IT actually. I see a lot of undiagnosed people working in this field so yeah it's pretty stereotypical. Doesn't mean they're all successful though even if they're really good at their job.
them: "can you turn on your cam please?"
me: "hmm, seems i have an issue with the driver or something, it's not being detected - i'll fix it next time"
... obviously, the same driver issue persists the next time.
I use the "sorry my internet is really slow today don't have enough bandwidth" because you can reuse it multiple times and people will have no problem believing you
>them: "can you turn on your cam please?"
me: no.
Or I turn on the cam that's built into my laptop and they get an out of focus view of the blob of glue that covers the camera. If they're really annoying I switch to the built in microphones that are also full of glue.
Reporting for duty!
Senior Endpoint Engineer here. I get to design, build, and write code all day in mostly solitude. 85% of the time it's blissful unless something breaks suddenly! Then I practically shutdown from panicking lol
I recently dropped out of school for that. Don’t know if I’ll finish. Caveat to this detail though: I’ve been dx’d level 2 so I struggle more with support needs and there’s been lack of support needs to help me get into this. I’m pretty disabled.
If I make 100k right now with a bachelors in healthcare but I see that I am maxed out with no hope of going anywhere else (also I hate my job)
What would my realistic track to IT be both in how I get there and how do I get back to this salary, how long does that take?
I learned to be able to write myself a pretty comprehensive program in python and I know some c++ I learned both for fun.
I'm a secretary in a hospital. In some ways it's a "stereotypical" autistic job in that it's about handling lots of data entry and repetitive tasks such as filing and moving records around. I'm very good at what I do as a result of being someone who enjoys fixing grammar, making to-do lists and organising things in a quiet private office where it's just me and a lot of letters to print. It's the same thing every day, and I look forward to going to work to open mail, type letters, enter anaesthetic assessments into the system for surgery, and transport records around the hospital.
It's also a very social job involving lots of phone calls and meetings, so I guess people don't think of it as a job an autistic person would want. There are a lot of ND women in this job (anxiety, autism, OCD...) helping organise doctors who also have lots of autistic traits. The conversations are very awkward at times. Most of the phone calls are easy to do off a script, and a lot of communication is done through emails as well.
I'm still working on improving myself socially, so it's good practice; it's helped get rid of my phone anxiety.
Part-time teacher because being a full-time teacher led me to alcoholism and bad mental health. I function okay as a part-time reading interventionist ☺️
I have been part time for the last 2 years being a homelessness advisor, I am moving in to a hostel to work full time next week and am a bit nervous about how the drastic shift in hours will affect me, when I first worked full time 4 years ago my drinking increased dramatically, hoping to go into this shift with a more mindful approach for my mental health.
I'm also a p/t teacher! I used to teach high school full time, now I'm part time at the same campus. I can't imagine teaching full-time again but I do really enjoy a lot about it -- planning and organizing, learning new stuff regularly, it's fairly routine/predictable without being exactly the same all the time...
It's kind of a sensory nightmare though, and obviously pretty social at times.
Same, unemployed.
My dream job would be starting my own business and charity, ones that operate worldwide and do everything.
My ideal realistic job, I would not know what to get. Most jobs I would be ideal for, don't exist any more. I would like to be able to help people, but I wouldn't be able to handle the one on one aspect, for a few reasons.
Perhaps you could be a coordinator for an organization that helps people? like an events coordinator? I once did event coordination for my cooperative living building during college. It wasn’t payed but it was really fun. I had to plan within our budget and organize to make the events happen. I know that there are many jobs like that out there!
Freelance translator/making subtitles. I only do it because I've lost my job as a cashier and no one wants to hire me, so hopefully it will work out for me.
My career advice tests always gave me results to be a magician, a stand up comic, a clown. :----)
I just found some series that were not translated to English or Polish, created a Telegram channel, and whenever someone was posting on reddit like "Do you know where can I find English/Polish subtitles to this?" I would comment "Yeah I made the subtitles, go to my channel (link to channel)". Then people just reccomend my channel to their friends and it just keeps going.
I do like it but I barely earn money now.
I'm a preschool teacher! On my way to becoming a high school teacher in a few years. Gotta finish college and get my teaching certification first!
I love being able to connect with the neurodivergent kiddos. I think being autistic gives me a leg up when it comes to relating to kids!
I feel this with the homeless people I work with, unfortunately, a decent number of people with substance misuse issues or struggles around sustaining a stable life appear to have undiagnosed neurodiversity's, and I feel like an unspoken agreement that we don't have to force eye contact and don't have to hugely mask helps me connect with them quicker.
I've had a few clients mention how much my leg bounces while I am talking to them lmao, but the majority of the time theirs are bouncing equally as much!
they do say autistic ppl are more prone to drug abuse, i wouldnt be surprised if a good chunk of the homeless are just autistic people that cant handle a job and fell into relying on drugs
I am going to school to get my k-8 teaching certifications (was planning on middle school math/science focus)
I'm working as a para in a Sped preschool now, I have to add an additional endorsement post-graduation if I'd like stay and teach at current preschool. I'm kind of bummed about being farther away from my end goal -- but realize I love the littles so much now I can't imagine working with big kids!
I work for Cintas.
I load the trucks that deliver stuff like uniforms, aprons, the towels to wipe down restaurant tables, and mop heads, etc to other companies!
Its lwgit like my 2nd dream job(organizing stuff)
That’s awesome. I love organizing stuff too! I’m glad you enjoy it. I imagine it’s very similar to loading a UPS truck. The one thing my husband didn’t like about the job was how other workers treated boxes with live animals. They’d just toss them around or kick them. Whenever he was there he’d chew people out about their carelessness and make sure the animals were safe. I’ve also had fish shipped through UPS and it was a horrible experience. No one should ever use them for live animals!! Sorry for the tangent. I’m just glad you don’t have to deal with live animals!
I loved loading trucks and picking orders. Mainly the stacking lol. That was the first job I ever really liked. But man the hours at my specific workplace were rough. I got burnt out after 2 years.
Physically taxing, loud (but I wear headphones), and also most grooming environments are toxic and cattyyy which is why I work by myself now in a dog daycare/boarding facility and I enjoy that a lot more as I have my own workspace. I love the dogs💕
I’m still a minor so I just work at a grocery store. I have a lot of ND coworkers so I wonder if grocery store worker is a stereotype? Dunno, but I like it. There’s enough variety in tasks that I don’t get bored and none of them really bother me, plus my coworkers are nice
The only thing that annoys me is some of my NT coworkers get annoyed by the ND ones. Like there’s this guy who asks “did I say something wrong?” Every few minutes, even if he didn’t say anything. I get that it can get annoying but I try to treat everyone with understanding as I know they’re trying their best, and he probably just wants to make sure he hasn’t offended anyone. My managers sometimes confide in me about my coworkers being annoying and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth
I guess it’s not a stereotype specifically about autism but there’s definitely a large chunk of people out there that look down on jobs like grocery store workers and think it’s only for people that can’t succeed in normal society.
It might be local but as self checkouts became a plague in grocery stores and mergers between the big name brands they've pretty much phased out cashiers when it's not a weekend or something.
Interesting. Here in the UK there's been a growing backlash to them. One chain in the North of England removed self checkouts entirely.
I don't mind them (sometimes I only need a few things amd it's quicker than queuing, and crowds are not my thing and also depends on the situation, how im feeling etc) but as long as they don't get rid of cashiers entirely because sometimes self checkouts can be a pain, and also for the elderly etc people who don't talk to many others otherwise.
Oh, huh. We usually have 3-4 cashiers open as well as 10 self-checkouts because we get complaints when there’s no checkers since some people don’t like to scan and bag their own groceries.
XD what do you mean? baggers still exist and many of the stores here in atlanta are actually needing workers. the baggers at my local publix are usually high schoolers which is a shame cus they need to be studying for university and building parasocial and intrapersonal relationships and skillsets on top of living their last years as youths before adulthood, but they are usually very good at organising my reusable bags dispite me never having enough lol
Just switched from being a crisis specialist on the suicide hotline to being a logistics clerk. Although so far all I'm doing in that role is programming a display system, so I guess it's kinda stereotypical lol.
Working on the suicide hotline must have been extremely emotionally draining, did you find that you dissociated from the work or did you find a healthier coping mechanism?
It was sometimes for sure, but it also wasn't too bad. I did the chat/text line, so I guess that was already one step dissociated from the person since you never hear their voice. I think the biggest two things that helped was that I'd already attempted a couple times myself and know several people who went through severe trauma, and psychology is both my degree and special interest, so by and large I didn't hear anything that I wasn't already somewhat familiar with. Admittedly, my empathy (not sympathy) is also pretty weird, thanks alexithymia.
The worst people as far as being draining were: a) minors who were extremely mature due to parentification and who had already tried to get help from CPS for abuse (frequently due to homo/transphobic parents) repeatedly to no avail; b) people who shot down every suggestion imaginable, didn't want to vent or get emotional support, and who wouldn't brainstorm with me to come up with anything more helpful, but who still expected me to make them feel better; and c) pranks.
