Employment and Asperger's Syndrome
Work is a central part of adult life, and navigating the workplace with Asperger's syndrome presents both significant challenges and genuine strengths. With the right environment and supports, many people with Asperger's are highly effective employees. Finding the right fit, however, can take time and self-knowledge.
Strengths in the Workplace
Many employers value what people with Asperger's bring:
- Deep focus and expertise in areas of interest
- High accuracy and attention to detail
- Systematic, logical thinking
- Reliability and rule-following
- Honesty and straightforwardness
- Strong commitment to quality
- Ability to notice patterns and inconsistencies
Common Workplace Challenges
Challenges that frequently arise include:
- Office politics and unwritten social rules
- Open-plan offices with high noise and sensory stimulation
- Managing multiple shifting priorities
- Meetings with loose structures and unclear expectations
- Difficulty advocating for oneself when something is not working
- Ambiguous instructions or feedback
- Changes in procedures, management, or team composition
- Small talk and social rituals required for professional advancement
Finding the Right Job
Not all jobs are equally suited to the Asperger's profile. Environments that tend to work well are those with:
- Clear, explicit expectations and procedures
- Tasks that align with special interests or areas of strength
- Minimal unpredictability and social performance demands
- Autonomy to work independently for significant portions of the day
- Acceptance of unconventional communication styles
Areas where many people with Asperger's thrive include technology, science, mathematics, research, writing, accounting, music, skilled trades, library science, and any field that values deep expertise over social performance.
Workplace Accommodations
In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, including Asperger's syndrome. Reasonable accommodations for Asperger's might include:
- A quieter workspace or permission to use headphones
- Written rather than verbal instructions for complex tasks
- Flexible scheduling or remote work
- Clear written expectations and feedback
- Modified meeting formats
- A mentor or job coach
Requesting accommodations requires disclosure of a disability (not necessarily a specific diagnosis) and documentation from a health care provider. See the article on telling others for more on disclosure decisions.
Surviving the Interview
Job interviews are particularly difficult because they are highly social, often ambiguous, and require rapid adjustment to an unknown person's conversational style. Some strategies:
- Research the company and the role thoroughly — structure and preparation help
- Prepare answers to common questions, including behavioral questions
- Practice the interview format with a trusted person
- Be honest about your working style in terms of your strengths and needs for clear direction
- Focus on your specific, demonstrable skills and achievements