advice on finding a suitable job

I'm 20 years old and diagnosed with ASD and really struggling to find a job that is suitable for me, I have been to countless interviews and got jobs but struggled to cope with the busy environment and end up quitting. I tried being self employed and had my own business for a while but I closed it due to not being able to manage as I get to stressed out easily and I don't have any support. And I'm now looking again at getting a job 

Has anyone got any advice or guidance on finding a job that will support me into employment with my ASD?

  • Same! Working from home has been a blessing for me. Let's hope employers stay open to this in futureFingers crossed

  • Well, the one good thing the pandemic did was have us all working at home and a lot of organisations are now scaling down or completely giving up office space.

    It might mean you can now find something where you don't often have to be physically in the office and they may be more inclined to consider working from home to be a reasonable adjustment to secure your skills.

    I know I've loved escaping the hours of sensory bombardment that is the commute and the stressors of the open plan office. I have so much more time and so much more energy and so much less stress.

  • what was the business u ran ?

  • Your local jobcentre should have a Disability Employment advisor who should be able to redirect you to certain employment schemes and support. 

    If you request a needs assessment they could put you In touch with your local authority's employment team which is something quite new and not everywhere has them yet. They basically are a division of adult social services who work with clients with a health care plan to assist individuals with mental health, autism,ADHD and other disabilities into work. They will set up work experience and make sure your not being exploited and assist with other ways of getting you employed by advocating and communicating with business and possible employers often helping individuals to overcome difficulties such as interviews, sustaining employment and overlooking trail periods so your not discriminated against if your disability has required time off. 

  • Hi Chloe, sorry for the delay in replying to you. You wouldn't necessarily need to disclose autism specifically, and you certainly aren't obliged to disclose at the interview / application stage. I think the language you use when raising any requests for workplace adjustments can help too - employers are legally obliged to make adjustments for you (so far as is possible) so if you make it obvious that you are requesting x/y/z as a 'reasonable adjustment due to an existing condition' they may react differently to than if you make a more general request. Feel free to message me if you want to chat more :-)

  • Hi Chloe, I find that an important aspect for me is getting a job where the worker gets to manage their own workload and create their own way of doing things, without being 'managed' very much. This means that I can create my own routines and ways of doing things. This lends itself to more 'technical' jobs, such as data analyst. So I'd think of the culture of the workforce you're joining in addition to the subject matter.

    Definitely also think about workplace adjustments; better employers will consider these without you necessarily disclosing autism, if you didn't want to. These might include some things as communicating in specific mediums or at specific times, flexi time, working alone or in smaller groups, or a range of other things, depending on your needs.

    If you need help with interviews specifically, send me a message, as I interview people sometimes so can advise directly.

  • I haven't tried it before but I have always told my employers about my autism, would it affect my chances of getting a job if I asked for a workplace adjustment? Slight smile

  • Hi, thanks for commenting on the post, I'm definitely going to take the advice and look for something part time at the moment as I was working full time in the past and it was too much for me. Slight smile

  • Have you thought about asking employers for Workplace Adjustments? If it is the environment that you find stressful (rather than the work itself) they may be able to make accommodations for you to make things more manageable. If you can identify the aspects of the environment you find difficult to deal with, and suggest alternatives, they might be able to help. (Although probably v dependent on the employer and the type of work.) 

  • Temple Grandin has advice on the types of jobs that might suit particular types of people on the Autistic spectrum, see link below:

    https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/articles/choosing-the-right-job-for-people-with-autism-or-aspergers-syndrome.html

  • My daughter is in a similar position, She’s just referred herself for employment support. They do things like help you produce an improved CV, and will go over interview questions and techniques. In my daughters case, they will help her find work that may be suitable, and inform her which local employers are confident with having ASD employees. Perhaps you could try this?

    Could you have someone come and help out once a week with self employment, if that mean’t you could continue?

    As for work, what are you looking for? Something with little interaction? I guess you need to find out what you can and can’t manage first. And look for a part time job. Less hours and a good shift pattern goes a long way for many. Even if the job you apply for is full time, there’s no reason you can’t ask if they’d consider you for part time if you have the skills they are after.

    I myself work 12 hours. It is still often a struggle,  but I need to work to support myself. I do know of the odd person that works 6 hours a week.