Anyone else struggling to find a job?

profdanger said:

I’ve heard of facial expression assessments, but never have encountered them myself. I wonder if that’s more of a UK thing? That is horribly unfair, though.

I know of this being done in customer facing departments where being able to identify and manage problem customers is a key part of the role.

Even teams that have divas in them that are "irreplaceable" and the management don't want to risk upsetting them can be like this - it shouldn't be the case but it happens.

I did use to struggle with this aspect until I spent time to learn about it - to study it and make it a "special interest" until I was much better at evaluating interactions and adapting using scripting. I guess I was using one autistic trait to manage another one here.

It is quite hard to find a job. I took around 2 months, and there is no guarantee I will be useful enough.

The process I followed, in case any step helps you,  was:

1. I looked for live-in, "unskilled", part-time jobs. I can't do full time because of health issues. "Live-in" makes it cheaper to rent. Removing "Live in" or "Part time" makes the job pool wider,

2. These jobs usually don't mind if you don't have experience. I also requested videocalls with all that accepted.

3. Now I look for better jobs at a slower pace (I also have a degree but this takes more effort and time to get through the process).

I did around 200 applications, got 4 interviews and  then I selected one employer of those 4 that seemed kind.

The platform I used was Indeed.

I’ve heard of facial expression assessments, but never have encountered them myself. I wonder if that’s more of a UK thing? That is horribly unfair, though.

I’m an employment specialist, so my job is to help people with disabilities find work in the community. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get my clients work, and I think the main issue is that AI screens their applications and since many of them have small/minimal resumes, they immediately get kicked back.

The only employer I’ve seen that does an unfair assessment in my area is Walmart. The assessment portion of that application is very intense for someone with cognitive impairments. I get it, there’s a lot of jobs in the store that require reading barcodes and price tags accurately, but that’s not necessary for someone that is going to greet customers, bag groceries, or collect carts in the parking lot. Ridiculous.

Oh! And the US Postal system has an absolutely ludicrous assessment, though that one makes a little more sense to me. They apparently have a 90% FAIL RATE for their application assessments. I mean, hopefully that means our mail gets delivered extremely accurately, though.

I'm appalled by these assessments after reading several people's experiences. They can be nothing but active discrimination surely? Especially if they are questions that have no relevance to the job, like fussy eating? Surely the NAS should be looking at these and campaigning against them? 

I've heard some argue about the facial expressions one might have some relevance for public facing jobs, but even then I'd argue that they would have a company script for dealing with customers and complaints?

Given that barely anyone advertises in local media or in Job Centres any more, I can't even find jobs to apply for.

Hello Hufflepuff.

I can entirely empathise with you on this one - and believe me, this is incredibly personal.

As you point out, it is incredibly unfortunate that the hiring landscape can be nothing short of difficult to navigate, with assessments that do not at all reflect the individual, and snap judgements that fail to examine the whole of a person. It is clear you are dedicated, committed, and genuine in your approach to life, qualities of which are incredibly value.

It looks as though our community has a lot to say on this matter, although in the mean-time, I'd like to leave you with NAS recommended resource, relating to employment:

Employment - A series of NAS guides.

Evenbreak - Award-winning Job board for disabled people - Disability confident employment.

Work for us - The NAS are constantly looking to fill positions, with an emphasis on filling such with autistic individuals.

Going forwards, I wish you the best. This is not at all the easiest position to be in, although, you truly deserve the best.

Thanks - Zac Mod.

Assessments and interviews are the bane of my existence. If interviews were kept strictly to the job and my capabilities to do the job, then there would be no issues, but they like to throw unrelated curveball questions in and that always gets me because I can't rehearse or prepare for it beforehand.

I'm a person who hates any sort of change. I've left several decent jobs in the past as a result. I'm all about efficiency and any changes that hinder my ability to be efficient is a deal breaker and I'll walk if it can't be resolved. The most safe and stable I felt was when I was self employed prior to COVID.

It's tough in general to get work at the moment. I know people who always seem to fall backwards into jobs, whilst I was having to compete against countless different candidates for a role.   

The ideal would be to indulge a passion/hobby of mine and get paid for it, but we all have dreams. 

I keep applying for railway jobs and find the on line assements baffling. I too undertook one on facial expressions and one on guessing which symbol represented day or night which did not make any sense. I asked for resonable adjustments to be made but felt it made no difference as I was still rejected for the job.

I spent my entire life struggling to find paid work, I also had two stints at volunteering, when I do get a job my colleagues soon decide that I'm different and the management regret employing me and are desperate to get rid of me.  Between jobs I was encouraged to get more qualifications and now I'm overqualified and under experienced. 

So you are not alone.

In the past I'd applied for an apprenticeship in a photography company. The owner gave the apprenticeship to his daughter. 

Applied for sainsbury check out vacancy and the assignment (there was a group of candidates); to go around the store and write down what would you put in a hamper. I'd wrote down tinned pineapple. Unfortunately my application wasn't taken much further. 

One of the vacancies was impossible location and had to get a lift. Was like a comedy act.

Commando training camp where it was repetitive tasks. I'd witnessed a shop manager hit a fellow worker. 

I was in the top 2 of the candidates and the company decided to give the vacancy to much more experienced person. Most of the time. 

At a county council I was given an assignment to do and claimed I'd left a large chunk out. Mistake was feeding me black coffee.

Applied for casual work at NHS trust, went to the recruitment day and was told that they lost my application form. In the end they found it. The whole process was a shambles and how they'd run things. Now it's run by NHS professionals. So pleased that's over. The reason id applied for this as was getting mess around with changing days and hours. More like I wanted to be more control. 

My previous one was when I was getting ill and bullied. Ended up leaving. Everything was handled badly. 

》Fast forward to 2022-present is that occasionally I go to a group. The reason is that I was invited as didn't know what's happening with the library volunteers. Also going to song of praise and back up list for delivering the community magazine.

》backwards when people don't understand, are you on your way to work? are you working? Think it's the first thing they can think off to say. Trying to explain the group. Few days later repeat the cycle. Family tried to plan for my future.  End of the day it's up to me.