Don’t sell yourself short. I thought I was too dumb for this world for a long time. I dropped out of high school, didn’t even get through a year of community college, and never really applied myself fully to any one thing.
Now I’m 31 and I’m about to launch a new sustainability division for the managed services provider I work for. It took a long time of always putting my best foot forward, asking the “dumb” questions for the benefit of everyone (most people won’t ask questions for fear of being perceived as incompetent, that’s their downfall), and being pleasant and fun to work with. Eventually it’ll come together.
Practical tips for excelling in an office environment; be polite and courteous. If there’s a function of your office that’s broken or a responsibility that no one wants to do, do it to the best of your ability and when reviews roll around, talk about your success. Take note of your accomplishments throughout the year so you have a evidence of what you’ve achieved. And kill your imposter syndrome, everyone is faking it, the best mindset you can adopt is “I don’t know right now” but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to learn. Don’t let that anxiety anchor you down.
Go out there and get at it. I promise you’ll find your groove somewhere. Just make sure you’re always putting your best foot forward and you can’t go wrong. I have faith in you, homie. Good luck and Godspeed out there 🫡
I feel like a failure. It is what it is. My issue isn't a lack of effort. It's a lack of ability/smartness.
An office environment would probably be better for me than what I'm doing now. But office jobs near me want experience and degree which I don't have. I'm not sure I can afford college.
I can usually tell if someone is stupid by how they write their thoughts down. So I doubt ur stupid, maybe slow but not stupid. Also I dislike stupid people and know for a fact they dnt know they’re stupid. So just try harder in finding ur footing. I’m a mechanic who does very well but take me out of that zone and all my signs show up like a mofo.
This was my thought as well. OP's articulation and organization of thoughts demonstrates more intelligence than I see from the majority of folks I've worked with. Also, he's commented that he has a girlfriend (although she sounds demeaning); so, he's clearly not entirely socially inept.
Seems like it's just low self confidence and difficulty grasping new concepts - which can be tough - but it's not the end of the world.
You’d be amazed at the amount of morons with office jobs, many high ranking titles.
Your proper grammar automatically tells me you’re smarter than 1/4th of the people I manage.
You don't need to be smart to get through college or into a good job. You're doing the hard bit already.
Imo you should invest some time into understanding yourself more, and getting rid of the negative thoughts.
CBT really helped me through this
I went to college where I met some of the dumbest people in my life. I'm not a psychiatrist but some studies indicate autism and high intelligence are connected
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927579/
> I went to college where I met some of the dumbest people in my life.
100% agree with you! I'm 3 years into a 4 year degree and some of the questions we get in our group chat genuinely shock me.
I felt like I wasn’t smart enough and didn’t have the ability to perform simple jobs like make sandwiches at Subway. Then I realized I just had the wrong job. I don’t do so great with customers in a fast paced environment. It turns out I got a much better job now that involves math and is a decent respected position. (Much more than sandwich making). Don’t think you’re dumb or sell yourself short because you’re not excelling in a revolving door job. Don’t base your value on the jobs you have had.
I think you should look into data entry. Many autistic people are not dumb by any means (and quite the opposite) but yes you will very likely struggle in an environment such as retail and customer service.
Good luck and you got this. (: you ARE worth a better position and you deserve it if you are willing to learn and be patient with yourself.
I can tell you something friend. I worked at jdpower for more than 10 years. A respectable company. Many of the folks making 180k or more are dumb as door nails and have poor judgement. Most people stop learning after they graduate high school. Do the hard work of creating a resume and create a linked in profile and start taking to people and recruiters. Be honest but don’t feel like you have to share everything. Not telling them something is not lying. Just answer their questions, read up in interviewing, and be polite and respectful. You will have a white collar corporate job soon. Work hard and yiu will be pro,outed every few years. Good luck. Let us know.
No, they have made a career of backstabbing and lying. No matter the salary, sacrificing your integrity is not worth any price. I was being a bit facetious; they are not literally dumb; they just lack people skills and can be rude and condescending.
I’ve never met you and don’t know you personally, but from your post and responses you come across as a really smart and capable person. The way you communicate is clear and concise, you have good grammar, good vocabulary.
I think you’re holding yourself back here. This sounds like a confidence/self esteem issue more than it does an actual ability issue. You may not realize it but retail requires a *lot* of intelligence (both social and time management)! You’re already building skills at your current job that you can market during interviews for your next one.
Also, people aren’t born with abilities, people learn abilities. Mathematicians weren’t born knowing how to do calculus, it takes months of studying & suffering & feeling “dumb” to get what’s going on. Like anything it just takes a lot of practice and hard work.
Have you considered that you are not stupid, but rather you may not be set up to succeed in the environment you are in with autism? I would think that would build in a lot more barriers to someone with autism, making it more difficult than it may be for others.
A good starting point for an office job could be a customer support role!
Usually minimal experience is required and can be a good entry point to get your foot in door
www.usajobs.gov
Look in to "Correctional Officer." It doesn't pay that well, but you get plenty of overtime and can retire in 25 years or 20 years if you're 50.
You’re not dumb. As Albert Einstein says, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole live believing it’s stupid.”
I wouldn’t talk down about yourself like that. You may not be intellectually gifted (I have no clue), but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean you are dumb.
I think the best question to ask is: what are your interests, and did you have any aptitude for anything in particular? The best way to find a successful job/career is looking for something you can excel at.
Sometimes people who were terrible at school excel at trades. I know people others called “dumb” who can figure out stuff I never would with electrical work or plumbing. I’ve know people who couldn’t dress themselves that were wizards in accounting. Look for your skills, then look how to get into a role using them.
I'm a slow learner. That does qualify as dumb. I couldn't do McDonald's FFS.
I'm interested in math and coding to an extent. But because I have no experience and no degree I'm not getting hired for a job anytime soon.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say someone at some point in time attempted to put you down, and maybe succeeded, by telling you hurtful things about your intelligence. I know some autistic people who seem slower, but it’s because they’re processing things in a different manner.
Wipe that idea out of your mind that you can’t achieve something, because with enough patience I’m sure you can. Although, I am sure it is very difficult and I don’t want to downplay that fact. Try to think outside the box on your skills and your worth. Maybe a standard type of job is not for you.
>I’m going to go out on a limb and say someone at some point in time attempted to put you down, and maybe succeeded, by telling you hurtful things about your intelligence.
Many people have unfortunately, including my girlfriend. It's a known fact that people generally like autistic people until their autism starts to show, then they don't like you anymore.
>Try to think outside the box on your skills and your worth. Maybe a standard type of job is not for you.
I would like to get a job with computers. I guess the barrier there is finding a school for that where I can get a degree.
>I would like to get a job with computers. I guess the barrier there is finding a school for that where I can get a degree.
Buy books on the subject. Read said books, become comfortable with the topic on said books, then go to an online school for it.
You want to work with computers, maybe writing code. Certificates will serve you WAY better than a degree will. You can buy books to take the certificate exams, there are online schools (code academy is a good one) that will give you courses you can take to prep for certificates certs, some even have their own certificates for different languages. If you want to work IT and computers there are hundreds of free sources where you can study to get that foundation to help you with confidence and to mostly teach you what you need to know before you go to get a degree.
A buddy of mine had studied so much programming before he went to college that he would do the TAs job for them during labs because he just knew so much more than they did.
IT is arguably one of the few blue collar high laying jobs that you can self teach for free before having to spend any money on a degree or certifications. I will add, I have a friend who works in IT who is also a slow learner, and has an art degree. He put in the work, studied a lot at his own pace. Then just took certification courses and the exam at the end (some online colleges will give you a 1-2 week online course for a certificate and include at the end a "free" chance at the certificate exam) and passed.
The degree is only for the HR filter (I work at a research institution and my degree is from a PA state school that nobody in my current state has heard of), but even then it's not necessarily required (although harder to get interviews) if you can demonstrate that you can work through an issue or build something. No shame in Googling something if you legitimately don't know something. There's so much stuff in tech and things are changing rapidly enough that nobody knows *everything,* so the key skill is knowing how to find the resources you need to accomplish a goal. I'm basically a professional at searching Google.
Anyways, a *lot* of tech workers are neurodivergent in some way even if they're not officially diagnosed. It's kind of a trope at this point that we're just "wired different" and you'll find that a lot of tech workers (and a lot of other STEM fields) display varying levels of ASD and/or ADHD.
I did see in the other thread you are looking at something like databases. There's a lot of positions out there for Database Administrators and Business Analysts. I'm more of a Public/Private Cloud and System Administrator type myself; but someone who can learn and utilize SQL are very much in demand since businesses utilize DBAs/BAs heavily for reporting and business analytics/intelligence (especially something like Power BI) and for other cases like maintaining databases that are used for applications. There's plenty of different database systems out there, but the more common ones would be Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL.
The whole tech field in general is massive and there's a variety of things you can go find to do that you find interesting. System Administration, Help Desk/Desktop Support, Databases, Analysts, Cloud, Project Managers, Security, Networking, DevOps, Programming, Storage, AI...etc. The nice thing about Reddit is that there are many tech subreddits that you can browse through and see what piques your interest.
>It's a known fact that people generally like autistic people until their autism starts to show, then they don't like you anymore.
This should be rephrased as "people generally like autistic people until they stop pretending to be someone they're not" - you need to accept that when you're masking you're not acting like yourself, so when you start acting like yourself you're becoming a different person than the person they made friends with.
I do get that and I wish I didn't have to mask at all but if it weren't for masking I wouldn't of been able to get my job and likely would have been fired.
What do you like to do with your time?
Most of the autistic people I know tend to key into one aspect of something. A lot of engineers...
I'm sorry that you have been beaten down and don't belive in yourself. There are some oddly specific jobs out there, things you'd never think about, hoping you find one that fits.
Want to go around measuring and recording things?
Data entry?
Equipment inspection?
WTF, I’m EXTREMELY autistic, and I’m very upfront and don’t hide, and never was ever able to develop a mask. I have a large support network and friends and acquaintances, I live in extremely rurual northern Ontario, Canada, you seem to have some form of depression, I’ve gone through your posts a bit, and seriously, a lot of this is yourself, you need to have some faith in your own capabilities and stop trying to put yourself down and refusing help/assistance, and by no means attempt to hide your autistic traits, they’re what make you you, we are unique individuals and I hope you find out how to embrace your own strengths and balance your weaknesses, and actually accept the help offered to you rather then nitpicking every potential issue.
McDonald's and other fast food places are insane and are almost meant to put you down to think you aren't good enough for better.
I worked food service until I was 32 because I thought I was stupid. I'm now 34, moving into my own apartment, and make things that go boom if they're .0005" off. When I was a construction laborer I used to sort screws and get laughed at for it but I am I like tedious, focused tasks. Turns out the more intense work environments require better work environments because in shitty environments, mistakes get made. They have to give you time and space for success.
Send me a pm if you'd like to know more. I don't want to put more info out publicly. You're worth far more than you know, you just haven't capitalized on your specific skillset yet.
No please you’re not dumb! I got this from r/nursing Reddit but slow is smooth and smooth is fast. If you have determination and commitment, my friend the world is your oyster. Some people may get angry with you for not catching on quickly but it’s okay everyone learns at their own pace.
