I'm going to be blunt with this one as well, as I have been dealing with this for the past two years, and I don't how much more rejection from potential jobs I can take.
I'm struggling to get full time work. REALLY STRUGGLING.
Anyone else facing the same problem. Please feel free to share.
I’ve been out of work for over 6 years. Done my accounting qualifications at college since then and am still unable to find work. At this point I’m not been looking for a dream job or even one that I enjoy, but just one I’m actually able to do.
Hi Ellie, this is so tough!
there are some great answers here, I really like the one about which aspect of the job hunting process you find difficult.
For me, I am great at applying! I look really good on paper! I freak out in the interview process.
this is what worked for me in the interview process:
I tell them that I’m disabled and I would prefer the questions in advance - whenever I’ve had that accommodation I’ve done much better in the interview process.
You could look for disability confident organisations - if you meet the criteria for the role you’ll be guaranteed an interview. Just make sure you say that you’re disabled in your application.
Use the STAR technique to answer questions - S: situation (describe a problem which demonstrates a particular skill), T: task (what needed doing?), A: actions you took, R: result.
When you’re preparing, you could look at a list of skills at the job requires and find examples where you have done those things beforehand. Write them down on post its using the STAR technique and keep them with you to refer to.
Use a notepad to write down the questions that they ask, which gives you time to process what they want.
Ask if you have answered all parts of the question they’ve asked, or if the answer you’ve given has been full enough or if they want different examples?
even doing all that, I’ve still done a good interview and not got the job! But I’ve done more bad interviews than good ones. So it is hard.
Good luck.
Hi Ellie
Firstly, well done for taking the leap and even apply for jobs! Getting a job nowadays is so difficult as so many apply for the same job. The rejection is horrible. I’ve been applying for jobs and just constantly get rejected. I’m lucky though as im in a job at the moment though; but desperate for a change.
Volunteering is a good way to build skills and have experience to put on your CV. Maybe look at organisations that have volunteer positions but also paid employment. So after a while volunteering with them you could apply for a paid position and have the experience to show them. You could volunteer for your local fire and rescue service, they often need people to help with anything from admin through to volunteer firefighter, and then when the right paid position comes up you could apply and then show them all the experience you have whilst volunteering for them.
Keep at it though and applying, you will get there at some point!
With the growth of AI and other technologies in the future, this is going to become a much more difficult problem to solve, which is one of many reasons why I am totally opposed to such “advances” compared to my embrace of tech in my teens in the 80’s and I now understand why our grandparents were totally opposed to the “advances” of the “new way” that they saw in the 1960’s onwards, right up until their passing in the 80’s - and almost 50 years after their passing, every single one of their arguments against tech has been consistently vindicated in our times, given the predictions that they made at that time that has been consistently proven to be accurate and reliable in our times - it is for these reasons and for the protection of our future generations that I am a proud Luddite, knowing how tech advances always fall into the wrong hands and are always used for nefarious and evil purposes - if such technologies were of any real benefit to us, we would never be allowed to have it - even with mobile phones and the internet, even the globalist elites do not allow their own children under 21 any access to same nor allow them anywhere near these below that age
Do some volunteering work. It looks great on your CV and you'll gain transferrable skills.
I've been unable to find at job post university due to the state of the job market. And claim Universal Credit alongside my volunteering role which takes the pressure of needing to find a 'real job'
It'll get you valuable experience.
I'm struggling to get full time work.
Finding work tends to come down to 3 key elements:
1 - Do you have the skills & qualifications for the jobs you are applying for.
2 - Do you have relevant experience to bring to the new job
3 - Do you present well in the interview
Are any of these 3 an issue in the sort of work you are going for?
If you maybe tell us what positions you are trying to get into then we may be able to offer some practical advice.
There is also quite a lot of psychology that helps when thinking about the whole job application / rejection cycle - unless you are a highly desirable hire then many rejections before a successful hire is pretty common so there are ways to think about the process that can help as well.
Hi Ellie,
Sorry to hear that you've been having a hard time finding full time work. If you're interested in advice and resources on helping to find work, there is a page on the NAS advice hub about seeking work as an autistic adult - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/employment/seeking-work/autistic-adults - with some suggestions, links to organisations that offer support, and other services depending on where you are in the UK. There's also a free module on the NAS e-learning hub on the same subject - https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/autism-know-how/training/e-learning if that is of any interest to you.
Hope this is of some help,
Ross - mod
