Organisations offering legal support The organisations in this list may be able to offer you free legal advice or support with issues about employment. Expand Check first with any organisation you contact to make sure that they are able to provide support which is appropriate to you. LawWorks Clinic Finder tool - This helpful tool allows you to enter your postcode and the kind of issue you need help with and receive information relating to suitable free legal clinics in their area Disability Law Service - The DLS provides free legal advice on community care, employment, housing and welfare benefits to disabled people and their carers to ensure that they have access to their rights and justice Toynbee Free Legal Advice Centre - provides free legal assistance on a range of issues within UK law Equality Advisory Support Service - This Helpline advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights, across England, Scotland and Wales Kenton Legal Clinic - are able to provide free, one-off legal advice on employment
The Equality Act 2010 and employment Employers have a range of legal duties towards their autistic employees. These legal duties can be found in the Equality Act 2010. This information is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of how the Equality Act 2010 works in the role of employment. Rather, it looks specifically at how the rights and duties stated in the Equality Act 2010 apply to autistic employees, job applicants, their workplaces and employers. Expand The Equality Act 2010 is relevant for all employers in the process of hiring and managing autistic people. It applies across England, Wales and Scotland. There is different legislation in Northern Ireland, but the protections for disabled people and duties on employers are broadly the same and the practical information provided here applies across the UK. For a general overview of how the Equality Act operates in employment, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has both summary guidance and the Employment Statutory Code of Practice. The Equality Act 2010 identifies nine specific “protected characteristics”, including disability. The Act details types of prohibited conduct as well as establishes the context in which such conduct might occur. For our purposes, we will discuss only the Act’s treatment of autism within the context of employment and management. It is important to note that although the Equality Act 2010 defines autism as a disability, an autistic individual may not necessarily define themselves as such. For businesses and organisations that provide services and public functions, education and transportation, as well as for landlords and associations there are wider duties defined by the Equality Act 2010. Those duties are not covered in detail here, but improving recruitment, employment, and support for autistic staff will help facilitate an understanding of how to meet the needs of all autistic people, be they customers, service recipients, students, members or tenants. Disability in the Equality Act 2010 There is a specific definition of disability in the Equality Act. This is important because it covers people who may not consider themselves disabled or who don’t call themselves a disabled person. The legal definition of disability is objective. It is a matter of fact whether a person is a disabled person according to the Equality Act 2010. One thing that sets disability discrimination apart from other types of discrimination is that it is asymmetrical. Race and sex-based discrimination, for example, are symmetrical in that it is equally unlawful to discriminate against a man or white person for their gender or skin colour as it is to discriminate against a woman or person of colour. Conversely, a non-disabled person cannot claim to be the victim of disability discrimination because a disabled person has been treated more favourably than them. In fact, the Equality Act 2010 states that under certain circumstances an employer must treat a disabled person more favourably than a non-disabled person. The definition of a disability in the Equality Act 2010 is as follows: Section 6 Disability (1) A person (P) has a disability if— (a) P has a physical or mental impairment, and (b) the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on P's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Note: “substantial” here means “more than minor or trivial”, which is a lower standard than would be expected in the common use of the word substantial.
Workplace etiquette and unwritten rules of behaviour Workplace etiquette is not often spoken about until someone has breached an unwritten rule. To make it more complicated still, rules vary from office to office, and even from one work area to another within the same company. Expand Workplace etiquette refers to the way people behave at work and is often the sort of thing that often no one tells you about, perhaps until someone has broken an unwritten rule Workplaces are social environments that can be hard for autistic people to work out. To stand the best chance of getting it right from the start, ask for this information to be included in your induction. If in doubt, ask your line manager or a colleague you trust. General guidelines: Be on time when starting work and for meetings or other events. Say hello to people when you arrive and goodbye when you leave. Pay attention to people’s names – try to memorise the names of the people you need to speak to regularly . Keep the noise down in the office – people are trying to work. Find out whether people offer to make tea and coffee for each other. If they do, make sure you take turns. Some places have a rota to say whose turn it is. Unless drinks are provided by your employer, be prepared to contribute to the cost. Don’t use someone else’s mug. Take your own in unless everyone uses the same design, which is a clue the company has probably provided them. Don’t eat food that you have not brought or bought yourself unless specifically invited to do so. Take in or buy your own. Be aware of your personal hygiene and the need to wash your body and clothes regularly. Don’t forget to use a deodorant. No-one likes working with someone who smells of body odour. Only use your personal mobile phone at meal or breaktime and away from your colleagues. It distracts everyone and is not what you are paid for. If someone brings in cake, sweets or other food for everyone to share, only take one helping until everyone who want one has had a piece. If there are birthday traditions, try to do the same when it is your birthday. Try to be positive. Don’t be the person who moans and complains all the time. If you have a complaint about a work situation, there is a formal process for that. If there is a rota for any other job in the workplace – e.g. cleaning the kitchen area, make sure you take your turn. Coughing and sneezing can’t be helped, but do use a tissue and wash your hands to prevent spreading an infection If someone looks busy and doesn’t look up as you approach, try not to interrupt them. If you have to interrupt, apologise for interrupting before you launch into what you need to say. If you are not sure, try saying, ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I have a question I need to ask... Is now a good moment or should I drop you an email?’ Body language and non-verbal communication The way you use your body affects how other people see you Body language is the way people give information without using words - this may involve: facial expressions, hand gestures, touching, the way they stand, and many other signs, including eye contact. How you feel has an impact on the way you stand, the way you sit and whether you speak up. You can study how this works and use it to create the impression you want other people to have of you. Be aware that people respond to body language without knowing it and may not be familiar with the different ways that autistic people sometimes respond If you find eye contact painful, for example, you need to inform the person that you are speaking to so that they do not judge your non-verbal communication negatively. Or you may need to ask someone to say something in a different way if they have you an expression, term or gesture that isn't obvious to you.
What work will suit me? Discovering my employment profile Understanding yourself is an important step towards finding the right job for you. Some organisations can help you learn about your strengths and which jobs might suit you. Expand 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. You may choose to take a job that isn’t ideal rather than remain unemployed 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.
