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Having autism and a career

aimosan

I wasn't diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum until I was about 23/24 years old.  I have been in work since I was 14.  Back then it was just a paper round but I've always been doing something.  As long as I had something to keep my mind focussed I was ok.  Then I got older and I thought having a social job might improve my social skills (myself and others thought there was a problem with me so I was trying to fix it) so I got stuck into retail, but I was more interested in sorting stock, merchandising, and cleaning, than making small talk with customers.  I didn't mind helping people if they were looking for something and they knew what they wanted, but as I moved on in the job I was expected to do more and more which involved me having to be more social.

As I had problems at school (walking out of classes, being disruptive, and just generally bored in most classes) I was told I was too stupid to go to university and there was no point in me even applying (I was told this by a teacher, not a pupil) so I never went and just spent my time believing I was stupid.  But, I wasn't earning enough at my retail job to live on (I had to leave home at 21) so I tried to change my career and took up IT as it was more hands on and a better challenge for my brain.  I seen an advert for people wanting to help out on a contract and how no IT experience was required, so I took the opportunity.  I enjoyed the job travelling and changing out equipment (as long as the people at the sites didn't talk to me and ask me loads of questions), but the contract ended and with my relationship breaking down with my now ex I moved cities to get a job as there were no more jobs for IT in my area.  This was not long after I was diagnosed so I thought it would be a better career for me.

That was 2 years ago.  My employers know and do try to understand my autistic situation, but they do forget/not understand there is a lot of things that I find stressful that seem normal to them.  II've got to that point in my career where I'm expected to take on more IT responsibilities but it's not something I am passionate about. With my lack of attention span and social problems I'm not coping with the current situation here.  My job used to be more about organising the database of IT equipment and helping out when required, but then one person from a team of three was always off sick, and then ended up in jail for something, so I was asked to fill his space.  The people that fill these spaces are either entusiastic about IT or have a degree in IT, which I am neither.  Both members of management have messed up this week too as they have put the other 2 members of the team on holiday so that leaves me and 1 temporary person, who doesn't know the system that well, covering all the work of three standard people.

With all these new people about, and my confidence already low as it is, I really don't want to be here.  I look at other jobs but I have no qualifications (I do have 4 highers) so all I look like I am good at is IT and retail.  I have started a science degree, just so I'm focussing on something, but I won't be completing that for another 6 years.  I keep thinking I should be greatful I even have a job because I see people on the autism spectrum really wanting jobs and here I am complaining about my own.  My problem is everything fascinates me so I could spend a day wanting to be a geologist and look at rocks, but then the next I'll want to be some sort of artist. But, there isn't any jobs out there for someone who wants to absorb science!

On my last staff review I was also told that I need to be more sociable to move on in my career and to also be able to do presentations every monday morning, but the thought of doing a presentation on something I'm not confident about is terrifying.

Am I stuck in this job forever?  I'm 27 now and have to think about money coming in to have a house, retiring, etc.  Sorry I typed so much, suppose I'm just having one of the tough days today.

  • I graduated in Computing Science in 2001 with a 2:2. However, in my Class there were more Firsts than 2:2s and the majority got 2:1s. Therefore I felt left out.

    I haven't had Full Time work for almost Eight Years now; I'm a Full Time Carer for my 89 Year-Old Grandmother; and finding work is a fruitless exercise. I have Admin experience and a Distinction in Text Production, as well as a Pass in Word Processing, but Employers just don't wanna know when a Man applies for Admin work. (I actually have a good telephone manner, in spite of having Asperger's, and communicate quite well)

    The Government geuinely believe we should all work at Costa or Tesco. We are practically an American Colony. (Apologies for Rant)

  • Hi

    Another IT person here, 54 and a systems engineer, basically 3rd line support, lots of network stuff and some development. Not much contact with end users - hurrah!

    I've read your post and the things you seem to enjoy relate to classifying and organising. You don't like having to deal with people constantly. Is that correct?

    You can take in large amounts of information about things that motivate and inspire you. You love learning.

    Would you like to stay in your current job and progress? Or do you know in your heart that it isn't a good fit?

    Don't think that because you are autistic you should feel grateful for any job. You have as much right as anyone else to a rewarding career that you enjoy.

  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Just sat down with enough time to read this thread through properly. A couple of comments on age and IT. I'm 56 and have managed to keep employed (mainly SQL, big systems, bits of "big data" here and there) almost continuously. There have been a few bumps on the way and I think that it's fair to say that IT is generally very badly managed. It doesn't attract socially sophisticated people so you end up with a bunch of social misfits managing another group of mis-fits! I have sat on both sides of the desk and recognise that i was a mis-fit whichever side i sat! I did an MBA a few years back in an attempt to break through into management. This has helped but the AS kept getting in the way. Now that i have the dx I will have to reinvent myself a bit more and am looking forward to an interesting few more years before i pack it in.

    aimosan, you don't like "IT" but is this because you are working on a service desk? has your partner shown what you can do with SQL, does he love it or is it just a job for him?

  • Hiya,

    I saw it in passing but didnt know where your based, so figure it was worth a post.

    Cheers,

    Jamie + Lion

  • NAS18906 said:

    [quote][/quote]

    Do I try and force myself to study more IT stuff?  Or, do I carry on studying for a science degree?

    It sounds like this is not too difficult! You're not excited and engaged by IT so find something else that you WANT to do. I work in IT but also have a science degree, i really enjoy programming but also work in a place that does science so i have the best of both worlds.

    Science and IT?  Sounds awesome.  I should probably try and combine the two somehow.

  • That's very nice of you to show me this, but Macclesfield is about a 7 hour drive from me, so commuting may cause an issue.

