Autism-friendly jobs
Summary
TLDRThis video discusses the challenges autistic individuals face in finding fulfilling employment, highlighting that 85% of autistic adults with college education are unemployed according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The speaker emphasizes the importance of finding jobs that align with an autistic person's special interests, social needs, and sensory sensitivities. They also stress the significance of purpose and productivity, suggesting that with the right environment, neurodivergent individuals can excel and thrive. The video encourages viewers to consider these factors when seeking employment and to share their positive experiences in the comments.
Takeaways
- 📉 High Unemployment Rate: 85% of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed according to the 2023 U.S Department of Labor statistics.
- 🎓 Impression Management Challenges: Autistic job seekers are less likely to engage in impression management, which can negatively affect their interview performance.
- 👀 Non-Verbal Communication Barriers: 43% of hiring managers may view common autistic behaviors like lack of eye contact as deal breakers.
- 🔊 Need for Clear Instructions: Autistic individuals often require clear and concise written instructions to avoid confusion.
- 💡 Productivity Potential: A Harvard Business Review study found that autistic people can be 20% more productive than their neurotypical peers with the right environment.
- 🤔 Personalized Job Search: The advice given is not one-size-fits-all and should be adapted to individual needs and circumstances.
- 👥 Importance of Social Interaction: Autistic individuals crave social interaction and authentic connections, which are often not met in traditional work settings.
- 🌟 Pursuing Special Interests: Jobs that align with special interests and skills can be more fulfilling and less draining for autistic individuals.
- 🛠️ Sensory Considerations: The work environment should accommodate sensory sensitivities to ensure sustainability and health.
- 🚀 Purpose and Passion: Jobs that provide a sense of purpose and allow for helping others in a meaningful way can greatly enhance job satisfaction.
- 💼 Burnout Prevention: Prioritizing the right people, interests, and sensory accommodations can prevent the common cycle of burnout experienced by many autistic individuals.
Q & A
What is the unemployment rate among autistic adults with a college education according to the 2023 statistics from the U.S Department of Labor?
-According to the 2023 statistics from the U.S Department of Labor, at least 85 percent of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed.
What is 'impression management' in the context of job seeking?
-Impression management is the conscious or subconscious process in which someone attempts to influence how people perceive them using strategies such as persuasion and self-promotion.
Why do autistic applicants often rate poorly in confidence, communication skills, and likability during job interviews?
-Autistic applicants often rate poorly in these areas because they are less likely to engage in impression management, which puts them at a disadvantage in interviews.
How can the lack of eye contact, not smiling, or fidgeting affect an autistic person's job prospects?
-These behaviors can be perceived negatively by hiring managers, with 43 percent viewing such poor body language as an instant deal breaker.
What does the Harvard Business Review study suggest about the productivity of people on the Spectrum compared to their neurotypical peers?
-The study found that people on the Spectrum are 20 percent more productive than their neurotypical peers if they are given the right environment and opportunities.
What is the importance of finding a job that aligns with an autistic person's natural self?
-Finding a job that aligns with an autistic person's natural self is crucial to avoid burnout and to ensure a sense of fulfillment and sustainability in their work.
Why is it a misconception that autistic people are anti-social and do not crave social interaction?
-Autistic people, like anyone else, crave social interaction and authentic human connections, but they may struggle with societal barriers and social cues, leading to feelings of loneliness and unfulfillment.
What role does purpose play in an autistic person's job satisfaction and overall well-being?
-Purpose is important as it allows an autistic person to help others in a capacity they are passionate about, contributing to a sense of fulfillment and averting feelings of emptiness and depression.
How can sensory sensitivities impact an autistic person's ability to perform and sustain a job?
-Sensory sensitivities can make a job less sustainable if the work environment constantly challenges these sensitivities, leading to discomfort and potentially health issues.
What advice does the speaker give for autistic individuals seeking employment?
-The speaker advises autistic individuals to consider jobs that align with their special interests, allow for authentic social connections, provide a sense of purpose, and can accommodate their sensory sensitivities.
How does the speaker suggest using the advice provided in the video?
-The speaker suggests using the advice as a starting point for personal reflection and discussion with partners, caretakers, or family members, and encourages adapting the advice to individual needs and circumstances.