Reasonable adjustments and the Equality Act 2010 The cornerstone of disability equality law is the duty to make reasonable adjustments, to remove the barriers that disabled people face that prevent them from participating on an equal basis to non-disabled people. Expand There are two different models of disability: The legal definition of disability fits into the medical model, looking at a person’s impairment and its impact on their ability to carry out every day activities. The medical model states that it is a person’s impairment that causes the disability, and medical approaches to disability look to ‘fix’ or ‘cure’ the disabled person. The social model of disability views an impairment as the failure of society’s structure to accommodate for a disabled person’s needs. The duty to make reasonable adjustments arises from the social model, as it is the responsibility of the employer to take steps to avoid creating barriers for disabled people For example, a wheelchair user might be unable to access a training course hosted in a venue with steps and no ramp. An autistic employee may be unable to fully access training if provided in a venue with overwhelming sensory input (e.g. echoing acoustics, very bright light, strong smells etc.). In both of these examples, an employer might make reasonable adjustments by changing the location of the training to a more accessible environment—a venue with ramp access, or a venue with softer lighting and acoustics. The distinction between the medical model and social model of disability is particularly useful for understanding autism as a disability. Many of the traits we consider to be ‘impairments’ caused by autism can be effectively minimised or avoided with relatively small changes to environments and workplace procedures. Keeping inclusion and accessibility in mind when planning new workplaces can help reduce the number of reasonable adjustments needed for individual disabled people. This approach is known as Universal Design. The duty to make reasonable adjustments recognises that treating disabled people the same as non-disabled people will sometimes disadvantage disabled people. The Equality Act places a proactive legal duty on employers to do whatever is reasonable to avoid disadvantaging a disabled person in that way. This legal duty arises if a disabled person would be disadvantaged by: The way things are usually done (legally – a practice, criterion or provision operated by or for an employer) The physical environment at work (legally – physical features) The lack of something that would help (legally – auxiliary aids, which can include software, assistance dogs and support workers) It is unlawful discrimination to fail to take a reasonable step to avoid disadvantaging autistic employees or (potential) job applicants in one of those three ways. What is “reasonable” will depend on the circumstances of each case: How effective the measure is in avoiding disadvantage How practical the measure is How much the measure would cost Considering the size and resources of the employer Considering any other financial help available Sometimes it can take a number of steps working together to remove a disadvantage Reasonable Adjustments and Universal Design The 3 ways the reasonable adjustments duty applies are intended to cover the main areas where socially disabling barriers are experienced which can be summarised as HOW, WHERE & WHAT. HOW we do things WHERE we do them WHAT we use The social model of disability says that the HOW WHERE WHAT decisions we make can create or remove barriers to access and equal participation by disabled people. If the way employment is designed didn’t consider disability when the HOW WHERE WHAT decisions are made and remade, then there will be a greater need for reasonable adjustments in the future. The principle of Universal Design says that we should try to build things for maximum accessibility so that the fewest number of reasonable adjustments for individuals would be needed Universal Design in employment is creating a workplace that is inherently as accessible as possible to disabled people, meaning fewer reasonable adjustments are needed. Disabled people make up almost 20% of the population, Universal Design in employment is a key business efficiency. Adopting a Universal Design approach to employment practice will reduce the need to make basic reasonable adjustments for individual disabled employees. It is necessary to learn about each disabled person as an individual to ensure that every individual is able to work to their full potential and avoid discrimination
Where to look for work opportunities You can look for jobs in lots of different ways. It is important to look for multiple job opportunities as it’s unusual to succeed at your first attempt. Expand Most people use a combination of methods in the following list to find suitable opportunities to apply for: Word of Mouth: Not all jobs are advertised and open to competition, so it is always worth asking people who know you well if they know of anyone who has a job that would suit you. Government website: The government lists jobs on a website where you can create and account and look for suitable jobs. There are different websites for: England, Scotland and Wales Northern Ireland Sector specific publications: if you are looking for a job in line with your special interest, skill or qualification, look at any published newspapers, magazines, online forums or websites in that area which carry details of jobs. For example, the Times Education Supplement (TES) includes details of teaching jobs. Register with an employment agency: There are many agencies available. They tend to specialise in particular types of job or sector. You could ask them whether they have experience of placing autistic candidates and if helpful, provide them with some information about autism, or show them our agency case study. Jobsites: Most online job sites will help you to find jobs, store your CV and keep a record of any jobs you have applied for. There can be an overwhelming amount so it is important to use the filters which allows you to find the opportunities you are most interested in. Filters can include: Job sector such as healthcare and nursing, creative and design, property job Location by region, county, town and even areas within a town, sometimes allowing you to specify how far you’re happy to travel for work and then identifying all jobs within that distance of your home postcode Salary Range – set your minimum and maximum Types of contract Permanent – where there is no defined end date Contract – where there is a specific start and end date operating under specific terms Temporary – where the opportunity has a defined end date Apprenticeship – training while working Social Media: Employers are increasingly aware that people spend a lot of time looking at social media and are developing new ways to advertise to prospective candidates via Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin. Setting up accounts on social media and following organisations that you’re interested in working for will help you research what you want to do and may also help identify opportunities you can apply for too. Jobcentre / employability program: If you have registered for Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit you will be expected to work with your local Jobcentre or employability provider to find job opportunities. They may have access to guaranteed interview schemes, but you may well be obliged to consider and apply for roles which they select in order to maintain your benefits. The Disability Confident scheme Some employers are attempting to offer a more supportive environment so that they can benefit from the skills in a more diverse workforce, you can therefore expect them to be receptive to applications from those with a disability including those with autism The Disability Confident Employer Scheme is a voluntary scheme set up to help employers make the most of the opportunities offered by employing people with disabilities. There are 3 levels in the scheme which must be completed in order: Disability Confident Committed (Level 1) Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) Disability Confident Leader (Level 3) Under the self-assessed scheme, employers work to develop their confidence in exchange for inclusion in the register of Disability Confident Employers Disability Confident Employers and the right to use the disability confident logo.
Selection by interview Interviews are the most common way of selecting people for longer work placements, internships and jobs. Some employers use other methods to select candidates, such as assessments or work trials. You may be able to request an alternative as a reasonable adjustment. Expand “The main challenge that I faced was communicating with people that I don’t really know, so it made me really shy. Therefore for me it made the interview process very hard.” Luke - Civil Service intern An interview is a competitive process where the company or employer meets with you, either over the phone, by video call or in person to decide whether to offer you a job. Interviews tend to involve someone from Human Resources and/or your prospective manager asking you a series of questions to find the best person for the job. Interviews try to find out if: You have relevant experience You have the skills to do the job You will be a good employee They like you enough to make you a part of the team “I generally research a job well before I go to an interview so that I am able to work out what the questions are likely to be. That way, I can prepare answers.” Kevin - Autistic employee An interview is also an opportunity for you to learn more about the company and the people who work there, so that you can decide whether you want to take the job if it is offered to you. Not all jobs are filled through interviews. Occasionally, a person is offered a job, opportunity or internship having been approached directly without a selection process. This is normally because somebody knows them or is impressed by their work or values their special skills or experience. Many autistic people find it hard to show their strengths effectively in interviews. Dean Beadle talks in this film about why interviews are not the best way of judging an autistic person’s ability to do the job. Interviewers will probably be expecting you to describe your abilities and skills which is something that many autistic people struggle with, as they often prefer to focus on the delivery of the work. If you can understand why the interviewer is asking about a particular subject, it can be easier to answer the question to their satisfaction. There is more detailed advice in our download on thinking about answers to common interview questions. There are other ways to demonstrate how good you would be at the job without having an interview first which we discuss in the sections below.
About employers Almost 33 million adults in the UK are in some sort of employment. More than 25.6 million of them of them work in what is called the private sector – and the remainder work in the public sector (which includes the NHS, Education, Local Authorities, Police, Armed Forces and the Civil Service) and the third sector (including charities, self-help and community groups). Expand The private sector is made up of almost 6 million different businesses, ranging from sole traders, where the whole business is owned and run by a single employee, to some of the biggest companies in the world such as Amazon . Of the 25.6 million people working in the private sector, around 5 million of them are self-employed. Essentially 5 million business employ 1 person only and the remaining million businesses employ just over 20 million employees between them. All private sector businesses are owned by someone and exist to make money: For their owners, So that they can sustain and grow their operations and So that they can pay their employees. By contrast, the public sector exists primarily to deliver services for society. Public sector employers include the Civil Service, the Armed Forces, the NHS, Educators and Local Government. The third sector, also called not-for-profit organisations, are driven by social goals, for example, to improve the environment or public wellbeing and are generally focused on a specific cause or issue. There are hugely varied job opportunities in both the public, private and third sectors, and many role types exist in all of them Deciding what type of industry you’d like to work within is one of the decisions you will need to make as you embark on your search for work, as well as what type of work you’d like to do. Very often, candidates will choose a number of sectors to look for work in. Other times, candidates choose specific companies they’d like to work for, and then look for similar companies in that sector. If you want to know which sectors employ the most people, and therefore where the most opportunities might be, Another factor in deciding what type of employer you’d like to work for is the size of the organisation. It is difficult to make generalisations about the differences between big companies and small companies, however you can bear the following in mind: Big organisations employ more people. This may provide more opportunity to specialise.In smaller organisations employees may have to undertake a broader range of duties. The extreme example of this is sole traders, where one individual probably has to undertake marketing, sales, do or make stuff, manage accounts and carry out all administration! Big organisations could be considered less personal, as it’s impossible to know everyone who works there.Small organisations on the other hand might be family run. Whether these are good or bad things depends on you. Big organisations tend to have more rules and bureaucracy. This is sometimes evident in the nature of the recruitment process, which might be longer and more formal.Smaller organisations may have a less formal recruitment and other processes. See the next section if you are thinking of working for yourself - self-employment.
