awkward job interview

Calling all employers. You may be thinking that there’s something wrong with the person sitting in front of you seeking employment in your establishment. Maybe they aren’t looking directly at you, or maybe they’re stumbling over their words, not sure how to answer your questions.Or maybe they’re not answering your questions at all, instead fidgeting in their chair as if in a mute rebuttal to your probing.

You may be thinking to yourself, Hmmm, this person must be autistic.

Before you write them off as unemployable, or worse, mentally impaired, consider looking through their apparent disabilities to their abilities. Some of the characteristics of autistic people that make them excellent employees:

  • Most autistic people have a need for routine. Autistic people need structure in their lives, as the sameness of their daily routine comforts them and decreases their anxiety. As an employer, helping them keep their schedule intact without deviating from their routine hours goes a long way in developing their trust, making them reliable and consistent. By respecting an autistic person’s need for sameness, you’ll be rewarded with an employee who shows up to work on time and avoids calling in. https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/lists/5-features-of-adults-with-autism/
  • Most autistic people are honest. As the old saying goes, like George Washington, an autistic person cannot tell a lie. You don’t have to worry so much about an autistic person stealing from you, nor do you have to worry about them lying to you, as it’s not in most autistic peoples’ thought processes to lie. Most verbal autistic people are refreshingly candid, and will give you their honest opinion if asked.
  • A nonverbal autistic person does not mean that they’re mentally impaired. Many nonverbal people with autism have normal intelligence. They just have a problem communicating in the conventional manner. Written communication is much easier than the spoken word for many of the autistic population. Talk to them like they are an adult instead of a child, and avoid sarcasm or cliches (goes right over their heads, as most autistic people are very literal). Taking the time to allow them to respond to you in a manner in which they are comfortable and treating them with respect goes a long way in establishing loyalty, which leads to a good working relationship. And a happy employee is a productive employee.
  • Many autistic people have problems with social interactions. Autistic people typically have difficulties interacting with others and responding to social cues. Their need for sameness assures that they are there to do their job. They’re not there to start drama with their colleagues or create chaos in the workplace.

Calling all employers. That autistic person sitting in front of you has stepped outside their comfort zone to even be there, and is probably battling an anxiety attack as you barrage them with questions. With a little empathy and compassion, look past their lack of communication to the unique person who wants nothing more than to be valued and appreciated in this ever-maddening world. Hiring an autistic person for your establishment will give that person a sense of accomplishment, and will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you will get a loyal, reliable employee in return. And, who knows, it may even make you a happier person knowing that you gave someone a chance who just needed to be believed in.

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Scarlett South is a registered nurse, an autism specialist and the author of Autistic or Toxic? How I Unlocked the Mystery of My Son's "Autism." But her proudest achievement is her adult son, whom was once considered severely autistic, with talks of being placed in an institution, and whom is now an independent and productive member of society! Scarlett is based in Florida.

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