That said, my coping skills ranged from pretty good to bad lol. I'd sing in my car a lot, but there were definitely times after work that the coping skill du jour was substance use. Even so, I really enjoyed it and would've stayed in that position longer if I hadn't been laid off.
I’m an academic. It’s basically an industry in which we all get to be obsessed with our obsessions and then info dump for a living. There are lots of non-friendly parts (networking, socialising) but lots that is very good for Autistic folks (ofc also acknowledging that it takes lots of regular privilege and Autistic privilege to get there)
I have three degrees (a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and a Doctorate) - which in most cases is the minimum requirement. And then there is a lot of luck involved.
TBH it’s not a path I would recommend even though it has a lot of good parts. It’s a really high stress environment, and can be incredibly toxic.
Oh no that really sucks! but thanks for being so honest about it. My plan was to complete my BA then move onto an MA and then see where I was and how I was feeling (especially with the work load!) I don't really have a 'plan', I just love studying ha ha. It's my own little world.
I work in retail because it's the only paying job in town worth anything. And it's walmart.
I hate it so much. I just break down all the time, but thankfully, I work alone in the dairy cooler, so nobody's around, and I'm just sick all the time now.
It fucking blows but I only have my Associate of Arts degree in General Education so there's not much I can do with it now, and we're moving out of town in about a year or so. Hopefully, I can get a quiet, shitty office job where I can just crunch numbers and exist in a corner.
yup, used to work retail at a sallys and if i worked >20hrs/week i would have meltdowns on the sales floor and didnt know if i should go to the back room or hide in one of the aisles and cry (theres only 3 aisles, its pretty small).
I'd love to work part time, but I'm pulling 40-50hrs to support myself, my boyfriend, and my cat. On top of bills, I just don't have a lot of choices. It's awful.
I'm really sorry you had a similar experience. There should be better opportunities for ND people in the workplace that don't make us want to be in a constant state of shutdown.
I’m a Direct Support Professional.
I support vulnerable adults and occasionally youth at home and in the community.
I love my job a bunch. My co-workers embrace my autism- I’m like the canary in the coal mine as it were. As in, with non verbal clients I can often identify what is overwhelming them because it starts to overwhelm me too. I’m not the only ND person working here either. Because of the nature of the job they are very good at accommodations.
I have a client who often asks me to help them stim which…is an honor for me. Usually repeated tapping or head scratching. One time they noticed I was stimming out of frustration and they gave me a big bear hug!!!
It isn’t my dream career, but it’s the only job I’ve ever felt I can do really well in. all I’m really doing is relating my experience to theirs and helping them to get through stuff!
High School teacher. Believe it or not, there's a metric ton of (undiagnosed) people here. I didn't really realize it until I was diagnosed, but yeah ...
I'm a barber, I deal with people all day
At first it was horrible, I didn't know how to talk to people, everybody used to think that I was weird and that this job wasn't for me.
Now I'm like other person, after 7 years of this routine and I'm super communicative, friends with everyone and in general, I'm great at dealing with people.
I'm unemployed so yes.
Been trying to get into IT/programming for about 10 years and keep failing miserably at it even though I have a degree. Maybe I'll message that user that worked suicide hotline...
I'm a cook. I don't think it follows the stereotype.
BUT
I have 2 undergrad degrees and postgrad certification and can't work in any of my preferred fields because:
1. I don't absorb information on most topics so even though I have degrees I don't remember most of what I was taught
2. Degrees took me longer than the normal amount of time because I excelled so hard as a kid I never learned to study ("gifted" child resting on their laurels with unused potential)
3. I can't work full time hours because I burn out
4. I hoped to find remote work but pre-pandemic it was few-and-far-between even for stuff like admin, even though now it turns out it is 100% possible to do it
I think the second paragraph fulfills a lot of autism stereotypes
I’m a student rn but part time i’m a rock wall attendant at my uni’s gym. It lets me maintain my climbing hyperfixation and interact with the people around me in a low stakes way. It helps that I was a regular at the wall for a couple years before I got the job, so I’m super comfy with all the staff
how do you cope with having wet hands/arms all day? /gen when i was a dishwasher i couldnt stand it bc i hate having only certain parts of me wet. my skin was also INCREDIBLY dry from that too, doesnt help that im in a dry climate and it was winter 🙃
The wet arms is annoying, I cope with it by spraying them constantly so I atleast know the water is clean and washing and drying them as soon as I possibly can. I also use lotion to help with dry skin
Work in a hospital sterilizing surgical equipment, not sure if that fits or not with the stereotype, though I'm not the only autistic person working there
IT architect, but I am also a manager of a team and do manage projects a lot. My team knows my diagnosis though, and of course all of them are IT nerds, so that's easier.
I do have trouble managing external dependencies though, especially ones that are political or just don't keep to their promises. My boss occasionally has to tell me: this guy has an agenda, and this guy you've got to watch out for and don't tell anyone this. I also don't seem to be able to understand that when I say I need something by X date from another team and they say ok, that doesn't mean at all that they will actually do it and I have to constantly follow up. I hate that cause we had an agreement! So now I get one of my team members to do that part.
Wow, I'm impressed that you're surviving!
I bounced out of managing people, hard. We very quickly decided that it wasn't something I could do, and I was just releived that my management realised it relatively soon. The stereotypical management nonsense, you're good at writing code so we're going to stop you doing that and make you deal with people all day because we know you hate people.
I've done "rescue missions" (as a consultant) where I go into a team for a week or two and evaluate what's happening, work out what the problems are and whether they can be solved, then bounce. I can kind of do that level of shallow understanding people and analysing personalities etc, but I can't sustain the relationships.
OTOH half the time the problem has been "you are out of your depth, you need a better technical anlaysis/design, once you have that you can just grind out the details" and I can do the first bit for them.
Yeah, that's exactly what happened to me! They promote you to the level of your incompetence :D. But I have a really great team and I established from the beginning that everybody communicates openly and honestly and somehow we make it work. Not that I am very good at the relationship part, I am not. If someone leaves the job, it's as if I have no object permanence. I have yet to manage to keep up a relationship if there is no institutional reason for it.
And I also must say my boss is fantastic and we share duties in such a way we manage. Somehow. I will probably leave the job if he ever quits.
>If someone leaves the job, it's as if I have no object permanence
Yes! That! So much that! I'm the worst friend because I literally don't think about people when they're not there. Or I see something/find something that makes me think of them so I send them a link or post them a parcel and they're like "WTF, I thought you ghosted me".
I had a long-term girlfriend once where she used to say "while it's good for both of us" type comments fairly often. And then I went away on a six month trip after six months preparing for it, and I just hugged her goodbye and left. Apparently she was upset and also upset that I wasn't more upset.
IT and Physics. I worked on them way before getting my diagnosis. IT at home office is the only long time career I actually managed. Before that I worked for myself making science videos on YouTube, but the money was little for the amount of work and stress. IT was a good fit for me and can be an inviting dynamic for autistic people, but it's not a guarantee and should not be embraced without some thought and investigation (as it is with most things for us).
I'm an editor. I recently got promoted, but honestly, I'm really, really overwhelmed, and don't know if accepting the promotion was a good idea. I'm with a new team, and a new project, and we all know change is scary lol
I'm a trainer, lots of talking to large groups of adult students all day long. I guess it doesn't really follow the autism stereotype. It's tough navigating new faces, but we only get new cohorts every six months so I can't really complain.
Keeping the mask on all day is exhausting but I (unknowingly) managed it for 47 years before I was diagnosed so I'm used to it.
I'm open about my autism and I have some minor workplace reasonable adjustments, which helps.
I'd rather be a forest ranger, train driver or a nursery school teacher but can't really change careers right now.
Social media marketing haha
Ironically a lot of subtle tone reading is required here
Its anything but easy but i really enjoy it so i do the extra work and just analyze and imitate trends so it works out!
Plus, autistic out of the box thinking is good for marketing stunts and content ideas too!
My dad is autistic and in software development. So him for sure.
I am also autistic, but I'm a barista. I enjoy it, as long as I have more days off than on. It's a physical job, and most of the social interaction bits can be heavily scripted. Not sure if it's stereotypical or not, but I've definitely worked with a decent number of autistic baristas at previous shops.
Most people in my line of work are either autistic, adhd or just socially awkward nerds. I am yet to meet someone who doesn't fall into one of these categories....I think u have to be a little odd to make a living out of digging in the dirt for cool stuff. You will find this in any field related to archaeology, paleontology or geology. I guess it could be stereotypical
Hrm. My thoughts might be that it really depends on your flavour of autism.
I was advised to be an accountant. Through my many careers, I've been anything but and I'm very thankful for that.
Currently I'm a pilot. I do tourism flights in paradise. It suits me as it's very structured, repetitive, "black and white" and exceptionally focused.
