Jobseekers Allowance

Thought I'd air a few views on job hunting, if I may put them in here, and in case they help anyone out there being put through pressure over JSA.

Classic advice given to students after graduation, but it isn't unique to students, is that you need to make twelve applications a week.

Better advice is to make sure that the applications you make have a reasonable chance of success. Employers get annoyed at applications that have no chance, for being too far outside the job specification, and they may become wary of you - I know JobCentre Plus probably says pester, but it isn't necessarily good advice.

Neither is easy if you are able and looking for work. Things get a whole lot harder if you have a disability, and for those on the autistic spectrum the constraints become oppressive - being able to communicate (though that isn't necessarily as limiting as it depends what that communication involves), being able to drive, being able to use a phone, being able to fit in, deal with people, supervise others, work in a busy open plan office, writing skills (dyslexia), coordination.....

Nor are some of the great ideas for people on the spectrum universal - being able to use a computer (but in the contexts employers want), good time keeping..... all those things NAS says can be assets.

On the other hand many people limit their options. Research on what's out there could help, and autistic spectrum may facilitate drive to research.

Used to be volumes in libraries like Kompass, which I believe you can now access free on line, but should be able to access from library terminals, that classify jobs by skills, tell you what companies are in the area you live, and tells you a lot about what they are interested in (useful knowledge for interviews).

Also look at on-line databases you might not normally consider, or consider yourself able to go for, because they sometimes throw up ideas. I often suggest the website jobs.ac.uk  OK that looks at first like that's jobs for which you need a degree, but not necessarily. Also you can get great ideas from such sites - they include posts for technicians, data handlers, ground workers.

Another source is (or was) the sector skills councils. www.ukces.org.uk, www.scallianceextranet.org.uk  www.fisss.org.uk  I say was, as these websites are all works in progress or temporarily suspended, because the Government is endlessly re-organising, but somewhere you'll find the Directory of Sector Skills Councils, probably functioning differently, but near enough. These are the various service professions, health, engineering, land management, estates management, building trades, tourism, beauticians and hairdressing etc. They all advertise jobs and training.

Third option is to regularly check your local council website, your local college or university website, where you'll find current jobs. Give particular attention to short term appointments - doing research or gathering information, or running some short-lived operation. The point about these kinds of jobs is you can get experience you might not get elsewhere, and once you've been seen at work, it often leads to further jobs - internal appointments where you might have an edge on outside applicants.

What generally demoralises people are the useless jobs on jobcentreplus boards. I don't know where they get them, but it strikes me no employer with half a brain uses them to find staff. You've more chance searching independently, AND, you'll pick up on new ideas, things you'd never thought of doing or even knew existed.

Hope this helps someone out there. Yes, autism makes life much harder. But it can also give you an edge - things you can do better than NTs.

Thought I'd air a few views on job hunting, if I may put them in here, and in case they help anyone out there being put through pressure over JSA.

Classic advice given to students after graduation, but it isn't unique to students, is that you need to make twelve applications a week.

Better advice is to make sure that the applications you make have a reasonable chance of success. Employers get annoyed at applications that have no chance, for being too far outside the job specification, and they may become wary of you - I know JobCentre Plus probably says pester, but it isn't necessarily good advice.

Neither is easy if you are able and looking for work. Things get a whole lot harder if you have a disability, and for those on the autistic spectrum the constraints become oppressive - being able to communicate (though that isn't necessarily as limiting as it depends what that communication involves), being able to drive, being able to use a phone, being able to fit in, deal with people, supervise others, work in a busy open plan office, writing skills (dyslexia), coordination.....

Nor are some of the great ideas for people on the spectrum universal - being able to use a computer (but in the contexts employers want), good time keeping..... all those things NAS says can be assets.

On the other hand many people limit their options. Research on what's out there could help, and autistic spectrum may facilitate drive to research.

Used to be volumes in libraries like Kompass, which I believe you can now access free on line, but should be able to access from library terminals, that classify jobs by skills, tell you what companies are in the area you live, and tells you a lot about what they are interested in (useful knowledge for interviews).

Also look at on-line databases you might not normally consider, or consider yourself able to go for, because they sometimes throw up ideas. I often suggest the website jobs.ac.uk  OK that looks at first like that's jobs for which you need a degree, but not necessarily. Also you can get great ideas from such sites - they include posts for technicians, data handlers, ground workers.

Another source is (or was) the sector skills councils. www.ukces.org.uk, www.scallianceextranet.org.uk  www.fisss.org.uk  I say was, as these websites are all works in progress or temporarily suspended, because the Government is endlessly re-organising, but somewhere you'll find the Directory of Sector Skills Councils, probably functioning differently, but near enough. These are the various service professions, health, engineering, land management, estates management, building trades, tourism, beauticians and hairdressing etc. They all advertise jobs and training.

Third option is to regularly check your local council website, your local college or university website, where you'll find current jobs. Give particular attention to short term appointments - doing research or gathering information, or running some short-lived operation. The point about these kinds of jobs is you can get experience you might not get elsewhere, and once you've been seen at work, it often leads to further jobs - internal appointments where you might have an edge on outside applicants.

What generally demoralises people are the useless jobs on jobcentreplus boards. I don't know where they get them, but it strikes me no employer with half a brain uses them to find staff. You've more chance searching independently, AND, you'll pick up on new ideas, things you'd never thought of doing or even knew existed.

Hope this helps someone out there. Yes, autism makes life much harder. But it can also give you an edge - things you can do better than NTs.