Never had a job and I feel resigned to the idea that I never will. I seem to be unemployable

fishybusiness

Sounds like you are a typical Aspie - meant in a good way :-)

My partner, stepdaughter and own children are all aspie, and I have a suspicion my grown up daughter is too.

I've been thinking about the suggestions of volunteering work, and should think the idea seems both good and not so good all at the same time, perhaps even terrifying?

I wonder if there is a way for someone to help you, like an advocate, to accompany you to volunteering sessions - do the arranging and talking for you, and support you each time you go.

Do you know if there are any support in your area - where I live we ASET (Autism Spectrum Education Team), who know the types of difficulties you describe inside out.

There is also Remploy, we tried them, well set up, understanding and very professional.

Perhaps volunteering for a year, and then having a chat with someone like Remploy to consider future goals would be a possible way forward. Small steps. really small ones........

What interests do you have, things you enjoy now or maybe would like to enjoy doing? May help guide your future choices.

Ja7188

OP, could you relocate to where you might have more luck finding a job - perhaps have relatives you could stay with for a few weeks whilst looking? You might find something quite quickly in a different location...

sazaccount

Hi

Try not to get yourself down about being unemployed, I know you don't really want to go this route but have a look at jobseekers/UC I've only ever found the job centre people to be good and try their best to help you, be honest with them about looking for work, open to listening to their suggestions and take any courses available. Even if it's not for the money they will be able to point you in the right direction to help you with CV help or an autism support group which will be able to help with your skills.

You have great written english and I'm sure your able to read, have a look at your local supermarkets for work I've just got a job at Tescos stocking shelves (I've just come back from working abroad and needed any job going) all you need is to be able to read the labels and an eye to make a shelf look good. If your worried about education a lot of employers will help you gain NVQ's etc when your working with them.

Good Luck :rotfl:

christaitfife

I work for a company that processes fresh veg. We employ all types of people and if someone in your circumstance was to demonstrate a willingness to work and would be willing to stand doing repetitive work for 8 - 12 hours a day we would give you a job.Our factory is cold, wet, face paced and you get paid minimum wage. It isn't great but there are prospects to progress (I've had people step up to £9.50 p/h within a few months).

Asperger's is a non-issue with us, and others in the industry will be the same.

Now, we are quite far from where you live and I only use my organisation as an example. There are lots of places around the UK just like ours - you will find a job if you know where to look.

If you want a couple of agency names - pm me and I will send them. i'm not sure what contracts they have where you are, but there might be something. Of course agency work is zero-hours, but it might be a good way to getting into work.

I know it is easy to put yourself down, but don't. You will 100% be able to get into work.

Murphybear

Another vote here for the quality of your post. Your writing, grammar etc is very good. With that and your background I could see you fitting into working for a charity. I worked for a mental health charity in central London for years and it was a great job, one of the best I’ve had. There were no prejudices and when they recruited they looked for the right person rather than being hung up on qualifications. Most charities are looking for volunteers and it would help you get out into the world and meet people if that is what you need to do. I don’t believe anyone who can express themselves as well as you do is unemployable.

On the other point about claiming ESA, there is no real stigma attached other than (what others have said) in the minds of the DM readers. There are many negative stories about this and they make it sound as if everyone fails the assessment which is of course, rubbish. You never hear about the thousands of people who never have any problems with ESA, the Job Centre or the DWP.

Good luck with your search and let us know how you get on. There’s loads of us here who are rooting for you

BrassicWoman

lots of helpful advice but OP does not seem to be replying so might leave it a few days before adding more while he catches up

Les79

BrassicWoman wrote: »

lots of helpful advice but OP does not seem to be replying so might leave it a few days before adding more while he catches up

Indeed, I am quite surprised as to how helpful people have been on here. Particularly as OP hasn't come back.

They were last online @ 01:48am so probably came on after a gaming session to glance at the thread. Sadly, that is never going to be the answer and full engagement with people who are genuinely trying to help is going to give them a better chance of success.

TBagpuss

I agree with others that you should look into claiming benefits. IT will ensure that you start to build an NI record, and the jobcentre should have resources to help you to start looking for work.

What types of jobs have you been applying for? Have you had any interviews? Have you been given any feedback?

If you are in an areas of high unemployment you will most likely need to apply to lots of jobs before you find one, and may well have to take jobs which are not in your comfort zone to start with, as you gain skills and experience you may be able to find work that is moreto your taste.

Reading your post, it sounds as though you are only thinking of jobs you can do from home. There are not a lot of those about, so I would suggest that you start thinking about what you could do outside the home.

