Struggling to find a job

Hi,

As a 23-year old high-functioning autistic man I'm struggling to find a first time job and I have been looking but I don't any uni or college degrees and a lot of jobs even at supermarkets in Auckland,New Zealand require either experience,certain things like a heavy vehicle licence or courses in fields like baking and I want to find and get a reasonable job because I don't want to struggle financially if/when I'm living independently.

I can use a chainsaw and did consider entering a job in the NZ forestry and logging industry but I'm reluctant to enter the industry because it one of the highest risk industries even with the increasing use of Waratah Harvester Heads in NZ alongside the coal mining,aquaculture,fishing.hunting and trapping,food product manufacturing,water supply,sewerage and drainage services,waste treatment,treatment and disposal services,building construction,heavy and civil engineering and constructions services industries.


Everything seems geared against inexperienced and autistic people and it's disheartening.

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

What do you want to do as a career?

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Something involving physical/hands-on work because I don't think I'd be suited to an academic career and I though about programming but I spend a lot of time looking at a screen already and I don't think I'd enjoy a job involving a lot of that.

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

Hands on work is hard labor. Are you up to it?

Are you living in the west. City Parks are always advertising, they look after the gardens in the middle of the road. I'm sure they are Auckland wide. Good luck. Kia Kaha.

You write well and are good at expressing your feelings and ideas. Maybe take more writing courses? Never stop learning-it can only benefit you in many ways and fine tune your thinking and expose you to other thinkers.

A physical job will break you down physically eventually. I would look for some skilled job-plumbers make a mint so does heating and air conditioning. You could be an apprentice and learn while getting paid.

You are still so young-plenty of time to test many different avenues. Maybe see if your government offers job/education counseling,

Best wishes in your life adventure.

originally posted by: Conspiracyskeptic
Hi,

As a 23-year old high-functioning autistic man I'm struggling to find a first time job and I have been looking but I don't any uni or college degrees and a lot of jobs even at supermarkets in Auckland,New Zealand require either experience,certain things like a heavy vehicle licence or courses in fields like baking and I want to find and get a reasonable job because I don't want to struggle financially if/when I'm living independently.

I can use a chainsaw and did consider entering a job in the NZ forestry and logging industry but I'm reluctant to enter the industry because it one of the highest risk industries even with the increasing use of Waratah Harvester Heads in NZ alongside the coal mining,aquaculture,fishing.hunting and trapping,food product manufacturing,water supply,sewerage and drainage services,waste treatment,treatment and disposal services,building construction,heavy and civil engineering and constructions services industries.

Everything seems geared against inexperienced and autistic people and it's disheartening.

You might have to move to find a job, fallow the money. I have, look for citues that are lower cost of living and good paying jobs. Like, where i live in wichita ks, low cost, good pay in air craft.

There's no way I'm going to work in the forestry industry because 3 days ago a forestry worker was killed near Nelson.

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

Let’s start with the basics here. What are your hobbies? What makes you happy? Also what amount do you need to make?

After these are identified then a step to a career can be assumed. You never want to do something that makes you unhappy.

a reply to: Allaroundyou
I do some stuff outside like helping around the home and for hobbies I play games and watch movies/tv shows so can't really get a job with that.As for costs it's fairly expensive living in New Zealand but when Mum and Dad downsize and sell the place where I live in at the moment in roughly 10 years time for $1.2 million or more they'll use most of the money to buy a couple of 1 or 2-bedroom apartments for my sister and I to live in.

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

So it would seem to me that you are handy around the house. Money does not seem to be the biggest issue but ya finding work is. Having autism is not a bad thing. In fact you are much more likely to succeed in certain fields. So what would be your field be? Think about this question a lot before you answer.

originally posted by: Conspiracyskeptic
Something involving physical/hands-on work

Why not just get a job in a warehouse as an order selector or package sorter? You don't need experience and they're usually always hiring because people are always leaving those kinds of jobs.

