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Who's experienced in IT/Coding/Web Design/Dev etc and has issues getting jobs?

R

Rhymer

Life.I've nothing further to add on that subject.
Hi All,

Out of interest, Who here has/does work in IT development/coding/Desktop & Server support etc but has issues getting or keeping jobs?

I worked in IT for 9 years then moved into a different field that didnt exactly fit my Aspie traits.
I'm just interested if what they say is true and Aspie's make the best IT people etc. I know I was good at my job.

Cheers
 
Sounds like there is some decent support available from the government in Canada.
I'm based in the UK. I work full time but I don't enjoy what I do. I'm seriously contemplating starting my own small business that would provide help with people on the AS getting a job. I wont give away my business model just yet!
 
I do find though it harder to get support in Nova Scotia compare to other parts of Canada I had lived in. However, since I won't be able to move for a while, I have found people to advocate for me so I don't continue to face discrimination.
 
I loved working as a lead web designer for a software entertainment company. Had a blast creating visual metaphors of game products in the form of web interfaces.

Of course the job involved some social requirements having to meet directly with each game's producer, who would explain to me what the product was all about. And occasionally I'd have to contact outside developers by phone to learn more. And then my boss, the web producer kept me abreast of any changes happening. Most of the time it went smoothly, although there were a few times where I had trouble really understanding what some products where all about.

But all in all, I think I used my Aspie traits to my advantage most of the time, and was able to keep my social anxiety in check as well. Looking back, I have to smile thinking of how many people there were likely on the spectrum as well.

Sadly I lost the job after two years, having been elevated to web manager. The company sold the software operation to a holding company, who in turn then sold the entertainment division to another game company many people here know.

Getting the job? I'm horrible at the job search and interview processes. But in this case, someone I knew from tech school worked there already and knew of my design skills. He referred me to his superiors, and they looked at my online portfolio so it wasn't so much of a typical job interview. Most importantly, they liked what they saw- not what I said!
 
Judge said:
Of course the job involved some social requirements having to meet directly with
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That one thing for me being self employed now. Social requirements is much higher than being employed. I'm willing to push my self though to do something I really want to do. I know I need to build on my memory skills as I can forget people names instantly.
 
The Penguin said:
That one thing for me being self employed now. Social requirements is much higher than being employed. I'm willing to push my self though to do something I really want to do. I know I need to build on my memory skills as I can forget people names instantly.
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True, the marketing of your own product by yourself could be quite a challenge. Frankly it proved to be too much of an obstacle for me when I went through a period as a freelance web designer. Hopefully you'll be able to overcome whatever obstacles arise.
 
Judge said:
Hopefully you'll be able to overcome whatever obstacles arise.
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I think I will. Today I'm watching a video to improve memory skills. I'm having trouble to remember people names which is not a good thing when I want to conduct business. The good thing for the business program, I can get a grant to pay for classes I want to take on various topics. I going to take of advantage of this to improve my areas of weakness.
 
I abandoned IT work after halfway through my degree I was told the best bet any of us had was a life working at a call center. Not my cup of tea. I might could have struck it out self-employed by doing network installations for local businesses, but I don't think it would have been easy keeping the bills paid. My passion was in web design/development, and I did get an internship pretty easy with a couple I had met a few years back. But I'd just gotten married and found out we had a family on the way, so I just went straight to my fallback of accounting and artwork. A dream for another day.

For ye web makers, here: Web Design Development Freelancing Job Newsletter // Jobety
I forget how I met this guy, but it's a leads notification in the works to help website builders find work easier.
 
I'm in IT, and part of the keeping the job challenge is the inherent instability of the technology itself--keeping up with changes as well as with the social requirements. I am usually received with respect by the topmost people in their own fields, but I now avoid companies that trumpet their "strong culture" because a strong culture is highly intolerant of people who don't do the social thing as their core. Soft manners outperform hard skills in those places. When the social overhead is so high that nothing is getting done, I get hired to make things happen, because they know things will get done, and they can get rid of me later (I contract fairly often). Could be that I'm cynical. I'm still bitter over last year's job(less) experience.

I don't want to work for myself. I may be an aspie, but I do need people contact. The comraderie at work is important to my happiness, as important as being able to withdraw from it when I get overloaded.
 
The Penguin said:
Really. I surprise they still exits in our countries. I thought all of them are off shore by now.
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There's still a few local ones. One of my teachers who had just started told about how he had his call center job memorized that when his boss was spying on him with his feet kicked back to catch him being lazy, he instead found out that he walked a customer through fifteen screens flawlessly and fixed the computer without once looking at a tech manual. Kind of a scary story, I'd hate to have to do the same thing to that degree, that takes all the fun out of the problem-solving part of tech issues.
 
