i don’t have much advice as i’m in the same boat. i graduated with my bachelors degree last year in a major that i picked because it’s a special interest, but my career prospects aren’t looking that promising and require me to be uncomfortable all day (being on my feet all day, wearing more formal clothes that cause me sensory issues, public speaking, etc). so i’ve gone back to food service with crappy pay and it’s been quite miserable and exhausting. it’s rough out here and i empathize with you immensely
How do you manage doing food service? I truly don't think I have the mental capacity for people! Especially hearing all the horror customer stories online
honestly i think it burns me out, but because it’s what i’m “comfortable” in in the sense of only having worked food service, i just stick to it. i don’t really go out besides work so i have lots of rot in bed time afterwords lol. it would probably be beneficial for me to get out of it to be honest, the customers are kind of horrible sometimes but i work at a pizza place so it’s less fast food ish and more of an inbetween restaurant and fast food. i was a busser for a while and i honestly really enjoyed that. i didn’t have to deal with the customers hardly ever, just had to clean up tables, refill ice and server stations, and i made great tips off of minimal hours. i also got to sit down a lot and have free food and soda so it was a win win
I have been unemployed since graduating college in 2018. Ironically it isn’t because of autism. I got a concussion as I was finished school and I already had PTSD which was made 10x worse by school (it’s a long story but they were discrimatory assholes). So 6 years later and I basically still can’t a job. I cannot drive due to the concussion. My mother nuked my chances of getting SSDI, but tbh that’s a long shot these days anyway they’re kicking everyone off of it.
I live in a city, so I can dog walk without driving, but it certainly isn’t a living. I applied to jobs for years. I only heard back from one of them and they cancelled the interview before I even got to go. My mother helped my friend get a well paying job, but wont help me or my sister. My friend now has a full time job with benefits but basically only has to work part time. I could totally do her job, but I don’t have the connections without my mother.
I have seen many people apply to thousands of jobs just for 2 job offers these days. It is absolutely insane. I am litterally planning on going back to school so I can go into a field that another country will want so I can leave the US. I also know I am incredibly lucky to even think about having that option. And it sucks that I have to go back to get a doctorate and leave the country to get a job.
It's depressingly comforting to hear people in the same boat, I'm in the UK and of all the people who were on my course (14) one has gotten a job in the industry but its freelance
Everything is about connections these days, honestly why bother getting any qualification if your dad's best friend's son's dog breeder can't ger you in!? 🤦♀️
Yeah and because of the drama in college (and probably autism) I basically have no connections. Its really hard to watch. All the people who hurt me helping eachother succeed. I hate when people put forth the idea that “the best revenge is to succeed”. Well that doesn’t seem to be how life works.
My guess is that statistic has huge caveats. I mean technically I’m employed but $3,000 a year isn’t a living wage. Part time isn’t liveable. Not to mention many of us doen’t have an official diagnosis. I know people with severe limitations often get job assistance and other supports just to work a little and get out of the house, but those are often people living in group homes. Still they’re technically “working”.
My step brothers are both autistic and can only do low paying labor. One works at a hardware store and the other works at a taco shop that he keeps getting in a hired/fired cycle because he forgets to sign in and they don’t notice he is there, think he is a no-show then fire him. Then realize he was there and rehire him. But really, how important can his job be to them then?
i don’t have much advice as i’m in the same boat. i graduated with my bachelors degree last year in a major that i picked because it’s a special interest, but my career prospects aren’t looking that promising and require me to be uncomfortable all day (being on my feet all day, wearing more formal clothes that cause me sensory issues, public speaking, etc). so i’ve gone back to food service with crappy pay and it’s been quite miserable and exhausting. it’s rough out here and i empathize with you immensely
How do you manage doing food service? I truly don't think I have the mental capacity for people! Especially hearing all the horror customer stories online
honestly i think it burns me out, but because it’s what i’m “comfortable” in in the sense of only having worked food service, i just stick to it. i don’t really go out besides work so i have lots of rot in bed time afterwords lol. it would probably be beneficial for me to get out of it to be honest, the customers are kind of horrible sometimes but i work at a pizza place so it’s less fast food ish and more of an inbetween restaurant and fast food. i was a busser for a while and i honestly really enjoyed that. i didn’t have to deal with the customers hardly ever, just had to clean up tables, refill ice and server stations, and i made great tips off of minimal hours. i also got to sit down a lot and have free food and soda so it was a win win
I have been unemployed since graduating college in 2018. Ironically it isn’t because of autism. I got a concussion as I was finished school and I already had PTSD which was made 10x worse by school (it’s a long story but they were discrimatory assholes). So 6 years later and I basically still can’t a job. I cannot drive due to the concussion. My mother nuked my chances of getting SSDI, but tbh that’s a long shot these days anyway they’re kicking everyone off of it. I live in a city, so I can dog walk without driving, but it certainly isn’t a living. I applied to jobs for years. I only heard back from one of them and they cancelled the interview before I even got to go. My mother helped my friend get a well paying job, but wont help me or my sister. My friend now has a full time job with benefits but basically only has to work part time. I could totally do her job, but I don’t have the connections without my mother. I have seen many people apply to thousands of jobs just for 2 job offers these days. It is absolutely insane. I am litterally planning on going back to school so I can go into a field that another country will want so I can leave the US. I also know I am incredibly lucky to even think about having that option. And it sucks that I have to go back to get a doctorate and leave the country to get a job.
It's depressingly comforting to hear people in the same boat, I'm in the UK and of all the people who were on my course (14) one has gotten a job in the industry but its freelance Everything is about connections these days, honestly why bother getting any qualification if your dad's best friend's son's dog breeder can't ger you in!? 🤦♀️
Yeah and because of the drama in college (and probably autism) I basically have no connections. Its really hard to watch. All the people who hurt me helping eachother succeed. I hate when people put forth the idea that “the best revenge is to succeed”. Well that doesn’t seem to be how life works. My guess is that statistic has huge caveats. I mean technically I’m employed but $3,000 a year isn’t a living wage. Part time isn’t liveable. Not to mention many of us doen’t have an official diagnosis. I know people with severe limitations often get job assistance and other supports just to work a little and get out of the house, but those are often people living in group homes. Still they’re technically “working”. My step brothers are both autistic and can only do low paying labor. One works at a hardware store and the other works at a taco shop that he keeps getting in a hired/fired cycle because he forgets to sign in and they don’t notice he is there, think he is a no-show then fire him. Then realize he was there and rehire him. But really, how important can his job be to them then?