Self-employment and business opportunities You may have decided you want to work for yourself, rather than find a vacancy with an established employer. Self-employment is not an easy option and it may take quite a while to gain a reputation and earn enough money to pay your bills, but it might be right for some. Expand “Self employment is uncertain, but it's also exciting” Dean - autistic freelance speaker How you find opportunities for your own business will vary widely depending on the type of business you are looking to create and grow. For example, if you want to be a public speaker, you might need to build a website to promote what you do, including references and case studies of talks you’ve given, whereas if you’re a dogsitter, it might be more helpful to print some leaflets and deliver them around the local neighbourhood and/or ask if you can put some in reception at the local vet or newsagent. The key is to understand where your customers are likely to be and how they might want to hear about what you do and how you can help them. If you have an idea for a business and would like some support, you may be able to claim New Enterprise Allowance to help set up your business if you are over 18 and: You or your partner get: Universal Credit Job seeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance or You get Income Support and you are a lone parent or are disabled You will need to apply through your Job Coach at Job Centre Plus. If your application is accepted, you will get a mentor who will help you set up your business and develop a business plan. If your business plan is approved you may get a small allowance for six months and the opportunity to apply for a start-up loan to get the business going. “Being self-employed, you need to find all the answers out yourself and you're working it out as you go along” Dean - autistic freelance speaker A useful guide to starting your own business is available from HM Revenue & Customs which explains how to set up your business, and about the tax that you will need to pay. “Dealing with the tax office is a skill in itself - I found that stressful” Dean - autistic freelance speaker
Alternatives to an interview Some employers are beginning to realise that interviews are not the best way to test a candidate’s ability to do the job. You may be offered, or can ask for, an alternative. Expand There are ways to show your knowledge, experience and skills other than with an interview Selection for a job does not have to involve an interview, but organisations will vary in how open they are to alternatives. Depending on the type of role, the selection process may be very specific - for example, if you are applying for a performance role, you may be asked to attend an audition. Some alternatives to an interview are mentioned in the list below. You may be able to ask for them, either in addition to the standard process, or instead of the standard process. Dean Beadle talks about alternatives in his interview with us. Other ways of demonstrating your suitability: Submit a video – where you describe or demonstrate evidence to show you can do what they are asking. If an organisation asks for a Curriculum Vitae (CV), it may be possible to submit a video CV which will enable you to show examples of your work or to demonstrate how you work. Compile a portfolio - show the work you have already done in photos, samples, or references and case studies. Work Trial / Trial Shift – where you do the job on a trial basis. The more complicated the job, the longer the trial will be. Work trials are very common in hospitality, retail and creative work. As an autistic person, you may need longer to get familiar with the job and the working environment as a reasonable adjustment. You can ask whether there will be a payment or expenses in advance, but most work trials are unpaid and the law in this area is unclear. You should ask: How long will the trial shift last? When will it start and finish? What are you expected you to do during the shift? For the trial agreement to be put in an email Work Experience – unpaid, work experience can give you long enough in a job for your employer to see the real benefits of employing an autistic person. There is more information on types of work in our Preparing for Work section. Internships – paid or unpaid, an internship usually lasts longer than work experience and lets you work out if the job is what you want to do. It also gives the employer the chance to see how good you would be at the job “Work experience is a way for autistic people to prove their capabilities” Manager - Investment bank
What do I have to offer an employer? Even if you have not worked before, you have skills, knowledge and experience that are useful. Sometimes, an assessment can help understand your strengths. Expand You might not realise how useful your skills can be to an employer or what your strengths are. Different skills will lead you to different types of employment or jobs. If you are really good with numbers and maths for example, you might be happy working with money in a shop or bank, as an accountant, or as a mathematician. Your interests may well lead you towards working in a specific sector If you are passionate about animals, for example, you might want to be a dog walker, work in a pet shop, or train as a vet. You might not want to work directly with animals but might like to work with a charity such as the RSPCA where your passion shows how committed you will be to your employer. The National Careers Service has information about jobs in different industries. Transferable skills During your life to date, you will have developed skills, knowledge and experience; for example doing your special interest, undertaking voluntary work, playing sport, through education or going to clubs. Some of these skills will be really helpful at work. They are called transferable skills because you can transfer them from one situation to another. For example, the attention to detail that helps you research and collect stamps can help you to make sure that you collect data from every department in a company, and to know what is missing. Transferable skills are useful in employment. They include: Communication skills Numeracy English Digital and online skills Planning and organisation Team-work Collaboration Customer focus These types of skills and experiences are what you offer an employer in return for payment or an opportunity to develop even more skills. Using an assessment to help understand your skills The following assessments are free to use. You may want to ask someone who knows you well to talk about the results with you. Be aware that assessments are not usually autism-specific National Careers Service The National Careers Service have assessments on their website which can help you understand yourself: Skills and Careers – This online test can help you understand what sort of work you might like. It takes at least 10 minutes, possibly longer. You will be presented with a number of statements – for example “I like taking responsibility for other people” and you have to decide whether you Strongly Agree, Agree, It Depends, Disagree or Strongly Disagree. At the end of the assessment, it will recommend some job sectors that might suit you. It may ask you to answer 2 or 3 further questions about each sector. It then provides you with information regarding career and job types that could be suitable for you. Skills Health Check – These assessments are slightly more in-depth and take between 15 and 25 minutes each. There are 2 groups Personal Skills, which assess Skills, Interests, Personal Style and Motivation and Activity Skills, which assess how you: Work with numbers Work with written information Check information Solve mechanical problems Work with shapes Solve abstract problems You don’t have to do it all in one go. Sign in, and you can go back to finish the assessments when you want. Once you have completed the assessments, it will produce a report for you to download and use to help you decide what might work well for you. University of Portsmouth The University of Portsmouth offers profiling assessment tools for autistic people with mild or no learning disabilities. These assessments are funded by the University of Portsmouth and provided free of charge. It includes 4 types of assessment: An Employability Profile – to help you find a suitable career or job. Cognitive Profile – produces a tailored report on your strengths and weaknesses in social and communication skills; flexibility and planning; and sensory sensitivities. It includes a tailored support plan including recommended workplace adjustments. Full Employment Profile – designed for people taking part in job programmes and looking for work placements. The profile includes both an employability and cognitive profile Student Profile – designed to discover the student’s cognitive profile and provide tailored recommendations on how to communicate your needs to others at university. Alternatively, you may have a diagnostic report which contains a profile of your cognitive skills. If really detailed, they can form the basis of areas you need to consider in finding your reasonable adjustments, but they can be hard to interpret and so are best done with the support of a job coach. Jobcentre employment assessment Jobcentres also have Work Coaches who will help develop an ‘employment assessment’ to find out what kind of work will suit you best.
