Yesterday I was laid off from my job. Well technically I was terminated with cause, but everyone of the new hires is being let go today so I’m going with laid off. The boss was really decent about it and gave me several job leads, and his phone number and email to use as a reference. He said I had great work ethic, but the work performed in that factory just clearly was not for me – and to be honest I have to agree. The noises, the ten hour days six days a week, and the ’shop talk’ was extremely frusterated.
Where I’m Going Now
To be honest, I’m still in the recovery stage – I had a feeling it was coming, I put in my 100 percent effort, but it still shocks me. I’m at the point of maybe giving into what my mom insists, that I should just live off from disability the rest of my life. The thing though is I know I’m capable of so much more, the fact that I’m getting married to the loveliest lady ever is proof of that. But my head is starting to resign to the thought that my dreams are not possible because of Aspergers – and I’m starting to hate myself because of it.
I accept that Aspergers is part of me, and to be honest I love having Aspergers – but sometimes blessings come with burdens. I really see my disability as a blessing, but sometimes its so difficult to walk through the crap that comes with it.
The No Longer Economy
Whats left of our economy also concerns me. I’m not calling it an economy any more because its not, its dead. Jobs are so hard to find – in Michigan 800,000 people lost their job in February. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to find one in this economy too, but then it makes me feel bad because I’m living off from disability when I’m capable of so much more
Baaah!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You know, I always wonder what happens this side of the job market… and I just want to say that if I lived your way, I would totally give you a job!
As an ex-computer programmer I’ve worked with tons of folks with Asperger’s. Was it harder for them to find the right job and be able to keep it? Yes. Was it impossible? No. It just took them a while longer to find a place that suited their interests, talents, strengths and weaknesses.
I’ve lived through good economies and bad economies, good job markets and bad. In good times jobs are easier to find. In bad times it may be near impossible. So bad times are when you keep looking, wait for things to improve, decide what type of job you really want to have and suits you, and get the training to be able to do that type of job. That’s advice for everyone – not just folks with disabilities.
As far as thinking that you or anyone else with Asperger’s is unemployable, that’s rediculous and hundreds of thousands of Aspies have proved it. We wouldn’t have a space program without Aspies. Or computers. We’d also have far fewer archeologists, accountants, historians, musicians, etc.
Aspies tend to be perfectionists — I suffer from that. I’ve had to learn that just because I fail at something doesn’t mean that I’m not good at it and never will be. It means it’s something I need to learn more about and work harder at, and that failure is part of that process. I also had to learn not to be a coward and be afraid of failing. (That’s a comment on my personality — not yours — I’m not implying that you’re cowardly.)
You know you can be employed. It’s just going to take you a while to find your place in the job market. Don’t give up before it happens.
– Cassie