Getting a Job

There's another issue - references - which need looking into. To some extent references have gone out of fashion, as legal constraints make it so difficult to say anything. Often companies and organisations have to add a caveat saying there is no legal responsibility for the content. They end up saying so little and people start "reading between the lines" - what is said or not said.

This "reading between the lines" is difficult with autistic spectrum/aspergers. A referee cannot mention the disability, but may be faced with making accurate statements that do not look good if there isn't some accommodation of the disability being a factor.

A lot of work agencies insist on getting references before going on the list. These are standard forms with tick boxes against a number of criteria like integrity, good time-keeping, social ability, ability to self-direct etc. The same form will go to past empoyers as teachers/lecturers. You get questions like "would you employ this person again?" - not a lot of use if you were his/her teacher.

A lot of employer references now are also checklists sometimes filled in on-line which make it difficult to qualify. These are designed around the job specification. They ask the referee to tick grading boxes - strongly think, just think, don't think, don't know. A lot of weight hangs on reading between the lines of what is ticked and not ticked.

There seems to be nothing in disability legislation covering these. The only ruling is not to comment on disability. So referees find themselves in the frustrating position of making bland answers without qualification, often knowing the references are doing more harm than good.

Has NAS looked into this? At times I wish the moderators would pick up on questions like this. Parents also need to explore this one. Don't assume references are being helpful.

References are a real pitfall for people on the spectrum especially if they have had lots of short term jobs. You have to have several referees - so will they be for the most recent or one five or six jobs back where you think you'll get a more sympathetic response?

There's another issue - references - which need looking into. To some extent references have gone out of fashion, as legal constraints make it so difficult to say anything. Often companies and organisations have to add a caveat saying there is no legal responsibility for the content. They end up saying so little and people start "reading between the lines" - what is said or not said.

This "reading between the lines" is difficult with autistic spectrum/aspergers. A referee cannot mention the disability, but may be faced with making accurate statements that do not look good if there isn't some accommodation of the disability being a factor.

A lot of work agencies insist on getting references before going on the list. These are standard forms with tick boxes against a number of criteria like integrity, good time-keeping, social ability, ability to self-direct etc. The same form will go to past empoyers as teachers/lecturers. You get questions like "would you employ this person again?" - not a lot of use if you were his/her teacher.

A lot of employer references now are also checklists sometimes filled in on-line which make it difficult to qualify. These are designed around the job specification. They ask the referee to tick grading boxes - strongly think, just think, don't think, don't know. A lot of weight hangs on reading between the lines of what is ticked and not ticked.

There seems to be nothing in disability legislation covering these. The only ruling is not to comment on disability. So referees find themselves in the frustrating position of making bland answers without qualification, often knowing the references are doing more harm than good.

Has NAS looked into this? At times I wish the moderators would pick up on questions like this. Parents also need to explore this one. Don't assume references are being helpful.

References are a real pitfall for people on the spectrum especially if they have had lots of short term jobs. You have to have several referees - so will they be for the most recent or one five or six jobs back where you think you'll get a more sympathetic response?