How can I help myself to be more employable? There are a number of different things you can do understand how your skills and motivations might be most relevant to the labour market. You can do some of the following things to increase your chances of securing employment. Expand “The main piece of advice that I would give to other people with autism is try to get experience that is as wide as possible to gain awareness and see what field you would fit in to” Luke - Civil Service Intern Find a mentor: This is someone you trust who you can ask for advice regarding how you best demonstrate your skills and abilities to people who might employ you. A mentor is someone who knows you well and wants to help you grow your career. The best mentors aren’t necessarily friends or family (although they may become friends over time) as they need to be able to advise you without some of the emotions that some of those you’re closest to might have. Examples could be a former colleague, someone who supported you at school or college, or perhaps a friend of the family Be yourself: You want to find work that allows you to be relaxed and comfortable. You also don’t want to have to pretend to be something you’re not, as having to do this for long is bad for both your mental and sometimes your physical health. Be happy to talk about your hobbies: Your experiences and what you enjoy outside of work may have given you skills which you can use at work. Be proud of your interests and hobbies. If people are amused by your passion, that is a good thing - and remember to be yourself! Research different types of jobs: Go online and read and watch videos about different types of jobs. Talk to other people who do that job already. This can help you to understand what you want to do and just as importantly what you don’t want to do. The National Careers Service has information about a wide variety of careers and jobs. Research different companies and industries: As well as deciding the type of work you want to do, you also need to decide what type of company or sector you want to do it for. Size of organisation and the sector a company operates in can create very different jobs. For example, you could decide you want to work in accounts because you love spreadsheets and the fact that maths is very logical. There are lots of different types of accounting roles, but even if you decided you wanted to work in billing (the department that generates invoices and collects cash from the businesses customers) working in billing for a small charity, is very different to working in cash collections for an engineering company even though the job title might be the same. Relate your life experiences to work: Throughout your life you will have developed skills and lived through experiences that can help you in the workplace. You might have raised money for charity, you might have organised a society at school or college, you might have put on a show as part of your drama group. All your experiences are chances to show how you have used your initiative, worked as part of a team, spoken in public and other great competencies that employers are looking for Prepare a Curriculum Vitae (also called a CV or resumé): A CV contains a description of the experience and skills you have to offer an employer. It usually has information about your education, qualifications and previous jobs. It could also contain information about your personal interests, especially if this is relevant and uses skills appropriate to the job you are interested in. It should highlight the things you are best at. Make it easy to read and simple to find important information such as your qualifications and experience. You might also include links to your social media profiles and include your email address and other contact details. Talk to people in work: Express an interest in what other people do for work and what their companies do, particularly if you know people who either do what you’d like to do, or who work for the types of companies you’d like to. But even if you just talk to people about what they like about their job, it will help you increase your understanding of what work is like, so that you can be better prepared for interviews and eventually starting work. Create a profile on LinkedIn and keep it up to date: LinkedIn is a social media platform, a bit like Facebook, that people use to manage their careers and to engage with the people they know through work. A lot of recruiters use LinkedIn to find people to fill their roles and they will look at your profile – especially if its good and highlights what you can do - and may contact you. Keep all posts polite and tactful on social media: Think about what you put onto social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: Everyone can read what you write, and no employer wants to be embarrassed by something you say online. Practise the skills you need for the job: Relevant experience is always good. If you are great at IT, make sure you have skills with current software and processes and that you have included them in your CV and LinkedIn profile if you have one. You can think about work experience or being a volunteer to develop your skills. Always be learning: So that your skills continue to develop and so you can show your future employer that you’re keen to learn. The world of work changes fast and one of the most important things employers look for in job applicants is a willingness to learn and develop themselves
Researching an organisation Find out about a company or organisation before you apply. Expand Why THIS company? There are lots of reasons to apply for a job, but your job application will be more effective if you can describe why you want to do THIS job for THIS company Sometimes it’s good to be prepared to tell your prospective employer why you want to work there. However, see the table below for some examples of what would be good things to say as part of your application, and also some things that wouldn’t be as effective: Reasons you can say that will help you get the job Reasons that you should not say (even if they are true) They are your dream company because they work in or with your special interest. (This is not usually the case) You know someone who works there, and they say they love it You like what they do You like their values and want to contribute They have a great reputation You have always wanted to be a (insert job title here) because…. It is better to be employed than unemployed and they have a vacancy You know someone who works there, and they say it’s mostly ok You know how to get there You need the money You are looking for compelling reasons that particular company and you are a good match. Think of a problem they have that you can solve. Your research on the company will help you. For example: they are looking for more warehouse staff as their business is growing, you are methodical and loyal, so they won’t have to worry about you turning up late and making expensive mistakes. What research should you consider doing? Your research will help you understand what skills and experience you can offer to the organisation, as well as think about whether you would enjoy working for them Your research will vary according to the size of the organisation you are interested in working for and the type of role you are applying for. A: For all jobs (especially those with small local companies): Ask someone who works at the company: What do they do What they are like to work for What they think is important Will they offer the flexibility and the reasonable adjustments you need Look at the company website: Look for: The company careers page (if they have one) to find jobs they have available and what they are looking for in an employee Mission, vision and values. These will tell you what the company values are. These should mostly be values you find important. Avoid companies doing things you don’t agree with as it will dramatically increase your stress level. If you are vegan, you are unlikely to be comfortable working in a butcher’s shop, for example. If in doubt, talk them through with family, friends or an advisor. What the company does, produces, creates, or sells How the company describes itself and if that will meet your needs. For example, if they talk about teamworking constantly in their documentation and you prefer to work alone, you might not like it there Ask someone who uses their product or service what they're like B: For jobs with medium sized / less formal companies: Research using the suggestions for small companies PLUS: Look at company reviews on Glassdoor. Many companies have the same job advertised on a number of sites. They prefer applications through Glassdoor because it includes company research which shows you have made more of an effort. Twitter and Facebook are good for news about the company which is useful for the application and interview. Interacting with a company through their social media page can sometimes help them to feel they know you when they receive your application. Make sure it is relevant and positive to create a good impression. LinkedIn has company pages and can help you find people who work there. If you have an interviewer’s name, you can often find a photo, so you recognise them in the interview. Check their profile to see what they find important. Also look at the “other companies viewed” section of a company page to give you an idea of what their competition is doing. C: For large, formal and international companies: Research using suggestions for A: small companies and B: medium sized companies PLUS: Annual Report - Gives you the company’s strategy and financial position as well as its strategic direction. May also include information on new products and how they are dealing with key challenges facing the company. Wider Industry – Find out about what issues affect the whole industry and what the most successful players in that industry are doing. Provides useful background for the application and interview.