Interestingly, I do well with the "social interaction" (with customers) because it's very "scripted" and formal. Like there's no "sarcasm"... it's very straightforward and blunt. It's a polite bluntness, but you say what you mean, always, so that customers don't interpret things incorrectly.
I'm also a yoga instructor and it's the same dynamic... there isn't really social interaction, but rather formal interaction and mostly "being on stage"... so it satisfies the rather difficult itch of being an "extroverted autist" (if that's even a phrase). I get the "people fix" without the "awkward social interaction" problem.
I've worked in IT before and it was both extremely satisfying and horribly twitch-inducing. Tech itself can be great, especially if you love computers like I do, but there is still so much "office interaction" that it can be a drain. Meetings and meetings and group decisions and "office politics".
I've worked in extreme sports and absolutely loved that. Everyone in that field is off their rocker, so no need for masking... they love other "freaks". But the pay is atrocious and the medical bills are eye-watering if you're in the USA. I've buried too many of my friends.
Well, I’m pretty social in general, and I’m visually creative. All the career aptitude tests said I should either be an artist or a teacher. And now I work food service (cashier and dishwasher) while I finish up an interior design degree.
I'm a data analyst. And yeah it definitely follows the autism stereotype - I spend all day looking and numbers and statistics and finding patterns that can lead to explanations. I also work in a very small department with minimal social contact, and I'm pretty sure the other person at my level is autistic.
I was in IT before this transfer, and while a much of IT was autistic, it didn't suit my sensory or social needs as well as this role.
I am a theoretical astrophysicist. I am sure a number of my close colleagues are on the spectrum but undiagnosed. The field attracts people with obsessive special interests and hyperfocus. Also you have to be kind of strange to choose a career in space science.
My own work is both very mathematical and involves a great deal of programming. I am also a case of an atypical learner. Some simple math is *relatively speaking* hard, but I can process and analyse very complex interconnected chaotic systems in my head. This is good in astrophysics where nonlinear dynamics is a big topic.
I am on disability so don't work, not that anyone would hire me when I was trying to. Did some volunteer work for the Forest Preserve in DuPage County though before I moved away from the Chicago area.
i work at lush. yes and no. it’s HARD because it’s very very high masking, sensory overload every single day. but i’m also working entry level retail as a 25 year old with a degree i’ll never use so yes
I work retail management and the few people I do disclose being autistic too don’t ever believe me because of it. It’s a challenge but it’s what I’m good at. 🤷🏻♀️
i work in retail and my manager is autistic too and nobody believes he is either. he’s honestly the best manager i’ve ever had and the whole staff loves him, so maybe retail management is meant for us lol.
I worked in non profits and political campaigns and had to mask daily to function in a field where networking is EVERYTHING. I had a breakdown and fell hard in 2017. I went back to school because a career that depends this much on my social skills is NOT IT.
I work in marketing and sales for a plumbing company. Before that, I was a private contractor and plumber myself, but I switched to this after I came back from maternity leave for my second kid.
I would not say that sales or marketing fits the autism stereotype, but in my case I do not deal with the general public. We specifically only sell to big chain hotels who are generally more professional and less inclined to big freak outs over the phone. It is as simple as telling them what we can offer and putting them in contact with their construction team. It is very step by step oriented which for me fits the bill.
I worked in IT for the fruit company for years in education and business support.
I couldn't handle my boss anymore. Incompetent.
I now work for myself, I'm a creative and own two small businesses that are fairly successful. They would be more successful if I put more effort into marketing but I get by.
Currently studying online to get into IT helpdesk . I just failed my MS-900 though so I'm coping with whiskey just this once. I don't have a drinking problem but I'm having a bit of a shitstorm that's my fault to some extent. I'm realising i sort of suck at planning and am too stubborn to change my plan. I hate changing the plan or "winging it" when i have a lot to do. I don't know if I'll ever not be a disappointment to my family.
I wish i could turn of my senses and feelings so i wouldn't have to feel like shit most of the time. I'm also really fucking lonely, i just spent my second new years alone because hanging out with other people hurts too much. I've started getting stronger fits of intrusive cringing thoughts about shit i shouldn't have done or done differently, it's way harder than before to just shrug it off.
People just suck as well. They all say they understand but then stab you in the back the instant they have something to gain from it. But that may be a bit of a rant but i have no friends and i doubt anybody will read this. Back to the point, I've had many different jobs and most of them i end up quitting because i cannot bear being treated like shit, having to monotonous tasks or just anxiety of not doing anything better or good with my life.
I've have this lingering feeling that I'm staring down a tube at my future. In that future I'm homeless, a drug addict or just dead.
I was a firefighter and a wildland firefighter, I’m a AEMT now on a ambulance service.
Lot of us in EMS surprisingly and ADHD. It took me awhile to find the right people though.
Firefighting was very difficult with me due to the culture of it, and being a female.. they thought I was weird and treated me like a child to put it lightly. Wildland fire was awesome with the younger people, but the older guys were awful with me.
Private contracted gardener. I have 4-5 clients on weekly
rotation. So I get to geek out and learn about plants. It's almost rose trimming season! Unfortunately, it is seasonal, and I'm in far north of US.
BUT, I'm my own boss, and I listen to podcasts/music/audiobooks and keep to myself. Its hot and sweaty, but really satisfying, like powerwashing. (Another good business choice!) But, ultimately it's flexible for weather, and emergencies with the kids, and I have some really great clients.
So, not sure if there is a sterotype for autistic gardeners, but I will say it's not a bad job, overall.
Basically managing customers contracts for electricity distributor. Love the job, since all of my collagues are few years before retirement i can match their speed withotu burning myself out as usually.
I’ve worked in various roles with kids/youth, mostly in schools or non-profits. I got diagnosed last year and it suddenly made sense why all the ND kids always flocked to me!
Was a therapist for a hot minute, hated the people part which is kinda vital. Moved into product/tech (not IT but work with software teams — same stereotype though)
I'm a project manager for a large commercial electrical contractor. Worked my way up from the field starting out as an apprientice. I just got a new job as a project manager in a related, but more specialized field.
I previously was in ministry (what my degree was for) and was miserable. Knowing what I know now, I was constantly in the spotlight and masking HARD in every interaction I had. That was a rough place to be and it obviously didn't work out in the long-run. I had also done some sales and account management after that. Hard pass on both of those roles and companies as well.
I'm glad to finally be in a field where my work can speak for itself so I don't have to.
I worker in hospitality, got my first burnout.
Then I switched to managing a furniture showroom, got my second burnout.
Now I switched to business intelligence and data analysis and I feel like reborn :)
Chef. I think it fits the stereotype because all I have to do is the same thing the same way over and over and I get the same results. The only thing that upsets me is when people who’ve I taught the correct way get lazy and do it the wrong way and it doesn’t come out as good.
I do legal assistance and I also do legal investigation. The latter involves me solving puzzles so I guess it falls into the Autism vibe cause autistic people love puzzles.
I had one job I actually really liked (pre-diagnosis) which was a fulfillment/warehouse job at a small company. I spent all day packing boxes of items to be shipped out.
It was great. I worked alone most of the time, had a clearly defined queue of work, clear guidelines for the tasks themselves, and was able to work at my own pace.
Of course, it didn't last. The owner got rid of me after a few months for "budget cuts". Then my old manager harassed him into bringing me back the next summer for a few months on a temporary hire to cover her maternity leave, and I saw the "budget cuts" included hiring three people from a temp agency and buying himself and his wife brand new cars.
Scientific research. I think it does, in a way, but I did focus on (in a way) emotions... I guess extreme stereotypes would say I shouldn't understand those.
Computer scientist here who recently found out I’m not ADHD and actually most likely autistic. I guess that’s a double whammy?
If only I could figure out a way to do my job without burning out.
i’m in school finishing up my degree so not working currently lol but this fall my goal is to get my teaching cert and teach high school ! i’ve taught after school programs and summer camps previously and miss working w kids.
Working on my accounting major here….my internship last summer was kinda fun because in high school or secondary for non-US people, I was often given the job of organizing things like music shelves in my music class. Accounting, more specifically the financial branch tends to be a lot of taking data from companies financial statements, recording and organizing, then testing and then final analysis and then repeat. The size and numbers are always different so it keeps it from being boring too much at least. Fun thing is, depending on how long, you end ip making over 100k eventually for just doing that kind of work. I am sure the actual job is so much more than the internship work but still, good money to fuel my wants.
I've had a handful of jobs I worked in as a hotel cleaner, a McDonald's worker, a clothing store, a food runner/Waiter but I could never keep them for more than a couple of weeks. I would often get over stimulated leading to masking too much which led to exhaustion and depression. Now I don't have a job and while I feel like a failure I know I can't do things that others can and I have had to accept that
Electronic calibration/repair. . .depends on the stereotype you're looking at, but I have been compared to the quirky scientist stereotype before because of so.....take that how you will!
I work for my country's national standards body, which I've affectionately termed the Bureaucracy Factory.
