Dexter Felipe Williams

Cheek/Worthey

English IV

18 August 2004

1

Impacts of Autism for Successful Job Employment

The definition of autism is “the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests” . Another term for this word is Asperger's Syndrome. One impact of autism for successful employment is that many teens across the nation diagnosed with autism may not have the required skills to maintain and keep their first job.

Autism occurs when a person experiences a mixed emotion about certain things such as people they run into, music they hear, and things they see. Some symptoms of autism include wanting to be alone, little to no eye contact, no fears of danger, and not mixing with others. The levels of autism vary from low to high functioning autism. The Center for the Study of Autism states in one article, “Most people diagnosed with autism may have poor short-term memory, but have excellent long-term memory”. This is necessary at times in life when a person least expects it, or if he or she need it to figure something important out. Many children across the U.S. are diagnosed with autism, and there are programs to help cure the disability, however, there is no common cure for autism. Almost always, it can be a little difficult to tell if someone is diagnosed with autism. Unfortunately, autism is not evident by a person's looks or facial features, and it knows no boundaries to racial or ethnic backgrounds.

Some signs of autism range from creating an imaginary world to complete stillness, which are all good, but if you are in a social group and you talk very little in a conversation, most special education teachers require the diagnosed student to talk and expand on what they are talking about. In other words, what can help identify a person diagnosed with autism are their actual motor skills and attributes, not visual. For the imagination part, however, that person could take a creative writing class that could help them out and expand their ideas if a writer is their dream job, but the biggest drawback is that the diagnosed student with a great idea has to get published first. That is what the diagnosed person could do in his or her pre-teen years. But when they become a teenager, the word that concerns many parents and children alike in their households is the job.

It is not easy for people diagnosed with autism to successfully land a job. However, there is one impact from “A Guide to Successful Employment for Individuals with Autism” written by Marcia Datlow Smith, which states that “workers with autism can utilize the same methods of finding employment as workers without disabilities” (Smith 45) and “locating a job begins with searching for available jobs in the local area” (Smith 45). Before this person gets to that “stage” where they get a job, he or she must know what to do next. There is also a job-training program in Durham called “School to Work”. The instructor of this program is Ashley Stone, a former teacher at Southeast Raleigh High School. If the person diagnosed with autism wants to get an internship here, the first step is that they have to take part in an interview with their special programs teacher. The program deals with skills required for successful job employment, including collating papers, sorting items, and assembling products. In the program, students are like interns and perform work at the Goodwill Center. This program also deals with other job skills, ranging from restaurants to working outdoors. The autism-diagnosed person is compensated on their work judged on his or her production, and if he or she does well, they receive a paycheck. Sometimes, before they can apply for a job, they have to apply for an internship. The internship teaches them how to maintain everyday skills for keeping the job they are desired to get in the near future. If the person diagnosed with autism passes the internship, that person is well on their way to getting that job, but there is more to be found out about the mysterious autism disorder that some children have.

To pay for money for college, the hurdle most students will have to face is a job. When a person is diagnosed with autism, their motor skills develop very slowly, one some advantage is a person's knowledge is generally better than most people without a disability. In matter of fact, “they are unique as individuals without autism” (Smith 46). Some workers may criticize them while they are on the job because they do not know he or she is diagnosed with autism, but it is best to ignore them and keep working. If that person is diagnosed with autism, they do not even know that they are excellent at everything they do, and they should ignore what the others say. In other words, they would be just jealous of his or her popularity. A job is a privilege, not a right, and to some, the next chapter in the story of their life.

The first step for an autism-diagnosed person to finding a job is for them to check their local resources. “Yellow Pages are helpful” (Smith 46). If the autism victim is in their teens, and they are under the legal age to get a job, then that person is to tell their parents about the job that they want to do, and have them call the number for employment. If they are at least 18 years or older, they can take care of everything from here--they can apply for a job without parents' permission, even if they keep bugging them to get a job. If the person is under age, then parents' permission is required. To avoid this problem, “Locating a job begins with searching for available jobs in the local area” (Smith 45). If he or she did that successfully, the next thing for successful job employment is the interview, a make-or-break decision in the job process. In other words, if he or she were to fail the interview, then normally, their chances of getting the job would be dead. If this happens to an autism-diagnosed person, it is recommended not to give up after trying hard. That person should find another job which skills suit their style. The caveat for the newcomer employee here is to not be afraid or stressed out if he or she cannot get it right the first time. People diagnosed with autism should practice their interviewing skills before doing the real thing. That's why when a person diagnosed with this cause in high school; there are special education classes. Here, his or her case manager will practice some job skills, including the interview, which will also help them plan that next step into the job field. Also, jobs need to be chosen that make use of the strength of people diagnosed with autism.

