These are just some of the many questions that almost no one discusses, most employees seem to automatically know the answer to, and for those who don’t know, become social outcasts very quickly – often to the point of losing their job (Adapted from personal communication with Brenda Smith Myles, December, 2004).  Studies have shown that the ability to successfully socialize with others is the largest variable to employment and career success rather than strictly being able to do one’s job.  While a person on the autism spectrum may have no difficulty in mastering the challenges of meeting and surpassing the requirements for a position, it is the social interaction component that often present the greatest challenges to success.  However, there are ways of surmounting this barrier to employment and career success.

Learning those Unwritten Rules through Understanding the Hidden Curriculum

Most people learn the unwritten rules of social interact by observation, followed by imitation; in an almost automatic manner.  For example, most people intuitively understand the concept of the personal space bubble which varies between none with intimate others, to about 3-4 feet between coworkers, to remaining 6 or more feet away from strangers.  People on the autism spectrum can learn these guidelines as well.  However, being able to implement them requires direct instruction.  Fortunately there are many resources to employ.  The Hidden Curriculum, as written by Brenda Smith Myles, Melissa Trautman, and Rhonda Schelvan in 2004 is chock full of ideas for learning these unwritten, undiscussed rules of the workplace, school, the community, etc.

One of the many tools in this book is known as the Power Card. Developed in 2001 by Elizabeth Gagnon in a book titled The Power Card Strategy.  Gagnon describes a two-step approach where a hero or model –based on a special interest – experiences the same challenges faced by the person on the autism spectrum.  However, there’s a turning point where this hero or model realizes that a change in behavior is needed, comes up with a number of solutions to effect this change, and achieves success (Gagnon, 2001).  The second step of the approach is place on a 3 by 5 index card a few lines indicating the role model’s wish to share these successful strategies, the suggestions are listed, and there is a picture of the role model.

For example, suppose “Sam” gets frustrated when he does not understand what is expected of him next at a work site.  Upon getting frustrated, Sam begins to yell and pound his desk, disturbing coworkers.  We also know that Sam has a special interest in the history of fighter airplanes and the pilots who tested them.

In this case, at a time when Sam is calm, he would be told a short story (at his comprehension level) about a test pilot Chuck Yeager, who when frustrated in flight would pound on the instrument panel and yell at his copilot.  The “plot” develops to where Chuck the pilot understands that this is a poor way to behave and has come up with 3 ways to calm himself down as frustration builds.  These three ways might be to count from one to ten or take five deep breaths or even take a break to look at a flying magazine.

A Power Card developed for Sam for handling frustration might look like the example below as described in the chapter “Supporting Successful Employment” I coauthored with Thomas Duffy, Robert Oppermann, and Michael Smith for the 32^nd Institution on Rehabilitation Issues: Rehabilitation of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders in 2007.

Chuck Yeager learns to deal with Frustration

Chuck Yeager, loves to fly his planes and to talk about when he became the first pilot to break the sound barrier. Sometimes when Chuck did not understand what the traffic controller is telling him he would yell and slam his fist down on the controls of the airplane. However, Chuck realized that this was not a good way to behave and has come up with some ways to deal with his frustrations that he would like to share with you.

Chuck Yeager wants you to choose one of the following three ways to calm you down. If you are still frustrated you can try another way.

1.              Take five deep breaths, exhaling slowly after each one.

2.              Close your eyes and slowly count backwards from 10 to 1.

3.              Go to a quiet place and look at flying magazines.

Other Methods, Sources, and Summary

Many other tools and books are available for helping persons on the autism spectrum learn the Hidden Curriculum of employment as well as many other aspects of life.  Some other examples in the Hidden Curriculum book include Situations–Options–Consequences–Choices–Strategies–Simulation (SOCCSS), Social Stories^tm by Carole Gray, Cartooning, and video modeling.  Books that explain the rules of society can also be helpful.  Some of these “incidental books on the Hidden Curriculum” include, How rude: The teenager’s guide to good manners, proper behavior, and not grossing people out by Alex Packer, and any of the “Miss Manners” books on proper etiquette.  Even books on body language and nonverbal communication such as The definitive book of body language by Barbara and Allan Pease can be very useful tools in providing the direct instruction on reading the various postures making up nonverbal communication.

Gaining a greater understanding of the Hidden Curriculum will help people on the autism spectrum persons on the autism spectrum achieve success in employment, at home, school, or anywhere social interaction is required.

In her books and presentations Chantal Sicile-Kiri mentions a number of different employment structures available to people with autism (and others as well!).  Taking into person’s characteristics into account, employment situations can be found to match their skill set and to navigate around their challenges.  Some of the many structures include employment that is:

•              Competitive                                                                                  •              Supported

•              Full-time                                                                                        •              Short term

•              Part-time                                                                                      •              Seasonal

•              Permanent                                                                                    •              Self-employment/Micro-enterprise

Additionally, employment situations may cover two or more of these structures, such as a permanent part-time job morphing into a full-time position or a short-term situation becoming permanent because the employer likes the work a person does.