If you find dealing with people difficult or overwhelming then jobs in retail probably won't suit you, but you could consider things such as:

- night / late shifts with supermarkets - larger ones need people to restock shelves overnight, 24 hours stores need staff at night and are much less busy at those times.
- cleaning jobs - look into what is available with agencies and/or at larger hotels etc. You would probably be working on your own or with a small group of people.

-proof reading. You appear to have good writing skills and a fair grasp of grammar, spelling etc. Have you looked into proof reading? I believe that there are sites where you can sign up online and it would allow you to work from home, although it is not well paid.

What are your strengths? Your post talks a lot about things you don't / can't do - what are you good at?
If you are good with figures and have good attention to detail, then it may be worth you looking at things such as book-keeping or auditing, for instance.

You mention you have GCSEs - have you looked into any form of further education? If you can determine what new skills might help you find work, you may be able to undertake courses at a local college, which would also get you back into the habit of following a routine, and would give you tutors who might be able to act as a referee for you when you start to apply for jobs. Even if the course itself s easy for you (for instance, a basic computer course even if you are already confident in using a computer) it would give you a relevant, recent, qualification to help you apply for entry level office jobs, for example. (and being able to say that you have been studying gives you some recent history so it doesn't look as though you've been doing nothing for years.

Smodlet

Les79 wrote: »

Indeed, I am quite surprised as to how helpful people have been on here. Particularly as OP hasn't come back.

They were last online @ 01:48am so probably came on after a gaming session to glance at the thread. Sadly, that is never going to be the answer and full engagement with people who are genuinely trying to help is going to give them a better chance of success.

I am with you and BrassicWoman, Les79. We have given our time gladly but, unless the OP returns, we will not know whether or not that time has been wasted. A little feedback would be appreciated, I think.

I know very little about Asperger's but think I have heard it is difficult for those affected to empathise with others. Many apologies if this is erroneous.

UnemployableUKchap

I would like to thank the people who have replied to this post. I was nervous when I made the original post and I still am. A few posters have asked questions which I will try to answer.

A few people mentioned support services or groups for people on the autistic spectrum. There is very little support available in the area I'm in. I've searched online extensively. I have heard that there is lots of support available in some areas. Someone mentioned there is an Autistic Spectrum Education Team in their area - there is nothing like that where I'm located unfortunately. I also don't have a social worker, which someone else asked about.

I have been discouraged from applying for jobs as I invariably find the job description mentions skills that I haven't got (and will never have). There are a few that come up frequently which include " candidate must have great communication skills", "must work well in a team" or "must have excellent people skills". I am the antithesis of each of those skills. To start with, I struggle with understanding social cues and norms which most people seem to inherently know. A few examples include knowing when it's my turn to speak during conversations, maintaining eye contact and knowing how close to stand to someone while interacting with them. I usually stand as far away as possible, particularly if I don't know someone. I will also avoid making eye contact as much as possible as it makes me nervous. I come across as being awkward, aloof and lacking in empathy. An example would be if I encountered someone who was obviously in a state of distress about something. It's not that I don't feel any compassion, I just wouldn't know what to say. I also speak very quietly and have been told I have a monotone voice, which means one lacking in expression or emotion. I have read that these are common characteristics of people with Aspergers or autism.

Regarding jobs and volunteering, I can only imagine doing something that requires minimal social interaction with members of the public. That is what I have been trying to find. Doing any kind of customer-facing job would be impossible for me. If I was working in a retail position for example, I would be scared every time a customer approached me. It just wouldn't work. I would end up getting fired or quitting on the first day. Also, someone asked if I have a CV. I know what a CV is but I don't have one. I would have very little to put on it, so it would essentially amount to little more than a blank piece of paper. I wouldn't know where to start. I also don't know what to wear for an interview. I am not a scruff, but I have no idea about fashion. I've never owned or worn a suit.

Another person mentioned relocating. I have thought about that quite a lot. I have lived in the same place since birth. Without divulging too much about the situation, I will say that things are quite difficult at home and have been for a long time. The atmosphere in the house often feels like a pressure cooker that's about to explode. I would like to have a break from it, even just for a few days, but as I said before I have no friends or relatives who I can visit. I would like to move away from the area I'm in just for a change of scenery as much as any other reason. I would still be the same person, but at least I wouldn't have to be constantly reminded of the past, which reinforces the feeling I have of being stuck. I sometimes think about packing a few bags and just leaving, but I wouldn't get very far. No landlord would accept me as I would be unable to provide proof of income or employment.

I have looked into benefits and it seems there is no Universal Credit in my area. There is only ESA, JSA and PIP. I am thinking about claiming ESA specifically as it seems to be the most appropriate one for my circumstances.