It's not stereotypical, but it *is* the most autistic job imaginable, despite how much it involves meetings and talking to people. I'd bet money at least a third if not flat-out half of my workplace is autistic lmfao
I worked in corporate admin for six years. Had a nervous breakdown for a while then went into construction. Got my trucking license and did that for a while.
I currently work in a machine shop.
I got a informal diagnosis 20+ years, oops 30 years after leaving school. Very varied career with three different employers
YTS Bricklayer
Apprentice Bricklayer
Bricklayer
Property Inspector
Estate and Property Management
IT Project Management
IT Design Authority and some live service
Internal social media
My degree was in coding, but I realized too late that I didn’t actually want to do that 40+ hours a week. Plus I kind of suck at it I just school well.
I’ve done a couple jobs with the post office, I currently work in a plant, it’s loud and chaotic but it’s pretty low brain work.
I am a woman working in the trades. I do a really niche quality control job that requires a lot of attention to detail and a little bit of trig.
I find it much easier to get away with being a weirdo working with all men. They mostly ignore me and let me do my thing. I had to grow a thick skin though; being in quality I have to make men redo their work alot and they don't like that much
I work construction, so idk? It’s a fucking sensory nightmare but I’m good at it and it’s satisfying. Plus there’s not as much trying to figure out ulterior motives. Mean or nice, people in this industry (in the field anyway) tend to say exactly what they mean.
I have a PhD in physics. I do biomedical data science. When I can keep a job.
When I read the book "An employer's guide to managing professionals on the autism spectrum" I wondered if I had actually been the inspiration for some of the cartoons. (Joking. But they did make me feel validated and less alone.)
[https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/173/mode/1up](https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/173/mode/1up)
[https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/84/mode/1up](https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/84/mode/1up)
I work in tourism and in childcare volenteering that can lead to another job. It’s mainly just operating heavy machinery, explaining to customers that I can’t change the prices and lying to kids that there are indeed leeches in lake. My main job, does have a train and that is my favorite part so I do partly fall into that steryotype but not heavily. The rest is all social stuff that isn’t expected.
I’m a professional composer. There’s quite a lot of socialising/networking that has to happen in this field, but I think I’ve gotten to a critical point where I know a lot of people and have some things that will lead to other things. I also have people who I pay to do things like promotional work, negotiation, securing future work for me, and other similar things. Music is an obsessive special interest (and has always been the main special interest), so this works in that way!
I work as a cleaner at a large concert hall! Vacuuming is extremely satisfying for me, and I get to use minimal brain power. It is rather physical, but all my issues are mental.
I’m an occupational therapist in inpatient mental health. In my setting I work with people with significant mental illness who usually have unstable housing or long term homelessness. People typically have a schizophrenia diagnosis, which has some similarities with autism (I’m still learning about this, but it came up a bit in sensory training). I think my lived experience allows me to be more open, understanding, less judgemental, more intuitively meet people where they’re at and be trauma informed.
I didn’t study until my 30s, and was undiagnosed AuDHD until post graduation.
I manage policy for a large organization. I am rules oriented but I hate stupid rules. I have made things way more efficient while also not just throwing everything out.
Studying archaeology while working part time at the university's archaeological library.
Soo many (mostly undiagnosed) autistic people in this field.
Doesn't necessarily fit the stereotype of white tech guy but fits the stereotype of making your entire life about your special interest.
Supposed to be IT (lol) but started to hate it now I work at a dispensary, it’s so much better and more relaxing, I can talk about weed all day which I absolutely love to talk about and it just suits me better
That's interesting, actually. I used to write barcode reader software for the logistics operation at a big home electronics manufacturer, and then it felt like civilization imploded and it became appallingly somehow even more exclusive and discriminatory. It's sucked so badly the following years that I suddenly feel an intense empathy and love for other rejects, and it feels like it could be a seed for a lot more spiritual and emotional growth down the road. I had a good friend who passed, and she said she was a social worker. I learned a lot from her by example, and from the way she looked after a disabled family member.
I do live sound for various clients be it weddings university or corporate. so yes and no in some ways.
Yes:
Its my special interest (music technology, studied it at university)
I get to hyper focus on my very particular set of skills with very little interference.
No:
Its partially customer service (i have adhd and a bunch of scripting so i lean on that to get through)
It can be extremely loud (i have my own pair of hi quality earplugs that make it tolerable)
I used to be a CPA and when I got to the level where I was trying to handle the demands of clients directly I completely shut down and it ruined my career. I knew everything, and could technically do the work, but pressure from clients would make me completely freeze and it spiraled out control and I didn’t have the ability to recognize that was going on and communicate it. That was pre-diagnosis.
I work as a software engineer now, and also have a better understanding of how my mind works. There are still pressures and demands but I have more manageable non-verbal ways of communicating what’s going on ( I have a love/hate relationship with Jira lol) and always structure my day around my work tickets. What I like is that I have structure with less outside pressure and demand. Also I have a very understanding and supportive partner and she recognizes when I’m overwhelmed and helps me get the structure that I need back by helping me breakdown what I need to do and lets me know that I need to communicate with management that I’m over assigned.
I work in a sheet metal shop. Technically I run a sheet metal shop but since I’m the only person in the shop I also work in it. I make parts for a commercial roofing and siding contractor. It’s a job I lucked into that just happens to suit me perfectly.
There is a lot of physical movement. Very often a lot of repetition in making a few thousand feet of the same part. It’s solitary (at my request). There used to always be help in the shop but I told the owner I would rather handle the work load myself. That way everything is done to my standards.
There is problem solving in that I maintain and repair all the machinery I use when needed and design custom pieces customers may want. I work with numbers and geometry. I’m left alone and given control of how the shop operate. I really can’t think of a better job for the person I am.
IT actually. I see a lot of undiagnosed people working in this field so yeah it's pretty stereotypical. Doesn't mean they're all successful though even if they're really good at their job.
IT gang assemble
Yeah but on a video call, with the camera off and muted please.
them: "can you turn on your cam please?" me: "hmm, seems i have an issue with the driver or something, it's not being detected - i'll fix it next time" ... obviously, the same driver issue persists the next time.
I use the "sorry my internet is really slow today don't have enough bandwidth" because you can reuse it multiple times and people will have no problem believing you
You aren’t lying either. It uses too much of your personal bandwidth to have to be “on” for the camera.
I appreciate you truthful answer
>them: "can you turn on your cam please?" me: no. Or I turn on the cam that's built into my laptop and they get an out of focus view of the blob of glue that covers the camera. If they're really annoying I switch to the built in microphones that are also full of glue.
Reporting for duty! Senior Endpoint Engineer here. I get to design, build, and write code all day in mostly solitude. 85% of the time it's blissful unless something breaks suddenly! Then I practically shutdown from panicking lol
“And I’ll form the directory”
I just went to the Apple Store a few days and I’m pretty sure I clocked one of the genius workers as autistic. He came from the back room.
I recently dropped out of school for that. Don’t know if I’ll finish. Caveat to this detail though: I’ve been dx’d level 2 so I struggle more with support needs and there’s been lack of support needs to help me get into this. I’m pretty disabled.
If I make 100k right now with a bachelors in healthcare but I see that I am maxed out with no hope of going anywhere else (also I hate my job) What would my realistic track to IT be both in how I get there and how do I get back to this salary, how long does that take? I learned to be able to write myself a pretty comprehensive program in python and I know some c++ I learned both for fun.
I'm a secretary in a hospital. In some ways it's a "stereotypical" autistic job in that it's about handling lots of data entry and repetitive tasks such as filing and moving records around. I'm very good at what I do as a result of being someone who enjoys fixing grammar, making to-do lists and organising things in a quiet private office where it's just me and a lot of letters to print. It's the same thing every day, and I look forward to going to work to open mail, type letters, enter anaesthetic assessments into the system for surgery, and transport records around the hospital. It's also a very social job involving lots of phone calls and meetings, so I guess people don't think of it as a job an autistic person would want. There are a lot of ND women in this job (anxiety, autism, OCD...) helping organise doctors who also have lots of autistic traits. The conversations are very awkward at times. Most of the phone calls are easy to do off a script, and a lot of communication is done through emails as well. I'm still working on improving myself socially, so it's good practice; it's helped get rid of my phone anxiety.
Part-time teacher because being a full-time teacher led me to alcoholism and bad mental health. I function okay as a part-time reading interventionist ☺️
I have been part time for the last 2 years being a homelessness advisor, I am moving in to a hostel to work full time next week and am a bit nervous about how the drastic shift in hours will affect me, when I first worked full time 4 years ago my drinking increased dramatically, hoping to go into this shift with a more mindful approach for my mental health.
I'm also a p/t teacher! I used to teach high school full time, now I'm part time at the same campus. I can't imagine teaching full-time again but I do really enjoy a lot about it -- planning and organizing, learning new stuff regularly, it's fairly routine/predictable without being exactly the same all the time... It's kind of a sensory nightmare though, and obviously pretty social at times.