For example, many on the autism spectrum engage in competitive self-employment.  Here are some examples:

•              A 58 year-old man on the spectrum who stims on bright shiny objects.  A successful numismatist he has a family and a son with autism as well.  He has been working in this field for over 30 years so one could say that his employment is permanent.

•              As a college student in my late teens and early 20’s I engaged bicycle repair to help pay for tuition.  At this point my self-employment consists of writing books about autism, consulting and lecturing internationally about the subject, and giving music lessons to children on the autism spectrum – it’s a living.  Shortly, I shall add traditional employment as faculty in special education at a university to what may termed as a “composite” career.

Office politics and other subtle social interactions in the workplace often present significant challenges to successful employment of people with autism.  Self-employment and micro-enterprise can provide a solution for people is main interest is in doing the job well – and getting out before office politics take their toll.

Short-term and seasonal jobs are another possibility.  For example, many people with autism enjoy working in landscaping, other yard work, or in a creative area.

•              A 40 year-old woman with autism is an artist.  Her challenges with navigating through standard office interactions preclude her from finding a typical employment situation.  Through a micro-enterprise structure, which might be considered as semi-competitive she successfully sells her paintings, post cards, and other artwork at conferences and other events.

Supported employment often gets a bad rap because it brings to mind unfulfilling piecemeal work in sheltered workshops.  However, by taking an example from Keyaki no Soto of Japan, it is possible for people with autism and other conditions to live and work in a supported environment with dignity and fulfillment.  Started by a mother of a child with autism now in his 40’s, a number of severely affected, nonverbal people with autism Wearing ear-protectors these autistic adults handle noisy, dangerous saws and nail guns along with other equipment as they engage in teamwork building shipping pallets.  Keyaki no Soto of Japan demonstrates that it is possible for people with autism live and work in a supported environment with dignity, fulfillment, and productivity.

Businesses and other organizations are beginning to understand that people on the autism spectrum have significant strengths to contribute to the employment sector.  For example Thorkil Sonne, who has a son with autism, has started a new organization in Denmark called Specialisterne.  Rather appealing to an employer’s sense of charity, Specialisterne offers the strengths of people with autism at industry competitive wages in the regular marketplace.

As mentioned above, I shall start teaching courses in special education and autism at the University level in the near future.  A very encouraging aspect of this position is that the school had clearly done their homework and hired me “while” autistic rather than my having to go through a careful disclosure process and justification as to why they should hire someone on the autism spectrum.  Perhaps this indicates that we are starting to move from where employers must be educated about the potential of persons with autism to where those on the autism spectrum are actively pursued in recognition of their ability to contribute

Summary

We have explored different models of employment for people on the autism spectrum.  Especially with today’s economic climate, it is more important then ever to think outside of the proverbial “box” to find solutions for bring the considerable strengths and potential contributions of people on the autism spectrum to the workplace.

In the previous article I shared some ideas about the importance of finding employment matched to one’s interests and strengths.  Success in this area results in increased fulfillment and productivity in the workplace, which then has a positive spillover into one’s life in general.  While the benefits of a good employment situation cannot be overestimated a major challenge for everyone, autistic or otherwise, lies in leaping through the hurdle of having a successful interview on the way towards finding and securing a suitable position.

The social requirements for making it through the interview step are challenging to most people, whether on the autism spectrum or not.  This fact may explain the proliferation of interview self help books such as Interviewing for Dummies, consultants specializing in fine tuning one’s interview skills and other resources for making it through what often seems to be a ring of fire.  For most of us on the autism spectrum, the interview process is often all that much harder.  For example, a position is advertised and 10 out of 20 candidates interviewed may be suitable for the job.  However, the person obtaining the position will be the one who is the best at interviewing and develops a good relationship with the interviewer.

For people with autism, doing a task or job right is paramount.  The challenge is to find a way for the hiring manager or supervisor to learn about the abilities of a person on the autism spectrum before, instead of during the interview stage.

Supplementing the Interview Process Using a Portfolio or Example of One’s Work

Temple Grandin, in her books Thinking in Pictures: Reports from My Life with Autism and Developing Talents indicates that she bypassed the standard interview process by getting the person in charge of hiring interested in her work before even setting foot in the door of the company.  For example, in her efforts to obtain work related to her special interest – humane processing of cattle – Temple mailed architectural drawings she developed for efficient cattle processing.  These plans piqued the interests of the hiring manager sufficiently enough for him to contact Temple for further information; which eventually lead to employment.