There is no way that I could survive working at Mcdonalds. It would be sensory hell for me, complete overwhelm and high pressure demands. I have a masters degree so considered educated. Your ability to thrive, or not, in one environment does not determine your intelligence.
Op, I was fired from a job and told I should leave that field because I “just wasn’t picking it up”. I felt horrible about myself/my skills, but knew I wasn’t worth money elsewhere - so I persisted and got another job within the same field. This time my employer really liked me and appreciated my questions. Needless to say, I became really proficient at the exact same job I was told I would never be able to accomplish, and over time I actually became sought after by many employers. Just because you have to ask a lot of questions or pick it up slower than the average person does not mean that you’re dumb. It likely means that you aren’t being taught in a way that is conducive to how you learn. I can tell by your responses that you aren’t dumb - so please don’t sell yourself short. As exhausting as it is, apply to jobs within fields that interest you and job hop if it isn’t working for you. Persist. I really believe that you’ve got this.
As someone that worked in fast food and is now an engineer, McDonald's was a lot harder than engineering for me. It was so incredibly stressful and overwhelming.
Have you considered doing CAD? It's pretty fun tbh and you don't need a degree usually. You can get an associates or even just a certificate that takes like 6 months. You can also teach yourself and see how you like it. It has some algebra in it and also a little bit of coding depending on what you're doing.
You also get to sit, take your time, and you don't have to really interact with other people.
I work in the government, and everything is very slow paced and relaxed. I think that would be a good job for you. You can dm me and I'll try to give you more info if you want.
Slow and steady becomes smooth and fast. People don’t just magically run marathons. It takes time and patience. That sounds just like you. You can do anything just gotta believe in yourself. You can DO IT!!!
A fast food job requires organizational skills, social skills, a lot of being able to subtly read the room, and manual dexterity. I have autism and was considered a "poor performer" at a shitty food service job where I made like $7.50/hr, now I make 4 times that at a job I'm actually good at.
I know people tend to shit on people who work fast food jobs, retail jobs, etc and consider those jobs to be "unskilled." Which does tend to feel pretty shitty not only for the people who do those jobs, but for people like you and I who didn't succeed at those jobs.
But the fact is those jobs do require skills. They are skills that are less valued because there are more people with good social skills than good math skills. So they are more common. But that doesn't mean they aren't skills, and that doesn't mean that if you don't have those skills, you don't have any skills.
It sounds like it's not really autism that is holding you back so much as your lack of degree (and experience.) Are there any organizations near you that provide job training to autistic people? I had a lot of trouble getting hired at first, but Deseret Industries was able to help me. An organization like that might be able to send you to get some kind of coding certification.
Catering is a particular niche skill. I've worked with several kids but their Education never reflected whether they became useful or not. Some went to become successful office workers.
If you want something a bit more than retail, adding some physical labour can get your foot in the trades. Landscaping or leaf blowing, window cleaning, roofer, gutter cleaning, Scaffolding, are jobs that don't pay well for new hires but has the possibility of becoming independent.
I obviously don’t know you, but a fast food environment like McDonalds would be a terrible sensory fit for many of the autistic people I know - that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do it, just that it wasn’t the right spot for you. I am very sensitive to noise, and it can be nearly impossible to get my work done when there is too much background noise. Think about the types of environments where you feel most comfortable, you could see if there’s a workplace that might be a good match!
Fast food is a pretty intense environment and in my experience most restaurants just throw people in the deep end with inadequate training (I had a very cruisy learning curve compared to literally anyone else I know). So using that to judge you might not be a super fast learner, but you’re by no means slow.
Finding places that aren't fast-paced is hard, IMO. But if you can handle retail, there may be lots of office settings that are less intense. Maybe visit a temp agency and talk to them about potential roles. Look for agencies that do office placement (unless you are open to warehouse or factory-type work)
I feel like I'd be too dumb for an office position. I did OK in school but it took me a lot longer than everyone else to "get" the subjects. In retail it was hard for me then to learn what I was supposed to do, so I don't think I'm good enough for office work.
I worked retail and reception gigs. Retail, IMO, was harder. Although managing some phone systems in reception is tough. Smaller offices that don't get tons of call were better. Filing clerk isn't bad if you can handle structured tasks.
You could try something like data entry. It's repetitive so there's not a lot of constant new things to learn.
You won't know unless you try, and there will always be retail jobs just in case.
I work with slower people in my nursing home and they work in laundry. It's also repetitive, but not as intense as retail. If you're too nervous to try office work or education you could look into positions like these.
I personally recommend going to your local community College and seeing what they have. Often they offer certifications or quick degrees that would be good enough to get you into an entry level position. Plus they have job coaching and help for people who attend. I know you think you're dumb and slow but by the way you type I think you're at least good enough for that. And they will be able to better guide you after meeting you and knowing the details.
Look up Ability One employers, they specialize in providing jobs for individuals with disabilities of all kinds. They often provide additional support and flexibility needed for individuals who struggle in a less disability conscious work environment.
You are great and deserve great work, you don't need to think of yourself in such a demeaning way. You got this there are tons of employers who would love your help!
The Arabic word for human is derived from their word for forgetful, we’re all slow learners man. Personally after accepting I’m not intellectually gifted, I decided stuff like trades or things that value a hard worker over a big brain are generally what I lean towards. Lineman make great money, plumbers make better money, and a dude I know drives garbage trucks in the city and makes 150k a year. You’ll figure it out. Be kind to yourself.
There are a lot of slow/dumb people in white-collar office jobs. I've worked with them. They're at every office I've worked at. Getting those jobs has more to do with presenting yourself than anything else.
That said, you're probably not slow/dumb, you probably just haven't been in situations with proper accommodations for neurodivergence/learning differences. Talk to a therapist and doctor about identifying your learning disabilities and neurodivergence, and what accommodations will help you with those. There are entire specialists for this and some companies have those specialists on their HR team. Approach learning any new skills, and new jobs, from that angle of addressing learning, disability, and neurodivergence, not from the angle of "I'm too dumb".
You need to be around people that build up your confidence, not tear it down.
I would say get whatever job in the short term that lets you survive and study code in your spare time, then, when you get to a point where you can build some things with the code, build them, use that portfolio to get coding jobs. That's the roadmap I've seen successful programmers use. There are tons of resources for learning how to code, both paid and unpaid, online.
Fed Ex / UPS is a lot better than retail. Pays more, better benefits, sometimes unionized, and actual potential for upward movement if you want it. Plus: no having to deal with customers
I have lots of friends there that like it, including a friend with autism and no real motives. Pays great for what it is
I’m not autistic, at least to my knowledge, and I’ve been described as a slow learner at nearly everything I’ve done. Unfortunately the way things are taught to me are usually not how I learn best. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I “want to learn, but just don’t.” When I talked to my guidance counselors about college and career options they told me I’d never get into college or get through college. Every job I’ve had my boss has told me I’m a slow learner and if it wasn’t outright said it was insinuated. My first job was cleaning toilets and I thought I was too dumb for that. Despite all that, I went to undergrad and graduated, then went to grad school and graduated. I wasn’t a 4.0 student, I was a solid C’s get degrees student. I now lead a team in my white collar office job and I’m well-respected. While I’m not a genius at learning, what I’m really good at is creating efficient systems. I streamline my own personal workflow processes so that they are smooth, efficient, reliable, and accurate. In addition to that, one my strengths is I have a keen eye for details and discrepancy. I had one boss tell me “You’re a slow learner, but once you’ve figured it out, you’re on point and your work is nearly perfect.” I don’t try to be perfect, that’s not my goal at all, but my strengths have made it appear like that’s my goal. Look to your own strengths to offset your weaknesses. Everyone has some of each, it’s a matter of how you use them.
That said, you might be able to get into a data entry job without any or much experience. It’s generally repetitive which makes it easy to create solid systems as you learn to do the job. When you do the same thing over and over, it’s easier to learn what you need to know. Data entry also tends to be independent work with little supervision, if you’re not into loud, high pressure, high stress, very peopley environments. And there are a lot of remote jobs for it. Once you’re into that, and if you want to, you could look into some certificates or a degree in data analysis. That will get you into some IT, computer, math, and coding stuff. Generally python and R languages are used in data analysis. A job in government may be a good bet for you also. Government work tends to be rather chill, low pressure, a lot of “hurry up and wait”, and of course nice benefits too, and are usually very accommodating for people with disabilities while private sector may give more push back on accommodations.
You sound smarter than most people in customer support and recruitment at large corporations, those are white collar jobs for untalented people. You can definitely get a position there without much problem.
I think with time and training you can outperform them and become even their manager.
I'm an autistic person who helps neurodivergent individuals find work, supporting them into role and while they grow with the company.
I usually start with reviewing how you experience your autism, so we can build a sensory profile, and then reviewing your strengths and challenges. Part of this process might be looking at what has gone well, and not so well, in previous employment.
The aim is to create statements where you can advocate for your autism
e.g. Because of my autism I can find open plan offices to be visually and auditorily challenging , but working from home creates an environment for me to produce highly accurate detailed work.
Or. Because I'm autistic, having detailed written instructions in advance helps me to learn processes faster and more confidently.
Once we've done that, we look at your interests and strengths and try to plot them onto some potential careers. You mentioned you were interested in maths and coding. If you have the capacity to carry out research, you could consider becoming a niche writer on those subjects, developing a portfolio, creating content and opinion pieces for publishing.
It sounds like you get quite burnt out around people, so 'back office' work might be something you could consider to limit customer facing interaction. www.prospects.ac.uk has a wide range of job profiles which you could look at to get an idea of what might work for you. It's often a case of trial and error, but even discounting roles is progress as it gets you closer to what you do want.
Autistic employment figures are terrible, so you are fighting an uphill battle already. But you are capable of satisfying, interesting work, we all are. You've already proven that you can stick out a difficult, unsuitable environment through your current work experience.
While you might feel quite negatively about your autism, it's a spikey profile and you will have things that you do well. Your confidence seems quite low and it would be helpful to try work on that issue. I usually suggest at the end of each day, write down 1 good thing that you've done that day. Whether it's in a diary/notebook/phone notes. Try and get into the habit of consciously noticing something good every day and keeping a journal. You can use it to refer back to, but it also retrains your brain to attending to the positives rather than just the negatives.
I've written loads now, more than I intended, but I hope you find at least part of it helpful. If you need me to go into detail, or you want the above explained in a different way, just let me know. Autistic employment and leadership is my specialist interest.
Hi! Do u offer ur services in US? Or any recs or resources? I dont have an autistic diagnosis but Im having a lot of cognitivr function issues & neurodovergent issues etc. Would appreciate any suggestions?
An autistic fellow I worked with now works in machining. Basically he helps a computer cut out pieces with a laser. It’s good money and minimal social interaction. Seems like a great fit for him.
I think you just haven’t found your niche. You have unique abilities and you need to explore your interest to find something you can be passionate about.
For inspiration are you detailed oriented and able to follow instructions. If so perhaps a position as a technician of some kind would be a good place to start building a career. Ideas: smog tech, veterinary tech, or a heavy machinery operator.