Outlines
📊 Unemployment Stats and Challenges for Autistic Adults
The speaker begins by addressing the topic of autism-friendly jobs, emphasizing the importance of finding suitable employment for autistic individuals. They share a startling statistic that 85% of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed according to the U.S. Department of Labor's 2023 data. The script discusses societal and systemic influences, citing a 2020 study that found autistic job seekers are less likely to engage in impression management, which can negatively impact their performance in interviews. The speaker also highlights the challenges autistic individuals face in interviews due to non-verbal cues and the need for clear instructions at work. They conclude by referencing a Harvard Business Review study that shows autistic individuals can be more productive than their neurotypical peers if given the right environment and opportunities.
🤝 Prioritizing People and Social Needs in the Workplace
The second paragraph delves into the importance of considering people, special interests, purpose, and sensory sensitivities when seeking autism-friendly jobs. The speaker refutes the misconception that autistic people are antisocial, stressing that they, too, crave social interaction and authentic connections. They discuss the impact of unfulfilled social needs on mental health and job sustainability. The speaker advises considering the types of people one will interact with at work, including bosses, co-workers, and customers, and whether these relationships will be fulfilling and enjoyable. The paragraph emphasizes the need for a supportive and understanding work environment to prevent burnout and promote job satisfaction.
🌟 Aligning Work with Special Interests and Skills
In this paragraph, the speaker focuses on the significance of aligning work with one's special interests and skills, which can make the job environment more conducive and interactions with others easier. They argue that when a job is related to a passion or skill, it can provide a natural platform for socialization without feeling like a burden. The speaker encourages finding a job that allows one to tap into their special interests, such as working in a video game store for someone passionate about gaming. They also mention the importance of purpose in a job, suggesting that if an autistic person can find a role where they feel they are helping others and are passionate about their work, it can lead to a sense of fulfillment and prevent feelings of emptiness or depression.
🎨 The Intersection of People, Purpose, and Passion
The speaker continues the discussion on finding a job that intersects people, purpose, and passion. They suggest that when an autistic person finds a job that they care about, where they get along with people, and where they can help others, it can lead to high productivity and satisfaction. The paragraph also touches on the societal norms of work-life balance and how it is more challenging for autistic individuals to separate their work and personal lives. The speaker emphasizes the importance of a job that fulfills personal needs and contributes positively to one's life outside of work, leading to a more sustainable and enriching lifestyle.
👂 Addressing Sensory Sensitivities in the Workplace
The final paragraph addresses the issue of sensory sensitivities in the workplace and how they can affect job sustainability. The speaker provides an example of how an interest in animals might not translate well into a job at an animal shelter due to sensory sensitivities related to smell and texture. They suggest that accommodations for sensory sensitivities are crucial for job sustainability and health. The speaker encourages others to share their positive experiences with jobs that align with their needs and passions, emphasizing the importance of hope and inspiration for the autistic community. They conclude by sharing their own positive experience in the creative field of art, which has been sustainable and fulfilling for them.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Autism friendly jobs
💡Impression management
💡Neurodivergent Talent
💡Sensory sensitivities
💡Special interests
💡Burnout
💡High masking
💡Productivity
💡Authentic connections
💡Purpose
Highlights
85 percent of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed according to 2023 statistics from the U.S Department of Labor.
Autistic applicants are less likely to engage in impression management, which can lead to poor ratings in confidence, communication skills, and likability.
High masking and camouflaging can be detrimental to an autistic person's mental and physical health.
Non-verbal aspects of interviews can put autistic individuals at a disadvantage, with 43 percent of hiring managers viewing poor body language as a deal breaker.
Employees on the spectrum often require a quieter space or headphones to maintain productivity.
Neurodiverse talent benefits from clear and concise written instructions rather than open-ended ones.
A Harvard Business Review study found that people on the spectrum can be 20% more productive than neurotypical peers if given the right environment and opportunities.
The importance of discernment and personalizing advice to fit individual needs is emphasized.
Autistic people crave social interaction and authentic connections, contrary to the misconception of being anti-social.
Social needs not being met can lead to loneliness and mental health issues, impacting job sustainability for autistic individuals.
