10 Great Jobs for High Functioning Asperger’s Adults

While many people perceive getting a job with Asperger’s as something extremely difficult, the truth is there are a lot more than 10 great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults out there. You just need to know where to look, and this is the right place. Finding and keeping a full-time job with ASD is perfectly possible, as we are going to show you with these excellent careers for Asperger’s sufferers.

Getting a job with autism used to be a mission impossible if we’re talking about high-paying, quality jobs. Nowadays the situation is much different, even though there are still some people wondering if autistic adults work. The answer is positive, and they can actually be doing a much better job than you. Also, the perfect reply to the question if adults with autism can drive a car would be to say that one of the recommended careers is being a taxi driver (if the person has Asperger’s syndrome). However, normally people suffering from autism put some kinds of limitations on their own driving, such as not driving at night or on highways. It should be noted these are self-imposed. Once you pass the driving test, you’re just as good as any other driver with a license.

Now would be a good time to mention that Asperger is one of the illnesses from the autism spectrum. Therefore, if you imagined an aspie would have wide set eyes and a confused look about themselves, think again. Just look at Heather Kuzmich, a girl who was successfully running for becoming America’s Next Top Model. Or Alexis Wineman, Miss Montana, who made it to top 15. One more prejudice that we’re going to tackle here is whether adults with autism get married. Indeed they do, and that would be the end of this story. Let’s continue talking about Asperger’s employment issues, shall we?

As we have learned from Career Trend and Penelope Trunk‘s blog, Asperger people are much more different from the common assumptions about people with autism. True, they experience difficulties during social interaction (e.g., don’t always say what is socially acceptable), but usually they’re just perceived as being odd or weird. A big number of people has grown up dealing with the illness, but nobody detected it. Not that the state can be cured, but the knowledge would certainly have made life easier for everybody. Aspies can also suffer from face blindness, i.e., remembering someone’s face can be a big obstacle. As we have mentioned, social interaction is their weakest point, so the best jobs for Asperger would include minimum contact with people. On the bright side, Asperger people possess some amazing qualities. They are able to focus on the tiniest details, which is a much-desired quality in some careers. While repetitive tasks are mundane and dull for most people, aspies have the time of their life while doing them. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean they aren’t creative. On the contrary, one of their greatest advantages is not realizing the limitations, so they excel at finding solutions because it’s so easy and natural for them to think outside the box.

These would be the factors we have taken into consideration when choosing the greatest from My Asperger’s Child and Content. As for companies that hire adults with Asperger’s, we’ll tell you one of them is Microsoft, and for the rest go to our article on companies that hire adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s. There is more than one Asperger’s employment agency one can turn to, depending on which country we are talking about. Integrate, Specialisterne, and AutismLaunchpad are only a few that provide Asperger’s employment help. Should you wish to do some extra research on ASD jobs, take a look at 10 Best Jobs for Adults with High Functioning Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome that we did last year.

But before applying for a particular job, it would be wise to consider job training for autistic adults. After all, regardless of the type of a job you are applying for, the interview is still held by a living person, not a computer, and you should leave a good impression. Once you begin your work, meeting so many new colleagues is something ASD people find quite overwhelming, and it can possibly lead to an Asperger’s meltdown. Luckily, there are institutions which are able to provide training and support for those who have just got a job and would like to keep it. Two of them are First Place and PAI. To sum up, there is help out there, and with a bit of research, you can find the nearest center for you. There is also Learn the Steps, Get Employed online course with short five-minute videos with helpful instructions.

Finally, let’s see our selection of 10 great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults. We kept the list random because not all ASD people are gifted with the same talents and characteristics. Some find the non-verbal and verbal communication puzzling, while others struggle with motoric skills. Also, workers can be divided into visual and non-visual thinkers, which again is a factor to be taken into consideration when choosing the most suitable occupation.

10. Animal trainer

It is so much easier for ASD people to work with animals. Teaching them simple or complex commands is a demanding job because it involves tons and tons of repetition. Still, that is exactly what an Asperger adult loves doing. Also, the human contact is down to the minimum. There’s interaction with the pet owner, but they won’t mind at all whether your communicative skills are a bit awkward as long as their furry family member is obedient.

Let’s see what else we have on our list of great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults, shall we?

9. Photographer

Every photographer must have an eye for detail, and Asperger people are a natural. In addition, a photographer is allowed to be focused on the perfect shot and mainly works alone. Even in collaboration with human models, there shouldn’t be too many issues since people know they are expected to do as they are told, no questions asked. Not too many responses from people you work with – that sounds like paradise. It’s no wonder this job is on our list of great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults, right?

8. Re-shelving library books

Libraries are known to be quiet places with minimum talk and maximum peace. The sight of all the books can be overwhelming for an ordinary person, but not for aspies. Where they see huge lines, aspies see wonderful order. Being a librarian or helping stack the shelves causes a great sense of enjoyment and job satisfaction.

7. Physicist/Mathematician

Did we mention people with Asperger are usually known to have an above average IQ? Clients and customers can be so unreliable and unpredictable, while figures and formulas are something one can always count on to be stable and unchanging (unless you think of a way, that is). Being able to think outside the box is extremely recommendable. All great minds got to their discoveries by noticing something no one else had thought of. What is more, mathematicians are said to often be in a world of their own so that no one will pay much attention to any of the quirkiness.

6. Statistician

Similar to the previous occupation, doing statistical data is a responsible and highly appreciated job. One must be meticulous with all the figures and their interpretation. A challenge for most, but a dream job for people with Asperger. You can focus on the mathematical information and work on it without much interruption.

And now, let’s see the top five great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults.

5. Copy Editor

A job of a copy editor has a great advantage over the ones we’ve mentioned so far in our list of 10 great jobs for high functioning aspies. It can be done from the comfort of your own home. Just a computer and a cup of coffee next to you. No worries about colleagues and their personal stories. Absolute bliss.

4. Lab technician

Another job requiring maximum concentration. Handling sensitive instruments with care and pouring milliliters into test tubes is actually enjoyable, despite the fact it demands lots of patience.

3. Warehouse worker

Here’s a profession that doesn’t require special qualifications. We’re mentioning this because even though people with Asperger’s are famous for being exceptionally intelligent, that doesn’t mean a general education system is the most suitable.  The ability to unload and neatly stack the merchandise is very much appreciated for warehouse jobs. You often need to check if the merchandise meets the described standard, and no one else can be better at it.

2. Accountant

We are continuing our list of great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults with a well-paid job that so many people will be grateful to you for your hard work, especially when it comes to taxes. No one cares if you don’t respond very well to friendly smiles and small talk as long as everything is perfect with the accounts.

1. Computer programmer

The last job in this list of 10 great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults is computer-related. Nowadays more than ever there is a growing demand for excellent computer programmers. Writing codes seems pretty straightforward until you’re expected to find a mistake in the never-ending line. But that’s no problem for someone with Asperger’s. Having the great Microsoft as the future employer doesn’t sound bad at all, does it?

This wraps it up for our list of great jobs for high functioning Asperger’s adults.