As a teenager, repairing and building bicycles was one of my special interests.  This focused interest grew to such a point where I was able to tear down and rebuild a bicycle from the ball bearings in the bottom bracket to building wheels spoke by spoke.  As a result I had built a number of professional quality racing and touring bicycles.

I would ride to a bicycle shop and strike up a conversation with the manager – which inevitably would center on my custom-built bicycle that I brought in with me.  Using my bicycle as a sort of portfolio or example of my work, my competency in bicycle repair was well on its way to being established, and I would then ask the manager for a job.

My initial task at one store was to build 10 bicycles wheels from scratch.  A sub-interest within my special interest of bicycles the wheels were assembled in short order.  My employment at that shop lasted for four years.  This job was definitely much more suited for me than working as a busboy in a restaurant!

Summary

Looking for suitable employment can be very challenging; and even more so for people on the autism spectrum.  According to a recent study done by the National Autistic Society of England, the combined under and unemployment rate for people with autism approaches 90%.  As described above, part of the reason may lie in difficulties getting through the socially intensive interview process as a way to get someone interested in the skills and talents a person may have to offer the hiring organization.

A way to get a hiring manager or supervisor interested in one’s work may be to send a portfolio or example of a person’s work to pique their curiosity as to what the potential employee may have to bring to the organization.

Next month we shall look beyond the standard full and part time models of employment in order to explore different capacities in which a person with autism may engage in fulfilling and productive work.

As a teenager, working as a busboy was my first “real” job. Although I was excited to be employed and approached the task of cleaning tables with much enthusiasm, there were two major challenges making the job unsuitable. One was sensory related and the other was social.

A restaurant is a fast-paced, busy, noisy environment. As a result I would go into a sort of sensory overload and shut down resulting in my working very slowly, which was not appreciated by my supervisors.

Additionally, I never seemed to be able to get into the “swing of things” and banter about smoothly with my coworkers. As a result I was very unhappy in this job and eventually left.

However, there is a good ending to the story. Bicycle repair was a special interest of mine and I secured a position as a bicycle mechanic. In the bicycle shop I could spend my time fixing bicycles, focus my contact with customers to discussing their bicycles, and in short, be in an environment with much less sensory input and stress.

The implication behind this experience is the importance of matching characteristics and strengths to employment opportunities.

Through my travels around the world I meet many people on the autism spectrum having genius-level IQ’s who are poised to make significant contributions to society. However due to the social challenges of, first obtaining, and then keeping a job; they become part of the 90%, (as determined by the National Autistic Society of England) of people with autism who are either unemployed or under employed.

During my bachelor degree studies I developed a very strong interest in mutual funds. As a result, I completed a degree in Accounting & Information Systems in addition to my Music Education major. After graduation, I set out to work for an accounting firm specializing in the area of auditing mutual funds.

First day on the job I got up at 5:15AM in order to be at the office by 8AM. The crowds, smell, and noise were just a part of the toxic basket of sensory violations that the public transportation route treated me to. The second day, I packed my suit on my bicycle and shaved a total of four hours off that daily commute. I made sure to arrive at the office at least an hour before it opened to store my bicycle in the basement and to change into business attire.

All was well and good with this mode of transportation until the personnel director called me into his office to tell me that I was “seen arriving to the office not in [my] suit.” Explanations of why I chose to ride my bicycle fell on deaf ears as this was not behavior becoming of an accountant. Soon work assignments seemed to dry up and I spent most of my time in the office library reading books on business-related subjects. Shortly thereafter, the personnel director indicated that he had to “let me go” because I didn’t seem to be a good fit.

After leaving this job I found another accounting position at a large bank with about 5,000 employees. The sheer size of the organization gave me a degree of anonymity making it possible to park my bicycle at the opposite side of the building where I worked and no one would be the wiser.

Still, I found the job unsatisfactory and about a year and a half later, left for a position as a college instructor. Serving as a professor worked much better for me and I derived great pleasure at teaching a variety of courses ranging from Music Education to Database Design to Accounting to Special Education.

At this time my work is mostly within the area of autism related issues where I still instruct at the college level. However, I have added consulting, presenting, writing, and giving music lessons to children on the autism spectrum to my working activities.

In summary, even though I was fascinated with mutual funds and accounting, there were sensory and social aspects that made the job as an accountant unsuitable. The field of education, however is often more tolerant of people with differences; to the point where some institutions of higher education are often jokingly referred to as “sheltered workshops for people on the autism spectrum.”

The implication here is that while focusing on interest and strengths is vital to successful employment for people with autism, it is also important to consider sensory, social and other aspects of a potential position.

Focusing in matching the often considerable strengths of people on the autism spectrum to employment opportunities can significantly contribute to what all people would consider as an important component of leading a fulfilling, productive, and successful life.

My next article will examine how people with autism can work towards overcoming the challenge of getting a person with the power to hire them to be interested in what they have to offer. See you next month!

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