Finding a job with people one naturally gets along with can make social interactions less burdensome and more fulfilling.
Surrounding oneself with people who understand and value autistic individuals can lead to a more sustainable work environment.
Jobs that align with an autistic person's special interests and skills can make social interactions easier and more enjoyable.
Purpose in a job, such as helping others in a capacity one is passionate about, can be a key factor for autistic individuals.
A sense of purpose can help alleviate feelings of emptiness and depression, providing a more fulfilling work and personal life.
Accommodating sensory sensitivities in the workplace is crucial for job sustainability for autistic individuals.
The intersection of people, purpose, and passion can lead to high productivity and fulfillment in jobs for neurodivergent individuals.
Encouraging stories of autistic individuals thriving in their jobs can provide hope and inspiration for others.
Transcripts
let's talk about autism friendly jobs
hey guys welcome back to my channel on
today's video I wanted to talk about
some things to look for when you or your
loved one are looking for jobs that can
more so fit your needs as an autistic
person and therefore be more sustainable
hopefully as well more fulfilling now I
want to share with you guys a statistic
at least 85 percent of autistic adults
with a college education are unemployed
and this is according to the 2023
statistics from the U.S Department of
Labor let me repeat to you guys I am not
great at numbers but 85 percent
of the whole U.S population right 85
percent of autistic adults that have
college education are unemployed so this
isn't even a matter of your intellect
you know that is a high number 85 I just
want to read off a little bit more from
this article before I get into what I
have to talk about because I think along
with learning about ourselves it's also
important to learn about the systematic
ways that we are influenced in the ways
that Society influences us a 2020 study
of the performance of autistic job
Seekers by the UK's University of bath
and University College London found that
autistic applicants are less likely to
engage in impression management which is
the conscious or subconscious process in
which someone will attempt to influence
how people perceive them using
strategies such as persuasion and
self-promotion this causes autistic
applicants to often rate poorly in
confidence communication skills and
likability
I also want you guys to note that just
because it says that an autistic person
struggles with this doesn't mean that
it's impossible right there are a lot of
autistic people out there who are high
masking and high camouflaging who can to
an to a degree succeed at impression
management but to the detriment of their
own mental health and physical health I
want to keep that in mind as well not
only are the conversational contents of
interviews more stressful for people on
the autism spectrum but the non-verbal
aspects can put them at a disadvantage
43 percent of hiring managers view
things like poor body language including
a lack of eye contact not smiling or
fidgeting all things adults on the
autism spectrum may present as an
instant deal breaker according to a
report from a career insights platform
unlike their neurotypical co-workers who
can often maintain productivity in
office settings while navigating
conversations and distractions employees
on the Spectrum often need a quieter
space to work or they may even need
headphones while they're working
neurodivergent Talent also often needs
more clear and concise written
instructions rather than open-ended
instructions that are confusing or
misleading
it's so funny as I read this article
because I feel like instructions should
be clear right
all the time regardless of
neurodivergency but I guess that's not
common or like reasonable to ask for I
don't know I think it's reasonable but
Society is weird of course none of these
misunderstood nuances mean that autistic
workers aren't capable of producing
meaningful work and value
in fact the Harvard Business Review
released a study that found that people
on the Spectrum are 20 more productive
than their neurotypical peers if they're
given the right environment and right
opportunities
so that's something really interesting
that we will touch on in my advice so
remember that these are things to keep
in mind and have in perspective when we
are thinking about what we want to do
about our struggles when it comes to
working and what type of work we want to
go into I want you guys to practice your
discernment all the time with any of the
videos I talk about I don't want you to
take my advice so literally that you go
out there and you just follow the steps
I have to give and expect that it should
work for you it should be a jumping off
point for you to build off of whether
that's taking the advice I have to give
and tweaking it to fit your needs in a
more personalized way or even just
having it be a conversational point
between you and your partner or you and
your caretaker or you and the family
member
as to what you want to do about it what
you think about it things like that
maybe you could ask them for some advice
and input but either way this is just
giving you some sort of format for you
to begin this conversation and give you
little bits of guidelines to follow of
course my advice isn't going to work for
everyone and in that sense feel free to
take what resonates and leave what
doesn't feel free to take certain things
and tweak it to fit your needs better
you have full permission to do that and
now that we got that quick disclaimer
