• Replies 2 replies
  • Subscribers 82 subscribers
  • Views 782 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Disclosure of High Functioning Autism at the final stage of a job interview

Simon Ganthet

Hello everyone,

Somehow with luck I've managed to pass through to the final stage of an interview, which takes place tomorrow morning. I had the first one on Zoom and they are now calling me in for a face to face interview, which I always seem to fail at. This does seem like a good job and it seems to be disability friendly but given the role is to provide customer facing technical support, it means the interview will be focused on personality, communication and body language, which I am pretty bad at doing. 

The main reason for the poll is to see whether the benefits of disclosing my autism outweighs the drawbacks. I do want the job as it will be one of the very few chances I will get to securing employment, given my employment gap and other factors, which could mean that disclosing it could potentially give me an edge but then again it may not. 

  • I think a lot depends on the people interviewing you and how you think you're doing.        If you've doing well then you've probably got the job already - if you're stumbling  it might be worth mentioning your nerves and how that "you probably realise that I'm an aspie" and If you think of a bunch of positives of how it makes you even more suited to the role, you'll probably be ok - don't dwell on it too much - move on quickly onto asking them about the work environment and how the team operates - let them ask any questions if they feel they need to.

    It's all a performance - if you're giving a good vibe, they've already bought you.

    I really wish you well - fingers crossed.

  • Posting as I can relate to this.  I too had tried to muddle through employment without declaring Aspergers, but finding I would have to in future after being told to "improve at communication skills" in appraisals.  Had the best, most understanding employer from 2011, until a restructure when upper management decided to 'Outsource' several departments and I was made redundant November 2019.

    Now I'm in the difficult position of looking again, and feeling the same way about interviews with their emphasis on personality, communication and body language.  What you've said about this role being to provide "customer facing" technical support sums up the same obstacle I'm facing, I have computer and numeracy skills so would be well suited to a back-office role doing work with spreadsheets, databases, finance but roles are advertised as combinations of these things I'd do well, and others that I wouldn't, with customer contact and "excellent communication skills" on every job description.