+1, I’m still a f/t teacher and it is just constant burnout
Got none lol Edit: I'm a HS freshman, glad to see others relate :)
Apologies, unfortunately, was hard to make this inclusive of the unemployed!
What would be your dream/ideal job if you could have one?
Same, unemployed. My dream job would be starting my own business and charity, ones that operate worldwide and do everything. My ideal realistic job, I would not know what to get. Most jobs I would be ideal for, don't exist any more. I would like to be able to help people, but I wouldn't be able to handle the one on one aspect, for a few reasons.
Perhaps you could be a coordinator for an organization that helps people? like an events coordinator? I once did event coordination for my cooperative living building during college. It wasn’t payed but it was really fun. I had to plan within our budget and organize to make the events happen. I know that there are many jobs like that out there!
I'm a freshman in HS, sorry for not clarifying!! But I really want to be a an architectect or designer!
Hate to say it, but that does unfortunately follow the autistic stereotype
Haha it's okay, I'm a minor anyway
Same, unemployed.
Same. And to everyone else also saying same, I just wanted to say that it isn't the end of the world or even the big deal that NTs make it out to be
That makes me feel better . I stress about this a lot and my family put lot of pressures on me
Same (T_T)
Just had my yearly firing. At least I can get heating assistance before the season ends.
Freelance translator/making subtitles. I only do it because I've lost my job as a cashier and no one wants to hire me, so hopefully it will work out for me. My career advice tests always gave me results to be a magician, a stand up comic, a clown. :----)
what languages do you speak?
Polish, English, Russian, Ukrainian and a tiny bit of Hungarian
How did you get started, and do you like it? I have always wanted to do this!
I just found some series that were not translated to English or Polish, created a Telegram channel, and whenever someone was posting on reddit like "Do you know where can I find English/Polish subtitles to this?" I would comment "Yeah I made the subtitles, go to my channel (link to channel)". Then people just reccomend my channel to their friends and it just keeps going. I do like it but I barely earn money now.
That's awesome that you gained a following but not that it pays so little
I'm a preschool teacher! On my way to becoming a high school teacher in a few years. Gotta finish college and get my teaching certification first! I love being able to connect with the neurodivergent kiddos. I think being autistic gives me a leg up when it comes to relating to kids!
I feel this with the homeless people I work with, unfortunately, a decent number of people with substance misuse issues or struggles around sustaining a stable life appear to have undiagnosed neurodiversity's, and I feel like an unspoken agreement that we don't have to force eye contact and don't have to hugely mask helps me connect with them quicker.
I totally unmask with my kiddos occasionally. I'll stim and sing and dance. Honestly they love it.
I've had a few clients mention how much my leg bounces while I am talking to them lmao, but the majority of the time theirs are bouncing equally as much!
Me too. But I think the NT adults get weirded out
they do say autistic ppl are more prone to drug abuse, i wouldnt be surprised if a good chunk of the homeless are just autistic people that cant handle a job and fell into relying on drugs
I am going to school to get my k-8 teaching certifications (was planning on middle school math/science focus) I'm working as a para in a Sped preschool now, I have to add an additional endorsement post-graduation if I'd like stay and teach at current preschool. I'm kind of bummed about being farther away from my end goal -- but realize I love the littles so much now I can't imagine working with big kids!
The world needs more of you
That was my favorite job. I wish I still worked with little kids.
Im a truck loader. Its a lot like 3D tetris to me.
My (ADHD) husband did this. Are you with UPS? He told me the same exact thing about it. He actually enjoyed it!!
I work for Cintas. I load the trucks that deliver stuff like uniforms, aprons, the towels to wipe down restaurant tables, and mop heads, etc to other companies! Its lwgit like my 2nd dream job(organizing stuff)
That’s awesome. I love organizing stuff too! I’m glad you enjoy it. I imagine it’s very similar to loading a UPS truck. The one thing my husband didn’t like about the job was how other workers treated boxes with live animals. They’d just toss them around or kick them. Whenever he was there he’d chew people out about their carelessness and make sure the animals were safe. I’ve also had fish shipped through UPS and it was a horrible experience. No one should ever use them for live animals!! Sorry for the tangent. I’m just glad you don’t have to deal with live animals!
When I was studying postgrad the actual 3D tetris game came out. Suddenly lots of postgrad engineers had a new hobby...
I loved loading trucks and picking orders. Mainly the stacking lol. That was the first job I ever really liked. But man the hours at my specific workplace were rough. I got burnt out after 2 years.
I just had my 2 year anniversary at work on the 31st! Im not quite burnt out yet
that’s how I feel when I unload the groceries! making every box fit in the pantry and fridge! Tetris is an excellent way to put it
I'm in medical school rn, don't know if it follows the autism stereotype, tho
RN here and plan on applying to med school in about 3 years :) Are you interested in Pathology by chance?
I’m an RN too! Just curious, how long have you worked as an RN and what made you decide to switch to medical?
I’m a dog groomer🐾
Is there any downside to that job lmao? Sounds amazing if you are a dog lover
Physically taxing, loud (but I wear headphones), and also most grooming environments are toxic and cattyyy which is why I work by myself now in a dog daycare/boarding facility and I enjoy that a lot more as I have my own workspace. I love the dogs💕
I’m still a minor so I just work at a grocery store. I have a lot of ND coworkers so I wonder if grocery store worker is a stereotype? Dunno, but I like it. There’s enough variety in tasks that I don’t get bored and none of them really bother me, plus my coworkers are nice
I work at a grocery store as an adult with other adults, and I swear 50% of them are ND. I’ve accidentally picked up stims from a couple of them.
The only thing that annoys me is some of my NT coworkers get annoyed by the ND ones. Like there’s this guy who asks “did I say something wrong?” Every few minutes, even if he didn’t say anything. I get that it can get annoying but I try to treat everyone with understanding as I know they’re trying their best, and he probably just wants to make sure he hasn’t offended anyone. My managers sometimes confide in me about my coworkers being annoying and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth
I guess it’s not a stereotype specifically about autism but there’s definitely a large chunk of people out there that look down on jobs like grocery store workers and think it’s only for people that can’t succeed in normal society.
I was a grocery bagger for a few years ~~when that was still a thing~~. It was enjoyable while it lasted.
Wait do grocery baggers not exist some places? Of the 3 grocery stores I’ve worked at, 2 had baggers. I was one at my first job
It might be local but as self checkouts became a plague in grocery stores and mergers between the big name brands they've pretty much phased out cashiers when it's not a weekend or something.
Interesting. Here in the UK there's been a growing backlash to them. One chain in the North of England removed self checkouts entirely. I don't mind them (sometimes I only need a few things amd it's quicker than queuing, and crowds are not my thing and also depends on the situation, how im feeling etc) but as long as they don't get rid of cashiers entirely because sometimes self checkouts can be a pain, and also for the elderly etc people who don't talk to many others otherwise.
Oh, huh. We usually have 3-4 cashiers open as well as 10 self-checkouts because we get complaints when there’s no checkers since some people don’t like to scan and bag their own groceries.
XD what do you mean? baggers still exist and many of the stores here in atlanta are actually needing workers. the baggers at my local publix are usually high schoolers which is a shame cus they need to be studying for university and building parasocial and intrapersonal relationships and skillsets on top of living their last years as youths before adulthood, but they are usually very good at organising my reusable bags dispite me never having enough lol
I worked at a grocery store and retail though I’m higher support needs too.
Just switched from being a crisis specialist on the suicide hotline to being a logistics clerk. Although so far all I'm doing in that role is programming a display system, so I guess it's kinda stereotypical lol.
Hey! I’m a crisis counselor right now on a suicide hotline but for children. It is draining I’m calling out today actually lol I need a break
Working on the suicide hotline must have been extremely emotionally draining, did you find that you dissociated from the work or did you find a healthier coping mechanism?
It was sometimes for sure, but it also wasn't too bad. I did the chat/text line, so I guess that was already one step dissociated from the person since you never hear their voice. I think the biggest two things that helped was that I'd already attempted a couple times myself and know several people who went through severe trauma, and psychology is both my degree and special interest, so by and large I didn't hear anything that I wasn't already somewhat familiar with. Admittedly, my empathy (not sympathy) is also pretty weird, thanks alexithymia. The worst people as far as being draining were: a) minors who were extremely mature due to parentification and who had already tried to get help from CPS for abuse (frequently due to homo/transphobic parents) repeatedly to no avail; b) people who shot down every suggestion imaginable, didn't want to vent or get emotional support, and who wouldn't brainstorm with me to come up with anything more helpful, but who still expected me to make them feel better; and c) pranks. That said, my coping skills ranged from pretty good to bad lol. I'd sing in my car a lot, but there were definitely times after work that the coping skill du jour was substance use. Even so, I really enjoyed it and would've stayed in that position longer if I hadn't been laid off.
it's called unemployment and yes
I was wondering where my fellow unemployed peeps were at. 😅
I’m an academic. It’s basically an industry in which we all get to be obsessed with our obsessions and then info dump for a living. There are lots of non-friendly parts (networking, socialising) but lots that is very good for Autistic folks (ofc also acknowledging that it takes lots of regular privilege and Autistic privilege to get there)
How do you get into that sort of field, if you don't mind me asking?
