Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm currently on the lookout for job opportunities, but I'm feeling quite anxious about it all. My fears revolve around the possibility of not meeting expectations and letting down both my colleagues and superiors. Additionally, I feel uneasy about interacting and communicating with others, which includes the work environment as a whole. I really want to overcome these fears, so I'm seeking advice on how to address and change these anxieties. Thanks for reading!
Anonymous said:I'm seeking advice on how to address and change these anxieties.
There is a lot to answer here so i'll keep it brief.
Don't worry about dissapointing people - they most likely won't care about you so it will be no loss if you are not perfect every time.
Any new job will have a settling in period where you are not going to be expected to "hit the ground running" and do everything on day 1. You will have ample time to pick up the skills and processes and most new jobs have a probation period to allow for this.
Interacting with others takes some skills to do without stress, but you can learn these. I would recommend reading this book to understand the subject and get pointers on what to practice:
The Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships - Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspectives of Autism - Temple Grandin, Sean Barron (2005)ISBN: 9781941765388
For your anxiety these are good reads:
Asperger Syndrome and Anxiety - A Guide to Successful Stress Management - Nick Dubin (2009)ISBN 9781843108955An Aspie's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety - Attwood, Tony, Evans, Craig R., Lesko, Anita (2015)eISBN 9781784501198
For the general job side of things, this is good:
Helping Adults with Asperger's Syndrome Get & Stay Hired - Barbara Bissonnette (2015)ISBN 9781849057547
You don't need to have read and memorised these before applying for jobs, but they will help you on your journey I believe.
What sort of work are you going for? We may be able to give some more focussed advice based on this.
A good therapist who specializes in autism would be helpful but they are difficult to find. A lot of people with autism find it more beneficial to work from home.
Most are lmao. They forget the people who make the business work...
Do you know what your strengths are? Try to find opportunities where your strengths would be useful and beneficial, rather than focussing on what you aren’t good at which will make your anxiety worse
i wouldnt worry about letting down your superiors.... they never know whats what anyway and even if your the one that ends up running the place off your back and dragging the workforce your superiors still wont know that and wont appreciate you and wont be impressed.... well my superiors are like that anyway lol