Reading job adverts Job adverts are the way that a company will let people know that there is an opportunity to work for them. It can be helpful to be aware of what companies are trying to achieve at different parts of their recruitment process,. Expand Employers want to get lots of potential applicants to read their advertisement. They will be positive about the company and the role, in order to encourage you to read more! Adverts are unlikely to contain all the information you will want or need to help you decide whether you want to apply - for more details you will need to review a Job Description, where duties are described in more detail When reading job adverts, you will often come across phrases that may need explanation. Here are a few of the most common ones: About you – This is the bit where they describe the type of person they are looking for. It may include skills, experience and/or personality traits. The more their description sounds like you, then the more likely they want people like you to apply. Essential – If a skill, experience or qualification is listed as essential and you don’t have it, think hard about whether you should apply, as your chances of success are low. Desirable / Optional /Preferred – If a skill, experience or qualification is listed as desirable, optional, or is preferred, this means that people with those skills are more likely to get the job, but it is still worth applying. You may still be the best person for the job even without them. Competitive salary – The amount you would be paid is similar to similar roles in other organisations. It might mean they haven’t decided what the salary will be. It might depend on your skills and experience. Find out what other similar roles are paying by doing an online search for a salary checker. DBS Check – A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a certificate you apply for to show that you do not have a criminal record. You will need an enhanced DBS check for some roles working in health care, with children or with vulnerable adults. If you need a DBS Check for the job (but don’t currently have one), your employer will handle the application for you, and your job may depend on having it. Fixed Term – The job is only for a limited period of time. This is usually the term of your contract. OTE (On Target Earnings) – For many sales jobs, there is a basic salary which is topped up with the commission you earned, based on how much you sell. There is no guarantee you will get the higher figure. If you are not comfortable and fluent in speaking and selling face to face, avoid these types of jobs. For example, it might say £20,000 salary £40,000 OTE. Pro-rata – For part time jobs, this is where the salary you see (which is usually the Full-time equivalent) will be divided in proportion to the number of hours you work. For example, a £37,000 job, which is part time over 21 hours (if their standard work week is 37 hours) would pay you £21,000 a year pro-rata. Your annual leave (holiday leave) is worked out the same way. Proven Track Record – They are looking for someone who has done a very similar job before (or has the same skills in a different sector or environment). For example, if you have managed complex IT database projects and the job is in app development, that might not matter as much as the project management skills you have. Adverts may also have a description of the type of person they are looking for The following are some of the words that may be used to describe the attributes or skills they want an applicant to have: Dynamic – You are energetic and creative, energetic and ambitious for the company and yourself. Attention to detail – They will be looking for good accuracy, and evidence that are good at spotting mistakes, so be sure to proof-read your CV and covering letter very carefully. Self-Starter / Driven / Proactive - You will decide what you need to do to get the job done and manage your own workload. The organisation will expect you to get on with the work and keep yourself motivated. Team Player – You will be working a lot with other people, sharing ideas and helping out. This might suit some very sociable autistic people, others would need to balance social time with alone time. Read through the whole advert once and then if it helps you, consider completing our Job Advert Analysis to help you think about the requirements of the job and whether you want to apply for it.
Understanding job descriptions and person specfications Having attracted lots of applicants to their opportunity through advertising, some employers then describe the role and skills required to undertake it using Job Descriptions and Person Specifications. Most Job Descriptions, Person Specifications and adverts describe the skills or competencies required to do a role. Expand Employers use these documents to ensure that only qualified applicants submit applications. Job Descriptions, Person Specifications or adverts may use words or phrases which are unclear or relate to the role - if you can, ask someone you know who works for a similar company if they can understand them. A Job Description (JD) outlines the scope, duties, responsibilities and tasks of the role. If written well, it can help you visualise what it would be like to do that job. It also often forms part of your employment contract. Job Descriptions are sometimes vague - the words “anything else that is reasonably requested” is often included in job descriptions as employers can’t always predict what might need to be done and don’t want to limit themselves A Person Specification describes the qualifications, skills and experience needed to do the role. It will help recruiters to write job advertisements, and like advertisements can help you decide whether to apply or not. Skills tend to be learnt e.g. use of a software package, whereas competencies are knowledge and behaviours. You will have competencies whether you’ve worked before or not. The ability to learn is one of the most desired competencies in today’s workplace:Showing that you can master new tasks, skills and techniques might negate the need to show that you can do everything today, as you’ve proven you can learn how to in the future Some of the common competencies that employers look for are: Teamwork: Can be one of those competencies that causes autistic jobseekers to worry, as they can quite often be introverted and don’t always understand the many social dynamics that can go on in team environments. However, teamwork is also a competency that we can all relate to and know something about - even if you have no prior work experience, you have probably been in a team or group at school, or in a social or sport activity. We may have been in teams that have worked well, and we have probably been in teams that haven’t! The key here is to think about your role in the team and how you helped the team perform more effectively than it would have done without you. Decision Making: Key to thinking about this competency, is to think about the process of decision-making, rather than the result of it. Do you evaluate multiple alternatives, do you consult with others, do you take your time or make instinctive judgements? Everything you do every day is determined by decisions – what shall I do today, how well shall I do it, how long shall I spend doing it etc. so you should have plenty to draw upon. Communication: Depending upon the role you’re applying for; it may be more important to illustrate written or verbal communication skills. Things that are often overlooked are listening and clarifying understanding, which are essential to effective communication. Leadership: Doesn’t just mean having authority or being in charge. It might also mean taking responsibility to ensure things happen effectively or helping others to achieve their objectives. Problem Solving: This is similar to decision making but infers that the decision is difficult - perhaps it needs a little research, or some creative thinking to identify an alternative option that isn’t immediately obvious? Ability to Learn: We tend to learn through education – formal classroom training, exposure – observing how others do things, or experience – trying stuff out and learning from our successes and failures. Initiative / Independence: One thing that is true abut many workplaces is that people working there are often busy. They don’t want to have to constantly show people what to do, or how to do things. When might you have been resourceful and either worked out how to do something for yourself or solved a problem that no one asked you to solve? Creativity and Innovation: Sometimes autistic people feel they think differently to others around them. This can be a great source of creativity and innovation. Coming up with ideas and designs that make things better will always be something that employers value. Influencing Others: Sometimes we need to change people’s minds or get them to believe in our idea. How we go about persuading them to think differently might sound manipulative, but often it can be to their advantage. It’s a competency that lies at the heart of many sales and marketing roles. People often forget that influencing isn’t simply about presenting a well-rounded argument, it’s also about understanding your audience. Adaptability. As well as the ability to learn, this also relates to our ability to cope with change. Change can feel daunting for autistic people, but you will have developed ways to navigate changes. Preparedness and planning are often key skills that autistic individuals have that actually make them good at adapting, despite not necessarily liking it very much! Where listed in Job Descriptions, Person Specifications and adverts, these skills and competencies are likely to form the basis for the upcoming recruitment and selection process. Remember, you have experiences from all aspects of your life that are relevant to the workplace and that you can draw upon to show how you might perform against a job description
Resigning and moving on Resigning is your decision to hand in your job. But there may be an alternative such as a career break or unpaid leave if you just want a temporary break from work. Expand Resigning is your decision to hand in your notice and advise your employer that you want to end your employment contract and leave the organisation There are many reasons for resigning: You’ve been offered another job you prefer You are starting a college course or full-time training You don’t like the job You can no longer do the job You have found something better Your personal circumstances have changed You are going for a complete career change Your contract will say how many weeks’ notice you need to give before you leave. You must give at least one weeks’ notice if you have been in your job for a month. You do this by handing in a letter of resignation which can be an email, or letter. You can do it verbally, but it is much better to have a written copy. Normally you would send your resignation email/letter to your line Manager. You will be expected to continue to work during your notice period unless the company has told you not to. Before you resign, think VERY carefully as your employer does not have to take you back if you change your mind What you should include in your resignation letter: Your name, job title and contact details The date Your manager’s name State that you are resigning Say when your last day at work will be If you want to explain, use a second paragraph to say why you are leaving (you do not have to, and in some cases it may be better not to, especially if you think there’s any chance you may one day regret it) Say thank-you for the time you have had with the company and the opportunities you have been given Wherever possible, it is important to remain on good terms with your employer. You never know when you might want their help – for example you might need them to give you a reference in the future. Alternatives to resignation – career breaks and unpaid leave If you don’t want to leave your job but your personal circumstances have changed, ask whether your employer may allow career breaks or extended unpaid leave, and whether you would qualify. In larger companies you could ask your Human Resources or Personnel department if there is a policy covering these situations. If they do, the policy should state: Who is eligible? How much notice you must give? Whether your contractual terms and conditions such as leave and pay increases continue whilst you’re on leave How to apply How much time is allowed? Be aware that career break or unpaid leave arrangements are not legally binding, and do not guarantee that you can go back to the same post or even a similar job Moving on Once you have decided that you are leaving and you have formally told the company, one option is to simply slip away quietly. However, it is more usual to take time to tell your colleagues. If appropriate, you should thank them for being a colleague for the time you have been with the company and to let them know who will be doing the work when you leave. This may be your line manager if you don’t know who is taking over from you. Most workplaces have their own routines for when someone leaves. Ask your line manager or mentor what normally happens, but you may find you need to: Bring in cake to say thank you and goodbye Arrange leaving drinks for close colleagues Receive a leaving card at a presentation in a meeting Leave quietly without anyone noticing Sometimes, a celebration or ‘leaving do’ will be arranged by your manager or other members of the team. If any of the usual leaving celebrations make you very uncomfortable, you can ask for a quieter alternative as you are the primary reason for the event! Managing the transition when you leave a job Changing your working routine is hard. Just how much changes as a result of your decision, will depend on whether you have a job to move on to and whether it’s similar. Even within the same company, different teams have their own rules and ways of working. To make sure that you understand the etiquette of the new team, ask what happens in your new team. Do what you can to make the transition easier. You might like to review our section on starting a new role. If you do not have a job to move on to, see our section on looking after yourself while not working.