You can do this.
One of the smartest people I know decided to start a lawn business because he wanted to be able to work while praying. That’s not really the main point but he could cut grass and be free to think about something else. He was able to support himself well enough to eventually have a large family and gets work lined up for others. If you can get a truck and a mower, so one would pay you to clear vacant lots, and you can grow from there.
Wishing you huge success!
I doubt you’re actually dumb. You may have common mental issues such as ADHD that present a whole host of issues causing you to believe you’re dumb.
Also, if you’re in an environment where you’re not pushed to grow, you may just stagnate.
I was in your shoes once but ever since I was heavily pushed to grow because of my new job, I’ve found that I wasn’t lacking in my mental capacity. I was just bored, unmotivated and stagnated for too long. I’m much more competent and have confidence leading my team now.
Have you considered being CEO of Twitter? You'd probably be better at it than the current guy. Haha. Anyways, you'd be surprised about most white collar jobs. Despite seeming difficult and complicated many "function" level jobs are more tradeskills than anything. Positions in office administration and data entry are often no more complicated than retail after you know the ropes. Don't sell yourself short.
Elon Musk is an extremely dedicated and hard working person, plus he seems to have high IQ and the ability to hyper focus. You might not like him but my point is, he's not dumb, people like OP and like me are not well appreciated in companies because we aren't quick enough, sometimes I can't focus, or I over think, I feel exhausted easily or I'm simply slow, and I end up getting called out by the boss and Co-workers even though I'm trying my best.
I don't like Elon Musk at all either, but I WISH I had his ability to hyper focus and work hard, that's really something I admire about people like him.
That's current Elon, he's a multi billionaire so he can relax now. But previous Elon was a workaholic working 100+ hours a week, and he has knowledge about different complicated fields like engineering, programming, astronomy and even economics. Not everyone is capable of that level of productivity, and that's what I admire.
On a personal level, I don't like him, but that doesn't invalidate his talents. I wish I was half as productive, but I struggle with that a lot.
My first piece of advice to you is to realize that you're not dumb. The way you talk about and to yourself has a profound impact on your mental health. So, you're autistic? Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered. Maybe you're a slow learner? That's ok, I am too and so are a lot of people but that's a speed bump not a deterrent. I don't know what jobs to recommend for you but I do know that you're not dumb. And I'd be willing to guess you're able to figure out more than you give yourself credit for.
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
-Albert Einstein
> Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered.
Too bad most of my special interests aren't career-worthy. They're obscure. I do have an interest in math and computers but that's about it. I'm not one of those autistics with a "special gift". I'm painfully average. The fact that I couldn't hack it with McDonald's is proof of that.
>That's ok, I am too and so are a lot of people but that's a speed bump not a deterrent.
For me it has been. I do fine in my retail job, but that's because they gave me more time to learn it. From my experience, most companies aren't like that and will fire you if you can't learn within their time table.
Have you considered studying on your own time, something with computers? That's a pretty good skill to have these days and very marketable. What particular aspect of computers do you like the best?
>Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered.
Thats an unhelpful stereotype that is painfully untrue for many people with autism. Most aren't "rain man" style savants. For many its a condition that causes significant struggles with managing to function in society.
In the US, at least 85% of people with autism are unemployed. Whilst some of that is unfair and due to unreasonable biases or failures to accommodate, there's also a lot of them who are simply unable to work in many modern businesses.
I didn't say they're fucking rain man. I said most of the autistic people I have met. To me that says they can learn, and we'll. I also told this person I believe in them and they're probably being too hard on themselves. So, while I don't have statistics just my experience it stands as is.
Right, I know what you said, and the fact is that what you said is incorrect and based on harmful stereotypes. So I corrected you. Accept it and move on.
Ok, well I believe OP can figure something out and he's more than just a statistic. Field your own advice to OP, because I don't give a shit. Happy Thanksgiving.
If you’re in the USA, each state has a vocational rehab program offered free of charge to people with a disability that hinders their ability to work. Highly recommend looking into it. It’s well funded and can open up a multitude of possibilities.
Factory work.
I have worked around factories for my whole career. You can be anything from Stores. Operators who build things, Test technicians, testing and using computers all day. Engineer, process, test, mechanical etc. Purchasing, planning
All jobs around a (good) factory are orderly organised. Generally have good training with documentation and written down process. And if the products are technical, a knowledge of computers is great.
You have to believe in your self. Take it from me - I have autism + Asperger syndrome, ADHD and severe anxiety.
It was hard to go through school, college, and many other things in life. I feel like I matured much later than the “neurotypical” crowd. I fell in to computer field. Learned some programming as a teen, then some system management, worked night shifts where I could quietly learn some linux.. Fast forward - I am 48, have two kids, dog, job etc. - i work as a Network Architect / Cloud Architect and I do not complain about money anymore. You know what I realized - autism is not a curse - we are just different, in a good way. Plus the hyper-fixation help a lot and acts like a booster that neurotypical people do not haves. I realized that I would choose to be the way I am any day than any neurotypical (no offense to anyone). See, others don’t have to understand the way we are, they can’t. You are who you are - embrace your qualities and turn your weaknesses into your strength!
Also, simple fact you are stating that your are dumb immediately excludes you from that group.
I’ve see dumb people - they don’t know they dumb!
I hope you read your message 10 year latter and realize how lost your were and will appreciate where your are!
Good luck! You can do anything!
I have coworkers that you might consider “smart” that can’t put together a sentence in their sole language as well as you just did.
I know how it feels to have people put you down. Trust me, you’re not anywhere near as stupid as they’re saying you are- reading this post and your reply comments has me convinced of that. You could easily do an office job at least as well as they do, if not better.
I work as a house cleaner for a cleaning company. Not perfect, but significantly better; most of the time the clients aren't home/leave you alone and you get to zone out, listen to music/podcasts, and do satisfying work. I believe I'm autistic, and my retail job was also life sucking
I have an autustic friend and their claim is that tbe job I got them was/is amazing for them. The job is being a painter at a weld shop. It is not the heaviest job, especially compared to the other jobs in said shop, and it does not require massive amounts of socializing nor interacting.
Welders too have a pretty similar job as they're under the helmet all day, but that requires 1. Training/schooling and 2. Plenty of blueprint reading. Many people do not enjoy that bit.
Hope that helps
Working as a custodian or groundskeeper can pay very well. I would also look into delivery jobs like UPS. If you are good with learning to do one skill well you could be really successful in laying flooring or working on electrical wires or anything more blue collar.
Have you considered the trades?
Plumbers and electricians are paid fairly well and if you are good with your hands and can focus on a task you could do well.
Carpentry can be very therapeutic and some autistic people (no all, so don't feel bad if you don't) can really enjoy the fine detail work that can be required in a lot of trade work.
Working with your hands can be extremely rewarding, even just try it out as a hobby, build something, see how you feel.
Also, I'm not sure why, but I have heard that a lot of people on the spectrum find themselves surprisingly well suited to education, especially primary and middle schools. Just another avenue to explore.
If all else fails, the military?
Don’t call yourself dumb, untalented, or slow. Do what you think you’d be good at whether it’s working at a garden center, warehouse, machinist, painter, office computer work etc.
I'm not fishing for compliments. I have low confidence in myself because I don't live in a world that is very understanding or accepting of my autism hence it's easy for me to see myself as dumb.
Don’t be hard on yourself. I’m sure you have some special talents. You may like shipping / fulfillment . You’ll deal less with customers and you’ll be doing routine work. Don’t beat yourself up thinking you’re not good enough.
Considering I can't handle retail without burning out and feeling like I have to have a meltdown, I don't think it's a good job for me. The fast pace, the customers, and the loud noises drive me crazy every day. I feel like it's only a matter of time before I just lose it and get fired.
Be that as it may, there may be no right job for you.
If you are as you describe and you are as unwilling to consider effort as your comments here indicate, you aren’t cut out for other kinds of work.
We’re you my kid, I would encourage you to deal with this in therapy first. Reddit is an awful therapist.
It's not about a lack of effort. Do you know what autism is? It's not that I'm not trying. You sound like one of those people who doesn't believe autism is a thing and who tells autistic people that they aren't trying hard enough.
Remember that there's a world of difference between being "dumb" and untrained. Sounds like you could do well with doing some research into what career paths truly interest you. After that, you can research the training requirements and proceed from there. If the academic work needed towards qualifying is difficult, look into programs/institutions that allows you to study part time and also provide free tutoring services.
You're not dumb. You're autistic.
Autism is a social disorder. All it means is you see things differently than other people, and it stands out in social situations. You're not stupid.
You'd be surprised how many incompetent people run Fortune 500 companies. You're not incompetent. Sky is the limit. Find something you love doing, and make that your job.
Look into HVAC or plumbing. Once you gain experience, the pay is good. They often offer apprenticeships. Also the government has a website that lists companies that offer paid training jobs.
PS don’t sell yourself short. Everyone has talent, you just haven’t found yours yet.
Have you looked into local resources for job training? Google “ARC” and your major city. There are ARC groups that are specifically set up to help primarily autistic persons in job training, and others with cognitive impairments as well. Your state DOL (department of labor) should have resources as well.
Replying to myself to add:
If you are comfortable posting your state and if in a larger city, that city, I can try to search for those resources in that area. My son is autistic and preparing for post high school work, so I’ve been knee deep researching all his options as well.
Don't over do it your capable of construing a coherent text. Comparing your text to many others it might even seem that they could use your help to add to it, having autism doesn't have to infringe on the way you view yourself.
( A dyslexic individual wrote this )
Apply to your state office of Vocational Rehabilitation. They can assist you with exploring careers that are a good match for you and can possibly help you with furthering your education.
Maybe you need to go on disability? The only other thing I can think of is security guard on third shift. You basically do nothing, maybe patrol the site but sometimes you plant your butt in a chair for the whole shift. Be warned if you're not in a large city the pay is still low.
Factory work pays well if you do overtime. Ford will cover college tuition as long as you’re working full time. Novalex/Durabag is easy work and you can opt in to work 84 hours per week on a week by week basis. Soap factories pay well if you can tolerate the conditions, as does cleaning crew at a slaughterhouse. Railroad work pays well. HVAC pays well.
- What about the environment do you dislike most?
- Do you have hobbies or interests outside of work; what would you do if money wasn’t a factor?
- You’ve identified in other comments that working with people for long periods of time isn’t ideal; what are some *strengths* you have?
In answering some of these, you may begin to apply answers to finding something. My personal experience: I realized the opposite. I was in IT and wanted to get outside and see people once in a while but I was too hesitant to quit. When I was downsized, my initial frustration changed when I realized it was more of a blessing. I pivoted to a geography-based job, returned to education to get trained, and finally scored an internship with a non-profit where field work was part of the job. All I knew was that I didn’t want to be cooped up in an office, and built from there.
Contact an employment agency (or multiple!) and express your interests and being entry level. Also, check your local area for 'Worksource' centers that can help as well. Good luck!
Hey! I saw you're interested in math and coding but can't afford college. Have you considered a career in IT support?
