Re: (article) Autism and Employment, Young adults everywhere on the spectrum struggle to enter the work world

[Guest guest]

Good one CJ (also the one on letting go of resentment.) I like that this one has

references too. With today's economy I really feel sorry for all young folks

trying to make their way in the world. Back in my day all you needed was a pulse

and a little incentive (education was optional) and you could make a very

livable wage, and at 1/10th of today's cost of living too. Now you really have

to have an " edge " to make it, and this is where those with ASDs and other

challenges get left behind. " For Debbie, there is a sense that she's chronically

behind the curve " was such a poignant statement. (Some older ASD folks feel the

same way too!) Many ASD folks need a little more time to mature, but neither

they nor their non spectrum peers are getting the time to do that now.

- Helen

> I thought this article was quite good, especially in the way it explained how

Debbie's challenges difficulties manifested. That she understood the career

consequences of her difficulties and was able to articulate them so well was

very helpful to me.

>

> Autism and Employment, Young adults everywhere on the spectrum struggle to

enter the work world

>

> _http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2012-5-21-autism-and-employment_

>

> *

> *Enjoy (or not),

> ~CJ

[Guest guest]

> Good one CJ (also the one on letting go of resentment.) I like that this one

has references too. With today's economy I really feel sorry for all young folks

trying to make their way in the world. Back in my day all you needed was a pulse

and a little incentive (education was optional) and you could make a very

livable wage, and at 1/10th of today's cost of living too. Now you really have

to have an " edge " to make it, and this is where those with ASDs and other

challenges get left behind. " For Debbie, there is a sense that she's chronically

behind the curve " was such a poignant statement. (Some older ASD folks feel the

same way too!) Many ASD folks need a little more time to mature, but neither

they nor their non spectrum peers are getting the time to do that now.

> - Helen

>

Ain't it the truth, Helen. Only 10 years ago when I had far less

experience than I do now, it was so easy for me to find employment.

Even in the depths of the " tech bubble " crash. Now, it's a lot harder,

even though there are plenty of jobs in my area. The expectations are

so much higher, and I just can't keep up with the pace, it seems.

And because I've been in the industry for a long time, it's difficult

for me to find a job at a less senior level, as employers are suspect as

to why a 'senior' person like me would seek a position that is a step

'down' from that which perceive a person with my background would

desire. The conflict raises all sorts of questions, none of them good.

So I keep getting leads for senior level jobs for which I am not even

remotely qualified. <arrgghh>

I've got a little over a month to find some sort of steady employment,

otherwise my house goes up for auction and I'm out on the street. The

lender has been very patient in working with me by extending me extra

time to find a job, yet they too have their limits.

Best,

~CJ

[Guest guest]

Hi CJ,

What comes to mind when reading about your challenges is what dear late

, an adult autism advocate, used to frequently say. Mature spectrum folks

want and need work, they have their dignity and they want to participate and

contribute, just please don't expect them to start as the CEO of the company.

- Helen

>

> Ain't it the truth, Helen. Only 10 years ago when I had far less

> experience than I do now, it was so easy for me to find employment.

> Even in the depths of the " tech bubble " crash. Now, it's a lot harder,

> even though there are plenty of jobs in my area. The expectations are

> so much higher, and I just can't keep up with the pace, it seems.

>

> And because I've been in the industry for a long time, it's difficult

> for me to find a job at a less senior level, as employers are suspect as

> to why a 'senior' person like me would seek a position that is a step

> 'down' from that which perceive a person with my background would

> desire. The conflict raises all sorts of questions, none of them good.

> So I keep getting leads for senior level jobs for which I am not even

> remotely qualified. <arrgghh>

>

> I've got a little over a month to find some sort of steady employment,

> otherwise my house goes up for auction and I'm out on the street. The

> lender has been very patient in working with me by extending me extra

> time to find a job, yet they too have their limits.

>

> Best,

> ~CJ

>

[Guest guest]

CJ: It may be necessary to consider opening up some kind of play with the disability card, but I'd consult with experts on this. You're likely to find considerable expertise at a local center for independent living, and I'm pretty sure San Diego or Southern California has a couple of good ones, with knowledgeable and savvy staff on board who could advise on what's likely to work, and what isn't. It may be necessary for you to document just exactly how your AS might manifest itself if placed [and probably "failed" in a high level position].