When an employee or applicant tells you they are autistic Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for their autistic or disabled employees and job candidates. But this duty may also apply, even if they have not been told about a disability. Expand Employers are not required to make reasonable adjustments or avoid discrimination arising from disability when they do not and could not know that a person is disabled. An employer’s knowledge of disability does not need to be knowledge that a person meets the Equality Act definition of a disabled person, but rather when the employer knows of the facts of the disability, so being aware that an employee is struggling in the workplace may be enough to put the employer ‘on notice’ that they should make further enquiries about disability and reasonable adjustments. Some autistic people may have known they autistic from childhood, others may have discovered they were autistic as an adult and so may also be learning about their own autism and what they need to avoid being disadvantaged. Each autistic person will have their own individual profile of areas where they may experience disadvantage and they may have strengths because of their autism. Employers should treat each autistic person as an individual and not make assumptions about strengths and needs Adopting a Universal Design approach to employment practice will reduce the need to make basic reasonable adjustments for individual disabled employees, but it will always be necessary to learn more about each disabled person as an individual to ensure that every individual is able to work to their full potential and avoid discrimination. It is important to respect each individual autistic person’s wishes about confidentiality, some people may not want their autism to be known widely in the organisation and others may be very open about it, employers should actively check what a person’s wishes are about disclosure. It is also important to recognise that even if an individual wishes for their autism to remain confidential, if they have disclosed they are autistic on any employer form or paperwork or to someone in their capacity as a manager, then the employer’s organisation will likely be taken to know about disability and therefore have a duty to make reasonable adjustments and avoid discrimination arising from disability.
Managing and developing employees Getting to know and manage an autistic member of staff will develop your understanding of the huge strengths which an autistic person can bring to the workplace. Treat your autistic employees in the same way that you would any other individual and respond to their needs accordingly. Be aware that needs and adjustments will change over time so this should be the subject of an ongoing conversation. Expand Many autistic people have excellent technical and creative skills but may struggle more with the sensory and social environment. It is essential that you take the time to understand how autism affects the person you are working with, so that you are able to meet your legal responsibilities under the Equalities Act (2010) and Northern Ireland Disability Discrimination Act. Autistic employees may struggle with: Communicating with other people, misunderstanding social cues and may be misinterpreted by colleagues as being rude or unfriendly Sensory environment in the office, especially being more sensitive to lights, sound and smell which can cause pain and increase anxiety Unstructured time, changes to working routines and unclear expectations Participating in meetings, team building and social activities “In a noisy place I can’t understand speech, because I cannot screen out the background noise.” Dr Temple Grandin - Thinking in Pictures, 2006 You will help your autistic employee to succeed if you: Train and develop the individual for their exceptional abilities – even if these don’t relate to their current assignment Look for where the individual can deliver the most value to the company Be clear and specific – explain exactly what you need, ideally in writing, so your employee can go back to your instructions for reassurance Meet regularly and often – so that you can work on any issues that arise promptly. Many autistic people will struggle if issues are not addressed. Be aware that many autistic people have been bullied - they may be very sensitive to criticism as a result. Bullying happens in workplaces as well as in schools and they may need help to resolve issues that arise Adapt the sensory environment – work with the autistic person to create an environment where they can work well. Create predictability and structure – For example, offer an allocated desk, rather than hot desking and diarise regular meetings. Provide support for transitions – many autistic people struggle with change so provide support and plan changes in advance Explain office etiquette – be very clear about the unwritten rules of your workplace Provide a mentor – make sure that they are trained in understanding autism and set a regular time and place to meet. Provide autism training for all staff – to reduce the chance of misunderstandings with colleagues. But do not tell other members of your staff about an autistic person's disclosure unless they consent. Provide reassurance in stressful situations - many autistic people are especially meticulous and will struggle if things aren’t completely correct Problem-solve together – When issues arise, work together to solve them and build capability. Reasonable adjustments and management The key to successfully managing an autistic employee is by responding to their specific needs, as you would with any other employee. Just as people and roles change over time, so will any adjustments that you make for individual employees so this should be the subject of an ongoing dialogue. Don’t share an employee’s autistic diagnosis with other staff unless they consent Consider the possibility that there may need to be adjustments made during your management conversations: Training and development – This includes training autistic employees for their strengths, and also training all staff for neurodiversity sensitivity. Clarification and specification – Be clear and specific with any instruction or information. Ideally put this in writing. Reducing vagueness in your instructions or memos will benefit all employees! Communication –Organise regular meetings with your employees to make check in with their progress and how they are adjusting to their workplace. Communicating can allow you to quickly address newly arisen issues, and problem solve together with your staff. Adaptation of the sensory environment – Create an environment where an employee feels physically comfortable, this include adjustments to reduce sensory sensitivities. Consistency and routine – Such adjustments include making sure that events or meetings don’t change time unexpectedly, allowing an autistic employee to consistently work in the same way in the same place, and keeping a regular and easily accessible schedule for working hours. Flexibility – Some of your processes and standards can become barriers to autistic employees. Some of the easiest adjustments you can make are being flexible about things like working hours, location, and dress. Support during transitions – Many autistic people struggle with change. When transition is unavoidable, you may need to provide additional adjustment to support autistic employees. Support with etiquette – It’s important to make sure autistic employees are aware of, and understand workplace standards, written or otherwise. Mentoring – Some support can come from providing interested autistic employees with a mentor who they feel comfortable asking for help. Consider offering specialist training for employees who are interested in being mentors. Reassurance – Sometimes, autistic employees need somewhere to turn for emotionally draining or stressful situations. You may be able to provide relief for those situations. Career planning – help them to see and make connections. When considering adjustments, there will always be situations where an adjustment would be impossible or unreasonable. For instance, an autistic employee taking orders from customers at a food venue would not be able to wear ear defenders. It may be easier to think of reasonable adjustments as removing barriers as an opportunity to improve an autistic employee’s ability to demonstrate their strengths
Attracting the right skills for the future All businesses need a range of skills and abilities to be able to succeed, develop and grow profitably. Expand Traditional recruitment strategies can fail to hire diverse groups of employees. Doing what we have always done perpetuates the status quo. Many processes assess an applicant’s ability to apply and interview for a position, rather their potential value as an employee. Similarly, automated screening can exclude people unable to make their knowledge conform to an employment profile. “I think we should restructure the way people find jobs so this process doesn't bring so many people down, let alone autistic people” Community organiser To make your recruitment more inclusive, you might consider the following: The portfolio of skills, abilities and personal values you are looking for. A broader selection process, which reduces reliance simply on an applicant’s performance at interview Whether a candidate matches any vacancy in your company, not just the one they applied for. Using a technical assessment to review skills which can be completed online Not screening out applicants due to patchy employment histories. These could be the result of unsupportive working environments and employers not making reasonable changes. Make sure that the selection process examines and tests the key skills you need the employee to use in the job. “The main challenge that I did face was communicating with people that I don’t really know ... therefore for me it made the interview process very hard” Luke - autistic intern There has recently been much criticism regarding the effectiveness of interviews in the recruitment of new employees. While they may be a strong tool for the recruitment of positions requiring strong communication and social skills e.g. receptionists, salespeople, or recruiters, they don’t always identify skills required for other, less socially oriented positions. Interviewer’s unconscious bias can also work against otherwise qualified applicants. The best candidate for the job, may not be the one who gives the best interview!
