Finding Employment

Finding employment can be difficult for everyone. Preparing the teenager with autism for the workplace is important.

Encourage part time jobs from early teenage years – developing the relevancy of working

• Ask about work place mentors
• Visit work places
• Produce and continually add to a portfolio of skills – people respect talent, videos, scrap books, photo albums, PowerPoint presentations etc.
• Sell the skills, sell the talents, sell the expertise, sell the work ethic – these should sell the person

“It’s important to get these autistic kids out and exposed to stuff. You’ve got to fill up the database.”  (Grandin T, 2010)

Quote taken from: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703525704575061123564007514

The National Autistic Society has created a useful handbook and website that may be useful – available from:

• http://www.autism.org.uk/about/adult-life/work.aspx

Another helpful website with lots of information on topics such as job tips and social skills and assessments to help the teenager with autism discover what activities / career’s they may like, is:

• http://www.do2learn.com

As with any transition, students must be prepared for going to work.

Some useful resources:

• NCSE – Life after school
• Department of Education, finished at school guide
• How to get and keep a job

Books are another helpful resource:

• Helping Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome Get and Stay Hired: Career coaching strategies for professionals and parents of adults on the Autism Spectrum by Barbara Bissonnette (2014) Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, UK
• Autism All-Stars: How We Use Our Autism and Asperger Traits to Shine in Life, by Josie Santomauro (2011), Jessica Kinsley Publishers, London, UK

Other helpful tips include:

• A good starting point is working out what the teenager wants to do (see http://do2learn.com/subscription/do2learn_plus/jbtips_student.php or http://www.modelmekids.com/autism_job_skills.html )
• Then help the teenager with autism devise a plan to get the qualifications/ skills needed to get the job.
• The teenager with autism should be encouraged to think about their skills and interests and how these could be used to apply for jobs or work experience (see https://www.ted.com/talks/alix_generous_how_i_learned_to_communicate_my_inner_life_with_asperger_s )
• Be realistic about current skills
  • Identify training programs and support services (Autism Speaks provide a useful toolkit see http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/docs/employment_tool_kit.pdf )
  • Think about work experience first or voluntary work to get some experience.
• Teach the teenager with autism how to:
  • Do paperwork
  • Write a CV (the Autism Trust provide a helpful guide see https://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/work-study-get-the-facts/how-do-i-write-a-cv/
  • Draft cover letters
  • Understand pay structures
  • Understand workplace behaviour
  • Help the student/teenager to learn how to take transport to different locations.

See Consideration for Interview (pptx) for more information and useful tips.