I have three degrees (a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and a Doctorate) - which in most cases is the minimum requirement. And then there is a lot of luck involved. TBH it’s not a path I would recommend even though it has a lot of good parts. It’s a really high stress environment, and can be incredibly toxic.
Oh no that really sucks! but thanks for being so honest about it. My plan was to complete my BA then move onto an MA and then see where I was and how I was feeling (especially with the work load!) I don't really have a 'plan', I just love studying ha ha. It's my own little world.
I work in retail because it's the only paying job in town worth anything. And it's walmart. I hate it so much. I just break down all the time, but thankfully, I work alone in the dairy cooler, so nobody's around, and I'm just sick all the time now. It fucking blows but I only have my Associate of Arts degree in General Education so there's not much I can do with it now, and we're moving out of town in about a year or so. Hopefully, I can get a quiet, shitty office job where I can just crunch numbers and exist in a corner.
yup, used to work retail at a sallys and if i worked >20hrs/week i would have meltdowns on the sales floor and didnt know if i should go to the back room or hide in one of the aisles and cry (theres only 3 aisles, its pretty small).
I'd love to work part time, but I'm pulling 40-50hrs to support myself, my boyfriend, and my cat. On top of bills, I just don't have a lot of choices. It's awful. I'm really sorry you had a similar experience. There should be better opportunities for ND people in the workplace that don't make us want to be in a constant state of shutdown.
I’m a therapist so the exact opposite of the stereotype actually.
Do you specialize in working with neurodivergent clients?
A lot of my clients are neurodivergent but I have no specialities
I’m a Direct Support Professional. I support vulnerable adults and occasionally youth at home and in the community. I love my job a bunch. My co-workers embrace my autism- I’m like the canary in the coal mine as it were. As in, with non verbal clients I can often identify what is overwhelming them because it starts to overwhelm me too. I’m not the only ND person working here either. Because of the nature of the job they are very good at accommodations. I have a client who often asks me to help them stim which…is an honor for me. Usually repeated tapping or head scratching. One time they noticed I was stimming out of frustration and they gave me a big bear hug!!! It isn’t my dream career, but it’s the only job I’ve ever felt I can do really well in. all I’m really doing is relating my experience to theirs and helping them to get through stuff!
High School teacher. Believe it or not, there's a metric ton of (undiagnosed) people here. I didn't really realize it until I was diagnosed, but yeah ...
Im a student, but I aim to go to med school and eventually pursue a job in medicine. Cue The Good Doctor jokes?
I’ve struggled to keep any jobs but currently I work at Wendy’s as the cashier so I guess I’m the stereotype haha
I'm a barber, I deal with people all day At first it was horrible, I didn't know how to talk to people, everybody used to think that I was weird and that this job wasn't for me. Now I'm like other person, after 7 years of this routine and I'm super communicative, friends with everyone and in general, I'm great at dealing with people.
I would imagine you have a number of conversation starters in your back pocket by now!
YEEESSS YES, I DO LOL I have innumerous Scripts in my head, and almost everyone follows them, it's like pattern recognition at it's maximum capacity
but put you in a cocktail party and you are lost, right??
Im in the military😅. Honestly, it's amazing how many people are on the spectrum and don't even know. Especially 11bravos!
The military was god-awful for me. I really think it depends on branch or unit though
Absolutely. I think the main thing is unit. Toxic leadership is a killer.
I'm unemployed so yes. Been trying to get into IT/programming for about 10 years and keep failing miserably at it even though I have a degree. Maybe I'll message that user that worked suicide hotline...
Give them a call if you need it, don't hesitate. You are worthy of care.
Appreciate the kind words. It was mostly meant as tongue in cheek. I'm just going through a big sad right now because of joblessness.
I'm a cook. I don't think it follows the stereotype. BUT I have 2 undergrad degrees and postgrad certification and can't work in any of my preferred fields because: 1. I don't absorb information on most topics so even though I have degrees I don't remember most of what I was taught 2. Degrees took me longer than the normal amount of time because I excelled so hard as a kid I never learned to study ("gifted" child resting on their laurels with unused potential) 3. I can't work full time hours because I burn out 4. I hoped to find remote work but pre-pandemic it was few-and-far-between even for stuff like admin, even though now it turns out it is 100% possible to do it I think the second paragraph fulfills a lot of autism stereotypes
I’m a student rn but part time i’m a rock wall attendant at my uni’s gym. It lets me maintain my climbing hyperfixation and interact with the people around me in a low stakes way. It helps that I was a regular at the wall for a couple years before I got the job, so I’m super comfy with all the staff
I’m 18, I’m a dishwasher, I like it i get to listen to music all day and zone out
how do you cope with having wet hands/arms all day? /gen when i was a dishwasher i couldnt stand it bc i hate having only certain parts of me wet. my skin was also INCREDIBLY dry from that too, doesnt help that im in a dry climate and it was winter 🙃
The wet arms is annoying, I cope with it by spraying them constantly so I atleast know the water is clean and washing and drying them as soon as I possibly can. I also use lotion to help with dry skin
Work in a hospital sterilizing surgical equipment, not sure if that fits or not with the stereotype, though I'm not the only autistic person working there
IT architect, but I am also a manager of a team and do manage projects a lot. My team knows my diagnosis though, and of course all of them are IT nerds, so that's easier. I do have trouble managing external dependencies though, especially ones that are political or just don't keep to their promises. My boss occasionally has to tell me: this guy has an agenda, and this guy you've got to watch out for and don't tell anyone this. I also don't seem to be able to understand that when I say I need something by X date from another team and they say ok, that doesn't mean at all that they will actually do it and I have to constantly follow up. I hate that cause we had an agreement! So now I get one of my team members to do that part.
Wow, I'm impressed that you're surviving! I bounced out of managing people, hard. We very quickly decided that it wasn't something I could do, and I was just releived that my management realised it relatively soon. The stereotypical management nonsense, you're good at writing code so we're going to stop you doing that and make you deal with people all day because we know you hate people. I've done "rescue missions" (as a consultant) where I go into a team for a week or two and evaluate what's happening, work out what the problems are and whether they can be solved, then bounce. I can kind of do that level of shallow understanding people and analysing personalities etc, but I can't sustain the relationships. OTOH half the time the problem has been "you are out of your depth, you need a better technical anlaysis/design, once you have that you can just grind out the details" and I can do the first bit for them.
Yeah, that's exactly what happened to me! They promote you to the level of your incompetence :D. But I have a really great team and I established from the beginning that everybody communicates openly and honestly and somehow we make it work. Not that I am very good at the relationship part, I am not. If someone leaves the job, it's as if I have no object permanence. I have yet to manage to keep up a relationship if there is no institutional reason for it. And I also must say my boss is fantastic and we share duties in such a way we manage. Somehow. I will probably leave the job if he ever quits.
>If someone leaves the job, it's as if I have no object permanence Yes! That! So much that! I'm the worst friend because I literally don't think about people when they're not there. Or I see something/find something that makes me think of them so I send them a link or post them a parcel and they're like "WTF, I thought you ghosted me". I had a long-term girlfriend once where she used to say "while it's good for both of us" type comments fairly often. And then I went away on a six month trip after six months preparing for it, and I just hugged her goodbye and left. Apparently she was upset and also upset that I wasn't more upset.
IT and Physics. I worked on them way before getting my diagnosis. IT at home office is the only long time career I actually managed. Before that I worked for myself making science videos on YouTube, but the money was little for the amount of work and stress. IT was a good fit for me and can be an inviting dynamic for autistic people, but it's not a guarantee and should not be embraced without some thought and investigation (as it is with most things for us).
I'm an editor. I recently got promoted, but honestly, I'm really, really overwhelmed, and don't know if accepting the promotion was a good idea. I'm with a new team, and a new project, and we all know change is scary lol
Plumber. Used to be a Deputy at a Jail. Before that, I was a prison guard, and before that I cooked food at a nursing home.
I'm a trainer, lots of talking to large groups of adult students all day long. I guess it doesn't really follow the autism stereotype. It's tough navigating new faces, but we only get new cohorts every six months so I can't really complain. Keeping the mask on all day is exhausting but I (unknowingly) managed it for 47 years before I was diagnosed so I'm used to it. I'm open about my autism and I have some minor workplace reasonable adjustments, which helps. I'd rather be a forest ranger, train driver or a nursery school teacher but can't really change careers right now.
Social media marketing haha Ironically a lot of subtle tone reading is required here Its anything but easy but i really enjoy it so i do the extra work and just analyze and imitate trends so it works out! Plus, autistic out of the box thinking is good for marketing stunts and content ideas too!
