Aspergers and work

tomtom256

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

Really? Worked for me .... . I still struggle, but I have learnt how to 'act'.

Re the job centre - the Disability Employment Advisor there would be the most helpful.

But if you are acting, the it didn't work for you as you are pretending to be something you are not.

My comment was personal to me and my issues, sorry if that is inconvenient for those it has worked for or pretend to be something they aren't.

mrcol1000

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

Really? Worked for me .... . I still struggle, but I have learnt how to 'act'.

Re the job centre - the Disability Employment Advisor there would be the most helpful.

I agree with this. I have mild Aspergers and always struggled in the workplace with the "social" aspect making people think I was rude. Ironically due to physical disability I am now self employed and work from home.

It is possible though to work out to some point what is expected of you and to act the way you are expected to. It may not be right or everyone can do it, but it works. People take in to account physical disabilities and help you. Mental disabilities are far harder for people to know how to react to.

As for the OP BF I would suggest he finds somewhere a bit smaller with fewer people. He would find it easier than a large warehouse with a large turnover of staff and constant stream of new people to get used to. If he gets used to a small number of people then he would cope much better. He also should make it clear he has Aspergers. They would be more likely to take it in account. Some employers would automatically grant him an interview, if he met the requirements, due to his disability.

I worked for a local council. I didn't actually tell them I had aspergers but was good at interviews. Local government is ideal for when you have disabilities as they are often more willing to accommodate you than other employers. As I said I learnt how to act in the workplace so people did not think I was rude. Not everyone can do that but a smaller workplace he would find more comfortable.

He could also consider working for himself. There are plenty of people making money through film blogs and freelance reviews. It'd be very difficult to get started in though.

WeAreGhosts

tomtom256 wrote: »

But if you are acting, the it didn't work for you as you are pretending to be something you are not.

My comment was personal to me and my issues, sorry if that is inconvenient for those it has worked for or pretend to be something they aren't.

I prefer to look at it as 'bending to social conventions'. I am my own person in my own space, but I put on a mask when speaking to strangers. It works for me. It gets me out of the house and have successfully worked in some capacity since I was 17.

I don't really think people pouring negativity on things is helping. Of course, words of warning should be [STRIKE]spoken[/STRIKE] written, but positiveness is probably more helpful.

shortcrust

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

I prefer to look at it as 'bending to social conventions'. I am my own person in my own space, but I put on a mask when speaking to strangers. It works for me. It gets me out of the house and have successfully worked in some capacity since I was 17.

I don't really think people pouring negativity on things is helping. Of course, words of warning should be [STRIKE]spoken[/STRIKE] written, but a positiveness is probably more helpful.

Perfectly put, and it's what everyone has to do to succeed socially. The difference is that it comes very naturally to most people whereas some have to learn and consciously perform.

I don't have aspergers, but if I was completely 'myself' at work I wouldn't get very far. I laugh at jokes I don't find funny, smile at people I don't like, and look like I care when I'm hearing people's dull dull news. I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not. I'm being sociable.

Indie_Kid

WeAreGhosts wrote: »

I prefer to look at it as 'bending to social conventions'. I am my own person in my own space, but I put on a mask when speaking to strangers. It works for me. It gets me out of the house and have successfully worked in some capacity since I was 17.

I don't really think people pouring negativity on things is helping. Of course, words of warning should be [STRIKE]spoken[/STRIKE] written, but a positiveness is probably more helpful.

We're not being negative. We're being truthful. My autism is, as I discovered recently (they don't know that I heard them) quite difficult to hide. Especially when my main problem is how I communicate.

WeAreGhosts

Indie_Kid wrote: »

We're not being negative. We're being truthful. My autism is, as I discovered recently (they don't know that I heard them) quite difficult to hide. Especially when my main problem is how I communicate.

I acknowledge that, but it doesn't help the OP. In fact, throughout this exchange you haven't answered the OP at all.

Roxy07

pinpin wrote: »

I have a friend who is also very smart , and who suffers badly with aspergers and so can never ever get past the interview stage. It's kind of a personality contest and which candidate can come across the most confident nowadays, so he doesn't really stand a chance.
He's currently working at the Royal mail as a temp, simply because they had no interview process whatsoever. Merely had to turn up and show his Passport and sign some papers

It should be about the best person for the job.. not who is best in interviews imo.. that is the major flaw in this country - sadly.

People with Aspergers are often very smart and have a place in society..

It doesn't promote people with Aspergers to want to tell people, because it limits them so much that is sad ! they should get more help, not more rejections.. which plays on their confidence etc.

controversy

The last thing anyone should do is ask the Job Centre for help. Its widely known that all the Job Centre cares about is sanctioning and removing people of their needed welfare.

What the person should do is take a friend with him to the interview to speak on his behalf.

A pre-arranged set of questions should be given to him in the post so he can prepare and isn't scared off by any sudden disruptions.

He should take a note pad and write down what he feels and then his friend can read the notes to the employer.

WeAreGhosts

I hope that's a joke ^

Is his 'friend' going to do the job for him too?

Roxy07

He should be able to get disabled working tax credit no? one of the descriptors is if someone struggles to form social relationships they can work part-time with a top up of working Tax Credit.