What work will suit me? Discovering my employment profile

Autistic people work successfully in a wide range of careers. Some autistic people prefer to work in structured roles using maths, technology and scientific skills, others work extremely well in the creative industries as authors, actors and artists, and others just want jobs with simpler routines so that they can leave work at work and be relaxed in their free time. Understanding yourself will make it easier to look for work that makes you happy.

Some people would define a dream job as one that allows them to do something:

• That is needed and makes them feel worth while
• That they’re good at
• That they enjoy
• That they can be paid for.

Most of us will need to compromise on one, two or three of these items, but unless you are happy with at least one of them, then you’re unlikely to be able to maintain the role for long.

So, to help decide what sort of work want to do, you might want to ask yourself:

• What do I love to do?
• Do I have any hobbies that I enjoy that could become a career?
• What subjects did I do well in at school?
• What qualifications do I have?
• Do I prefer to work alone or with other people?
• Do I want to work in an office at a desk or in a more active role?
• How do I like to communicate?
• What sensory environment do I need? (for example, sounds might bother you more than having other people around, in which case you may need a quieter work place)

Your  answers will help you decide what you might want to do. It’s OK to have a few ideas, as you’ll be able to refine your thinking as you go through the jobsearch process.

An assessment can help you to find career ideas and types of job that are more likely to suit you, but they may be designed for the general population rather than adapted for jobseekers with autism.