  • Former Member
    Former Member

    aimosan said:

    Do I try and force myself to study more IT stuff?  Or, do I carry on studying for a science degree?

    It sounds like this is not too difficult! You're not excited and engaged by IT so find something else that you WANT to do. I work in IT but also have a science degree, i really enjoy programming but also work in a place that does science so i have the best of both worlds.

  • Heya,

    have you seen this: http://www.balticapprenticeships.com/jobs/view/Software-Development-Apprentice-714/ i know the company offering the role and they have a very good reputation. 

    May be worth a chat, happy to put a kind word in for you If you want to go for it. 

    Cheers,

    jamie + lion

  • Hiya,

    Glad it didn't come across as too forceful. i do wonder if you perhaps hold too much weight in education as the only way into work.

    Development ( web or software) is very possible to self teach  If you want to try it, I would happily point you at some resources to get you going. For example, you could build a database relating to rocks or you could make some cool map about geology with open data.

    Give it a whirls and see how it goes. I find coding is fun because I enjoy the process but it also adds to my interests. Today I am going to spend some time doing a website security audit for a charity. Its fun to do, helpful for them and it may mean extra work options in the future.

    So to answer you question directly. I would say do both :)
    jamie + lion

  • It doesn't read as being arrogant.  Don't need to worry about that.

    My partner does programming and SQL, but that's because he did it as part of his computing degree and his career is moving forward as he has now been given the chance to do some programming.  I've not done any programming except for some school stuff I did when I was 13 with TrueBasic, FirstBasic, whatever it's called.  I can't remember.  I've done some Cisco coding for switches about 4 years ago but I haven't had an opportunity to do more since, but I might do now I've managed to get along well with the comms team at my work.

    When I think about studying IT I lose interest.  I'm currently trying to fix an issue with the company where we have problems with internet certificates and root certificates.  I have no backround knowledge of this and I have no interest, but I have a book on my table about the rocks and minerals of UK and Europe and I'm happily reading through that no problem.  

    Do I try and force myself to study more IT stuff?  Or, do I carry on studying for a science degree?  It's one of those things I suppose I just have to be an opportunist and keep going and just see what turns up, because I'm probably never going to make a decision.

  • Hi,

    I read your post with interest. I had a more direct route into my current job (I am a senior developer at the BBC) but like you I have no qualifications in what I do.  I started making websites a long time ago, got obsessed and then started branching out into other code.

    IT is a broad field, but there is always a need for developers. In my experience the development world has less of an age cap. My main collaborator (and a senior developer) is 47.

    In my opinion, software development is a 100% transposable skills. Today, I write code to make a big website fast,  but I could dive down a different ally and in a few months be writing code to do biological simulations on a super computer. What makes for good engineering is pretty consistent, the tools swap around a bit, but the patterns are the same. nothing is wasted effort. 

    Do you program at all? Could you use programming as a lever to pull your interests together? 

    I hope that helps and is does not read as being arrogant.

    Kind regards 

    Jamie + Lion

  • To which I must add a note to NAS Moderators.....

    What do all those employers, who might take on people on the spectrum because of our IT skills, do with us when we get to 35?

    Answers on a postcard........

  • IT is notorious for this. Its not just a problem for people on the spectrum. While you are young and full of ideas you're in demand. Past 30, and there's a whole pool of bright young things still coming into the business to do the interesting stuff. And the only jobs to move up into are management.

    But it is bad if you are on the spectrum, as management means people skills. It seems pretty universal, we aren't any good at deputising, dividing up tasks between underlings according to what they are good at, sorting out personality clashes, being a good inspirational and motivational leader, and sooking up to the next level of managers.

    There is a book I've tried using "Managing with Asperger Syndrome" by Malcolm Johnson, Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2005 (ISBN 1 84310 199 8 - helps libraries and bookshops to find it). I've not read this cover to cover, indeed not much at any one time. It is way over biographical and too much about its author, and I don't feel he is that autistic - I may be being unfair. His world is marketing rather than IT. He does explore a number of the problems of trying to manage staff and relate to colleagues while on the spectrum.....just it didn't help me very much.

    The other book that might help is Asperger Syndrome & Employment, which is in the Adults Speak out about Asperger Syndrome Series from the late Genevieve Edmonds and Luke Beardon from the Sheffield Centre for Autism (Jessica Kingsley Pub 2008 ISBN 978 1 84310 648 7). It is anecdotal - people's stories.

    I had some relevant experience. The first part of my career was R&D (research and development) in industry. My problem was and still is, I'm a technophobe and my computing skills are not career beneficial - I can do bits, just not the right bits. I was great for many years when most of the technology was analogue (for those of you that don't know about this we are talking largely pre-digital (when equipment had valves in it).

    OK my job was researching the ideas, explaining them to the IT team, getting them to come up with results, reviewing and presenting outcomes.

    But I got old, and as I said, any work like this, old is thirties - increasingly nearer 30, I was nearly hitting 40 when I got "too old". You just find there are young kids out there who are smarter. And of course the world was getting more digital, more software - and believe me I was not computer whizz kid material. But neither could I manage.

    My career ended in the slump at the beginning of the 90s and I turned to education. My naff IT was still a handicap, but life was a bit easier.

    But I'm afraid that is the trouble. Life in IT, whatever you do, is short-lived. You get pushed into people management, and autism and people don't mix.

    The only thing I can suggest is re-inventing yourself and keeping yourself novel. That's not easy either - you have to change your skills by taking on courses or teaching yourself.

    Buit if you want better prospects beyond 27, start looking for new skills, new applications of what you can do, search websites, ask around people in your IT sector. You might get another five year break, then a three year break, but in the end, if you cannot manage, that's often it.