Interests and Aspies' Employability

Funnily enough I talked about this with my girlfriend the other day, as I feel that aspies in general have a way bigger extreme spectrum going on when it comes to performing in school. If I look at my own grades from years back. I had either A's or F's... nothing in between. And I know a fair share of aspies like this.

Another thing I'm noticing, and in a way that might be the "good" thing. Society still thinks it's ok to have averages. Scoring a C quite often is "still ok". We don't need people with perfect A's... people with perfect A's sometimes are know it alls, perfectionist and whatever, and we settle for a happy middle. That's to some extent good for aspies doing stuff they don't really care about, but still can manage. But slowly... very slowly, this entire notion of "average" is eroding away and in a few years there is no middle ground. There's an A's only criteria, which makes it both harder for aspies to fit in doing things they don't care about as well as competing with NT people that are both good at their field as well as social interaction and whatever issues we might stumble upon.

Hey King_Oni, I do force myself to get C's. I work even harder than those students who got A's - it must been the psychic cost that crept up while I did exams.

I agree with you, A's only criteria make it really hard for Aspies not inclined in academic areas to really continue learning and contributing in school. Aspies can provoke good discussion in classes. However, the main priorities in most Aspies is not grades, I think it's more like the holistic self-improvement that we tend to look out for.

Personally, I think grades are overrated because for one thing they are not standard. At least not here in the United States. For example, I know someone who used to live in the South and their kids got great grades but when they moved to New England they found that the schools had much higher standards and they didn't get such good grades. It was quite upsetting to them.

The thing that I am learning about success and interests is that you have to understand what the standards are in your field. For example, I like to act. But there is no way that I am ever going to get paid for my acting because while my acting is good enough for community theater I am not good enough to compete against someone who has been studying acting for years. Here is something to keep in mind: when someone tells you you are talented in a field, first, consider whether they are in a position to judge. I've been told over and over that my talents are wasted in my current job. But who is telling me this? More importantly, who is not telling me this? I am NOT hearing it from employment counselors, I am NOT hearing it from headhunters, I am NOT hearing it from someone who actually has a position to offer me--and those are the ONLY people whose opinions count.

If you have an interest in anime, who are the top people in anime? What kind of work are they producing and how does yours measure up compared to theirs. Because the one true measure of value is whether other people are willing to pay you for that. This is what I failed to realize with my writing or my art. People said I was good but they weren't opening their wallets. Unfortunately it took a lot of wasted years and wasted money before I realized that as much as I liked to write I didn't have a chance of breaking into paid writing. I didn't have the connections and there was way too much competition. My talent just wasn't good enough. If you are in a highly competitive field then you need to stand WAY, WAY out to get noticed. It's not going to fall into your lap.

Employment counselors, headhunters and employers - well, hmm, Spinning Compass, I think I met a few people like them, and they tell me exactly this: Don't do accounting. It's not for you. Do insurance, do marketing, do anything else - just not accounting, it does not fit into your personality type. Because I agree with them, I'm looking into a career outside accounting, but in the general field of business, after graduation from my accounting course.

The top people in anime just happens to produce work that is well-liked by others. Likeability isn't something we can control, and in business terms, the key performance indicator for likeability is - money flowing into the productions themselves. I don't think I'm a great writer that people will support. Although I like writing, I find it too niche. In addition, society values writing as some useless stuff that starves people. I did win writing competitions, but they were exceptions. Not everyone will have their Gangnam Style moment, when 500 million Europeans and North Americans suddenly watch a middle-aged guy dancing some weird moves.

I feel that I may need to keep my options open, because I feel that in some areas, I can stand out, make a contribution - and earn a living.

this is an interesting discussion. If I may, I would like to add my own perspective....

Personally, I am a musician. I can say that not because I got the MA a few years ago, which is just an academic qualification (and I am NOT an academic! , but because I can play music and other people like listening to it!

An amateur musician plays for his own entertainment, a semi-pro can make a small bit of money on the side playing music for others, and a pro can make a living full time out of music.

I fall into the "pro" category. But, I'm not famous, I am not rich (far, far from it!) and I am unemployed (and unemployable!). The only way I made any money was to be self employed. Obviously, aspergers explains why!

I was inspired to learn to play (self taught) from music by some of the greatest composers on earth, world famous etc. I am not in that elevated status! I could play music so technically complicated, it was like a drug!

And, I never made a penny (cent, euro, whatever currency applies!) from it....

My money came from helping others enjoy music (I taught privately) and playing music others enjoyed listening to (forget Chopin, try Richard Clayderman!!).

And, my point it that I never tried to be the "best" or "greatest". I could never compete with other genius musicians because we are all different. My talents are sufficient to teach effectively, and play a wide range of music that other people consider "great" (they wouldn't even have heard of Chopin Etudes for example!).

I had no idea what I would be doing. I just played music because I loved it. I still do. I'm not worried about earning the most, and I'm currently working towards goi back to being self employed, playing music to people in care homes! Glamourous and cutting edge it isn't, but it doesn't stop me giving it my best shot.

If you change "music" for "writing" or any other thing you may be into, I hope my point is made. I'm happiest doing what I enjoy, and there are many avenues for our interests. I doubt any of our interests couldn't actually be made into some sort of job with the right attitude and openness to adapt.

(yep, I know I'm generalising loads there!!!!)

just for the record, for those doing degrees in subjects not fun, I have in my time:

Studied science - geology, geography, statistics, astronomy at university.
Studied music - film music, studio stuff at university
Never used it at all!

All my working knowledge came from my own interest and learning. All my income came from my love of my subject ultimately.

It's doable for all of us, just be prepared for some mighty interesting "changes of direction" on the way!

No matter what I will do eventually, we'll keep ourselves happy and open-minded. We can then feel free sharing all the nice things around the world