Published on 12, July, 2020
I know that the same old question about suitable jobs for autistic people comes up time and time again, so I apologise up front
I'm in my early 50's and have always worked in IT, most often on the technical side (dev). I was pushed out of my previous job earlier this year due to my conditions (chronic fatigue, ASD, FND + more). That job was a mix of development and business analysis, working on a very niche technology. I loved that job, but I became unreliable, having to take a lot of time off and my boss didn't know whether I would be fit to work from one day to the next.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I started a new job for a local authority working as a business analyst (no technical "getting your hands dirty").I'm now starting to question whether being a pure BA is really my thing. Also, having always worked in the private sector, moving into local authority is a completely different beast (still not sure whether it is something that I will completely embrace or completely hate).
So now, after only a couple of weeks, I am starting to ponder whether I am in the right job, and if the answer is a resounding "No", then there are a number of barriers to me being a success doing something else, including...
What I do excel at (or some may say, disabled by) is my attention to detail.I'm your typical grammar police guy, but I do manage to exercise self restraint rather than pulling people up on social media regarding their inability to distinguish between "there, their and they're" or "lose & loose". Nonetheless, it does really trigger me in my mind and it distracts me from the bigger picture (I struggle to understand a piece of text because I am too caught up on what to me is a glaring error).If you've got this far, thank you for hearing me out - hopefully you cam give me some pointers?
Please know that; although I am merely one person: I have both listened to and heard that which you convey.
You are describing a tough situation (although, not one devoid of hope, as you have a range of skills and experience to re-apply to yourself and addressing your scenario).
Having switched: a) to a less technical role and b) between the private and the public sector, it is fair to summarise that both changes maybe ..."challenging" (for any IT professional).
You have been courageous and determined in adopting this path towards establishing your return to the workplace (particularly following a very poor prior role exit experience). I wish for you; the opportunity to remind yourself that you are likely grappling with quite a considerable transition / transformation. It may be the case that you are experience surprise at the depth of emotions and frustration at the length of time adjusting to the changes appears to require.
Add into the mix; you are having to accommodate a range of ongoing health challenges plus Autism, as anyone else would: you are doubtless also trying to balance a range of competing priorities and considerations.
This may mean that, from one week to the next, you have found yourself juggling the need to re-prioritise the rotation between e.g. your new role acclimatisation and performance / adjusting to the new workplace environment, colleagues and commute / your Autism needs / your healthcare needs and so forth.
From your description: it does sound as though you are aware you have keen diagnostic and problem-solving skills (which you are accustomed to appying within prior workplace roles). I hope you may draw confidence from that acknowledgement: and find ways to apply that toolbox of skills to yourself in a kindly manner too.
If I were in a situation similar to that which you are tackling; I would try my utmost to remind myself: to find some ways to slow down my racing thoughts. Speed may increase the risk of a jump towards the potentially flawed "solutions thinking" mode.
I might also consider two things. Firstly, for a week, on a daily basis, writing down a summary paragraph of (whatever happens to crowd through the mind on a given day). The aim being to; review at the end of the week: how I had documented concerns, day to day and reflect upon whether I still felt the same way (after those few days of distance from the potentially harsh light of a given day's experience).
Secondly, I would try to remind myself to: reach out to a respected friend / relative / ex-colleague or mentor - to gain their perspective too. (If I were uncomfortable actioning this option: instead, I would re-visit a book / blog / podcast etc. which I have found chimed well with me in the past - to hopefully aid refreshing my outlook).
I tend not to regularly frequent the Community Forum (therefore, please do not be concerned or slighted if you were to have replied / posed a further question and I were not to have responded in a swift timeframe).
My hope is that your new role may not actually be as unsuitable as it might current feel (rather, the upheaval and myriad adjustments involved in this transition may have been a large contribution to the source of your experience so soon in your time with the new organisation).
Next time I visit the Forum, I will endeavour to check-in with this thread - to follow your potential interaction with my thoughts and those of some of the other Forum Members (who will doubtless have shared with you other words of wisdom in the meantime).