Looking For a Job with ASC
Hey All!
Just a short post this week as I've just returned from a lengthy trip. As the start of the academic year quickly approaches, one of my many tasks this summer has been to find a job with which to support myself this year. This task has primarily been relevant following my recent ASC diagnosis. This new information and recognition of my difficulties has understandably influenced my approach. I thought that based upon my recent experiences I might give a few tips, of course stemming purely from my personal opinions and findings.
1. Don't be afraid to be a little fussy - Obviously you can't have everything you want in life and sometimes we really need a job but that doesn't mean you can't have a good idea of what you'd like. The kind of jobs that students get to support themselves aren't necessarily the kind that naturally suit those of us on the spectrum, e.g. catering, customer service, etc. They are often jobs that are intense and highly social. However, that by having some personal standards and aiming for the jobs I'd really like first I was a little kind to myself and felt a little less overwhelmed. If the idea of the job overwhelmed how was I gonna to do it in practise? An example of being positively fussy might be applying to shops that link with your special interest because it will make the social side easier to handle or approaching libraries first because it will reduce sensory overload.
2. Sell yourself - If you have the opportunity to write a cover letter take it! This is your chance to take the things that make you different and use them to your advantage! If your special interest relates to the position than talk about how passionate you are. If your applying to the a toy shop and find it easier to relate to those older and young than you maybe you could say how you'd be good with children and parents. If you have a super good memory you could talk about how this might help you in taking orders or stock taking. There's always a positive to our quirks so talk about those positives!
3. Be honest about what you can cope with - This could mean being completely open with a potential employer or just being honest with yourself. What you disclose to other people is a personal choice but if you feel like informing a future employer of your diagnoses would be beneficial to you than you should feel comfortable to do so without judgement. Alternatively, you might just need to honest with yourself about what you can handle. What I have found incredibly useful is when job descriptions advertise the hours offered by the contract. There's nothing wrong with knowing your own limits, it's normally what saves us.
To any students going back to university soon good luck and I'm sure you'll smash it!
See you later Alligators!
Love Freya x
PHOTO SOURCE: https://melbournechapter.net/explore/jobs-clipart/
Just a short post this week as I've just returned from a lengthy trip. As the start of the academic year quickly approaches, one of my many tasks this summer has been to find a job with which to support myself this year. This task has primarily been relevant following my recent ASC diagnosis. This new information and recognition of my difficulties has understandably influenced my approach. I thought that based upon my recent experiences I might give a few tips, of course stemming purely from my personal opinions and findings.
1. Don't be afraid to be a little fussy - Obviously you can't have everything you want in life and sometimes we really need a job but that doesn't mean you can't have a good idea of what you'd like. The kind of jobs that students get to support themselves aren't necessarily the kind that naturally suit those of us on the spectrum, e.g. catering, customer service, etc. They are often jobs that are intense and highly social. However, that by having some personal standards and aiming for the jobs I'd really like first I was a little kind to myself and felt a little less overwhelmed. If the idea of the job overwhelmed how was I gonna to do it in practise? An example of being positively fussy might be applying to shops that link with your special interest because it will make the social side easier to handle or approaching libraries first because it will reduce sensory overload.
2. Sell yourself - If you have the opportunity to write a cover letter take it! This is your chance to take the things that make you different and use them to your advantage! If your special interest relates to the position than talk about how passionate you are. If your applying to the a toy shop and find it easier to relate to those older and young than you maybe you could say how you'd be good with children and parents. If you have a super good memory you could talk about how this might help you in taking orders or stock taking. There's always a positive to our quirks so talk about those positives!
3. Be honest about what you can cope with - This could mean being completely open with a potential employer or just being honest with yourself. What you disclose to other people is a personal choice but if you feel like informing a future employer of your diagnoses would be beneficial to you than you should feel comfortable to do so without judgement. Alternatively, you might just need to honest with yourself about what you can handle. What I have found incredibly useful is when job descriptions advertise the hours offered by the contract. There's nothing wrong with knowing your own limits, it's normally what saves us.
To any students going back to university soon good luck and I'm sure you'll smash it!
See you later Alligators!
Love Freya x
PHOTO SOURCE: https://melbournechapter.net/explore/jobs-clipart/
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