out of the way let's get straight into
the video and the advice
I'm gonna have to shut that window
foreign
so when it comes to autism friendly jobs
I want you guys to think about four
things and I listed the most important
thing at the top of course this will
vary person to person it is people
special interest purpose and sensory
sensitivities now depending on who you
are I feel like people in special
interests will fluctuate between which
one's more important and a good way to
gauge which one would be more of a
priority for you is to think about who
you are naturally as a person are you
more of a physical and mental person so
I guess more objective or are you more
of an emotional and spiritual person so
more subjective because if you're
working in a job that constantly forces
you to work against your natural self
then you're for certain going to reach a
burnout because of that job so what does
that mean your natural self if you are
someone that naturally operates in a
more spiritual and emotional sense you
want to find jobs that allows you to tap
into that part of yourself rather than
ignore it right so you want to make sure
that the people within your job is
allowing you to tap into that rather
than ignoring it so for example if you
are an emotional and spiritual person
and you are in a job that has a lot of
people that you don't really get along
with and you find yourself needing to
numb yourself a lot around and you begin
to find yourself needing to rely more on
your intellectualization or the physical
aspect of your job then you will begin
to feel more and more detached and
unfulfilled and have a lower bandwidth
of dealing with sensory sensitivities
because you're losing that sense of
spirit and likewise if you are a more
physical and mental person and you're
working in a job where you are
completely disinterested in what you are
doing and and you are not mentally
stimulated it doesn't matter if you have
the best co-workers or the best
customers you will feel unfulfilled all
the time and that in and of itself will
Whittle away at your spirit as well
spirit is a big part of work that I feel
like is just not something an autistic
person can sacrifice when it comes to
work because I feel like Society is
already set up to make it so much harder
for an autistic person to operate you
need to have a sense of spirit when it
comes to work in order to have it be
somewhat sustainable for you and so
whatever it means for you whether it's
working in a field that lets you tap
into your special interests or working
in a job that allows you to tap into
connecting with people that you love to
connect to make sure you understand who
your natural self is what your needs are
in that sense how you naturally operate
and know how to prioritize those things
when it comes to thinking about what
type of jobs you want to work at so
going back to that list of four
important things right let's start with
people I feel like a really big
misconception with autistic people is
that we are anti-social we don't crave
to connect with other people we don't
care to connect with other people we
keep to ourselves we are introverted in
reality autistic people just like anyone
else craves social interaction human
connection and authentic connections
with other people a big reason why a lot
of autistic adults struggle with
maintaining jobs struggle with mental
health issues is because our social
needs are not truly met a lot of the
times because of all of these barriers
in society a lot of us are deeply lonely
deeply unfulfilled because we are not
able to find a job that can fulfill us
we are not able to find a way to connect
to people that can fulfill us us and
that really starts to wear on your
spirit and your soul over time right and
when your spirit starts to go down and
Society is already not really set up for
you it makes it harder and harder to
function and so when I say to prioritize
people what this means is think about
the people that you are going to be
interacting with whenever you are at
work people like your boss your
co-workers your customers are these
people that you can stand to be around
are these people that you want to be
around are these people that you are
happy to be around and look forward to
be around a good way to start to
understand
what type of people you want to be
around at a job
and what type of job in general has
people that you want to be around
I think a great way to dissect this is
to think about the people that you
naturally get along with a lot of the
times it's a specific personality type
or people who are just interested in the
same type of things that you are think
about the places that these people go to
also think about places that you
yourself would want to go to so for
example I feel like I get along really
well with people who are very creative
and very open because a lot of the times
even if we are very different creative
people will be open to authentically
connecting with you because even though
you are not within their Norm they will
still be interested in connecting with
you and learning about you and vice
versa and that's something to consider
is
are you going to get along with your
co-workers as much as anyone else that
you're going to be interacting with
because if you think about it in an
objective way
you are going to see these people very
often and if you naturally do not
understand or get along with or take
interest in or care to connect with
these people on a day-to-day basis or a
weekly basis and you have to
consistently force yourself to interact
with them or force yourself to try to
think of ways to mask around them script
around them if you have to constantly
