Build Job Skills When You're Autistic

For many years, autism was viewed almost exclusively as a childhood disability. There were little to no resources available for autistic adults. While that's still the case to some extent, there are still ways you can get job skills when you have autism. You may have to take the lead yourself and take control of your education and training. The better you know and understand yourself, the better your chances at finding and working in a career you enjoy.

Steps

Starting in High School

1. Consider your cognitive style. Your "cognitive style" is how you think and process thoughts. Many people with autism are visual thinkers, which means they think in pictures. Some people with autism are highly verbal thinkers. Figure out which style works for you.
   • Understanding the way you think can help you focus on the types of jobs that would be best for you.
   • For example, if you're a visual thinker, you may have an advantage in careers such as engineering or architecture, which require a lot of planning and visualization.
   • In contrast, if you're a highly verbal thinker, you'll tend to do better in careers such as library sciences, journalism, and writing. These careers put your verbal thinking to use in a productive way.
2. Focus on your strengths. While your autism may impair you in some areas, it probably also gives you special advantages over neurotypical or "normal" people in other areas. Skills that reinforce or play on those strengths will give you an advantage in the workplace.
   • For example, if you're good with numbers, you might want to consider working as an accountant or tax advisor.
   • However, you also want to look at strengths beyond academic subjects. For example, if you're particularly good with animals, you might want to consider going into veterinary medicine.
   • If you have a strong attention to detail – perhaps you've even been described as "nit-picky" – you potentially would work well as a copy editor or an auditor. These professionals review the work of others for errors.
3. Take advantage of vocational courses. Many high schools offer various vocational courses as electives. These classes give you hands-on skills that you can use in various jobs after graduation, regardless of whether you go to college.
   • For example, if your school offers classes in computer programming, and that's something you think you'd be good at or want to learn more about, sign up for the class.
   • Some high schools also have clubs and extra-curricular activities that allow you to learn job skills. Another positive aspect of these clubs is that they help you form social bonds with other students who also are interested in the same things you are.
   • For example, if you're good with animals and interested in veterinary work, you might consider joining your school's 4-H club.
   • Talk to your school's guidance counselor or a trusted teacher about your interests. They can help you find the program that will best suit your needs.
4. Use your special interests. If your special interests include things like celebrities or fictional characters, they may not translate into usable job skills, unless you want to go into the entertainment field. However, if you have special interests that align with a particular profession, find out what you need to do to get a job in that profession.
   • You often can find a job that touches on nearly any special interest. For example, if you have a special interest in fictional characters, that might translate into work in a library or become an author.
   • If you enjoy observing people and have strong math and technical skills, consider work as a journalist or photographer.
   • Journalism and photography often are good job choices for autistic people who have difficulty understanding and responding to social cues, and don't have emotional responses to situations.
5. Take classes at your local community college. Local community colleges often offer classes on evenings and weekends that you can take without being admitted to a degree program. These classes can help you acquire job skills.
   • For example, you may be able to find classes learning particular computer languages, or technical classes in photography, drafting, or graphic design.
   • You also can use these classes to dig deeper into a particular area and find out if it's really something you're interested in pursuing as a lifelong career.
   • Keep in mind you still must pay to take these classes in most cases. If your family is tight on money, find out what classes are available in your community – for example, through your local library or community center – that you can take while still in high school to increase your knowledge and skills in the career you want to pursue.
6. Keep resources at home. If you're able to get equipment or materials related to your chosen field, you should have it at home so you can practice on a regular basis or even take on more advanced projects on your own.
   • For example, if you want to get into computer programming, having a computer at home will allow you to learn more skills outside of school without having to go to classes.
   • Even if you're not interested in computer programming, having a computer at home allows you to research your chosen field and learn skills by reading on the internet or taking online classes, including free classes from programs like Khan Academy and Open Culture.
   • Work with your parents and keep them actively involved in what you're doing, particularly if your chosen field will involve activities or equipment that might be dangerous. You want to make sure you're using everything safely and properly.
   • If money's tight, you still can get equipment. Look for used items for sale on the internet, or talk to people in the profession and see if they're willing to help you out by giving you older equipment when they upgrade their own.

