When writing about adults on the autism spectrum, so much of the focus is on what is lacking. The lack of services, employment, treatments, and individuals’ skills are the focal point of many articles designed to create awareness and inspire action, only they rarely include information on how to reverse this troubling trend. Alarmingly, a recent study of adults on the spectrum found “that just over half (53.4 percent) of the young adults on the autism spectrum they surveyed had ever worked for pay outside the home within the first eight years after leaving high school.”1 The study also found that “employment rates, full-time employment status and average pay were substantially higher for young adults with other disabilities, including learning disabilities, emotional disturbance and speech/language impairment, compared to young adults with ASDs.”1 Fortunately, the study also found “evidence that specialized, support employment programs can be very helpful in assisting young people into work and in improving quality of life and even cognitive performance.”1 This article may not hold the key to reversing these troubling employment trends nationwide, but it does aim to inspire and instruct its readers on the course of action necessary to find meaningful employment.
As you can tell from that rather bleak introduction, this article could easily expound on the crisis that is the job market for individuals on the autism spectrum. However, rather than take the “woe is me” approach, it is more prudent for us all to explore potential solutions to this nationwide challenge. Our most recently published article focused on inspirational individuals on the spectrum who through sheer determination and motivation accomplished great things for themselves. A common thread linking all of these stories was that they had individuals in their lives who supported and believed in their abilities. You should seek out similar support from the loved ones in your life. World-renowned autism advocate Temple Grandin believes parents and educators need to spend more time focusing on encouraging a child’s strengths rather than concentrating on what a child cannot do.2 Speaking from experience, Grandin cites her proclivity for art as acting as a launching pad for her career as a designer of livestock equipment.2 This fits in nicely with the old adage, “do what you love, and the money will follow.” Research has demonstrated that many individuals on the autism spectrum gravitate towards science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM majors in college.3 These types of majors are described as “being important for increasing both national economic competitiveness and individual career earning power.”3 If your interests are geared towards one of these areas, then you are in luck as the U.S. Department of Labor expects that there will be 1.2 million job openings in STEM related fields by 2018, “but there won’t be enough qualified graduates to fill them.”3 Learn more about 50 STEM-related majors and careers in this article.
Developing Interests and Your Career
How does one turn their interests into a career? Ideally, as mandated under IDEA, you were provided transition services that helped prepare you for life after high school, including focusing on career paths. Through these services you should have been exposed to the necessary steps necessary to prepare for and land a job. If not, or if you need a refresher course, then take a look at the following steps. First you must decide what your interests and strengths are and how they can be marketed towards a viable career. Create a list of your interests and strengths and explore the job market for careers that align with your list.4 The website Do2Learn.com has a helpful Determining Interests questionnaire to help with this initial step. Bear in mind that for some individuals interests are used as a form of refuge from the real world and life’s stressors. In cases such as these, it may be wise not to mix business with pleasure as the saying goes, since overexposure to an interest that brings you much joy may eventually lead to a loathsome perception towards it. Think of it as eating your favorite type of food for every meal. Eventually, you will grow sick from eating the same thing over and over again despite once having an affinity for it.
Once you have determined what your marketable interests are, explore internships or volunteer opportunities in your community that coincide with your interests and potential career. Websites like Volunteers of America and Volunteer Match are good places to start searching for volunteer opportunities. Additionally, for volunteer opportunities and internships, as well as job listings, explore Idealist.org. Depending on the job type, you may want to seek out the assistance of a job counselor for help with resume building, writing a cover letter, and job coaching. Next comes the task of obtaining and filling out job applications. Many of these applications can be found online or through social media sites liked LinkedIn , but you can make an impact even before you land an interview by going to the job site, dressing nicely, asking to speak with the manager, and requesting an interview in person. You should fill out several applications at different organizations for the type of job you would like. Be sure to research the companies to ensure they align with your ideals and are open to individuals with disabilities. Websites like DiversityInc specialize in conducting assessments of companies that promote inclusion and hire individuals with disabilities. If you get called in for an interview, be sure to follow these interview tips. For one, be sure to focus on your strengths and downplay your weaknesses.