Formal and informal socialising Unless you are working on your own in a remote location, you are likely to need to interact with other people. Expand It is important to be able to get on with people in the work environment and socialising often helps people to do that better. You may want to minimise the times you need to use these skills as it gets very tiring to concentrate on this as well as the work. Social events can be formal and planned, or informal and arranged by the teams themselves. Many organisations put time and money into making sure that their workers feel part of a team. This is important to most employees and is thought to help individuals get to know their colleagues so that they can collaborate in work more effectively. You may be expected to attend some social or team activities, others you can avoid without causing offence Team building – daytime or evening events designed to improve communication, build trust, reduce conflict, and improve collaboration. You will probably be asked to work with other people in teams and may be asked to solve a problem. It is paid for by the company and counts as working time. They are usually held away from the office, so ask for all of the details of the event in advance and to be assigned to a team with your line manager or another colleague that you like so that you feel as comfortable as possible. Examples might include an evening bowling, team quizzes, going sailing, or an escape-room challenge. If the venue or event type isn’t accessible for you, you may need to ask for a reasonable adjustment or explain why you feel unable to attend Going out after work – often an informal arrangement where groups of people go out for a drink or other activity, with or without a meal, in your own time. You do not necessarily have to attend these informal events, but they are often an opportunity to find out more about your colleagues and build relationships and understanding. If you want to get involved in these kinds of informal team activities, you might want to talk to a trusted colleague about what would make it easier for you to attend – for example knowing where you’re likely to go and whether you’re planning to stay out for meal times in advance. Sometimes going out after work is spontaneous – for example as a response to something really good happening at work that day. And sometimes plans change, meaning colleagues might decide to change venues during the evening. It’s OK to go out for a while and then go home when you’re ready to do so, you don’t need to feel you have to stay until a particular time or until others choose to go home. Christmas Meal – many workplaces celebrate Christmas by going out. This could be a Christmas lunch, or an evening meal. Ask whether or not you will need to pay or contribute a proportion of the costs for the meal and drinks as not all companies will pay. You can expect to pay a price per person and choose options from a set menu. Find out who is organising the event, check the menu in advance and agree to go to a venue that serves food you are ok to eat. If you are based in an office, factory, shop or place of work with other people, you will probably be expected to go unless you are ill, but you do not have to go if you don’t want to. Office Party – held in the office itself, at a hotel, bar or other venue. You will probably be expected to go and look happy to be there. In reality, not everyone enjoys work parties and the fact that many who attend often consume lots of alcohol. If it is held outside work time, you do not have to go and there is no need to drink alcohol if you do not want to. Going out for lunch or coffee break – Work colleagues will often go out in small groups to buy lunch or snacks and bring it back or eat lunch out together. If they are happy for you to join them, they will invite you. You do not have to say yes. You can also suggest lunch with a colleague yourself. Teams sometimes go out for a working lunch, where everyone needs to attend as you will be discussing work. If you are working on that project or in that team you will be expected to go with them. You should discuss any dietary requirements with the person booking the venue to make sure there is something you are able to eat. Also, be ready to cover your share of the costs.
Preparing to start work Getting a good start to your working life with a company can make all of the difference. You will need to plan in advance to make the transition into work easier. Expand First impressions are very important, so put time into creating a positive impression You may want to think about the following things before you start work. Getting to your workplace As well as the cost of travel, you also need to plan your journey and routes to work. Traffic can be very different in the rush hour, so you might want to consider a practice run so you know what time you might need to leave home and also what time you’re likely to get home at the end of the day. Lunches or other breaks Decide whether you’re going to take lunch in, eat in the canteen or buy food locally. Make this decision based on the local facilities available and what you prefer to eat. Find out whether the people you will be working with take their own lunch in, go out to a shop or to a canteen to buy lunch. It can be helpful to go with them and choose something you like to eat. If you have a restricted diet, take in something you like from home until you have worked out the food options Budgeting Most jobs pay weekly or monthly in arrears which means you may have to work for up to a month before you get paid Make sure you have enough money to pay for the following: Travel to and from work. Make sure you work out how much it will cost to get to work and home again at the times you need to be there. If you are doing shift work, the cost and time taken to travel at night can be different if there is not public transport at that time. Meals. You will need money to pay for food to make meals at home, or that you buy while out at work. Pension. It is compulsory for your employer to sign you up for a workplace pension scheme. Money will be deducted from your pay and placed into your pension fund. In some roles you are able to pay an additional proportion of your earnings into a personal pension, that will give you more money in retirement than the standard government pension. You won’t pay tax on any earnings invested into your pension, but your weekly or monthly pay will be lower. Clothing Different types of clothing are appropriate for different work environments You may need to buy clothes for your new role if you don’t already have some that are suitable, or if the company doesn’t provide a uniform. Having secured the role, you’ve probably met some people who work there and seen the workplace, so will have an idea of the types of clothes that are suitable for that job. It’s important to get clothes that fit you well and that meet your sensory requirements. Some stores have a ‘quiet shopping hour’ (usually early on a midweek morning). Sone stores may offer a personal shopper service, where someone who works there can help you find what you need, based on your description or pictures of the sort of things that other people are wearing at your new place of work. If you need help to make alterations, the shop may be able to do it themselves (e.g. shortening trousers to suit). If not, a dry cleaner or tailor shop will be able to do alterations. Uniforms Some employers provide uniforms for their staff. Have your measurements handy so that you get a uniform which fits well. Comfort is key. It helps if you can wear the same as other people doing the same sort of job as you, but you may need to find alternatives to meet your sensory needs Sensory adjustments to clothing Many autistic people struggle with fabric textures and fit. If you cannot wear an item of clothing without being deeply uncomfortable, think about what alternatives you might like to try - you can then ask for these as reasonable adjustments. Stick as closely as you can to the items other people at the same level are wearing whilst being comfortable. Changes you could make include: One size looser in the same item Wearing tight layers under your clothes, such as a vest, or compression shorts for example Swapping a formal tailored jacket for a softer material in a similar cut Swap an item of stiff or itchy material for a softer version of the same item Choosing brands which have printed labels, rather than itchy fabric ones or cut out the labels once you are sure they fit Wearing a hat and/or tinted glasses to reduce visual glare Wearing comfortable shoes Managing anxiety and avoiding burnout You are likely to be feeling very nervous in the run up to starting a new job, so make sure you manage other demands carefully to avoid burnout. Reduce unnecessary activities that deplete your energy and increase time with your passionate interests and other activities which make you feel good. Make sure you also get plenty of rest. Personal hygiene Being clean and smelling good is important to everyone in a working environment. People find it hard to talk about personal hygiene issues and may hesitate to mention it to you. Make sure that you and your clothes are washed frequently and consider using a deodorant. The job itself Before you start, you may want to refer back to the advert or job description to remind yourself what you’re going to be doing and what’s important to your employer. You can keep researching once you have the role if it helps you relax and prepare for the challenge ahead. You might want to use the internet to learn more about the company, its customers and its employees – your future colleagues. Think about learning more about the role, so that you can be ready to make a great first impression.