Getting Appropriate Education and Training

1. Decide whether you want to go to college. Going away to university can be challenging for anybody straight out of high school, but if you're autistic, the idea of moving into a dorm and controlling your own schedule may come with even more difficulties.
   • If the idea of going away to college seems overwhelming to you, look for schools located nearby so you can stay at your parents' house while going to college.
   • Making this decision means knowing a lot about yourself. You need to be able to push yourself, but you also need to know when to push yourself to try something new, and when going into an unfamiliar or frightening situation would be damaging.
   • If you're not able to drive, living on campus in a dorm may be a better option for you because you can walk to classes and to eat in the school cafeteria.
   • It also may be the case that college is out of reach for you for other reasons. Keep in mind that in many fields it isn't necessary to get a college degree before you start working.
2. Pick the right major. Generally, you'll get more out of college as an autistic person if you major in something that provides a direct path to a job after graduation. Focus on majors that are named after a particular job title, such as "engineering" or "computer programming."
   • Liberal arts and social science majors, such as English, history, or political science, often qualify you for a wide variety of jobs. However, the path from college to employment is not necessarily a straight line.
   • In contrast, getting an engineering degree means you'll likely do internships and other practical experiences that will lead directly to a job in the field.
   • These sorts of majors often are attached to career paths that you don't necessarily need a four-year degree to start. If you enjoy school, you may want to get your education first and then go into the workforce.
   • On the other hand, if you're more of a hands-on learner, you may want to get vocational training in high school or a two-year degree at a local community college and then jump into work as an apprentice or trainee of an experienced professional in the field.
3. Seek internships or volunteer work. Working as an intern or volunteer often provides you the opportunity to learn job skills directly from experienced professionals. These opportunities also allow you to observe others in the field and get a better understanding of the work environment.
   • For example, if you want to work with animals, you could volunteer to work at your local animal shelter. These agencies almost always need helpers, and you can learn a lot about working with animals there.
   • You also could volunteer at a local veterinarian's office. If you display an interest in their work and are good with animals, the veterinarian may be willing to let you observe or "shadow" them as they work.
   • Nonprofit organizations in your area may be able to connect you with volunteer opportunities that give you the chance to improve your job skills and get some experience in the type of work you want to do.
   • Ideally, you want to try to work for several different places, so you can get an idea of the expectations of people in the field and the types of personalities you'll encounter in that profession.
4. Build a portfolio of your work. Particularly if you have poor social skills, focus on selling potential employers your work rather than selling yourself. Make sure potential employers see your work product before they see you.
   • If you're a writer or photographer, you typically can get help from a teacher or professor to build your portfolio and make it stand out from the crowd.
   • People in visual professions, such as architects or graphic designers, also frequently make use of portfolios.
   • However, if you're going into a profession where portfolios aren't common, you'll have to come up with your own ideas to showcase your past work. Think of your portfolio as like a résumé, except that it highlights your work and displays or describes it in detail.
   • If you're going into some aspect of computer programming, you may want to build your portfolio as a website. This works particularly well if you've designed applications that you want to be able to demonstrate.
5. Work on your "soft skills." People with autism often have difficulty with general social skills and interacting with others. This may make typical workplaces confusing or hard to manage. With enough practice, however, you can learn to overcome many of these difficulties.
   • You may want to get a trusted friend or family member to have mock interviews with you. They can give you pointers on things like body language and eye contact that you may have trouble with.
   • Keep in mind that interviews are stressful situations for everyone – not just autistic people! The interviewer likely will expect you to be nervous or awkward. You may be able to use this to your advantage.
   • For example, the stereotypical directness that many autistic people share can be an asset. Where other applicants may struggle to figure out what to say that puts them in the best possible light, your honesty may be considered refreshing.
   • If you find a situation like a job interview to be too difficult, consider alternative paths to get your work recognized and find work.
   • For example, you may be able to start volunteering at a place so you can get to know managers and others who work there.
   • You also may be able to make individual connections in a field. These people can introduce you to others, as well as giving those people a heads-up about things you find difficult before they meet you.

