Asperger's on the Job: Must-Have Advice for People with Asperger's or High Functioning Autism and their Employers, Educators, and Advocates

by Rudy Simone, Temple Grandin (Foreword by)

Overview

Up to 85% of the Asperger's population are without full-time employment, though many have above-average intelligence. Rudy Simone, an adult with Asperger's Syndrome and an accomplished author, consultant, and musician, created this insightful resource to help employers, educators, and therapists accommodate this growing population, and to help people with Asperger’s find and keep gainful employment.

Rudy's candid advice is based on her personal experiences and the experiences of over fifty adults with Asperger's from all over the world, in addition to their employers and numerous experts in the field. Detailed lists provide balanced guidelines for success, while Rudy's "Interview Tips" and "Personal Job Map" tools will help Aspergians, young or old, find their employment niche. There is more to a job than what the tasks are: from social blunders, to sensory issues, to bullying by coworkers, Simone presents solutions to difficult challenges. Readers will be enriched, enlightened, and ready to work—together!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935274094
Publisher:	Future Horizons, Inc.
Publication date:	05/28/2010
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Temple Grandin earned her Ph.D. in animal science from the Universityof Illinois, went on to become an associate professor at Colorado State University, and wrote two books on autism, including the seminal "Thinking in Pictures." One of the most celebrated — and effective — animal advocates on the planet, Grandin revolutionized animal movement systems and spearheaded reform of the quality of life for the world's agricultural animals.

Table of Contents

Foreword Temple Grandin vii

Introduction xiii

Why Should You Employ Someone With AS?: The Advantages of Asperger's Syndrome in the Workplace 1

The Importance of Belief 5

The Big Consequences of Small Talk 11

Bluntness, Perfectionism, and That Famous Asperger Arrogance 19

Blunders, Boundaries, and Emotional Detachment 25

Please Do Not Fill in the Blank 31

Quiet Please 37

Visual Overstimulation and Other Sensory Issues 45

Trust Me, I Have Asperger's 51

Polyester Prisons, Neck-Tie Nooses, and High-Heeled Hell 59

A Little R&R Goes a Long Way: Ritual and Routine 65

Don't Tell Them Where You Heard This, But 71

The High Cost of Low Behavior 79

The Power of Praise 87

Working with Natural Strengths and Interests 93

Conformity, Psychometric Testing and the New Segregation 101

Asperger's and Education: Star-crossed Lovers? 109

To Tell or Not to Tell, That Is the Question 115

"Bye Bye," Said the Black Sheep: Avoiding the Aspergian Pre-emptive Strike 121

Reach to Succeed 127

Additional Tools

Finding the Perfect Job for You-The Personal Job Map 131

Interview Tips for Those with Asperger's 137

Notes 139

References 141

Resources 145

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"If I had read this book when I was in my twenties, I could have avoided many problems with coworkers. I truly believe that this book will help individuals on the autism spectrum get, and keep, the fulfilling jobs that they deserve."

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., world-famous autism expert and author of The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's

 

"This is a most timely book!  I'm pleased to see someone finally write about the incredible value of employees with Asperger's Syndrome (they're wonderful employees).  Based on her typical, thorough research and documentation, author Rudy Simone shows us how people with Asperger's and their employers can find mutual success in the workplace. This book is THE guide for how people on the spectrum can find jobs and succeed.  It's MUST reading for employers, teachers, and those with Asperger's looking for work." 

Craig Evans, Founder of AutismHangout.com)

 

"Asperger’s on the Job is a good book for potential employees to read, but it's essential for employers. A wonderful achievement."Michael John Carley, Executive Director of GRASP

Editorial Reviews

"If I had read this book when I was in my twenties, I could have avoided many problems with coworkers. I truly believe that this book will help individuals on the autism spectrum get, and keep, the fulfilling jobs that they deserve."

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., world-famous autism expert and author of The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's

 

From the Publisher