Which job sectors do people work in ?

It's very interesting to hear about the sectors and roles people have tried, the ones they have enjoyed, Why? and the aspects that have been difficult. 

I would encourage anyone who's found a role that's been stimulating or with a progressive employer to seek out similar roles or even revisit the same employer if you left on good terms. I can see from the autistic tendency to (self) isolate, whether out of an energetic need or lack of social interest, it's very easy to maintain negative beliefs about oneself in the absence of opportunities to discuss and compare these with others. This is clearly why online forums such as this have real power and potential for autistic people. 

As companies become aware of the strengths of a neurodiverse workforce good opportunities should increase with a bit of guidance and direction from autistic people. 

Good employers welcome people who value honesty, commitment, integrity and possess a desire to hone their skills. If you can demonstrate that your values, commitment and willingness are present, then you are in a good position even if you lack some of the required experience or skills (people can learn when motivated). I'd encourage people to apply for job roles when this is the case.

I'm sometimes involved in shortlisting applications and interviews as part of my role. It's very clear from the thorough approach and depth of answer those candidates who are genuinely interested in and motivated by a role compared to those who are just looking for a (any) job. Recruitment is expensive and wise companies are the ones that wish to retain and develop their staff.

I imagine a tendency to struggle with general open-ended questions means that people with ASC may often exclude relevant information from their CV's unless they are specifically asked. Neuro-diverse job seekers could benefit from asking a job coach or trusted friend to talk through their application with them and draw out more of this lost detail.

Misheard Lyrics Out of curiosity, what do you think prospective employers mean when they ask for 'good communication skills and teamwork'? 

What would this 'look' like?

How would a person behave if they possess strong skills in these areas?

***On a related theme... I plan to ask the HR department at my work to insert a phrase into our job/person specs saying something along the lines of:

 '...we welcome and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply including those who identify as neurodiverse/ on the autistic spectrum'

to ensure that we don't miss out on attracting good candidates who are loyal, skilled and compassionate.

I've been thinking about what you asked here, and it made me realise that I have a quite stereotyped idea of the "ideal employee", and basically it's someone very unlike me.

I assume that a person with strong social skills knows what to say in difficult situations and can motivate and encourage others. And that someone with good teamworking abilities (is that a word?) doesn't have to force themselves to join in or speak up in a group. Nor do they tremble inwardly after making a contribution or fret afterwards about what they said and how they said it.

I can see that I need to work on this one, and probably work on my attitude.

Misheard Lyrics 

I know that HR departments realise that the way job roles are advertised is an art in its own right and that subtle differences in phrasing influence who applies. A carefully worded job and person specification can increase the numbers of suitable applicants significantly. 

The idealised social / teamwork skill set that you mention would perhaps be more likely to be seen in senior management/executive circles. I would say within the team I work, the main TW skills required are an ability to listen to others, to treat colleagues in a respectful way, to contribute & share ideas, to work cooperatively and share tasks. I guess it's more about a willingness to try and be motivated by good intention. 

Your feeling of anxiety is real, so I think it's less about attitude and more a question of finding a good organisation that's supportive and does it best to encourage and develop staff. From what I've observed most people will experience a degree of nervousness and anxiety when they are first learning to express themselves in a team, though this may be more intense for people on the spectrum. 

I really encourage you to apply for jobs in social care with people with learning disabilities / ASC if that's where you feel drawn. I suspect one or two of my co-workers may also be on the spectrum and think there may be quite a few of us working in social care out there!

Misheard Lyrics 

I know that HR departments realise that the way job roles are advertised is an art in its own right and that subtle differences in phrasing influence who applies. A carefully worded job and person specification can increase the numbers of suitable applicants significantly. 

The idealised social / teamwork skill set that you mention would perhaps be more likely to be seen in senior management/executive circles. I would say within the team I work, the main TW skills required are an ability to listen to others, to treat colleagues in a respectful way, to contribute & share ideas, to work cooperatively and share tasks. I guess it's more about a willingness to try and be motivated by good intention. 

Your feeling of anxiety is real, so I think it's less about attitude and more a question of finding a good organisation that's supportive and does it best to encourage and develop staff. From what I've observed most people will experience a degree of nervousness and anxiety when they are first learning to express themselves in a team, though this may be more intense for people on the spectrum. 

I really encourage you to apply for jobs in social care with people with learning disabilities / ASC if that's where you feel drawn. I suspect one or two of my co-workers may also be on the spectrum and think there may be quite a few of us working in social care out there!

Yup, definitely Autistic! said:

within the team I work, the main TW skills required are an ability to listen to others, to treat colleagues in a respectful way, to contribute & share ideas, to work cooperatively and share tasks.

You have just described my company's idea of "Teamwork", too, and is also how I define teamwork. It's getting the tasks done in the best way by the people most suited.