Finding the Right Workplace

1. Think about your ideal work environment. Where you work is often just as important as what you do. If you find your workplace distracting or frustrating, you'll be unlikely to perform well in your job.
   • Many autistic people have more trouble keeping a job than they do getting a job in the first place, and this often is related to the work environment.
   • For this reason, it's important to have a good idea of what works well for you going into the position. Avoid taking a job if you find the work environment difficult.
   • For example, if you are significantly bothered by florescent lights, you'll have difficulty working in many offices and factories or warehouses, as well as large retail stores.
   • If you have difficulties filtering out background noise, you also may have difficulty in a cubicle environment in which many employees are talking, working, and moving around.
2. Recognize your own limitations. You must have a keen understanding of things you find frustrating or that give you difficulty, so you can explain those things to new employers.
   • Most employers are willing to work with you if you explain your limitations up front. However, they may not respond well if you tell them the problem after the fact and it seems like an excuse for poor performance.
   • Job descriptions and responsibilities can vary widely among employers, and even in your chosen field there may be some situations that work better for you than others.
   • For example, suppose you are a visual thinker who has skills as a graphic designer. You may enjoy working as a freelance graphic designer, so you can control your own schedule and projects.
   • You also may have a good experience at a larger design house where projects are given to you and you can focus exclusively on your graphic design work.
   • However, you may have difficulty in a smaller boutique firm where you are also expected to manage accounts, answer phones, and communicate with clients.
3. Decide whether to disclose your autism. In the U.S. and many other countries, autism is legally categorized as a disability. Disclosing that you are autistic may give you the right to certain accommodations. However, disclosure may come with its own hassles that you'd rather avoid.
   • U.S. disability law does not include a list of conditions that automatically qualify as a disability. Rather, you must demonstrate that whatever condition you have is something that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
   • You also must be able to present a medical record of your impairment. This can be time-consuming and expensive if you were not diagnosed by a medical professional as a child, but have self-diagnosed autism as an adult.
   • If you decide to disclose your autism, be prepared to educate your employer on what it means.
   • Keep in mind that many people carry a lot of misunderstandings about autism and this can impact how your employer views you or treats you as an employee. Be prepared to explain that every autistic person is unique, and describe how your autism affects you.
4. Connect with a workplace mentor. Particularly if you have trouble picking up on social cues, a coworker or manager can help you understand your workplace and its unwritten rules. Unfortunately, it may take you some time to find someone who fits this role. You may even look at someone outside your own office that specializes in advising employees and recent grads with autism, such as Integrate.
   • If you want someone to be a mentor, have a frank conversation with them – maybe outside of the workplace – and explain what you want from them.
   • Give them the opportunity to decline your request, and try not to take it personally if someone is unwilling to take on this role for you.
   • Recognize that you're asking a lot of a person when you ask them to mentor you. Be willing to do something for them in return, such as helping them out with an aspect of their job that they find difficult.
5. Ask if you can work from home. For many autistic people, working at home allows them to be more productive than if they have to deal with the frustrations and distractions of an office environment.
   • If you have a physical job, working from home may not be possible. However, if you have an office-type job, you typically can do everything you do in the office at home.
   • Even if your employer is disinclined to allow people to work from home, you may be able to convince them to let you do it on a trial basis one or two days a week.
   • When they see how productive you are when you work from home, they may be more willing to let you do it, at least on occasion.
   • You also may want to look for distance or telecommuting jobs that are specifically set up so that the bulk of employees work from home. Many websites operate this way, maintaining only a small office with a few staff members while everyone else works from home.

Related Articles

• Get a Job
• Choose the Right Career
• Accept Your Autism
• Prepare for a New Career
• Make a Resume
• Be Successful if You're Autistic
• Improve Your Job Performance
• Evaluate a Job Description
• Be Openly Autistic
• Get a Job That You Want

References

See also

• Be Indispensable as a Senior Employee
• Deal with Mass Quantities of Paperwork
• Dictate
• Be a Good High Quality Worker
• Gain Respect when You're a Young Executive
• Work Cooperatively in an Office Environment
• Increase Your Value in the Workplace
• Flowchart Your Job
• Avoid Back Office Politics
• Use Time Management in the Workplace

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