How many of you are unemployed?

[King_Oni]

I am unemployed and has been that way for a while. I go to the interview but I don't get hired. I wonder if it does with having gaps in my resume. When I do get a job, sadly I don't last long. My symptoms are what gets in the way. I find for myself when there is too much stress (ex: cashier, lineup of people) I get really nervous. I am unable to handle it. places with lots of people or smells greatly affect me. Also I am slow, takes time to understand, and employers don't understand this.

I've encountered something similar in life. Employers quite often ask for this and why there are gaps. It also means you have less experience than someone who went from job to job. It makes sense, but it's hardly realistic. There's a lot of people (at least here) that went in and out the revolving door of social security and employment on and off.

Depending on what you say the cause of those gaps is, it might pose a problem for potentional employees. If you mention your mental health file they might at least understand why this is. Doesn't make them hire you more (probably less even), but at least you're not lying or concealing information.

Just wondering; Are there any posibilities for employment for people with disabilities in your area? It might help having less gaps as well as such employers know that they have to deal with people that are slower.

 

[Divrom]

I currently work. Part self-employed.

However, I've often wondered whether I should just give up and go on Disability full-time.

I'm a good worker, but insomnia and stress and anxiety and depression and sound sensitivity...make me inconsistent and unreliable.

 

[Jordan]

Currently unemployed and in education studying System Support Level 3. Been scouting for a job for a while now, but to no avail. Had some interviews, but they have turned me down due to my lack of self-confidence. So how am I supposed to boost my confidence if the symptoms that are in my condition, get in the way? Also, employers are concerned that I am nervous to a high level, and that because I lack in that, I get turned down immediately.

I wish there was some way that us Aspians can get a job easier than going to an interview and messing it up because of the risks of having meltdowns, sensory issues, odd sounds that may deter me from the interview.

If I can't get a part-time job soon, then I'll have to take out disability

 

[Geordie]

Every Aspie in my Adult Aspie group is unemployed, as of today. The economic crash finally hits Asia, real hard.

Even accountants do get unemployed, unless their parents need them to do accounts for them. My parents wanted me to do accounting, but recent regulations dictate that they don't have to hire accountants, for they can file tax returns themselves.

Knowing that even accountants do get unemployed chills me. It just shows no matter what you do, so long as you do not follow your heart, you will fail. At the same time, there is considerable demand in urban planning in a city I like to work, but I wasted 3 years of my life following someone else's dream.

I don't feel bitter being unemployed after graduation. Actually, I myself am employed - under my parents' business, doing odd administrative duties. I'm happy at what I'm doing - though they keep me really occupied that I had little time coming here. (With more time here, I can do a lot more for AC, that's for sure.)

However, if I just followed my heart and do urban planning, in retrospect, I have the last laugh - not those naysayers who dismiss my genuine interest in SimCity.

 

[Marycv]

I've encountered something similar in life. Employers quite often ask for this and why there are gaps. It also means you have less experience than someone who went from job to job. It makes sense, but it's hardly realistic. There's a lot of people (at least here) that went in and out the revolving door of social security and employment on and off.

Depending on what you say the cause of those gaps is, it might pose a problem for potentional employees. If you mention your mental health file they might at least understand why this is. Doesn't make them hire you more (probably less even), but at least you're not lying or concealing information.

Just wondering; Are there any posibilities for employment for people with disabilities in your area? It might help having less gaps as well as such employers know that they have to deal with people that are slower.

There are employment agencies for individuals with disabilities where I live. I tried them, but sadly they weren't helpful. Either they sent me for jobs I am unable to do, lack of understanding, or there was nothing available for what I can do. Sadly, where I live has the highest unemployment, and there aren't many job opportunities, unless you know someone or is in the union. I tried revealing my challenges to an employer, he didn't believe I actually had a disability. They see I speak normal and seem intelligent, and don't believe what they are being told.

 

[King_Oni]

There are employment agencies for individuals with disabilities where I live. I tried them, but sadly they weren't helpful. Either they sent me for jobs I am unable to do, lack of understanding, or there was nothing available for what I can do. Sadly, where I live has the highest unemployment, and there aren't many job opportunities, unless you know someone or is in the union. I tried revealing my challenges to an employer, he didn't believe I actually had a disability. They see I speak normal and seem intelligent, and don't believe what they are being told.

Well, I do believe that with disabilities and employment there's an even bigger requirement to have a job that's pretty much a custom and perfect fit. Just having a few jobs around, doesn't make it so that they work for everyone on the spectrum.

If an employer doesn't believe you, you can obviously wonder how much he knows about autism in general.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Knowing that even accountants do get unemployed chills me. It just shows no matter what you do, so long as you do not follow your heart, you will fail. At the same time, there is considerable demand in urban planning in a city I like to work, but I wasted 3 years of my life following someone else's dream.

Yeah, it's pretty hard to be unemployed when you were following your heart. But it's really hard when you weren't following your heart (under the delusion that you'd do better financially some other way) and you are still unemployed.

 

[imanerd]

I have neither a job nor a life. I play games all day.

Technically, I am in college, but I am off for now, because there's a break until Monday, Yes, THIS monday.