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

Take some classes online or in your community. It can be anything.It shows a prospective employer you are willing to learn.

Stay away from dangerous occupations for a 1st job until you work awhile.Then if it's something you think you'd like...go for it. (chainsaws?YIKES!!!!).

Dont give up...take some simple, easy classes 1st....and keep applying for things!

Good luck, God bless! MS

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

I suggest vlogging about your journeys as a highly functional autistic man along the way... learning the processes of recording, editing, and publishing content onto the internet to act as a journal for your life and possible income stream to boot in the future.

The internet provides countless ways to enter job markets, and wealth is derived from many many angles of content that may surprise. Not only does the commenting interfaces make a platform to build off of for future content, but multiple revenue streams could be created from a single digital content site/page. For instance, not only does the pay per click possibility live, but advertising streams and affiliate marketing income streams are a possibility too.

Find your passions, record them with intent and good will, just be yourself, and the listening world will NOT let you age through life without the support and care that you deserve. That would be my advice... trusting that you are capable and willing to keep on fighting and trying.

Nobody cares how much one knows when they know how much one cares!

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

Paint houses, interiors

a reply to: Conspiracyskeptic

That sucks--I have a 14-year-old son with Asperger's who is starting to get in the mindset of looking for a job. We're here in the States, and finding a job should be relatively easy, but I do have concerns on how easy it actually will be with him.

I wish you the best in figuring it out, though--at that age, it's always hard to figure out where you're going and getting a job in that field. Hell, at 21, I was living in Germany in the military (pre-9/11, when that life was relatively easier), then went to college, then got my first real career-related job when I was 26. I just got rather "lucky" and it all fell into place, but that's because I applied myself well in college, graduated with honors, and won the 'outstanding senior student' award from the faculty in my major.

Just keep in mind that, at such a young age, you have plenty of time to find your career, but just getting decent job experience is key, so find anything and stick with it--a lot is inferred from future employers if you have the will to push through a crappy job in order to work.

Best wishes.

Oh come on, there are a million things you could do.

For now, I'd just look for something to make some cash and in the mean time pick up some classes or certificate programs. You mentioned handy-man stuff. How about a job as a handy-man like in a school or a hospital? Places like that will even give you free classes/education if you're employed with them! Or how about some type of security job? Many security companies will hire and provide you with their own training program and then set you up in a store or a mall or other public place? Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes, your 'absolutely have to have's' and your 'can go without's.' Do some research for on-line courses, certificate programs, see if anything peaks your interest.

originally posted by: Justso
You write well and are good at expressing your feelings and ideas. Maybe take more writing courses? Never stop learning-it can only benefit you in many ways and fine tune your thinking and expose you to other thinkers.

A physical job will break you down physically eventually. I would look for some skilled job-plumbers make a mint so does heating and air conditioning. You could be an apprentice and learn while getting paid.

You are still so young-plenty of time to test many different avenues. Maybe see if your government offers job/education counseling,

Best wishes in your life adventure.

Where I grew up, my neighbour was a joiner/plumber/electrician. He gained qualifications in all three fields, so he could do complete renovations of bathrooms and homes.

With computing, there is web page design or game development using Unity/Unreal. I know people who are self-employed that way.

With the IT tech industry now, there are so many parts of the industry being offshored/outsourced or otherwise they only want senior developers. Open plan offices aren't that much fun either, with so many distracting noises every few minutes.
The best option is to find some work that you can do remotely from home. Or do a mathemetics/computational physics degree. That is pure mathematics and learning C/Python isn't that difficult.

originally posted by: Conspiracyskeptic
There's no way I'm going to work in the forestry industry because 3 days ago a forestry worker was killed near Nelson.

There's no way I'm going to drive a car because 3 days ago someone near here was killed in an accident. Look at your own signature and act accordingly.

Have you tried any freelance jobs? Find tutorials in net, finish courses and start earning money at home