In an interview, it is OK for the autism-diagnosed intern to be nervous. If it is his or her first time, it is important that they make eye contact and follow all of the manager's instructions and answer every question that he or she may ask him or her about the job as in if they have had experience, what they might need, or what health problems that they may have. If he or she did well, then normally, they would get a call back and the first story is already complete. In other words, they have landed a job, which should start the career pathway for many teens that are interested in making money in their future. And speaking of money, in the event that it is involved, many teenagers these days dream of buying exotic cars, owning houses, and focusing on their careers. Most teens these days that apply for jobs and maintain to keep them and dream about this fantasy at the same time attend high school. If most people can look very closely, a few of them who dream about this fantasy are diagnosed with autism. Also, after the interview, and the moment you land the job, “the employment specialist must specially evaluate the local area for jobs” (Smith 45).

When you've got the job and want to know the rules, Smith says, “Some job requirements include rules, regulations, arrival and departure times, lunch times, dress code, time card regulations, and those with employer expectations” (Smith 46). If this is their first time working, then his or her boss will tell them right away when they have made a mistake. These are what job expectations are. Prior to the interview explained on a paragraph ago, the interviewer will tell them the rules and regulations relating to the job they are working. That interviewer is actually the boss, or manager of the facility you are working at. He or she must be respected at all times when an interview is attempted.

Marcia Datlow Smith stated, “Some disruptive or interfering behaviors serve the function of self-stimulation” (Smith 75), so prior to what Smith said, the autism-diagnosed employee may want to refrain from using inappropriate behavior while on the job. If it continues to be a problem, then job termination is the only choice that their boss may have. In other words, the employee diagnosed with the incurable impact would get fired. If this untimely fate happens to an autism-diagnosed employee, they should not give up hope. There are other jobs that they might like to try which suit their style. To avoid the awful two words that are often uttered by the owner, it is recommended to NEVER let inappropriate behavior get between the autism-diagnosed employee and the job that the worker have chosen to work at since day one with the interview. If he or she never lets a problem like this get in the way, then they are one step closer to maintaining that perfect job.

Another way of getting rid of inappropriate behavior is called extinction. Extinction, in this definition, has nothing to do with the dinosaurs many years back. To make things clear, “Extinction is the process of decreasing the frequency of a behavior by severing the correction between the behavior and those events that are reinforcing it” (Smith 75). This is essential for people diagnosed with autism to avoid being fired from his or her job. People diagnosed with this disorderly function are more likely to hurt themselves and others, which is terrible.

In regards to a disorderly function and hurting oneself and another, Smith also said, “Behavior is often determined by cues in the environment” (Smith 23). This is one of many essential ways of getting his or her first paycheck. A paycheck to a teenager means many things, even spending, or placing the savings in the bank for future use. The credit can also be used to stay out of debt when they reach the college years.

Social skills are also essential for keeping that person's job. Without social skills, the person diagnosed with autism will not get far in life. When they are younger, then that time is their chance to talk about things that are interesting, about what happened over the weekend, or any other topic they wish to talk about, as long as it is not inappropriate, or anything irrelevant, life-threatening, or suggestive. “Social skills are needed for vocational assessment” (Smith 23). This is also essential during break time if the autism-infected person works at a full-time job. He or she has the opportunity to make new friends although he or she is diagnosed with autism at that time.

If all goes well, then the keys for getting a job are within in that person's reach. The durability of his or her job will increase with unlimited potential. That way, they will be successful in the game of life regardless of their disability. If the person is successful at keeping his or her job with their autism disability, then it is certain that they have become an ace at the deciding factor at the game of life: a job.