I only do volunteer work for the browser, Maxthon; besides that, I am NOT employed-employed.

I live with my parents.

 

[HelloDizzy]

Although I like to say I'm self-employed as a writer, I'm unemployed.

 

[jimited]

I have spent the last four years as a student at college, this is longer than any one time being employed, as my last course finished last month I am now officially unemployed.

 

[reindeergirl]

I'm unemployed I volunteer in some places but I even find that difficult at time to get motivated.

 

[superboyian]

I'm currently employed in a pretty good job I suppose, the interesting part is dealing with the customers on a day to day basis which at times can be pretty difficult and actually harder for an aspie than for a normal person. However, it all works out well in the end.

I was unemployed for a real long time as long as a year but was on the UK's job seekers allowance for 10 months which was dreadful, spent months looking for jobs and trying to secure one. Finally managed to in the end.

The previous jobs I've had we're either voluntary or work experience and of course, it would have been harder for someone like me to get a secure place into a job.

 

[Emoyeni]

I've been umemployed for awhile, but I'm starting a new job tomorrow. I hope it goes wellL

 

[Peter A.]

I'm unemployed too, but someone that I met through Linked In not so long ago and who has all the right connections wants me to write a book, so I don't know if that means that I am now employed again, because I haven't even started it yet. I need to get motivated, and fast!

 

[robertwnielsen]

I'm unemployed too, but someone that I met through Linked In not so long ago and who has all the right connections wants me to write a book, so I don't know if that means that I am now employed again, because I haven't even started it yet. I need to get motivated, and fast!

Peter,

I know the feeling! I've had people tell me that I should write a book, too. And just like you, I need to get motivated, FAST!

 

[umbrellabeach]

I'm unemployed, but only because I'm uncomfortable with the most common method of drug testing. Otherwise, I would have had a job for two months now.

 

[King_Oni]

I'm unemployed, but only because I'm uncomfortable with the most common method of drug testing. Otherwise, I would have had a job for two months now.

That's actually an interesting reason...

Out of all the possible job prospects I had in my life I never ran into a single company that had drug testing.

 

[robertwnielsen]

That's actually an interesting reason...

Out of all the possible job prospects I had in my life I never ran into a single company that had drug testing.

That's very odd, King_Oni. I think the only companies I ever worked/applied for that didn't have drug testing were either fast-food joints or a local amusement park that I worked at for three years as a summer job. (Hated it. Sprained my ankle every stinking year, falling off the same stinking ride!).

 

[King_Oni]

That's very odd, King_Oni. I think the only companies I ever worked/applied for that didn't have drug testing were either fast-food joints or a local amusement park that I worked at for three years as a summer job. (Hated it. Sprained my ankle every stinking year, falling off the same stinking ride!).

Perhaps it's a weirder practice as such over here... I've heard about a few US companies that have a location here that have that stuff going on. But I don't know... with drugs being somewhat legal here, I don't know if it would make a lot of sense.

Or I'm just badly informed about the reason for this testing. Anyone from the US care to elaborate why this even is?

 

[King_Oni]

Liability and insurance reasons. They try to weed out "undesirables." They used to do polygraph testing years ago, but that practice was outlawed and replaced with drug testing. Most places also run a credit check and many places, like Florida, are doing Level 2 background checks. They practically make it impossible for people to get a job these days. If you have bad credit, made a poor choice at some point in your life, or choose to smoke a little herb away from work, you have a snowball's chance of getting hired.

It seems so weird to me... over here, the government is pretty much telling companies "We don't care... these undesirables need to be employed as well". We want to minimize people without jobs since it's costing the country way too much money. Either in disability income or in expenses for the prison system. Which I guess is a totally different chapter when looking at the US and what kind of people end up in prison, for which reason, as well as the amount of people in prison. Especially when I look how easy it is over here to apply for some kind of support to at least have an "incentive" to stay off the wrong path.

I should state that I remember when applying for welfare income, they did ask me if I used any drugs or alcohol and if so, what kind and the amount. I guess it would be fair that they can ask you to get help for that if it imposes functional problems to get employed.

Doing credit checks already is an issue here that's covered heavily by privacy when you're looking at housing. They want to make sure renting a place stays affordable for the lower incomes and sometimes higher incomes live cheap, claiming cheap housing for the "poor"... the government can't even push through credit checks for something like that, so credit checks by employers are even more unlikely here.

I once had a co-worker who actually did time and I knew that you couldn't get hired if you went to jail at the company I worked... yet he worked there. He didn't tell, so no one knew. That's how much you're covered in privacy and personal rights here. At that same company I had a co-worker who often showed up drunk... and only got released at some point when he actually stepped out of line and got verbal with the supervisor. Not for singing loudly while still in his drunken stupor. He did his job fine with minimal error margins otherwise.

But... I don't think it's all sunny here. I actually am convinced that the past can and will be held against you anywhere in terms of employment. I'm sure that I have a sheet of "bad reviews" from temp jobs around the various agencies. And clearly my record of recent employment is somewhat tarnished *cough*2+ years of unemployment*cough*... recent research even showed that more than 4 months of unemployment decreases employment chances by over 60%... and it would take over a year of actual employment to "right that wrong".