Incidentally, Patty was lucky. She had Gared at the end of her life, and they were a very good pair. Patty "went out" just exactly as she thought she might, not that she was expecting what happened, but having had a number of premonitions given her knowledge of her extended family's history of complex medical conditions.

Getting back to your immediate job situation. There probably isn't enough time to buy the kind of time you might need for a "job searcher re-do" that would be sophisticated enough to land you a job that will immediately stave off the wolves. You might have to face the loss of your house, much as others have, and with AS and all, gird your loins for a real survivor's bout.

Try now to line folks up you might have to couch surf with while you're finding your bearings. It seems counter-intuitive to be of two minds about finding work, and I'm not proposing that you accept just anything, but given the time frame that's closing in on you for your housing, you'll have to find a way to divide your attention between post-loss-of-housing living arrangements, and a simultaneous search for jobs that may be less ambitious but where "job seeker's excuses for down-scaling their expectations" are realistic for the field, for the competition that's out there, and, to some extent, based on knowledge of what kind of employers are going to be more understanding of this phenomenon. They ARE out there. They're just hard to ferret out, especially if you may have been looking in the wrong places and may not have been networking with others who might be in a similar boat.

After four failed internships of my own design,I ended up concluding that I had to make my own "job" by combining a number of skills and interests I have always had, and creating a consulting business that constantly ran under the income radar -- but legally -- while I continued building my professional reputation, adding to the strength of new cost centers to my business, and still leaving enough time for "fun." Not easy, but absolutely necessary because traditional career counselors and so-called employment experts were no better at working with someone with AS 15 years ago than they really are now. The only difference is that folks like persons recently highlighted in Temple Grandin's brand spanking new book are out there, and they've been doing what I've suggested for the longest time in their careers.

Since the housing loss thing IS closing on you fast, might I suggest that you spend a little less time in front of the screen and on the keyboard, and more time out there world exploring options you may have considered in the past, or just ran across, and haven't yet fit into your job search? Certainly folks on this forum will understand if they don't see you posting as often.

After all, life's about survival first, right?

With best wishes...

N. Meyer

Re: (article) Autism and Employment, Young adults everywhere on the spectrum struggle to enter the work world > >Hi CJ, >What comes to mind when reading about your challenges is what dear late , an adult autism advocate, used to frequently say. Mature spectrum folks want and need work, they have their dignity and they want to participate and contribute, just please don't expect them to start as the CEO of the company. >- Helen > > >> >> Ain't it the truth, Helen. Only 10 years ago when I had far less >> experience than I do now, it was so easy for me to find employment. >> Even in the depths of the "tech bubble" crash. Now, it's a lot harder, >> even though there are plenty of jobs in my area. The expectations are >> so much higher, and I just can't keep up with the pace, it seems. >> >> And because I've been in the industry for a long time, it's difficult >> for me to find a job at a less senior level, as employers are suspect as >> to why a 'senior' person like me would seek a position that is a step >> 'down' from that which perceive a person with my background would >> desire. The conflict raises all sorts of questions, none of them good. >> So I keep getting leads for senior level jobs for which I am not even >> remotely qualified. >> >> I've got a little over a month to find some sort of steady employment, >> otherwise my house goes up for auction and I'm out on the street. The >> lender has been very patient in working with me by extending me extra >> time to find a job, yet they too have their limits. >> >> Best, >> ~CJ >> > > > > >------------------------------------ > > "We each have our own way of living in the world, together we are like a symphony. >Some are the melody, some are the rhythm, some are the harmony >It all blends together, we are like a symphony, and each part is crucial. >We all contribute to the song of life." > ...Sondra > > We might not always agree; but TOGETHER we will make a difference. > > ASPIRES is a closed, confidential, moderated list. >Responsibility for posts to ASPIRES lies entirely with the original author. > Do NOT post mail off-list without the author's permission. > When in doubt, please refer to our list rules at: > http://www.aspires-relationships.com/info_rules.htm > ASPIRES ~ Climbing the mountain TOGETHER > http://www.aspires-relationships.com >