Ways to apply for work There are a number of different ways to apply for work. The process will vary depending on the job you are applying for. Expand If there is an application process, you will usually be one of a number of people applying for the same opportunity. Whether you submit your application on paper or using an online process, they will all be received by someone who has to go through the pile of applications. There may be just a few, or there could be hundreds. Your application won’t always be successful - that’s often simply down to how many other good applicants they had, rather than a reflection on you or your application There are lots of different ways to apply for work. Usually, the bigger the company, or the more senior the role, the more complicated the appointment process will be. How you apply for a job differs based on whether you’re responding to a role that has been advertised or submitting a speculative application. A speculative application involves applying for a job in an organisation without having seen one advertised. Responding to advertisements The advert should contain instructions regarding how to apply, or a website link to more information. Typically, you might be asked to: Provide contact details so that they can post or email you an application form Download an application form to complete and submit by post or hand in (a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume may not be needed. The company will usually say if it is not necessary) Complete an online application form Email or send the employer a copy of your CV to an email or postal address provided Send copies of documents, for example of your qualifications Sometimes employers expect you to do more than one of the above, for instance they may ask you to complete an application form AND attach your CV. If this occurs, it is probably best to assume that they may not review them together, so submit your CV as if you weren’t completing an application form and complete all parts of the application form as if you weren’t also attaching your CV! You may also be asked to send a ‘covering letter’ with your CV. This gives you an extra opportunity to explain why you are interested in working for this company and in this role. Make sure that you follow all the instructions which are given about applying for a role: If they ask you to complete an application form – do so! Don’t send your CV instead and hope that they will read it Key Steps to complete the application process Read carefully and follow the instructions that you are given and make sure that you include all the information, documents and other supporting activities that are requested. Step 1 – Read the job description and person specification – make sure that you have everything they describe as ‘essential’ Step 2 – Tailor your CV (if requested) – with brief descriptions of tasks and roles that meet their description of what is required. Your CV is not always a written list of your skills and experience - you may be asked for a video of yourself or samples of your work. Be sure to follow the instructions you are given and provide the information in the requested format. Step 3 – Write a Supporting Statement / Covering letter (if requested) – say how you meet the requirements of the post and your interest in the organisation. See the tips for writing a cover letter in the next section. Step 4 – Complete the application form (if requested) Step 4 – Check the instructions – Answer all questions. If they use reference numbers, quote them in your covering letter, if they want a photo, put one in and make sure you make a note of any deadline and get your application in before it! Step 5 – Meet the deadline – make sure your application and all supporting information arrives before the deadline Make sure you have included all the requested documents when you submit your application and ensure that you meet the required deadline! Submitting a speculative application A speculative application is one where you apply to an organisation for a job even though they have not advertised one. This is something you might do if you really like an organisation or think they might really want to employ someone with your skills, knowledge and / or experience. This might involve posting them your CV and covering letter, but it might also mean visiting the company and speaking to someone in person. If they are the person in charge and they like you, they might just give you a job Application processes can be very short or may take many stages and last months to progress through the necessary stages.
What if I am too unwell to work? If you are ill, the most important thing is to get better as soon as you can. Expand If you feel poorly, get help from a healthcare professional, such as a pharmacist, nurse or your doctor. You should be registered with a doctor’s practice. If you are not registered with a doctor, you can use the NHS website to find the closest one to you. If you tell them you are autistic, you can ask them to make reasonable adjustments to make it easier for you to be seen by a doctor. This guide from the NAS can help you explain any adjustments you need. What should I tell my employer if I'm not well enough to come to work If you are employed and you fall sick, you should follow the company procedures for how to tell them Normally, you should ring your manager to let them know you are ill as soon as you can, and you will usually need to ring in every day you are ill. They may need to get someone else in to cover your work. If you are sick for more than 7 days (including days you don’t normally work such as weekends and bank holidays), your employer may ask for a fit note (the proper name for it is a Statement of Fitness for Work). Being sick is not the same as being disabled. If you are working for someone else and become ill, you should qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). You have to be ill for more than 3 days (the ‘waiting days’) and you will not be paid statutory sick pay for these unless you were paid sick pay within the previous 8 weeks. You cannot get statutory sick pay if you are self-employed. You may need to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) instead. Benefits can be complicated to work out, so check one of the benefits calculators to see if you can claim. You many be able to claim other benefits. See also our section about being unwell at work.
Types of work and training while working Work does not have to mean having a paid job. Some alternatives are paid, some are unpaid. All of them can offer the chance to improve your skills. Expand Some work is paid, some is unpaid. Some opportunities will pay expenses even if they do not make any other formal payment. Unpaid work can be a stepping-stone towards paid employment in the future. Traditional Permanent Contract: (Paid) The vast majority of the UK working population still work in traditional employment contracts with one employer. The contract will say how many hours you must work, this can be full time or part time. Voluntary Work: (Unpaid) - Where you give your time and effort without payment. Work Experience and Work Shadowing: (Unpaid) - An opportunity to learn about a job or area of work. Typically undertaken by pupils prior to leaving school. Work Placements and Internships: – (Unpaid or paid) - A fixed term of work experience offered by an organisation lasting for a limited period of time. Typically undertaken by students during their course or students who have recently graduated and who are looking to build work experience. Traineeships: (Unpaid) – A short term course with work-experience that prepares young people (18-24) for work or an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships: (Paid) A combined programme of work and college-based learning, across a wide array of different work and subjects. These are paid placements and result in a formal qualification at the end of a set period of time if completed successfully. Temporary Agency Work: (Paid) Agency employment can offer varied short term employment assignments, where you are paid by the agency to undertake temporary work for one of their employer customers. Self Employment: (Paid) Where you set up your own business to make and sell things or to deliver services to other people or businesses.