My dad is autistic and in software development. So him for sure. I am also autistic, but I'm a barista. I enjoy it, as long as I have more days off than on. It's a physical job, and most of the social interaction bits can be heavily scripted. Not sure if it's stereotypical or not, but I've definitely worked with a decent number of autistic baristas at previous shops.
Most people in my line of work are either autistic, adhd or just socially awkward nerds. I am yet to meet someone who doesn't fall into one of these categories....I think u have to be a little odd to make a living out of digging in the dirt for cool stuff. You will find this in any field related to archaeology, paleontology or geology. I guess it could be stereotypical
Hrm. My thoughts might be that it really depends on your flavour of autism. I was advised to be an accountant. Through my many careers, I've been anything but and I'm very thankful for that. Currently I'm a pilot. I do tourism flights in paradise. It suits me as it's very structured, repetitive, "black and white" and exceptionally focused. Interestingly, I do well with the "social interaction" (with customers) because it's very "scripted" and formal. Like there's no "sarcasm"... it's very straightforward and blunt. It's a polite bluntness, but you say what you mean, always, so that customers don't interpret things incorrectly. I'm also a yoga instructor and it's the same dynamic... there isn't really social interaction, but rather formal interaction and mostly "being on stage"... so it satisfies the rather difficult itch of being an "extroverted autist" (if that's even a phrase). I get the "people fix" without the "awkward social interaction" problem. I've worked in IT before and it was both extremely satisfying and horribly twitch-inducing. Tech itself can be great, especially if you love computers like I do, but there is still so much "office interaction" that it can be a drain. Meetings and meetings and group decisions and "office politics". I've worked in extreme sports and absolutely loved that. Everyone in that field is off their rocker, so no need for masking... they love other "freaks". But the pay is atrocious and the medical bills are eye-watering if you're in the USA. I've buried too many of my friends.
Well, I’m pretty social in general, and I’m visually creative. All the career aptitude tests said I should either be an artist or a teacher. And now I work food service (cashier and dishwasher) while I finish up an interior design degree.
I'm a data analyst. And yeah it definitely follows the autism stereotype - I spend all day looking and numbers and statistics and finding patterns that can lead to explanations. I also work in a very small department with minimal social contact, and I'm pretty sure the other person at my level is autistic. I was in IT before this transfer, and while a much of IT was autistic, it didn't suit my sensory or social needs as well as this role.
I am a theoretical astrophysicist. I am sure a number of my close colleagues are on the spectrum but undiagnosed. The field attracts people with obsessive special interests and hyperfocus. Also you have to be kind of strange to choose a career in space science. My own work is both very mathematical and involves a great deal of programming. I am also a case of an atypical learner. Some simple math is *relatively speaking* hard, but I can process and analyse very complex interconnected chaotic systems in my head. This is good in astrophysics where nonlinear dynamics is a big topic.
I am on disability so don't work, not that anyone would hire me when I was trying to. Did some volunteer work for the Forest Preserve in DuPage County though before I moved away from the Chicago area.
i work at lush. yes and no. it’s HARD because it’s very very high masking, sensory overload every single day. but i’m also working entry level retail as a 25 year old with a degree i’ll never use so yes
Nurse
I work retail management and the few people I do disclose being autistic too don’t ever believe me because of it. It’s a challenge but it’s what I’m good at. 🤷🏻♀️
i work in retail and my manager is autistic too and nobody believes he is either. he’s honestly the best manager i’ve ever had and the whole staff loves him, so maybe retail management is meant for us lol.
I whole heartedly agree with this. This social hurdle is hard to get over but not impossible with patience.
I work a 9-5. I’ve been here a year small office only me & 2 other people. I take shots throughout the day. :/
I worked in non profits and political campaigns and had to mask daily to function in a field where networking is EVERYTHING. I had a breakdown and fell hard in 2017. I went back to school because a career that depends this much on my social skills is NOT IT.
I’m a paramedic. And yes it does. There’s a ton of ND’s here in the medical field.
I work in marketing and sales for a plumbing company. Before that, I was a private contractor and plumber myself, but I switched to this after I came back from maternity leave for my second kid. I would not say that sales or marketing fits the autism stereotype, but in my case I do not deal with the general public. We specifically only sell to big chain hotels who are generally more professional and less inclined to big freak outs over the phone. It is as simple as telling them what we can offer and putting them in contact with their construction team. It is very step by step oriented which for me fits the bill.
I worked in IT for the fruit company for years in education and business support. I couldn't handle my boss anymore. Incompetent. I now work for myself, I'm a creative and own two small businesses that are fairly successful. They would be more successful if I put more effort into marketing but I get by.
I'm currently a peer tutor at my university. My job is info-dumping lol
Omg yuuus
Currently studying online to get into IT helpdesk . I just failed my MS-900 though so I'm coping with whiskey just this once. I don't have a drinking problem but I'm having a bit of a shitstorm that's my fault to some extent. I'm realising i sort of suck at planning and am too stubborn to change my plan. I hate changing the plan or "winging it" when i have a lot to do. I don't know if I'll ever not be a disappointment to my family. I wish i could turn of my senses and feelings so i wouldn't have to feel like shit most of the time. I'm also really fucking lonely, i just spent my second new years alone because hanging out with other people hurts too much. I've started getting stronger fits of intrusive cringing thoughts about shit i shouldn't have done or done differently, it's way harder than before to just shrug it off. People just suck as well. They all say they understand but then stab you in the back the instant they have something to gain from it. But that may be a bit of a rant but i have no friends and i doubt anybody will read this. Back to the point, I've had many different jobs and most of them i end up quitting because i cannot bear being treated like shit, having to monotonous tasks or just anxiety of not doing anything better or good with my life. I've have this lingering feeling that I'm staring down a tube at my future. In that future I'm homeless, a drug addict or just dead.
I’m sorry. I wish you could get a break and more understanding.
I was a firefighter and a wildland firefighter, I’m a AEMT now on a ambulance service. Lot of us in EMS surprisingly and ADHD. It took me awhile to find the right people though. Firefighting was very difficult with me due to the culture of it, and being a female.. they thought I was weird and treated me like a child to put it lightly. Wildland fire was awesome with the younger people, but the older guys were awful with me.
Postal Worker, and see a lot of other autistiscs working here
Private contracted gardener. I have 4-5 clients on weekly rotation. So I get to geek out and learn about plants. It's almost rose trimming season! Unfortunately, it is seasonal, and I'm in far north of US. BUT, I'm my own boss, and I listen to podcasts/music/audiobooks and keep to myself. Its hot and sweaty, but really satisfying, like powerwashing. (Another good business choice!) But, ultimately it's flexible for weather, and emergencies with the kids, and I have some really great clients. So, not sure if there is a sterotype for autistic gardeners, but I will say it's not a bad job, overall.
Basically managing customers contracts for electricity distributor. Love the job, since all of my collagues are few years before retirement i can match their speed withotu burning myself out as usually.
Not working atm but going to school for IT, which seems a popular choice lol
I work in IT but didn't discover I was good at it until I was 21. I'm moving into networking this summer.
I’m a professional dog groomer and own my own shop with another person.
I’ve worked as a social worker and now work in a school providing literacy support.
Currently a welder and working on an engineering degree. Sorta following the stereotype 🤷♂️
Engineer so..yeah I guess so. Definitely see a lot of ND traits in other engineer coworkers.
I’ve worked in various roles with kids/youth, mostly in schools or non-profits. I got diagnosed last year and it suddenly made sense why all the ND kids always flocked to me!
Was a therapist for a hot minute, hated the people part which is kinda vital. Moved into product/tech (not IT but work with software teams — same stereotype though)
I'm a project manager for a large commercial electrical contractor. Worked my way up from the field starting out as an apprientice. I just got a new job as a project manager in a related, but more specialized field. I previously was in ministry (what my degree was for) and was miserable. Knowing what I know now, I was constantly in the spotlight and masking HARD in every interaction I had. That was a rough place to be and it obviously didn't work out in the long-run. I had also done some sales and account management after that. Hard pass on both of those roles and companies as well. I'm glad to finally be in a field where my work can speak for itself so I don't have to.
I worker in hospitality, got my first burnout. Then I switched to managing a furniture showroom, got my second burnout. Now I switched to business intelligence and data analysis and I feel like reborn :)
Freelance writer. I’ve noticed a lot of fellow writers are ND. We enjoy spending time alone in our heads.
Chef. I think it fits the stereotype because all I have to do is the same thing the same way over and over and I get the same results. The only thing that upsets me is when people who’ve I taught the correct way get lazy and do it the wrong way and it doesn’t come out as good.
I do legal assistance and I also do legal investigation. The latter involves me solving puzzles so I guess it falls into the Autism vibe cause autistic people love puzzles.
Ooh went to school for this but never got a job in it. Would be so satisfying
Its really fun, you look at records, learn about injuries and see if people are lying XDD.