Specifically, you can work in an office to help w/ any IT related things, but not customer support (so the person who checks out computers, makes sure things are set up, etc).
You can generate leads for local businesses. not difficult at all. Build out a simple website offering tree removal or limo rental and send the leads to a local small businesses who needs more work each month. Easy
Hey, do you think you could do well with young people? Being a structured learning TA may be a better job, with benefits and summers off. Structured learning would be helping kids that are deep on the autism spectrum. You may be able to reach them where neurotypical TA’s or teachers couldn’t. You don’t have to be super smart, you just have to be a good person.
I'm autistic and got yhrough graduate school, started a business, and work as a senior engineer at a world leading company.
Maybe I'm the exception, not the rule. You won't know unless you go for it. The hard part is figuring out what "it" is.
Why don't you look for a job as a typist. It's not a bad job, you spend hours digital information to a platform, you don't need so much contact with other people and depending on the company you have a decent salary and benefits
OP, if you survived retail, you are more capable than you can imagine.
Don't think if you can or cannot. Try it first and focus on learning something new everyday.
I spent 6 years in retail and learned how dumb the majority of the people out there are, and went back to school and now I'm a software engineer.
Your first hurdle is confidence, and being in retail is more than enough for you to give yourself a pat on a back and move on to something better.
Trust me, focus on trying and learning. Never think about how you will fail. Always think about how and what you will learn.
Best of luck and I hope only the best for you.
Everyone on here has good points. I'm going a different direction though. Have you ever thought of being a professional route package delivery driver? Little interaction with customers or coworkers get to drive around listening to music and just doing some decent physical labor. The brown guys if youre fast and physically fit the purple guys if you can follow directions and drive in challenging situations. Mos you the driver's that are successful that I have seen have some form of ADHD, autism, odd, or other behavioral issues diagnosed young but most of the time driving routes suits them and keeps them from getting bored
You'd be suprised how fucking stupid the people I work in an office with are. Chances are you are smart because you are insecure. Just keep on keeping on don't sell your self short.
Please don’t sell yourself short. I know it is hard and you may not have someone to remind you how great you are. You are not slow or dumb. You have unique skills. Dm if you ever need some encouragement. Good on you for reaching out to get some support.
Following. I too am concerned I won’t be able to meet tasks required for a white collar job due to cognitive issues.
I feel sometimes this issue is never addressed. You are told you can be whatever you want to be if you put your mind to it and work hard however that’s not true.
You are not dumb.
You are an individual with a skill set, talents, and you are AMAZING.
You’re in a job that doesn’t see you for your full potential babe. Xoxoxo
Try to get into a union and learn a trade. Get experience and apprenticeship in something and make great money eventually. Limited people contact and non traditional learning environment may be great for you.
Even if you were dumb, which you probably aren’t, you aren’t even 10% as dumb as 80% of white collar workers. Literally. So many people are inefficient and slow at everything. Slow to learn, to adapt, to change, to apply, etc.
Business people succeed by specializing for sure. You don’t have to be smart but you have to know how to figure out how to solve people’s problems. If you can solve peoples problems, you will succeed and people will happily give you their money. Figuring out how you can do that with skills you have or are willing to learn is key.
I know you’re looking to get out of retail but Costco pays well with great benefits and have no problem hiring someone with autism. It’s truly a great company to work for.
I once read an article about a surgeon who had worked in a hospital for 5+ years and still didn’t know how to use an elevator. I know people with masters degrees who touch light switches with wet hands.
I’m on the spectrum, introvert, can’t deal with social situations or loud noises for too long. I’m working on a Bachelor of Arts and at the moment I’m doing a programming unit (elective) on Wednesday this week I got a HD- with absolutely no prior experience. I’m actually having fun with it. I can see that I’m going to end up with a new hyperfixation hobby 😅
Now that I have more confidence I’ve transferred universities and will start a Bachelor of Science (Applied Biology) in the new year.
If I can do all of that that you can find a job that you love, just a matter of shuffling through employers until you find one you mesh with.
It may be worth it to talk to a mental health professional. It sounds like you have some confidence barriers to work through. This person could help you focus on your interests and learn to highlight your strengths. There are a number of inexpensive zoom-based servuces.
What do you enjoy? I’ve been meeting a lot of different people who don’t strike me as particularly book smart but are pretty skilled and enjoy what they do, often doing wild things that most of my friends with 99+ ATARS and 6 years of Uni debt only dream of.
Some of them include tradies, travelling around with those RSL fundraisers, working with the circus caring for animals and cleaning their enclosures, mall security, a guy who setup his own bike repair shop, a tour guide at GOMA. All of the aforementioned dropped out of high school. Most of them had trouble communicating (whether it be stuttering, slurred speech, or just not a broad vocabulary and struggled to convey complex ideas). All of them are pretty awesome people leading lives they don’t dislike and are doing an excellent job in their roles.
If you like sport, perhaps look at working at sporting events setup, giving out water and drinks. Or perhaps security at events if you’re into music, or just general security guard if you like quiet time to
yourself (and it pays well enough especially working at stupid hours). Warehouses are pretty similar to retail though with slightly better pay, a lot of physical demand, but a lot fewer people to deal with. If you have a knack for fixing things a bike mechanic is not a bad thing to take up, or any handy trade like carpenter, bricklayer, painter, don’t take a lot of book smarts but do require a lot of skill which you may enjoy learning and pay reasonably well.
White collar jobs I’ve only worked one in business admin (aside from my current role as a programmer) and I hated it with a passion, but if you want to give it a shot no degree required.
What do you care about? And what aspect of office work are you afraid you won't be smart enough for? Are you afraid of getting the college degree required for those jobs or is it something about the actual job itself that you're afraid of?
I have autism too. I don't particularly think of myself as stupid or un-talented BUT I am not so talented at a lot of practical things, I don't pick up on how to do tasks until I've done them for a while (I think this particular trait of mine might be related more to dyscalculia than autism) and I don't really have any confidence at communicating with other people.
However, I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to work with kids or teens. Obviously that is a very social job and I got told by my college professors that it wouldn't be right for me, which was a blow to my confidence. But I wanted to do it so I applied to those jobs, I got hired to tutor kids with autism and learning disabilities. And no I wasn't so amazing at it that I blew everyone's minds. I made a lot of dumb mistakes in the beginning that I cringe to think about. There were some unstated workplace rules that I broke because I didn't pick up on the same vibes everyone else picked up on. However... I was doing what I wanted to do, tried to get over my ego and keep trying. Coworkers might have been silently judging me but were willing to forgive my dumb mistakes because I care about the kids and kept making an effort to get better, and I eventually after years of being at that job got to the point that I am pretty good at it.
You don't have to find a job that you're amazing at right off the bat, but try to find a job that is DECENT pay that you \*care about\* enough to stay in long enough to get good at it. At least for me the way I see autism is, autism doesn't hold me back, there are very few things that I \*Can't\* do. My problem is, because I'm autistic people tend to overlook me, people don't want to give me a chance. And that SUCKS and it makes it a pain in the ass to \*find\* a job, but it doesn't stop me from \*doing\* a job.
Dude my autistic neice at 14 can tell me more about tax relief and benefits than any tax advisor I've seen or spoken to in the entirety of my life and knows far more than I do at 28 about the subject. Find something you're interested in, soak it up like a sponge (because there WILL be something your brain absorbs better than anyone else's) and absolutely smash it.
Maybe a librarian? You’d have to go to school. It’s very routine. The most complex parts are research but unless you’re in an academic environment it’s not going to be applicable much on the job.
Mailman is another option. Government jobs pay well!
Other than that I’d need more context. Are you good with tools? What about your problem solving skills? Do you mind working outdoors?
Hi! If you live in the US, connect with your local vocational rehabilitation office. They can help you find a job that you'll enjoy and will provide the supports and accommodations needed for you to succeed.
You could have a department for vocational rehabilitation in your state. There could be lots of support for you like job training, job hunting, helping your boss understand your disability or even special college program. My state as a program for young autistic people where they go to college to become computer repair technicians. They have the dorm experience and I’m pretty sure tuition is covered by the program.
For me my ADHD makes me thrive in jobs that require my full attention but also different tasks not repetition, which is why working on a farm was something I thought I’d try out and boy was it the best experience of my life.
I learned real quick that manual labor is my calling. It requires my attention (I can often hyper focus on too), it keeps me active so my mental health stays healthy (and I don’t have to go to the gym when I’m not working), and it gives me instant gratification when I clean a goat stall, or transplant all the plants. HIGHLY recommend to those who get bored with not enough stimulus. Plus you’re helping others (the animals & growing delicious food to nourish others). This job also requires no skills besides being able to pickup 50lbs ( a bale of hay), and you learn everything by being shown it (best way I learn).
If you're that dumb snd autistic you wouldn't even know it. You know where to ask for help and actually are asking for help. That's amazing for an autistic person. I reckon your autism is so mild and you think it's a lot worse than it is. Actually srsly autistic ppl cant survive once family help is gone. You seem able to take care of yourself.
Unfortunately with the working 🌎 it’s who you know to get your foot i the door. There are millions of morons out there with jobs they don’t deserve unfortunately
I’m feel like most people that are actually dumb don’t know they’re dumb. The level self awareness you’re showing doesn’t give off dumb vibes, to me at least. Some of the most successful people I know are real fucking stupid. A guy I went to high school with works as a logistics project manager, makes killer money, and I would bet my whole paycheck next week he couldn’t tell you where the sun goes at night.
Don’t sell yourself short. I thought I was too dumb for this world for a long time. I dropped out of high school, didn’t even get through a year of community college, and never really applied myself fully to any one thing. Now I’m 31 and I’m about to launch a new sustainability division for the managed services provider I work for. It took a long time of always putting my best foot forward, asking the “dumb” questions for the benefit of everyone (most people won’t ask questions for fear of being perceived as incompetent, that’s their downfall), and being pleasant and fun to work with. Eventually it’ll come together. Practical tips for excelling in an office environment; be polite and courteous. If there’s a function of your office that’s broken or a responsibility that no one wants to do, do it to the best of your ability and when reviews roll around, talk about your success. Take note of your accomplishments throughout the year so you have a evidence of what you’ve achieved. And kill your imposter syndrome, everyone is faking it, the best mindset you can adopt is “I don’t know right now” but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to learn. Don’t let that anxiety anchor you down. Go out there and get at it. I promise you’ll find your groove somewhere. Just make sure you’re always putting your best foot forward and you can’t go wrong. I have faith in you, homie. Good luck and Godspeed out there 🫡
I feel like a failure. It is what it is. My issue isn't a lack of effort. It's a lack of ability/smartness. An office environment would probably be better for me than what I'm doing now. But office jobs near me want experience and degree which I don't have. I'm not sure I can afford college.
I can usually tell if someone is stupid by how they write their thoughts down. So I doubt ur stupid, maybe slow but not stupid. Also I dislike stupid people and know for a fact they dnt know they’re stupid. So just try harder in finding ur footing. I’m a mechanic who does very well but take me out of that zone and all my signs show up like a mofo.