think about this all of that energy that
should be used to do your work
objectively is now being used up in all
of these subjective interactions right
and so now what happens is you are empty
you're completely empty when it comes to
having energy left to finish and do your
work so what ends up happening is
you draw the energy from your reserves
the reserves are usually something that
you would draw upon in emergency
situations but for a lot of
neurodivergent and autistic people
drawing on those reserves is a very
common experience and that's why we
reach these ultimate burnouts when I
think back to the years and years of
work experience that I had before I
started my own business it was such a
cyclical
experience and it makes so much sense
after my diagnosis that it was so
regimented how every two years I would
enter a new job and I would enter this
job so high masking use up all this
energy and all of my reserves to pass as
high functioning when in reality it was
so unsustainable to ultimately reach a
burnout that lasted about three months
where I couldn't do anything all I could
do was just lay in bed eat sleep shower
repeat for three months straight I could
not look for another job I could not see
friends I could not socialize I could
not process I was emotionally numb I was
disassociated from my body for three
months straight until I ultimately came
out of that burnout to look for the next
job it would always happen that same way
two years of work three months of
burnout two years of work three months
of burnout and depending on how
debilitating that job was the burnout
would last longer and this is such a
common experience for other autistic
adults out there whether you're
diagnosed officially or not is these
cycles of repeated pushing yourself past
your limits working an unsustainable job
and then reaching these ultimate
burnouts that could be so debilitating
and could last for so long right until
you ultimately pick yourself back up
maybe barely to work work another job
that's unsustainable more than anyone
else you cannot slack on prioritizing
the people that you're going to be
surrounded by and interacting with but
if you think about it if you're
surrounded by a people that you can
ideally look forward to interacting with
seeing at work talking to and maybe even
socializing with outside of work if
you're gonna also be seeing and
interacting with customers that you
would naturally get along with and can
have conversation with it makes
interpreting and socializing easier
outside of the objective work so that
you have actual energy to give into the
objective work
now another thing to look for is a job
that surrounds your special interest and
something that you're very passionate
about or at least something that you're
very skilled at right A lot of the times
they kind of go hand in hand something
that you're very interested in is also
something that you're very skillful at
that is a superpower of neurodivergency
and autism I feel like this one is also
really important
I feel like when you find a job that
surrounds your skill sets surrounds your
special interests it already kind of
makes the environment
a lot more conducive to you
this also goes hand in hand with people
because it also makes it easier to
interact with someone when you are
interacting around a specific topic or
skill set that you are genuinely
interested in and you are genuinely good
at so if you are a person that loves
computers and video games and you work
at a video game store or computer store
you will never really get tired of
talking about something you have to talk
about with customers because it is
something you're super knowledgeable
about and something you genuinely like
to talk about and so socialization at
that point and interaction at that point
doesn't have to feel like a burden
necessarily because you actually have
that fuel to talk about that specific
topic and you don't necessarily have to
use fuel to mask you see how these all
tie into each other and the same goes
for let's say if you work at an arts and
crafts store if you are a creative
person and you work in a store where a
lot of other creative people are coming
in to buy products and you are talking
to them about their next project or
you're talking about a specific product
to do a certain type of art with you
never really truly get tired of those
types of conversations and if anything
it actually gives you a vessel to
connect with other people and tap into
something that feels almost spiritual to
you in a sense even though it could be
very objective right now the third thing
on this list is also important but won't
always get tapped into if it does you
have the trifecta and that is purpose if
you're able to tap into a sense of
purpose which means being able to help
people in some sort of capacity with
something that you're passionate about
with the people that you can actually
care for I feel like we don't really
talk about purpose enough when it comes
to jobs we tend to think about jobs in a
very objective way a lot of neurotypical
people kind of talk about jobs as just
this thing that you go to to make money
and everything you need from life
outside of money is able to be fulfilled
outside of your job in your personal
life this is really difficult for
autistic people because
your job is a necessity right it's where
you make money it's where you earn your
living so in a sense that is more
important than your personal life you
cannot really have a personal life
without a work life work life takes
precedence at least in our society
and so for a lot of neurotypical people
they could just go to their work numb
themselves or whatever make it through