AsheSkyler said:
There's still a few local ones. One of my teachers who had just started told about how he had his call center job memorized that when his boss was spying on him with his feet kicked back to catch him being lazy, he instead found out that he walked a customer through fifteen screens flawlessly and fixed the computer without once looking at a tech manual. Kind of a scary story, I'd hate to have to do the same thing to that degree, that takes all the fun out of the problem-solving part of tech issues.
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Yeah I know. We have some too. When you said call centers I had to reference Beavis and Butthead
 
I work in IT Networking Security. Wanted to do networking back when I was a teenager because at the time it was the "Only thing I didn't understand" that was a bit short sighted for me to say..

Now doing server support for a little company which I moved to in December, been doing server support for around 3-4 years. I'm on the phone for most of the day, which I don't mind - face to face was and still is an issue anxiety wise.

Went off and did my CCNA, got that and started at a Network Security company back in 2011 and just honed my skill set since then. Changed jobs a fair few times and moved half way up the UK for more, better paid work. Had to leave one job after making a social booboo. Added pressure from working in Security, that you are a very private person - I'm not, it's not a matter of security but preference.

I really like the industry, find it very accepting and tolerant of most people - there are some places with serious office politics going on though and I've not done great in such places. Work is (some would say sadly) my only real form of socialising and have a love hate relationship with it, I look forward to home when at work and look forward to work when at home.

When I first started off in IT was very very enthusiatics, used to pull 14 hour days to show I was committed - now I'm much more balanced, favouring my personal time over work.. trying to tip the balance back towards less time at work. Long term hope to do flexible hours, 4 days a week.

I've not found it hard to get work because of a skill I have is in great demand - giving me a lot of barganning power. Still found the interview process very stressful though, I'm not a fan of a suit so rather anxious when suited and booted.

Concerned about where to go in the future though, I have two routes - PS or Management. Defo know I don't like the idea of management.
 
AsheSkyler said:
I abandoned IT work after halfway through my degree I was told the best bet any of us had was a life working at a call center. Not my cup of tea.
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I'm sorry to hear this. I don't like help desk or call center support, myself. I work in IT security and pretty much like my job. I really don't have to interface with a lot of people get to keep to myself at work usually.

The downside to IT is attending meetings. Luckily, I have very few and those are over the phone, so it's all good.

Prior to security, I worked as a Web designer, then systems administrator for years. I enjoy all of these... as long as I don't have to be around a lot of people and can stay out of company politics.
 
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ASD_Geek said:
I'm sorry to hear this. I don't like help desk or call center support, myself. I work in IT security and pretty much like my job. I really don't have to interface with a lot of people get to keep to myself at work usually.

The downside to IT is attending meetings. Luckily, I have very few and those are over the phone, so it's all good.

Prior to security, I worked as a Web designer, then systems administrator for years. I enjoy all of these... as long as I don;t have to be around a lot of people and can stay out of company politics.
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Security was my dream job. After a few hairbrained threats from scammers to put me in jail for not cooperating with a scam, cyber security was what I was working up to. Still not sure how I ended up in networking, I had signed up for programming. Whee, Aspie communication issues!
 
ASD_Geek said:
Hopefully, you'll get to pursue it, if you still want to. Never give up if it's something that you are passionate about... although you are a great artist!
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Thankie. =)

I think my reservation now personal risk. I'd much rather do safe work like art and accounting with a kid needing a mom. I do pretty well at gathering death threats just being myself without pissed off thugs to add to the list!
 
I have no trouble getting jobs as I'm good at interviewing (it helps that most are so cookie cutter, they're practically scripted, but I also excel and Q&A situations), keeping is a different story. I can count on one hand, with fingers left over, the number of jobs I've had that last longer than a year. =/

I tend to change jobs every 9 months or so, and as a result, have ended up in a lot of different jobs. It's been a good thing for me, though, because I've learned what kinds of environments I do best in and which ones I fail miserably at. I'm able to leverage the fact that I look good on paper and do well in interviews to be extremely picky about the jobs I take, based on what I've learned.

I'm a web developer, so that helps, too. Here's what I've found:

I do best in a remote-friendly environment, and do the worst in an open office floorplan. I may be able to settle for an office job if I have a private office and/or the freedom to work from home some days.

I do the worst in an agency environment. I also don't fare well in a Silicon Valley company, due to the culture of running developers on the brink of burnout (I'm also speak out vehemently against that culture, too, because I believe it's bad for everyone, not just me or other Aspies). I seem to do better in a product company, where I can curate a single product.

I do best when I have a fair amount of autonomy, especially in deciding what to do immediately or what takes priority. This goes both for work and for the times during which I work.

I do best in a true Results-Oriented/Only Work Environment. Timesheets have bitten me in the ass on more than one occasion at this point, and I prefer not dealing with the whole "well, you don't work 450 hours a week...." or "you have 10 hours this month that aren't accounted for, because you didn't work exactly 8 hours every day" garbage.

I value culture over just about everything else, because the best work in the world doesn't overcome a crappy culture, but dealing with crappy code can be less hated with a good, supportive culture.
 
I tried my hand at freelance web development (in my spare time), despite being a desktop focused developer, but quickly dropped it. Dealing with clients was a horrible experience.
I write much better code when I don't have to worry about what someone will think of my product.
 
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