Career guidance or misguidance? Examining stereotypes, reliability, and career information within job lists for autistic individuals

Autistic people, educators, counsellors, parents and autism-related organisations can obtain free lists of best and worst jobs for autistic individuals on the Internet through web pages, blogs, artificial intelligence, Reddit and Quora. Books on careers are also available. In this paper, the author lists Holland’s six personality types and the nature of the jobs in which different personality types are likely to succeed. He argues that most of the job lists that appear online give a stereotyped view of autism and the type of jobs in which autistic adults might be successful. There is a danger then that autistic people, careers guidance workers and potential employers, rule out specific types of work. This then perpetuates the assumption that an autistic person can only do certain types of jobs and closes the door to other opportunities. What is needed instead is an analysis of an autistic individual’s interests, skills, talents and preferences and good information on the jobs that are likely to suit that person and the adjustments that might need to be made, if any, to enhance their success.

There is huge diversity within the autistic population and many other factors apart from personality type will influence the type of work a person might or might not succeed in and enjoy, including their experiences and opportunities in childhood and education, and the support, attitudes and experiences of family members. In addition, the nature and degree of their differences and difficulties (e.g. sensory, social, communication, emotional) will influence their choices. Using the diagnosis of autism alone is highly unlikely to be a useful guide for any person. There are many undiagnosed autistic adults from all walks of life whose stories are not published. This gap can also give a skewed view of what is possible. The Editor welcomes other papers on employment issues in autism.