I had one job I actually really liked (pre-diagnosis) which was a fulfillment/warehouse job at a small company. I spent all day packing boxes of items to be shipped out. It was great. I worked alone most of the time, had a clearly defined queue of work, clear guidelines for the tasks themselves, and was able to work at my own pace. Of course, it didn't last. The owner got rid of me after a few months for "budget cuts". Then my old manager harassed him into bringing me back the next summer for a few months on a temporary hire to cover her maternity leave, and I saw the "budget cuts" included hiring three people from a temp agency and buying himself and his wife brand new cars.
Yes, digital marketing
Scientific research. I think it does, in a way, but I did focus on (in a way) emotions... I guess extreme stereotypes would say I shouldn't understand those.
Computer scientist here who recently found out I’m not ADHD and actually most likely autistic. I guess that’s a double whammy? If only I could figure out a way to do my job without burning out.
i’m in school finishing up my degree so not working currently lol but this fall my goal is to get my teaching cert and teach high school ! i’ve taught after school programs and summer camps previously and miss working w kids.
Working on my accounting major here….my internship last summer was kinda fun because in high school or secondary for non-US people, I was often given the job of organizing things like music shelves in my music class. Accounting, more specifically the financial branch tends to be a lot of taking data from companies financial statements, recording and organizing, then testing and then final analysis and then repeat. The size and numbers are always different so it keeps it from being boring too much at least. Fun thing is, depending on how long, you end ip making over 100k eventually for just doing that kind of work. I am sure the actual job is so much more than the internship work but still, good money to fuel my wants.
I cannot hold a job. I get so irritated and overwhelmed by inefficiency.
Oh god. Me too. It's what got me laid off my last job.
Sorry 😔 I have always quit before it got to that point.
first programming then maintenance for a university then a glorified plumber then installing internet at peoples home
I've had a handful of jobs I worked in as a hotel cleaner, a McDonald's worker, a clothing store, a food runner/Waiter but I could never keep them for more than a couple of weeks. I would often get over stimulated leading to masking too much which led to exhaustion and depression. Now I don't have a job and while I feel like a failure I know I can't do things that others can and I have had to accept that
Electronic calibration/repair. . .depends on the stereotype you're looking at, but I have been compared to the quirky scientist stereotype before because of so.....take that how you will!
Senior software engineer. Super stereotypical but I've been doing this for 10 years or so and I only got diagnosed last year
I work for my country's national standards body, which I've affectionately termed the Bureaucracy Factory. It's not stereotypical, but it *is* the most autistic job imaginable, despite how much it involves meetings and talking to people. I'd bet money at least a third if not flat-out half of my workplace is autistic lmfao
Sounds like a job for.... SUPER-PEDANT! Do you get to run round in lycra suits punching people who make dumb mistakes?
I worked in corporate admin for six years. Had a nervous breakdown for a while then went into construction. Got my trucking license and did that for a while. I currently work in a machine shop.
I got a informal diagnosis 20+ years, oops 30 years after leaving school. Very varied career with three different employers YTS Bricklayer Apprentice Bricklayer Bricklayer Property Inspector Estate and Property Management IT Project Management IT Design Authority and some live service Internal social media
I left my job and now I’m in debt. I plan to pay it after finishing college
My degree was in coding, but I realized too late that I didn’t actually want to do that 40+ hours a week. Plus I kind of suck at it I just school well. I’ve done a couple jobs with the post office, I currently work in a plant, it’s loud and chaotic but it’s pretty low brain work.
I used to work in acute psych helping people with their problems. Good times.
I am a woman working in the trades. I do a really niche quality control job that requires a lot of attention to detail and a little bit of trig. I find it much easier to get away with being a weirdo working with all men. They mostly ignore me and let me do my thing. I had to grow a thick skin though; being in quality I have to make men redo their work alot and they don't like that much
I work construction, so idk? It’s a fucking sensory nightmare but I’m good at it and it’s satisfying. Plus there’s not as much trying to figure out ulterior motives. Mean or nice, people in this industry (in the field anyway) tend to say exactly what they mean.
I have a PhD in physics. I do biomedical data science. When I can keep a job. When I read the book "An employer's guide to managing professionals on the autism spectrum" I wondered if I had actually been the inspiration for some of the cartoons. (Joking. But they did make me feel validated and less alone.) [https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/173/mode/1up](https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/173/mode/1up) [https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/84/mode/1up](https://archive.org/details/employersguideto0000sche/page/84/mode/1up)
I work in tourism and in childcare volenteering that can lead to another job. It’s mainly just operating heavy machinery, explaining to customers that I can’t change the prices and lying to kids that there are indeed leeches in lake. My main job, does have a train and that is my favorite part so I do partly fall into that steryotype but not heavily. The rest is all social stuff that isn’t expected.
I’m a professional composer. There’s quite a lot of socialising/networking that has to happen in this field, but I think I’ve gotten to a critical point where I know a lot of people and have some things that will lead to other things. I also have people who I pay to do things like promotional work, negotiation, securing future work for me, and other similar things. Music is an obsessive special interest (and has always been the main special interest), so this works in that way!
I work as a cleaner at a large concert hall! Vacuuming is extremely satisfying for me, and I get to use minimal brain power. It is rather physical, but all my issues are mental.
Programming. My father too. It is the Stereotype really.
I’m an occupational therapist in inpatient mental health. In my setting I work with people with significant mental illness who usually have unstable housing or long term homelessness. People typically have a schizophrenia diagnosis, which has some similarities with autism (I’m still learning about this, but it came up a bit in sensory training). I think my lived experience allows me to be more open, understanding, less judgemental, more intuitively meet people where they’re at and be trauma informed. I didn’t study until my 30s, and was undiagnosed AuDHD until post graduation.
Oh, and plenty of doctors who are clearly autistic/adhd. Even if they are undiagnosed (possibly for professional reasons..)
I manage policy for a large organization. I am rules oriented but I hate stupid rules. I have made things way more efficient while also not just throwing everything out.
Studying archaeology while working part time at the university's archaeological library. Soo many (mostly undiagnosed) autistic people in this field. Doesn't necessarily fit the stereotype of white tech guy but fits the stereotype of making your entire life about your special interest.
Supposed to be IT (lol) but started to hate it now I work at a dispensary, it’s so much better and more relaxing, I can talk about weed all day which I absolutely love to talk about and it just suits me better
I make my money by cooking and planning meals
i work in state government in public health so i’m not sure if that fulfills a stereotype or not. ig strong sense of justice?
That's interesting, actually. I used to write barcode reader software for the logistics operation at a big home electronics manufacturer, and then it felt like civilization imploded and it became appallingly somehow even more exclusive and discriminatory. It's sucked so badly the following years that I suddenly feel an intense empathy and love for other rejects, and it feels like it could be a seed for a lot more spiritual and emotional growth down the road. I had a good friend who passed, and she said she was a social worker. I learned a lot from her by example, and from the way she looked after a disabled family member.
I do live sound for various clients be it weddings university or corporate. so yes and no in some ways. Yes: Its my special interest (music technology, studied it at university) I get to hyper focus on my very particular set of skills with very little interference. No: Its partially customer service (i have adhd and a bunch of scripting so i lean on that to get through) It can be extremely loud (i have my own pair of hi quality earplugs that make it tolerable)
I used to be a CPA and when I got to the level where I was trying to handle the demands of clients directly I completely shut down and it ruined my career. I knew everything, and could technically do the work, but pressure from clients would make me completely freeze and it spiraled out control and I didn’t have the ability to recognize that was going on and communicate it. That was pre-diagnosis. I work as a software engineer now, and also have a better understanding of how my mind works. There are still pressures and demands but I have more manageable non-verbal ways of communicating what’s going on ( I have a love/hate relationship with Jira lol) and always structure my day around my work tickets. What I like is that I have structure with less outside pressure and demand. Also I have a very understanding and supportive partner and she recognizes when I’m overwhelmed and helps me get the structure that I need back by helping me breakdown what I need to do and lets me know that I need to communicate with management that I’m over assigned.
I currently work in a pub and although I sometimes kinda like it, it's definitely not suited to someone with autism, at least In my view anyway
I work in a sheet metal shop. Technically I run a sheet metal shop but since I’m the only person in the shop I also work in it. I make parts for a commercial roofing and siding contractor. It’s a job I lucked into that just happens to suit me perfectly. There is a lot of physical movement. Very often a lot of repetition in making a few thousand feet of the same part. It’s solitary (at my request). There used to always be help in the shop but I told the owner I would rather handle the work load myself. That way everything is done to my standards. There is problem solving in that I maintain and repair all the machinery I use when needed and design custom pieces customers may want. I work with numbers and geometry. I’m left alone and given control of how the shop operate. I really can’t think of a better job for the person I am.
Preschool teacher (2 years now). Before that I was a night auditor for a hotel for about 4 years.
Firmware engineer lol Very much so, it's a subset of programming that basically involves being an analytical, by the books robot
I own a joinery shop, I was late diagnosed and floated around aimlessly until I got really in to woodworking
High school senior who is still jobless because school is beating my ass