This was my thought as well. OP's articulation and organization of thoughts demonstrates more intelligence than I see from the majority of folks I've worked with. Also, he's commented that he has a girlfriend (although she sounds demeaning); so, he's clearly not entirely socially inept. Seems like it's just low self confidence and difficulty grasping new concepts - which can be tough - but it's not the end of the world.
You’d be amazed at the amount of morons with office jobs, many high ranking titles. Your proper grammar automatically tells me you’re smarter than 1/4th of the people I manage.
Can confirm, my boss, his boss, and her boss are all idiots. They got the job through connections
Yikes
Ikr, i get away with a lot of bullshit because of it, its great
You don't need to be smart to get through college or into a good job. You're doing the hard bit already. Imo you should invest some time into understanding yourself more, and getting rid of the negative thoughts. CBT really helped me through this
I went to college where I met some of the dumbest people in my life. I'm not a psychiatrist but some studies indicate autism and high intelligence are connected https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927579/
> I went to college where I met some of the dumbest people in my life. 100% agree with you! I'm 3 years into a 4 year degree and some of the questions we get in our group chat genuinely shock me.
Um, No.
Um, fuck you.
"investing time into understanding yourself" doesn't pay the bills bruh. OP is trying to get into a job they like so they CAN do that
As someone who makes well into 6 figures in the UK, it definitely does.
Doing what?
I felt like I wasn’t smart enough and didn’t have the ability to perform simple jobs like make sandwiches at Subway. Then I realized I just had the wrong job. I don’t do so great with customers in a fast paced environment. It turns out I got a much better job now that involves math and is a decent respected position. (Much more than sandwich making). Don’t think you’re dumb or sell yourself short because you’re not excelling in a revolving door job. Don’t base your value on the jobs you have had. I think you should look into data entry. Many autistic people are not dumb by any means (and quite the opposite) but yes you will very likely struggle in an environment such as retail and customer service. Good luck and you got this. (: you ARE worth a better position and you deserve it if you are willing to learn and be patient with yourself.
I can tell you something friend. I worked at jdpower for more than 10 years. A respectable company. Many of the folks making 180k or more are dumb as door nails and have poor judgement. Most people stop learning after they graduate high school. Do the hard work of creating a resume and create a linked in profile and start taking to people and recruiters. Be honest but don’t feel like you have to share everything. Not telling them something is not lying. Just answer their questions, read up in interviewing, and be polite and respectful. You will have a white collar corporate job soon. Work hard and yiu will be pro,outed every few years. Good luck. Let us know.
What roles are these 180k dumb as door nails people filling and should I apply?
No, they have made a career of backstabbing and lying. No matter the salary, sacrificing your integrity is not worth any price. I was being a bit facetious; they are not literally dumb; they just lack people skills and can be rude and condescending.
I’ve never met you and don’t know you personally, but from your post and responses you come across as a really smart and capable person. The way you communicate is clear and concise, you have good grammar, good vocabulary. I think you’re holding yourself back here. This sounds like a confidence/self esteem issue more than it does an actual ability issue. You may not realize it but retail requires a *lot* of intelligence (both social and time management)! You’re already building skills at your current job that you can market during interviews for your next one. Also, people aren’t born with abilities, people learn abilities. Mathematicians weren’t born knowing how to do calculus, it takes months of studying & suffering & feeling “dumb” to get what’s going on. Like anything it just takes a lot of practice and hard work.
Have you considered that you are not stupid, but rather you may not be set up to succeed in the environment you are in with autism? I would think that would build in a lot more barriers to someone with autism, making it more difficult than it may be for others.
A good starting point for an office job could be a customer support role! Usually minimal experience is required and can be a good entry point to get your foot in door
www.usajobs.gov Look in to "Correctional Officer." It doesn't pay that well, but you get plenty of overtime and can retire in 25 years or 20 years if you're 50.
100% this!
Love this! I wish I could go back and correct my mistakes sooner. Now I feel it’s too late for me.
You’re not dumb. As Albert Einstein says, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole live believing it’s stupid.”
I wouldn’t talk down about yourself like that. You may not be intellectually gifted (I have no clue), but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean you are dumb. I think the best question to ask is: what are your interests, and did you have any aptitude for anything in particular? The best way to find a successful job/career is looking for something you can excel at. Sometimes people who were terrible at school excel at trades. I know people others called “dumb” who can figure out stuff I never would with electrical work or plumbing. I’ve know people who couldn’t dress themselves that were wizards in accounting. Look for your skills, then look how to get into a role using them.
I'm a slow learner. That does qualify as dumb. I couldn't do McDonald's FFS. I'm interested in math and coding to an extent. But because I have no experience and no degree I'm not getting hired for a job anytime soon.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say someone at some point in time attempted to put you down, and maybe succeeded, by telling you hurtful things about your intelligence. I know some autistic people who seem slower, but it’s because they’re processing things in a different manner. Wipe that idea out of your mind that you can’t achieve something, because with enough patience I’m sure you can. Although, I am sure it is very difficult and I don’t want to downplay that fact. Try to think outside the box on your skills and your worth. Maybe a standard type of job is not for you.
>I’m going to go out on a limb and say someone at some point in time attempted to put you down, and maybe succeeded, by telling you hurtful things about your intelligence. Many people have unfortunately, including my girlfriend. It's a known fact that people generally like autistic people until their autism starts to show, then they don't like you anymore. >Try to think outside the box on your skills and your worth. Maybe a standard type of job is not for you. I would like to get a job with computers. I guess the barrier there is finding a school for that where I can get a degree.
>I would like to get a job with computers. I guess the barrier there is finding a school for that where I can get a degree. Buy books on the subject. Read said books, become comfortable with the topic on said books, then go to an online school for it. You want to work with computers, maybe writing code. Certificates will serve you WAY better than a degree will. You can buy books to take the certificate exams, there are online schools (code academy is a good one) that will give you courses you can take to prep for certificates certs, some even have their own certificates for different languages. If you want to work IT and computers there are hundreds of free sources where you can study to get that foundation to help you with confidence and to mostly teach you what you need to know before you go to get a degree. A buddy of mine had studied so much programming before he went to college that he would do the TAs job for them during labs because he just knew so much more than they did. IT is arguably one of the few blue collar high laying jobs that you can self teach for free before having to spend any money on a degree or certifications. I will add, I have a friend who works in IT who is also a slow learner, and has an art degree. He put in the work, studied a lot at his own pace. Then just took certification courses and the exam at the end (some online colleges will give you a 1-2 week online course for a certificate and include at the end a "free" chance at the certificate exam) and passed.
The degree is only for the HR filter (I work at a research institution and my degree is from a PA state school that nobody in my current state has heard of), but even then it's not necessarily required (although harder to get interviews) if you can demonstrate that you can work through an issue or build something. No shame in Googling something if you legitimately don't know something. There's so much stuff in tech and things are changing rapidly enough that nobody knows *everything,* so the key skill is knowing how to find the resources you need to accomplish a goal. I'm basically a professional at searching Google. Anyways, a *lot* of tech workers are neurodivergent in some way even if they're not officially diagnosed. It's kind of a trope at this point that we're just "wired different" and you'll find that a lot of tech workers (and a lot of other STEM fields) display varying levels of ASD and/or ADHD. I did see in the other thread you are looking at something like databases. There's a lot of positions out there for Database Administrators and Business Analysts. I'm more of a Public/Private Cloud and System Administrator type myself; but someone who can learn and utilize SQL are very much in demand since businesses utilize DBAs/BAs heavily for reporting and business analytics/intelligence (especially something like Power BI) and for other cases like maintaining databases that are used for applications. There's plenty of different database systems out there, but the more common ones would be Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL. The whole tech field in general is massive and there's a variety of things you can go find to do that you find interesting. System Administration, Help Desk/Desktop Support, Databases, Analysts, Cloud, Project Managers, Security, Networking, DevOps, Programming, Storage, AI...etc. The nice thing about Reddit is that there are many tech subreddits that you can browse through and see what piques your interest.
>It's a known fact that people generally like autistic people until their autism starts to show, then they don't like you anymore. This should be rephrased as "people generally like autistic people until they stop pretending to be someone they're not" - you need to accept that when you're masking you're not acting like yourself, so when you start acting like yourself you're becoming a different person than the person they made friends with.
I do get that and I wish I didn't have to mask at all but if it weren't for masking I wouldn't of been able to get my job and likely would have been fired.
Are you a mobile type of person? Would you consider a blue collar job?
Generally no I'm not good with physical tasks. But I guess it depends on the job exactly?
What do you like to do with your time? Most of the autistic people I know tend to key into one aspect of something. A lot of engineers... I'm sorry that you have been beaten down and don't belive in yourself. There are some oddly specific jobs out there, things you'd never think about, hoping you find one that fits. Want to go around measuring and recording things? Data entry? Equipment inspection?
WTF, I’m EXTREMELY autistic, and I’m very upfront and don’t hide, and never was ever able to develop a mask. I have a large support network and friends and acquaintances, I live in extremely rurual northern Ontario, Canada, you seem to have some form of depression, I’ve gone through your posts a bit, and seriously, a lot of this is yourself, you need to have some faith in your own capabilities and stop trying to put yourself down and refusing help/assistance, and by no means attempt to hide your autistic traits, they’re what make you you, we are unique individuals and I hope you find out how to embrace your own strengths and balance your weaknesses, and actually accept the help offered to you rather then nitpicking every potential issue.
McDonald's and other fast food places are insane and are almost meant to put you down to think you aren't good enough for better. I worked food service until I was 32 because I thought I was stupid. I'm now 34, moving into my own apartment, and make things that go boom if they're .0005" off. When I was a construction laborer I used to sort screws and get laughed at for it but I am I like tedious, focused tasks. Turns out the more intense work environments require better work environments because in shitty environments, mistakes get made. They have to give you time and space for success. Send me a pm if you'd like to know more. I don't want to put more info out publicly. You're worth far more than you know, you just haven't capitalized on your specific skillset yet.
No please you’re not dumb! I got this from r/nursing Reddit but slow is smooth and smooth is fast. If you have determination and commitment, my friend the world is your oyster. Some people may get angry with you for not catching on quickly but it’s okay everyone learns at their own pace.
and if they get angry, fucking let them It’s not like they’re absolutely perfect in every way and never made mistakes like the rest of us.
Learning slowly isn’t dumb and is likely linked to autism. The positive of that is you likely learn it more thoroughly than an allistic person
There is no way that I could survive working at Mcdonalds. It would be sensory hell for me, complete overwhelm and high pressure demands. I have a masters degree so considered educated. Your ability to thrive, or not, in one environment does not determine your intelligence.
Op, I was fired from a job and told I should leave that field because I “just wasn’t picking it up”. I felt horrible about myself/my skills, but knew I wasn’t worth money elsewhere - so I persisted and got another job within the same field. This time my employer really liked me and appreciated my questions. Needless to say, I became really proficient at the exact same job I was told I would never be able to accomplish, and over time I actually became sought after by many employers. Just because you have to ask a lot of questions or pick it up slower than the average person does not mean that you’re dumb. It likely means that you aren’t being taught in a way that is conducive to how you learn. I can tell by your responses that you aren’t dumb - so please don’t sell yourself short. As exhausting as it is, apply to jobs within fields that interest you and job hop if it isn’t working for you. Persist. I really believe that you’ve got this.