still get their jobs done and then it's
almost like they come home and party
it's it's fun for them it's where they
let loose it's where they get their
needs met it's where they have their
fulfilling flourishing life right but
for a lot of autistic people that's
impossible because they're using all of
their energy reserves everything they
have we're using it at our work life to
get by and so when we go home we have
nothing left within us to do anything
and so if your job is not surrounded by
people you want to connect with is not
allowing you to do something that you're
even interested in or passionate about
then you have no energy to tap into
those outside of your job either and you
end up feeling empty in your personal
life and in your work life again this is
not going to be for every autistic
person right but if you are someone that
has autism and you find yourself not
having a job that you're happy with or
fulfilled in and you're also having your
personal life flounder as well you might
feel this deep sense of depression this
deep sense of emptiness because what's
ultimately happening is you're not able
to tap into a sense of purpose in life
you're not fulfilling it at your job
you're not getting it in your personal
life so why am I here what am I doing
right we ask ourselves this and every
human being needs that sense of purpose
that's why when I say working at a job
that can fulfill your needs is important
I really really mean it and I hope that
I could bring some sort of Hope in a
sense with all this like yes in many
ways jobs and and work is such a big
cloud that looms over all of our heads
and is so difficult but if we put that
effort into trying to find the perfect
environment that we could fit into
if you think about it it could start to
meet so many of our needs in such a
fulfilling way that can make everything
flow so much smoother than an average
neurotypical person and this kind of
ties into that quote that I read from
that article in the beginning of this
video where a lot of neurodivergent
autistic people can end up being a lot
more productive than a neurotypical
person and I feel like usually when that
happens is when a neurodiversion
autistic person finds the intersection
of people purpose and passion they find
a job that they care about they are
surrounded by people that they get along
with and they could help people in a way
that they could feel good about and of
course the last thing on this list is
sensory sensitivities this one is always
something to keep in mind because even
if a job may have people that you would
get along with or a job that you may be
passionate about if it's constantly
whittling away at your sensory
sensitivities it of course makes the job
a lot less sustainable to work at you
could also keep in mind whether or not
this job can accommodate those sensory
sensitivities so if they can accommodate
those sensory sensitivities that's great
but if they can't then you may have to
give that job up because it's not
sustainable for you and it's not healthy
for you so an example of this is I may
be completely interested in animals and
I may get along with other animal lovers
right but I may not be a good fit for
working at a dog grooming service or an
animal shelter or at an animal farm
because the sensory sensitivities I have
surrounding smell and textures just
things like that makes it really hard
for me to deal with that on a day-to-day
basis so even though that environment is
something I would love to subject myself
to this those sensory senses activities
on a day-to-day basis within that job it
makes it a lot harder for me to be in
that environment and be able to show up
at my fullest capacity I want you guys
to leave in the comments down below if
you are someone with autism and you are
someone who found a job that fits one or
maybe even multiple attributes of that
list that I gave you guys please leave
that in the comment section down below
what do you do and tell us how does it
feel to be an autistic person that can
have a job that you are genuinely
passionate about and maybe even as well
allows you to tap into your sense of
purpose when it comes to helping others
I feel like it's really important to
have a space within our community that
talks about the positive aspects of
being autistic not just the hardships of
autism I think it's important to have
hope I think it's important to encourage
others it's important to allow others to
understand that there are autistic
people out there that yes are strong
link but also in many different ways we
are thriving it also gives people an
example as to what they can look to if
they're feeling a little bit lost with
what job they want to work or go into
for me personally I have always found
being in the world of art very enriching
for myself in many different ways and
I've experimented with different types
of jobs surrounding art some didn't
really fit some weren't really
fulfilling but I feel like I ultimately
ended up in a creative field that at
this moment works best with my needs and
therefore is extremely sustainable for
me I'm able to tap into something I'm
extremely passionate about when I talk
about these types of things I feel like
at this point I would have already been
reaching a burnout around this time but
because I'm able to tap into these three
things I am nowhere near burnout I
genuinely love what I do and I look
forward to doing my work if that could
provide any sort of Hope for you guys or
any sort of inspiration I hope that it
does thank you guys again for watching
today's video and I will see you on the
next one take care of yourselves bye
foreign
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