There is certainly a population of individuals with autism who are unable to work due detrimental deficits, but a large portion of unemployed individuals on the spectrum have the intellectual capacity for employment, they just lack the know-how and social proficiency to navigate the job market. Concepts like the interview process, networking, and office decorum are often foreign to individuals on the autism spectrum. To this end, you may need to explore more creative ways to find employment that best suit your particular strengths and needs. Freelance job sites like UpWork bypass the traditional interview process and the universally understood issue of disclosure that confronts all adults with autism. Those who opt to work in an office environment must develop sound employment strategies to increase the chances of landing and job and turning it into a career. Individuals interested in these types of careers should visit The Spectrum Careers, a site that matches employers in need of qualified workers with individuals on the autism spectrum throughout the nation. The organization works with service providers and potential employers to train prospective employees and provide resources on how to create an effective work environment for employees on the spectrum.
A Two-Way Street
Becoming employed can be an arduous task for anybody, particularly those on the autism spectrum. Breaking from routine, engaging in daily social and communication activities, meeting deadlines, and the added responsibilities that come with employment can seem daunting to individuals with autism. Employers typically don’t make the task of getting a job any easier. Traditionally, employers equate hiring individuals with autism with the need to provide additional accommodations in the office and ensuring they remain in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act. They may focus on the negative aspects of the disorder and have difficulty envisioning the long-term benefits of hiring employees with autism who are eager to work. Fortunately, there are more and more companies recognizing the unique abilities of individuals with autism, especially in the tech sector. In April, Microsoft was the latest company to announce a pilot program focused on hiring individuals with autism. Software giant SAP has also embraced the abilities of individuals with autism and their incredible attention to detail to test software. They hope to have people with autism make up one percent of their workforce by 2020.5 Other major companies are also actively seeking employees on with autism. For example, Walgreens has been a champion of embracing the hiring of individuals on the autism spectrum and even actively work with other companies on how to become more inclusive. It may be beneficial to search your community for non-profits and other organizations that promote the training and hiring of individuals on the autism spectrum. Non-profit organizations like Extraordinary Ventures creates “self-sustaining small businesses designed around the skills of young adults with autism and developmental disabilities that serve at its workforce.”5 The organization employs a workforce of 40 employees at five separate businesses who work a few to 30-40 hours a week.6 Search the National Autism Network Provider Directory for employment services in your state. Although not for everybody, those who are truly passionate and want to take matters into their own hands can enter into the self-gratifying world of entrepreneurship. The site Autism Entrepreneur is a resource with podcasts from professionals who work with autism and individuals on the spectrum who have thrived with their own personal businesses.
Conclusion
Achieving employment is necessary for you to gain independence. It is going to take time and likely several jobs and years of experience before finding, and being qualified for, your ideal career. Don’t get discouraged by this prospect. Treat each job as an opportunity to meet new people and learn a new skill. Those you meet and the skills you learn may prove to be important factors for furthering your career. Most importantly, don’t let others’ perceptions of you limit what you can accomplish with your career. Take it from Lydia Wayman, who was told by a doctor at 21 that she would never hold a job, despite her nearly 4.0 GPA in college. At 27, she has a master’s degree in writing, works part-time for an autism advocacy group, and she’s co-writing a novel that includes a character on the spectrum. In her words, “it’s not really for anybody else to decide the value of my experience.”8 The most important thing you can take away from this article is that there is a world of opportunity out there waiting for you to take advantage. Today, individuals on the autism spectrum are privy to a growing amount of services and supports designed to reverse the worrying trend of high unemployment. There is an entire lifetime of experience to be had after you graduate high school, don’t let it pass you by without testing your potential. The building blocks for a career are laid out in front of you, but it is up to you take the baby steps necessary to achieve your career goals. In the words of pop sensation Cee-Lo Green: “You gotta get up, get out, and get something. How will you make it if you never even try?”
Resources:
Specific to individuals with disabilities:
· Autism Entrepreneur
· The Spectrum Careers
· UpWork
· DiversityInc
· Disability Job Exchange
Non-specific job sites
· Career Builder
· LinkedIn
· Simply Hired
· CraigsList
· Employment Guide
· Quintessential Careers