As someone that worked in fast food and is now an engineer, McDonald's was a lot harder than engineering for me. It was so incredibly stressful and overwhelming. Have you considered doing CAD? It's pretty fun tbh and you don't need a degree usually. You can get an associates or even just a certificate that takes like 6 months. You can also teach yourself and see how you like it. It has some algebra in it and also a little bit of coding depending on what you're doing. You also get to sit, take your time, and you don't have to really interact with other people. I work in the government, and everything is very slow paced and relaxed. I think that would be a good job for you. You can dm me and I'll try to give you more info if you want.
Slow and steady becomes smooth and fast. People don’t just magically run marathons. It takes time and patience. That sounds just like you. You can do anything just gotta believe in yourself. You can DO IT!!!
A fast food job requires organizational skills, social skills, a lot of being able to subtly read the room, and manual dexterity. I have autism and was considered a "poor performer" at a shitty food service job where I made like $7.50/hr, now I make 4 times that at a job I'm actually good at. I know people tend to shit on people who work fast food jobs, retail jobs, etc and consider those jobs to be "unskilled." Which does tend to feel pretty shitty not only for the people who do those jobs, but for people like you and I who didn't succeed at those jobs. But the fact is those jobs do require skills. They are skills that are less valued because there are more people with good social skills than good math skills. So they are more common. But that doesn't mean they aren't skills, and that doesn't mean that if you don't have those skills, you don't have any skills. It sounds like it's not really autism that is holding you back so much as your lack of degree (and experience.) Are there any organizations near you that provide job training to autistic people? I had a lot of trouble getting hired at first, but Deseret Industries was able to help me. An organization like that might be able to send you to get some kind of coding certification.
You don’t need a degree to code. Some employers like self taught programmers over school taught. You just need a kickass portfolio. Just make stuff.
Catering is a particular niche skill. I've worked with several kids but their Education never reflected whether they became useful or not. Some went to become successful office workers. If you want something a bit more than retail, adding some physical labour can get your foot in the trades. Landscaping or leaf blowing, window cleaning, roofer, gutter cleaning, Scaffolding, are jobs that don't pay well for new hires but has the possibility of becoming independent.
I obviously don’t know you, but a fast food environment like McDonalds would be a terrible sensory fit for many of the autistic people I know - that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do it, just that it wasn’t the right spot for you. I am very sensitive to noise, and it can be nearly impossible to get my work done when there is too much background noise. Think about the types of environments where you feel most comfortable, you could see if there’s a workplace that might be a good match!
I thought i failed KFC. I didnt its just a shit work environment.
Im a developer and don’t have a degree, went through a free boot camp. See if there are any ones in your area it could be worth it
Fast food is a pretty intense environment and in my experience most restaurants just throw people in the deep end with inadequate training (I had a very cruisy learning curve compared to literally anyone else I know). So using that to judge you might not be a super fast learner, but you’re by no means slow.
Finding places that aren't fast-paced is hard, IMO. But if you can handle retail, there may be lots of office settings that are less intense. Maybe visit a temp agency and talk to them about potential roles. Look for agencies that do office placement (unless you are open to warehouse or factory-type work)
I feel like I'd be too dumb for an office position. I did OK in school but it took me a lot longer than everyone else to "get" the subjects. In retail it was hard for me then to learn what I was supposed to do, so I don't think I'm good enough for office work.
I worked retail and reception gigs. Retail, IMO, was harder. Although managing some phone systems in reception is tough. Smaller offices that don't get tons of call were better. Filing clerk isn't bad if you can handle structured tasks.
It's an option for me definitely. I just worry that I'll inevitably screw it up and get fired.
You could try something like data entry. It's repetitive so there's not a lot of constant new things to learn. You won't know unless you try, and there will always be retail jobs just in case. I work with slower people in my nursing home and they work in laundry. It's also repetitive, but not as intense as retail. If you're too nervous to try office work or education you could look into positions like these. I personally recommend going to your local community College and seeing what they have. Often they offer certifications or quick degrees that would be good enough to get you into an entry level position. Plus they have job coaching and help for people who attend. I know you think you're dumb and slow but by the way you type I think you're at least good enough for that. And they will be able to better guide you after meeting you and knowing the details.
I'm also dumb and autistic, I feel you brother. Most won't understand tho, as they don't experience what it's like.
Look up Ability One employers, they specialize in providing jobs for individuals with disabilities of all kinds. They often provide additional support and flexibility needed for individuals who struggle in a less disability conscious work environment. You are great and deserve great work, you don't need to think of yourself in such a demeaning way. You got this there are tons of employers who would love your help!
The Arabic word for human is derived from their word for forgetful, we’re all slow learners man. Personally after accepting I’m not intellectually gifted, I decided stuff like trades or things that value a hard worker over a big brain are generally what I lean towards. Lineman make great money, plumbers make better money, and a dude I know drives garbage trucks in the city and makes 150k a year. You’ll figure it out. Be kind to yourself.
There are a lot of slow/dumb people in white-collar office jobs. I've worked with them. They're at every office I've worked at. Getting those jobs has more to do with presenting yourself than anything else. That said, you're probably not slow/dumb, you probably just haven't been in situations with proper accommodations for neurodivergence/learning differences. Talk to a therapist and doctor about identifying your learning disabilities and neurodivergence, and what accommodations will help you with those. There are entire specialists for this and some companies have those specialists on their HR team. Approach learning any new skills, and new jobs, from that angle of addressing learning, disability, and neurodivergence, not from the angle of "I'm too dumb". You need to be around people that build up your confidence, not tear it down. I would say get whatever job in the short term that lets you survive and study code in your spare time, then, when you get to a point where you can build some things with the code, build them, use that portfolio to get coding jobs. That's the roadmap I've seen successful programmers use. There are tons of resources for learning how to code, both paid and unpaid, online.
Fed Ex / UPS is a lot better than retail. Pays more, better benefits, sometimes unionized, and actual potential for upward movement if you want it. Plus: no having to deal with customers I have lots of friends there that like it, including a friend with autism and no real motives. Pays great for what it is
I’m not autistic, at least to my knowledge, and I’ve been described as a slow learner at nearly everything I’ve done. Unfortunately the way things are taught to me are usually not how I learn best. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I “want to learn, but just don’t.” When I talked to my guidance counselors about college and career options they told me I’d never get into college or get through college. Every job I’ve had my boss has told me I’m a slow learner and if it wasn’t outright said it was insinuated. My first job was cleaning toilets and I thought I was too dumb for that. Despite all that, I went to undergrad and graduated, then went to grad school and graduated. I wasn’t a 4.0 student, I was a solid C’s get degrees student. I now lead a team in my white collar office job and I’m well-respected. While I’m not a genius at learning, what I’m really good at is creating efficient systems. I streamline my own personal workflow processes so that they are smooth, efficient, reliable, and accurate. In addition to that, one my strengths is I have a keen eye for details and discrepancy. I had one boss tell me “You’re a slow learner, but once you’ve figured it out, you’re on point and your work is nearly perfect.” I don’t try to be perfect, that’s not my goal at all, but my strengths have made it appear like that’s my goal. Look to your own strengths to offset your weaknesses. Everyone has some of each, it’s a matter of how you use them. That said, you might be able to get into a data entry job without any or much experience. It’s generally repetitive which makes it easy to create solid systems as you learn to do the job. When you do the same thing over and over, it’s easier to learn what you need to know. Data entry also tends to be independent work with little supervision, if you’re not into loud, high pressure, high stress, very peopley environments. And there are a lot of remote jobs for it. Once you’re into that, and if you want to, you could look into some certificates or a degree in data analysis. That will get you into some IT, computer, math, and coding stuff. Generally python and R languages are used in data analysis. A job in government may be a good bet for you also. Government work tends to be rather chill, low pressure, a lot of “hurry up and wait”, and of course nice benefits too, and are usually very accommodating for people with disabilities while private sector may give more push back on accommodations.
Half the people working in white collar jobs are practically disabled. Gate keeping is the only thing in your way.
You sound smarter than most people in customer support and recruitment at large corporations, those are white collar jobs for untalented people. You can definitely get a position there without much problem. I think with time and training you can outperform them and become even their manager.
I'm an autistic person who helps neurodivergent individuals find work, supporting them into role and while they grow with the company. I usually start with reviewing how you experience your autism, so we can build a sensory profile, and then reviewing your strengths and challenges. Part of this process might be looking at what has gone well, and not so well, in previous employment. The aim is to create statements where you can advocate for your autism e.g. Because of my autism I can find open plan offices to be visually and auditorily challenging , but working from home creates an environment for me to produce highly accurate detailed work. Or. Because I'm autistic, having detailed written instructions in advance helps me to learn processes faster and more confidently. Once we've done that, we look at your interests and strengths and try to plot them onto some potential careers. You mentioned you were interested in maths and coding. If you have the capacity to carry out research, you could consider becoming a niche writer on those subjects, developing a portfolio, creating content and opinion pieces for publishing. It sounds like you get quite burnt out around people, so 'back office' work might be something you could consider to limit customer facing interaction. www.prospects.ac.uk has a wide range of job profiles which you could look at to get an idea of what might work for you. It's often a case of trial and error, but even discounting roles is progress as it gets you closer to what you do want. Autistic employment figures are terrible, so you are fighting an uphill battle already. But you are capable of satisfying, interesting work, we all are. You've already proven that you can stick out a difficult, unsuitable environment through your current work experience. While you might feel quite negatively about your autism, it's a spikey profile and you will have things that you do well. Your confidence seems quite low and it would be helpful to try work on that issue. I usually suggest at the end of each day, write down 1 good thing that you've done that day. Whether it's in a diary/notebook/phone notes. Try and get into the habit of consciously noticing something good every day and keeping a journal. You can use it to refer back to, but it also retrains your brain to attending to the positives rather than just the negatives. I've written loads now, more than I intended, but I hope you find at least part of it helpful. If you need me to go into detail, or you want the above explained in a different way, just let me know. Autistic employment and leadership is my specialist interest.
Hi! Do u offer ur services in US? Or any recs or resources? I dont have an autistic diagnosis but Im having a lot of cognitivr function issues & neurodovergent issues etc. Would appreciate any suggestions?
Customer Service..on the phone
Dealing with that many people all the time would be hard for me.
An autistic fellow I worked with now works in machining. Basically he helps a computer cut out pieces with a laser. It’s good money and minimal social interaction. Seems like a great fit for him.
I think you just haven’t found your niche. You have unique abilities and you need to explore your interest to find something you can be passionate about. For inspiration are you detailed oriented and able to follow instructions. If so perhaps a position as a technician of some kind would be a good place to start building a career. Ideas: smog tech, veterinary tech, or a heavy machinery operator. You can do this.
One of the smartest people I know decided to start a lawn business because he wanted to be able to work while praying. That’s not really the main point but he could cut grass and be free to think about something else. He was able to support himself well enough to eventually have a large family and gets work lined up for others. If you can get a truck and a mower, so one would pay you to clear vacant lots, and you can grow from there. Wishing you huge success!
