Hi. I have been reading about the struggles that autistic people have to get a job and I feel identified. I am scared of feeling constantly tired and anxious (because I already am). I don't want to be a teacher and only thinking about it makes me feel miserable. I don't have a job yet but I am trying very hard to define what to do to earn money. Do you have any ideas, experiences, comments, regarding to job experiences etc.?
Hah, I’m probably the worst person to take advice from when it comes to job stuff. I’ve done everything from office work (I was young, clueless, and hated the office politics), to electronic assembly (quite liked the repetitive nature of this), retail (not ideal for lots of reasons), freelance web development (liked the work and the flexibility, hated the clients), freelance copyediting (same thing), and studied a whole bunch of things that I
thought I wanted to do (such as audio engineering), and stuff that I’m actually using now (such as literature and creative writing).
I’m currently in a teaching role in a retail environment where I get to talk about one of my interests (technology) all day. So, while some parts of the job are very hard to deal with (the noise, the lights, the social stuff), some parts are extremely rewarding and balance everything out. I feel as though I can tolerate more sensory and social stuff when I’m doing something I enjoy. That said, I only work 3 days a week because I need lots and lots of downtime in order to function in my job, and I’m dealing with a bunch of anxiety and having regular meltdowns and shutdowns lately. So take of that what you will. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best I’ve got right now.
Point being.... I figured out what I enjoy, what I hate, and what I can and cannot tolerate—and how much I can and cannot tolerate—through trial and error. I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but the fact is we all have our strengths and weaknesses, we’re all individuals, and what works for me might be an absolute nightmare for you, and vice versa. So the best advice I can give is to get to know yourself really, really well.
Since you’re trained as a teacher, it would be easiest to explore your options there first, as others have mentioned. I
adore teaching, but I could never teach a classroom full of kids, for example. There are plenty of other ways you could use these same skills, and I like others’ suggestions of teaching students with special needs. I think that sounds wonderful.