitations better.

 

[Judge]

I'm inclined to think that it isn't so much that autistic people cannot work, but rather that they are more apt to do poorly in a competitive job interview which keeps them from getting the job in the first place.

Where our social skills may not necessarily be up to Neurotypical standards taken for granted by an interviewer.

 

[Tom]

As has been mentioned it's an individual thing. Many on the spectrum do work and have long careers. On the flip side many NTs have work issues. It's a mix of energy, motivation and searching out the things one is best suited for. Work is rarely a 'walk in the park' no matter who or what you are. If it was, people would not be paying you to do it.

 

[dragonfire42]

For me, my primary issue is my social anxiety and selective mutism. Most jobs require more social interaction than I can handle without shutting down, and if I try to initiate any sort of conversation with anyone outside of my immediate family, I get so anxious that my vocal cords won't respond no matter how hard I try. I also now have memory issues that greatly affect my ability to perform a job, but that's from ECT I got for my depression, not because of my autism.