Autistic college senior facing the real world: where to go from here

Parents Forum
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<p>Hi, I'm a college senior who happens to be mildly autistic as well. I'm posting here because I'm overwhelmed by the uncertainty of my future. My biggest concern is that I won't find a job because employers will consider me a "high-risk hire," meaning they can't be sure of my performance, particularly in dealing with clients, given my condition. I consider myself reasonably well-versed in social etiquette. I've taken the time to develop my social skills to a proficient level- I have leadership in ECs, am a member of an elite fraternity, and have purposely sought out events that would make me uncomfortable and thus push me to develop my social skills to an ever higher level. What's particularly worrisome in light of the bleak employment prospects is that I have to start bringing in the money pretty soon. I don't have significant undergraduate loans (thanks to my school's generous FA), but my family is going through severe financial straits and I want to help the best I can. </p>

<p>Ideally, I would like to pursue a PhD in the social sciences down the road, but I'm scared I will end up unemployed like the throng of PhDs entering the market who are finding themselves in such plight. My overall GPA will be around 3.6 (and this is at an elite college if that makes any difference), and I'm not sure that will be enough to get me into an elite graduate program, which is becoming more and more important to securing a good job in academia. </p>

<p>My plan right now is to find internships abroad to build up my skills set, broaden my perspective, and mature a little bit before taking the next major step in my life. Luckily, I have friends who will help me get such internships, but I still can't help feeling stressed out. These internships are good only for the short term and they will only allow me to break even. </p>

<p>How can I get over feeling anxious about the future, which I'm sure many other college seniors are also feeling, regardless of social orientation? It's daunting to think all our lives, we'll have to sell our labor just to get by. That's why I want to at least enjoy what I'm doing. My ultimate goal is to become a professor- that way, I'll at least get paid to study what I want. Now, I just have to find a way to get there...</p>

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<p>Legally, employers can’t make you disclose autism or any other disability, especially during the hiring process. So, it may not be an issue, depending on how apparent or not autistic traits would be during an interview situation.</p>

<p>Good luck! :)</p>

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<p>I would suggest - </p>

<p>Do the normal things people do to cope with anxiety, i.e. get enough sleep, eat well, get exercise, learn how to meditate, avoid caffeine, leave time aside to pursue a hobby. As an AS person, avoid crowds and noise to the extent you can, unless (like a few ASD people) you find that type of stimulation calming. </p>

<p>You have an interest and a goal, and a very good GPA from an elite institution. You have a variety of experience outside the classroom, and you have been able to take advantage of the social opportunities uniquely offered by a college to get yourself out of your comfort level. All of this puts you ahead of many, many new grads, and you should recognize this.</p>

<p>Now is the time to figure out the ropes (or unspoken expectations) to move toward your career goal, step by step. There is are reasons why most new grads seem to enter fields in which a close friend or relative is already employed, that go even beyond the helpfulness of having a “connection” - every field seems to have unspoken barriers to entry that it is important to figure out, and the path of least resistance is to know someone who can explain these, early on. Professionals who counsel AS folk can often explain how to become a professional in their field, but are too often naive about the steps one needs to take to find employment in other areas. Also beware of “advice” from someone who has not recently looked for employment, or been involved in hiring new employees in your field.</p>

<p>Since you are already at the place where professionals in your chosen field work, and will eventually need recommendation letters from professors in any case, you can probably arrange to talk with one or more of your profs to ask what you need to do next. If your GPA is low for the schools you want to enter, find out what you can do before and after graduation to strengthen other credentials. In many fields, it is important to get a precise idea of what you want to study in grad school, and who you want to study with. If you do not yet have the research experience, or internship or work experience, that would strengthen an application, try to map out a route for getting this.</p>

<p>psych_ is correct, there is no need to disclose AS to a potential employer. But, it is a good idea to seek out a field in which your strengths (some related to AS, no doubt) give you a distinct advantage, and in which the HR department would not have the first and last say in whether you get hired. Temple Grandin in particular has written a good bit on many of the issues encountered by highly functional AS individuals in the job market. Try to read some of what she has written in the past few years (I found a social skills book she co-authored with Sean Barron particularly enlightening) and to go to hear her speak if she is in your area. I found the book <em>Success with Autism</em> by Judith Cohen (about an AS man who became a math teacher) also interesting, and you might also want to give this a quick read, as you will need to learn how to work with students.</p>

<p>Also (very important) understand that in these times, most grads (even those with “marketable” degrees) are clobbered with rejection to an extent that has never happened in most of our lifetimes. Try not to take rejection so personally that you remove yourself from the game, and develop plans to keep busy during a search for a way to break, even before applying to grad school.</p>

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<p>Great advice all around. Given how well spoken you are in your post and how self aware you are I predict you will do just fine. Take the previous post to heart and realize how tough it is out there. I know lots of recent grads who struggled and are struggling to find any job let alone a good paying one in their field.</p>