What have you achieved from getting diagnosed?

I haven't been diagnosed. I am really very certain that I have aspergers though. A diagnosis wouldn't change anything about the way I act. I have always accepted that my behaviour is weird and never really been bothered about it.

What I do want a diagnosis for though is for situations that are made awkward by not be able to be socially normal. In particular interviews for jobs etc. Almost every single job interview I have ever had has been a complete failure (and I have had A LOT of interviews). I have had several jobs but each of them required no interview. Unfortunately it is rare that no interview is required. Interviews for most jobs seems to be largely a case of how well people click with the interviewer I think. I understand that I come across as flat, maybe not particularly friendly but to the point. I have also had interviewers literally shouting at me and telling me off for being too straightforward with my answers before!

A diagnosis would at least let me point to it and say "Look, my interview technique is terrible, but that doesn't even matter for the job. I am more than capable of doing the job to a very good standard, so please just recognise that I have aspergers and base the interview on how well I can perform in a job rather than how genuine my smile looks and how good my 'banter' is (or isn't at all!)".

Do you think that you will pursue getting a diagnosis?

Sorry to hear that you struggle with interviews. I've heard that this can be an issue for some autistic people. I've also heard that you can get interview help and practice interview skills somewhere, does anyone else know where and with whom please? If no one answers that then Citizen's Advice Bureau may know the answer. An interviewer should not be shouting at you! That's really bad! I imagine that you probably didn't want a job with them after that! Another thing that really helped me for those times when I 'feel' that I do need to mask was reading and studying Daniel Wendler's 'improve your social skills'. It's not for everyone but I found it 'really' useful. He's Aspie too so everything is explained really well in the book. 

Hope this helps!

Yeah, the job interview thing. I feel your pain on that one. I’ve had a couple where it’s included being taken out for a meal as well as the actual interview. Didn’t end well in any of those ones as you can imagine! Also the what would you do in x situation questions. I can never answer because I am not in that situation even though I know I’d deal with it fine if I was to be put in that situation... aaaargh!

Ones where I’ve got the job have always asked me to demonstrate competence related to the job and answer straightforward technical questions. 

Sorry ... going off at a bit of a tangent aren’t I

Haha, yes I know exactly what you mean. The more formal interviews are, the more awkward they become. I have many stories of interviews going strange or just failing for completely stupid reasons.

For example one time I applied for a job at a company doing a really specific job. I just happened to have done exactly the same job elsewhere and I knew there was no chance of anybody with similar experience applying. Had an interview and it went surprisingly well (best interview I have had, although a good part of that was due to it involving tests instead of all interview questions). They were very happy and confirmed to me that they really didn't expect to find anyone with such relevant experience.

Seemed all good. Then they invited me for a second interview. They said it would be very informal and not really an interview, more of a social get to know the team. Sounded like it would be a bit awkward but I figured the main interview was done. The second interview was informal like they said. However they were asking me questions such as "do you like dogs because the person you will be working with loves them". I gave a blunt honest, "no". It didn't seem to go down well. Or another was "what music do you like", which I said I don't even listen to any.

By the end of it I could see they weren't impressed, I just didn't gel with them (as with every interviewer) and got rejected.

Haha, yes I know exactly what you mean. The more formal interviews are, the more awkward they become. I have many stories of interviews going strange or just failing for completely stupid reasons.

For example one time I applied for a job at a company doing a really specific job. I just happened to have done exactly the same job elsewhere and I knew there was no chance of anybody with similar experience applying. Had an interview and it went surprisingly well (best interview I have had, although a good part of that was due to it involving tests instead of all interview questions). They were very happy and confirmed to me that they really didn't expect to find anyone with such relevant experience.

Seemed all good. Then they invited me for a second interview. They said it would be very informal and not really an interview, more of a social get to know the team. Sounded like it would be a bit awkward but I figured the main interview was done. The second interview was informal like they said. However they were asking me questions such as "do you like dogs because the person you will be working with loves them". I gave a blunt honest, "no". It didn't seem to go down well. Or another was "what music do you like", which I said I don't even listen to any.

By the end of it I could see they weren't impressed, I just didn't gel with them (as with every interviewer) and got rejected.