Published on 12, July, 2020
I've never had a job before. My family encouraged me to stay dependent on government benefits. But I feel like in the long run it'd be better for me to earn my own income and not rely on agencies that don't want to give me their money. Thing is that I don't have any particular aspirations or likes. I just know the things I can't do. As much as I'd prefer a work from home job, there are lifestyle benefits to a job you have to go out and do that might be too important to ignore. So what sort of jobs work well for high functioning autism? Gimme something to think about since I don't really have any ideas for myself.
I'm lucky enough to be in one of the very few jobs that I'd have been capable of sustaining without total burnout. I'm in essentially a largely back-room record-by-record cataloguing-style job in an academic library. It requires a lot of fiddly attention to detail, but 80% of the gig is essentially a conveyor belt of stuff that I've built up a reservoir of knowledge about how to deal with and there's flexibility in the pacing as long as certain averages overall are hit. I also really like it. I suppose that's the main thing: Find something where you go in with a sense of gratitude, not dread, because the job complements who you are. We get exhausted faster anyway, so don't let people tell you should force yourself out of your comfort zone: neurotypicals more often need that sense of renewed discomfort and fresh challenge to keep their batteries charged, we more often need the opposite! And I no longer feel embarrassment about that, have spent enough time wrongly feeling inadequate when in fact my instincts have protected me from damage.
I suppose as no two autistic people are the same, so if the above sounds unappealing no offence taken! But hopefully it sounds like a viable option for you.
Wow!!! Your job sounds both interesting and super peaceful! It also sounds like you enjoy it which I think is key. If you really enjoy your work that must be nice.
Ultimately I want to do veterinarian study so I can be a vet but if I could do something like what you're doing for a few years first that would be great
Everyone in my house doesn't enjoy their work and are mostly moaning about it and I'm hoping whatever I do after school will be something I enjoy and am interested in