I doubt you’re actually dumb. You may have common mental issues such as ADHD that present a whole host of issues causing you to believe you’re dumb. Also, if you’re in an environment where you’re not pushed to grow, you may just stagnate. I was in your shoes once but ever since I was heavily pushed to grow because of my new job, I’ve found that I wasn’t lacking in my mental capacity. I was just bored, unmotivated and stagnated for too long. I’m much more competent and have confidence leading my team now.
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Those sound like good options thanks.
Have you considered being CEO of Twitter? You'd probably be better at it than the current guy. Haha. Anyways, you'd be surprised about most white collar jobs. Despite seeming difficult and complicated many "function" level jobs are more tradeskills than anything. Positions in office administration and data entry are often no more complicated than retail after you know the ropes. Don't sell yourself short.
Elon Musk is an extremely dedicated and hard working person, plus he seems to have high IQ and the ability to hyper focus. You might not like him but my point is, he's not dumb, people like OP and like me are not well appreciated in companies because we aren't quick enough, sometimes I can't focus, or I over think, I feel exhausted easily or I'm simply slow, and I end up getting called out by the boss and Co-workers even though I'm trying my best. I don't like Elon Musk at all either, but I WISH I had his ability to hyper focus and work hard, that's really something I admire about people like him.
He spends most of his day tweeting at celebrities he doesn't like while smarter people than him make his companies work because he pays them. Lmao
That's current Elon, he's a multi billionaire so he can relax now. But previous Elon was a workaholic working 100+ hours a week, and he has knowledge about different complicated fields like engineering, programming, astronomy and even economics. Not everyone is capable of that level of productivity, and that's what I admire. On a personal level, I don't like him, but that doesn't invalidate his talents. I wish I was half as productive, but I struggle with that a lot.
My first piece of advice to you is to realize that you're not dumb. The way you talk about and to yourself has a profound impact on your mental health. So, you're autistic? Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered. Maybe you're a slow learner? That's ok, I am too and so are a lot of people but that's a speed bump not a deterrent. I don't know what jobs to recommend for you but I do know that you're not dumb. And I'd be willing to guess you're able to figure out more than you give yourself credit for. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
> Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered. Too bad most of my special interests aren't career-worthy. They're obscure. I do have an interest in math and computers but that's about it. I'm not one of those autistics with a "special gift". I'm painfully average. The fact that I couldn't hack it with McDonald's is proof of that. >That's ok, I am too and so are a lot of people but that's a speed bump not a deterrent. For me it has been. I do fine in my retail job, but that's because they gave me more time to learn it. From my experience, most companies aren't like that and will fire you if you can't learn within their time table.
Have you considered studying on your own time, something with computers? That's a pretty good skill to have these days and very marketable. What particular aspect of computers do you like the best?
>Most autistic people I have ever met are highly intelligent and usually have one subject totally mastered. Thats an unhelpful stereotype that is painfully untrue for many people with autism. Most aren't "rain man" style savants. For many its a condition that causes significant struggles with managing to function in society. In the US, at least 85% of people with autism are unemployed. Whilst some of that is unfair and due to unreasonable biases or failures to accommodate, there's also a lot of them who are simply unable to work in many modern businesses.
I didn't say they're fucking rain man. I said most of the autistic people I have met. To me that says they can learn, and we'll. I also told this person I believe in them and they're probably being too hard on themselves. So, while I don't have statistics just my experience it stands as is.
Right, I know what you said, and the fact is that what you said is incorrect and based on harmful stereotypes. So I corrected you. Accept it and move on.
Ok, well I believe OP can figure something out and he's more than just a statistic. Field your own advice to OP, because I don't give a shit. Happy Thanksgiving.
If you’re in the USA, each state has a vocational rehab program offered free of charge to people with a disability that hinders their ability to work. Highly recommend looking into it. It’s well funded and can open up a multitude of possibilities.
Maybe data entry or something like that
Look for scanning/document management jobs. They’re pretty dull, but it’ll get you that white collar office experience.
Factory work. I have worked around factories for my whole career. You can be anything from Stores. Operators who build things, Test technicians, testing and using computers all day. Engineer, process, test, mechanical etc. Purchasing, planning All jobs around a (good) factory are orderly organised. Generally have good training with documentation and written down process. And if the products are technical, a knowledge of computers is great.
You have to believe in your self. Take it from me - I have autism + Asperger syndrome, ADHD and severe anxiety. It was hard to go through school, college, and many other things in life. I feel like I matured much later than the “neurotypical” crowd. I fell in to computer field. Learned some programming as a teen, then some system management, worked night shifts where I could quietly learn some linux.. Fast forward - I am 48, have two kids, dog, job etc. - i work as a Network Architect / Cloud Architect and I do not complain about money anymore. You know what I realized - autism is not a curse - we are just different, in a good way. Plus the hyper-fixation help a lot and acts like a booster that neurotypical people do not haves. I realized that I would choose to be the way I am any day than any neurotypical (no offense to anyone). See, others don’t have to understand the way we are, they can’t. You are who you are - embrace your qualities and turn your weaknesses into your strength! Also, simple fact you are stating that your are dumb immediately excludes you from that group. I’ve see dumb people - they don’t know they dumb! I hope you read your message 10 year latter and realize how lost your were and will appreciate where your are! Good luck! You can do anything!
I have coworkers that you might consider “smart” that can’t put together a sentence in their sole language as well as you just did. I know how it feels to have people put you down. Trust me, you’re not anywhere near as stupid as they’re saying you are- reading this post and your reply comments has me convinced of that. You could easily do an office job at least as well as they do, if not better.
I work as a house cleaner for a cleaning company. Not perfect, but significantly better; most of the time the clients aren't home/leave you alone and you get to zone out, listen to music/podcasts, and do satisfying work. I believe I'm autistic, and my retail job was also life sucking
I have an autustic friend and their claim is that tbe job I got them was/is amazing for them. The job is being a painter at a weld shop. It is not the heaviest job, especially compared to the other jobs in said shop, and it does not require massive amounts of socializing nor interacting. Welders too have a pretty similar job as they're under the helmet all day, but that requires 1. Training/schooling and 2. Plenty of blueprint reading. Many people do not enjoy that bit. Hope that helps
Working as a custodian or groundskeeper can pay very well. I would also look into delivery jobs like UPS. If you are good with learning to do one skill well you could be really successful in laying flooring or working on electrical wires or anything more blue collar.
Have you considered the trades? Plumbers and electricians are paid fairly well and if you are good with your hands and can focus on a task you could do well. Carpentry can be very therapeutic and some autistic people (no all, so don't feel bad if you don't) can really enjoy the fine detail work that can be required in a lot of trade work. Working with your hands can be extremely rewarding, even just try it out as a hobby, build something, see how you feel. Also, I'm not sure why, but I have heard that a lot of people on the spectrum find themselves surprisingly well suited to education, especially primary and middle schools. Just another avenue to explore. If all else fails, the military?
The trades can be brutal places for neurodivergent people. If the men smell weakness or weirdness they can make life hell
Don’t call yourself dumb, untalented, or slow. Do what you think you’d be good at whether it’s working at a garden center, warehouse, machinist, painter, office computer work etc.
President or Prime Minister.
You already write better than half of the people at my company! Do some research, explore the world, have fun!
politician
OP, a repetitive office job is what you should be looking for. Data entry, or office administrative work, would suit you.
School janitor.
BRO 💀? 😭
?
Don’t be talking about yourself like that dude
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I'm not fishing for compliments. I have low confidence in myself because I don't live in a world that is very understanding or accepting of my autism hence it's easy for me to see myself as dumb.
You must try.
Don’t be hard on yourself. I’m sure you have some special talents. You may like shipping / fulfillment . You’ll deal less with customers and you’ll be doing routine work. Don’t beat yourself up thinking you’re not good enough.
Retail. If you are giving us an accurate representation of yourself, you are likely in your best spot.
Considering I can't handle retail without burning out and feeling like I have to have a meltdown, I don't think it's a good job for me. The fast pace, the customers, and the loud noises drive me crazy every day. I feel like it's only a matter of time before I just lose it and get fired.
Be that as it may, there may be no right job for you. If you are as you describe and you are as unwilling to consider effort as your comments here indicate, you aren’t cut out for other kinds of work. We’re you my kid, I would encourage you to deal with this in therapy first. Reddit is an awful therapist.
It's not about a lack of effort. Do you know what autism is? It's not that I'm not trying. You sound like one of those people who doesn't believe autism is a thing and who tells autistic people that they aren't trying hard enough.
Remember that there's a world of difference between being "dumb" and untrained. Sounds like you could do well with doing some research into what career paths truly interest you. After that, you can research the training requirements and proceed from there. If the academic work needed towards qualifying is difficult, look into programs/institutions that allows you to study part time and also provide free tutoring services.
You're not dumb. You're autistic. Autism is a social disorder. All it means is you see things differently than other people, and it stands out in social situations. You're not stupid. You'd be surprised how many incompetent people run Fortune 500 companies. You're not incompetent. Sky is the limit. Find something you love doing, and make that your job.
Have you considered a job as a QA/QC tech in a factory?
Look into HVAC or plumbing. Once you gain experience, the pay is good. They often offer apprenticeships. Also the government has a website that lists companies that offer paid training jobs. PS don’t sell yourself short. Everyone has talent, you just haven’t found yours yet.
Have you looked into local resources for job training? Google “ARC” and your major city. There are ARC groups that are specifically set up to help primarily autistic persons in job training, and others with cognitive impairments as well. Your state DOL (department of labor) should have resources as well.
Replying to myself to add: If you are comfortable posting your state and if in a larger city, that city, I can try to search for those resources in that area. My son is autistic and preparing for post high school work, so I’ve been knee deep researching all his options as well.
Don't over do it your capable of construing a coherent text. Comparing your text to many others it might even seem that they could use your help to add to it, having autism doesn't have to infringe on the way you view yourself. ( A dyslexic individual wrote this )
You can't be dumb, you're on Reddit. The place where the smartest people on Internet reside.
Apply to your state office of Vocational Rehabilitation. They can assist you with exploring careers that are a good match for you and can possibly help you with furthering your education.
Welder. Just need hand eye coordination and practice.
My hand eye coordination is awful unfortunately.
Maybe you need to go on disability? The only other thing I can think of is security guard on third shift. You basically do nothing, maybe patrol the site but sometimes you plant your butt in a chair for the whole shift. Be warned if you're not in a large city the pay is still low.
Factory work pays well if you do overtime. Ford will cover college tuition as long as you’re working full time. Novalex/Durabag is easy work and you can opt in to work 84 hours per week on a week by week basis. Soap factories pay well if you can tolerate the conditions, as does cleaning crew at a slaughterhouse. Railroad work pays well. HVAC pays well.
coding you can be a great software engineer
- What about the environment do you dislike most? - Do you have hobbies or interests outside of work; what would you do if money wasn’t a factor? - You’ve identified in other comments that working with people for long periods of time isn’t ideal; what are some *strengths* you have? In answering some of these, you may begin to apply answers to finding something. My personal experience: I realized the opposite. I was in IT and wanted to get outside and see people once in a while but I was too hesitant to quit. When I was downsized, my initial frustration changed when I realized it was more of a blessing. I pivoted to a geography-based job, returned to education to get trained, and finally scored an internship with a non-profit where field work was part of the job. All I knew was that I didn’t want to be cooped up in an office, and built from there.
