what kind of work do people do?

I'm quite curious what kind of work do people here do? I've seen from some comments in other threads that there are social workers and teachers out there. The stereotypical autism job is computer programmer, which I think is really cool and requires lots of talent. There are also students on this forum (I'd be interested to know what you're studying). 

Also, what jobs do you think are well-suited for the autistic personality?

  • Yes.  I had a wake up call in the form of a chronic illness which meant I simply couldn't continue as I was.  Now that I've been diagnosed with autism, though, I have the creeping feeling that, although my surface reasons for making changes and moving away from certain roles that felt toxic to me related to my liver complaint, underneath my autistic self was heaving a big sigh of relief.   

  • Now I'm interested in seeing the results of a survey of forum members covering employment, likes & dislikes and hobbies. There are certainly many engineers, and many motorcyclists, plus a few musicians, nurses, teachers..........I'm getting a hunger to see the data and analyse it! How do those stats on this forum stack up against the general population I wonder?

  • So here's a funny thing.

    I wouldn't describe myself as "into tech" - in fact I've put a lot of effort into distancing myself from techy stuff at work. There is undoubtedly some lack of confidence playing into this, but it's also that I so, so often find myself asking "why?" when it comes to techy invention. (Someone invents a remote-controlled calculator pen watch calendar with internet connectivity for e.g.).

    There's also a big part of me reacting against the decades of expectations from my family that I will know everything and anything about any kind of science and tech, and be interested in it. I'm not. I enjoy maths, algorithms (from software to business processes), and speculation about how the universe works (cosmology, quantum mechanics, relativity, philosophy, arrow of time etc) but I have no interest in the latest Mars probe or chip manufacturing process.

    Human minds are strange - mine certainly is!

  • I love Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I first came across it when I was doing GCSE Psychology when I was 16 and it just made complete sense then it kept cropping up thereafter in A-level Psychology; in degree psychology; even when I did my MSc. I always find it such a good resource with regards how to lead a fulfilled life!

  • Self actualisation, You've been reading Maslows 'hierarchy of needs' as well, lol

  • I think you have a lot to offer when I look at the thread entitled, ' If we could design it ourselves'., You have had quite a lot of input and have some really good unique ideas, in the right environment I think you could flourish, with the right support, there is a job for everyone just need to find your interest and turn it into reality. I am a nurse it took me 5 years to get where I am but I couldn't just nurse anywhere because of my sensitivities so I work in the community it suits my need for interaction and caring for others but with the get out of being an autonomous worker I'm largely self managing and can prioritise my workload, therefore I am doing a job which in reality for an autistic is so not suitable but I have been able to adapt it to fit me and I can't ever imagine doing anything else 

  • It seems you have done very well! I think that statement from that university was really unfair. I believe people with ASD can be good teachers. But I really like your attitude, and that you decided to work even harder to prove that you are capable. You have done amazingly well, having had work experience + masters + PhD. Good luck with the rest of your academic studies and future career!

  • That must be a really tough job, hats off to you, I couldn't do it!

  • I remember my grandmother telling me once about a former pupil of hers that she bumped in to one day. She said the former pupil was very academically gifted and my grandmother was horrified that the she was working as a bus driver. I remember thinking at the time, what on earth is wrong with being a bus driver? I still think it's strange that some people have this view. It doesn't matter what you do in life, as long as you aim to do something that you enjoy. As much as I hate to say it, jobs and your parents job, still seem to indicate "class" in British society, which somehow puts you in a pecking order. None of this should matter but for whatever reason it really does matter to many people. 

  • Thank you so much guys. It really helps  :)

  • You are absolutely right. Appreciating people for who they are.

    However I sense part of the problem is that people want to be defined by what they do, they want fulfilling careers that enable self actualisation.If people are good with something, it is not fair that we get pushed out of the job because of bullying or because the boss doesn't think he can pay money someone 'disabled'. People are not in jobs that reflect their skills and aspirations because of ASD. Not all of us chosen to work where we work. This is what hurts I think. At least I could say that for myself.

  • Following on from my previous post above, I can never understand why people are defined by the employment they do. 

    People have many skills, some of them not 'employability' skills but they probably define someone far more.  To be a good parent, to help others, to have a skill in art or craft, these are far more defining than the job one has.  Added to this the fact that many are thrown into a job by circumstances or because the Employment Service 'forces' people into employment of any sort at all however skilled they are if they cannot find a job in their qualified area, and the fact that whatever job you have can suddenly come to an end through no fault of one's own, that your employer is taken over and you are then given a different job, it does really mean very little to a lot of people.

    I had a job I really liked, I was TUPEd to another employer and my job just became general office work (it was that or nothing).  And nothing would not pay my bills.

    In my life I have seen many eloquent people who have 'lowly' jobs such as labourers, dustmen and cleaners.  I have also seen people in high positions in very important sounding jobs who just haven't got a clue.

    I just wish one of the first questions people asked wasn't 'What do you do for a living' and would be more about 'What things do you enjoy doing'. 

  • I think that when I was younger, certainly in my early 20's, my focus was definitely on achieving as much academically as I could. It was all about being as high functioning as I could possibly be. Studying full time at University; working; bringing up a child on my own. I genuinely used to have a 'retirement list' a list of recreational activities that I wanted to do but would realistically only actually have time to do once I was retired. I look back now and I have no clue how I managed it but I was very very efficient back then. But, long before I ever got my ASD diagnosis I had a massive wake up call when I was 26. I had an ABI in an RTA which has given me a bit of executive dysfunction and I had to reassess my life and my priorities and adapt to having to work within a lower level of functioning compared to what I had been used to. I didn't adapt overnight, It took years and at times that journey took me to some pretty horrific places in my head. But, I learned balance; I learned to know my limits and not to push myself past them; I have adapted my life so that I can still do work at a good level but in a way that suits me. For example, I do agency work instead of having a permanent job because it gives me a lot more flexibility over when and where I work and avoids getting caught up in the politics of organisations. I think also that age can be an important factor in having the ability to do what you want rather than what you feel that you should do, to be able to say, no that's not good for me so I'm not going to do it. It is certainly a skill that can be learnt with time though.

  • Yep. Thats why the NHS is haemorrhaging good nurses. I will give agency some serious considerstion the only thing I dont like about it is, if ever theres a problem the poor agency nurse always gets the blame.. I also feel it leaves our pin a bit more vulnerble.. still food for thought

  • Write down you strengths and skills and do what you can to grow from there.  Search for a Job you can do and crack on with it until the right job comes along for you to do.

  • Many jobs are a nightmare where there are too many chiefs and not enough braves.  Beancounters taking over. with their Metrics, KPI's, Added Value, Cost saving yet anyone with an idea about improvement in the process/ways of working are ignored.

  • Think it is I have great difficulty learning unless I can watch whatever it is that Im learning... I have to watch closely because theres a saying in my job, 'watch one do one teach one'. Although I usually put myself out there to do as many of whatever Im learning before teaching it....

  • No, that is a ... thing (I do not want to be accused of being sexist lol)