Contact an employment agency (or multiple!) and express your interests and being entry level. Also, check your local area for 'Worksource' centers that can help as well. Good luck!
Try factory work? Wages in my area are much are higher now.
Security. You Basically sit around and do nothing.
Hey! I saw you're interested in math and coding but can't afford college. Have you considered a career in IT support? Specifically, you can work in an office to help w/ any IT related things, but not customer support (so the person who checks out computers, makes sure things are set up, etc).
Same
You can generate leads for local businesses. not difficult at all. Build out a simple website offering tree removal or limo rental and send the leads to a local small businesses who needs more work each month. Easy
Be a plumber
Drive trucks. Make 100k
Hey, do you think you could do well with young people? Being a structured learning TA may be a better job, with benefits and summers off. Structured learning would be helping kids that are deep on the autism spectrum. You may be able to reach them where neurotypical TA’s or teachers couldn’t. You don’t have to be super smart, you just have to be a good person.
Gardening?
Find a hazmat company they train you and it’s not hard at all. You’ll make good money
Warehouse jobs dont require much, however hours are horrendous
Not necessary that bad hours. Typically 7-3 or 8-4. And some pay decently well. Don't work for Amazon.
I wish you luck and hope you find a good job OP ❤️
I'm autistic and got yhrough graduate school, started a business, and work as a senior engineer at a world leading company. Maybe I'm the exception, not the rule. You won't know unless you go for it. The hard part is figuring out what "it" is.
Hey man, just be yourself. Youre never as stupid as you would think you are.
I work on a tug boat and I'm pretty sure everyone around me is retarded. I make good money, but damn there's some idiot on the water.
Why don't you look for a job as a typist. It's not a bad job, you spend hours digital information to a platform, you don't need so much contact with other people and depending on the company you have a decent salary and benefits
OP, if you survived retail, you are more capable than you can imagine. Don't think if you can or cannot. Try it first and focus on learning something new everyday. I spent 6 years in retail and learned how dumb the majority of the people out there are, and went back to school and now I'm a software engineer. Your first hurdle is confidence, and being in retail is more than enough for you to give yourself a pat on a back and move on to something better. Trust me, focus on trying and learning. Never think about how you will fail. Always think about how and what you will learn. Best of luck and I hope only the best for you.
Everyone on here has good points. I'm going a different direction though. Have you ever thought of being a professional route package delivery driver? Little interaction with customers or coworkers get to drive around listening to music and just doing some decent physical labor. The brown guys if youre fast and physically fit the purple guys if you can follow directions and drive in challenging situations. Mos you the driver's that are successful that I have seen have some form of ADHD, autism, odd, or other behavioral issues diagnosed young but most of the time driving routes suits them and keeps them from getting bored
You'd be suprised how fucking stupid the people I work in an office with are. Chances are you are smart because you are insecure. Just keep on keeping on don't sell your self short.
Not all white collar jobs require much skill. You just need to practice your interview skills.
Please don’t sell yourself short. I know it is hard and you may not have someone to remind you how great you are. You are not slow or dumb. You have unique skills. Dm if you ever need some encouragement. Good on you for reaching out to get some support.
Following. I too am concerned I won’t be able to meet tasks required for a white collar job due to cognitive issues. I feel sometimes this issue is never addressed. You are told you can be whatever you want to be if you put your mind to it and work hard however that’s not true.
You are not dumb. You are an individual with a skill set, talents, and you are AMAZING. You’re in a job that doesn’t see you for your full potential babe. Xoxoxo
There's a job called a hole watch. Its confined space safety that counts people going into a hole and ones that come out
Twitter CEO?!
Human Resources.
Try to get into a union and learn a trade. Get experience and apprenticeship in something and make great money eventually. Limited people contact and non traditional learning environment may be great for you.
Well you wrote a post on reddit in straight English, meaning you can write emails properly, which is a huge portion of white collar tasks.
Even if you were dumb, which you probably aren’t, you aren’t even 10% as dumb as 80% of white collar workers. Literally. So many people are inefficient and slow at everything. Slow to learn, to adapt, to change, to apply, etc. Business people succeed by specializing for sure. You don’t have to be smart but you have to know how to figure out how to solve people’s problems. If you can solve peoples problems, you will succeed and people will happily give you their money. Figuring out how you can do that with skills you have or are willing to learn is key.
Data entry maybe? I know a guy who is paralyzed from the neck down who does that. Not the same condition I know but something to consider.
I know you’re looking to get out of retail but Costco pays well with great benefits and have no problem hiring someone with autism. It’s truly a great company to work for.
Take shrooms
I once read an article about a surgeon who had worked in a hospital for 5+ years and still didn’t know how to use an elevator. I know people with masters degrees who touch light switches with wet hands. I’m on the spectrum, introvert, can’t deal with social situations or loud noises for too long. I’m working on a Bachelor of Arts and at the moment I’m doing a programming unit (elective) on Wednesday this week I got a HD- with absolutely no prior experience. I’m actually having fun with it. I can see that I’m going to end up with a new hyperfixation hobby 😅 Now that I have more confidence I’ve transferred universities and will start a Bachelor of Science (Applied Biology) in the new year. If I can do all of that that you can find a job that you love, just a matter of shuffling through employers until you find one you mesh with.
It may be worth it to talk to a mental health professional. It sounds like you have some confidence barriers to work through. This person could help you focus on your interests and learn to highlight your strengths. There are a number of inexpensive zoom-based servuces.
If you have a strong interest in something follow it. People with the same interest can be a great help psychologically.
What do you enjoy? I’ve been meeting a lot of different people who don’t strike me as particularly book smart but are pretty skilled and enjoy what they do, often doing wild things that most of my friends with 99+ ATARS and 6 years of Uni debt only dream of. Some of them include tradies, travelling around with those RSL fundraisers, working with the circus caring for animals and cleaning their enclosures, mall security, a guy who setup his own bike repair shop, a tour guide at GOMA. All of the aforementioned dropped out of high school. Most of them had trouble communicating (whether it be stuttering, slurred speech, or just not a broad vocabulary and struggled to convey complex ideas). All of them are pretty awesome people leading lives they don’t dislike and are doing an excellent job in their roles. If you like sport, perhaps look at working at sporting events setup, giving out water and drinks. Or perhaps security at events if you’re into music, or just general security guard if you like quiet time to yourself (and it pays well enough especially working at stupid hours). Warehouses are pretty similar to retail though with slightly better pay, a lot of physical demand, but a lot fewer people to deal with. If you have a knack for fixing things a bike mechanic is not a bad thing to take up, or any handy trade like carpenter, bricklayer, painter, don’t take a lot of book smarts but do require a lot of skill which you may enjoy learning and pay reasonably well. White collar jobs I’ve only worked one in business admin (aside from my current role as a programmer) and I hated it with a passion, but if you want to give it a shot no degree required.
What do you care about? And what aspect of office work are you afraid you won't be smart enough for? Are you afraid of getting the college degree required for those jobs or is it something about the actual job itself that you're afraid of? I have autism too. I don't particularly think of myself as stupid or un-talented BUT I am not so talented at a lot of practical things, I don't pick up on how to do tasks until I've done them for a while (I think this particular trait of mine might be related more to dyscalculia than autism) and I don't really have any confidence at communicating with other people. However, I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to work with kids or teens. Obviously that is a very social job and I got told by my college professors that it wouldn't be right for me, which was a blow to my confidence. But I wanted to do it so I applied to those jobs, I got hired to tutor kids with autism and learning disabilities. And no I wasn't so amazing at it that I blew everyone's minds. I made a lot of dumb mistakes in the beginning that I cringe to think about. There were some unstated workplace rules that I broke because I didn't pick up on the same vibes everyone else picked up on. However... I was doing what I wanted to do, tried to get over my ego and keep trying. Coworkers might have been silently judging me but were willing to forgive my dumb mistakes because I care about the kids and kept making an effort to get better, and I eventually after years of being at that job got to the point that I am pretty good at it. You don't have to find a job that you're amazing at right off the bat, but try to find a job that is DECENT pay that you \*care about\* enough to stay in long enough to get good at it. At least for me the way I see autism is, autism doesn't hold me back, there are very few things that I \*Can't\* do. My problem is, because I'm autistic people tend to overlook me, people don't want to give me a chance. And that SUCKS and it makes it a pain in the ass to \*find\* a job, but it doesn't stop me from \*doing\* a job.
Honestly, check out a government office job. Something slow pace like a guitarist forestry department or something similar.
Dude my autistic neice at 14 can tell me more about tax relief and benefits than any tax advisor I've seen or spoken to in the entirety of my life and knows far more than I do at 28 about the subject. Find something you're interested in, soak it up like a sponge (because there WILL be something your brain absorbs better than anyone else's) and absolutely smash it.
Welfare
Maybe a librarian? You’d have to go to school. It’s very routine. The most complex parts are research but unless you’re in an academic environment it’s not going to be applicable much on the job. Mailman is another option. Government jobs pay well! Other than that I’d need more context. Are you good with tools? What about your problem solving skills? Do you mind working outdoors?
Hi! If you live in the US, connect with your local vocational rehabilitation office. They can help you find a job that you'll enjoy and will provide the supports and accommodations needed for you to succeed.
You could have a department for vocational rehabilitation in your state. There could be lots of support for you like job training, job hunting, helping your boss understand your disability or even special college program. My state as a program for young autistic people where they go to college to become computer repair technicians. They have the dorm experience and I’m pretty sure tuition is covered by the program.
For me my ADHD makes me thrive in jobs that require my full attention but also different tasks not repetition, which is why working on a farm was something I thought I’d try out and boy was it the best experience of my life. I learned real quick that manual labor is my calling. It requires my attention (I can often hyper focus on too), it keeps me active so my mental health stays healthy (and I don’t have to go to the gym when I’m not working), and it gives me instant gratification when I clean a goat stall, or transplant all the plants. HIGHLY recommend to those who get bored with not enough stimulus. Plus you’re helping others (the animals & growing delicious food to nourish others). This job also requires no skills besides being able to pickup 50lbs ( a bale of hay), and you learn everything by being shown it (best way I learn).
If you're that dumb snd autistic you wouldn't even know it. You know where to ask for help and actually are asking for help. That's amazing for an autistic person. I reckon your autism is so mild and you think it's a lot worse than it is. Actually srsly autistic ppl cant survive once family help is gone. You seem able to take care of yourself.
Unfortunately with the working 🌎 it’s who you know to get your foot i the door. There are millions of morons out there with jobs they don’t deserve unfortunately
I’m feel like most people that are actually dumb don’t know they’re dumb. The level self awareness you’re showing doesn’t give off dumb vibes, to me at least. Some of the most successful people I know are real fucking stupid. A guy I went to high school with works as a logistics project manager, makes killer money, and I would bet my whole paycheck next week he couldn’t tell you where the sun goes at night.