Imagine you’re applying for a job. Academically you’re strong and you know you’ll be a great employee. But should you tell prospective employers you have ASD (autism spectrum disorder)? And if so when, and how?
“It’s important to understand what your rights are,” said Mike Faeth, Director of Franklin Capstone, a postsecondary program for neurodiverse young adults. “One of your rights is that you do not have to disclose your disability.”
But as with many things in life, there’s more than one aspect to that right.
Neurodiversity on the Job: Think of Your Needs First
Throughout your school years, generally the more you share with teachers and administrators about your needs, whether physical, cognitive, or emotional, the more you will get the help you need. Schools are in the business of educating everyone: that’s their purpose, so they will do their best to accommodate each student by connecting you to appropriate resources.
Does that translate to the workplace?
While workplaces are required to comply with the ADA, they usually don’t have the range of resources a school district has to accommodate a wide range of learning styles.
All of which means telling an employer that you’re on the spectrum might not translate to action the way it would in a school setting. The more specific you can be (for example, letting them know before an interview that you have anxiety disorder and would prefer questions in advance) the more likely you are to get the help you need.
The key is to think through what you need in the situation and what to share in order to get help.
Breaking Down Barriers to Achievable Actions
Here’s a real example of how being clear about needs can result in a better outcome.
Already successfully employed, a Capstone participant was challenged by one aspect of the job — using a walkie-talkie. It wasn’t the device; it was talking to other people that was uncomfortable. Overcoming that discomfort to keep the job, and even to advance, seemed like a big barrier.
“One of the ways we help participants is by connecting the dots between activities and goals, and also by breaking goals into smaller steps,” said Jordan Morrison, a social worker at Franklin Capstone. “We connected the social activity of talking to the workplace goal, and then we took that goal (talking on the walkie talkie) and broke it down into a smaller step of talking on the phone more often. We also reached out to their family for support with conversational skills and we let their manager know so they could request an accommodation.”
Without telling the manager about the challenge, the employee might have seemed difficult to work with, for no obvious reason. And without breaking down the challenge into achievable components, the solution might not have been feasible.
“If there are things you need from others, or you need them to understand about you in order for you to accomplish the work, you may need to disclose a certain amount,” said Faeth. “Each person needs to evaluate for themselves, in every context where it’s relevant, what you want employers and co-workers to know about you. And why — what do you want them to do about it.”
Once the individual sat down and talked to their manager (with coaching from the Capstone team), it went well. Together they came up with solutions like in-person check-ins in addition to talking on the walkie-talkie, and using the walkie-talkies for more predictable situations, versus ongoing communications.
Authenticity and Adaptation
In addition to thinking “what do I need” you’ll need to think through “who needs to know” in order to set yourself up for success. You may not need to tell everyone at your new job, and you probably don’t need to share the same information at the same time with all the same people.
Does that mean to be successful at work you can’t be yourself?
Think of it this way: in any group or society, people adapt to fit in. Most of us change our behavior based on the situation: are we with friends, with family, with co-workers, with strangers? Are we at work, at home, on a date, at a formal event?
Knowing how and when to adapt is part of social emotional intelligence, sometimes called EQ, which is an in-demand skill highly correlated with workplace success.
“You’ll see a lot of content out there saying we should all be authentic, but there is a way that we all need to interact with one another to be appropriate in different situations,” said Faeth. “It’s not behavior modification per se, as much as building skills like we do for any new situation. Creating a successful, enjoyable life of independence takes an interconnected set of skills for all of us.”
Franklin Capstone offers a range of programs to prepare neurodiverse 18-28 year-olds for successful independence. Now in its fourth year, it is a fully accredited vocational rehabilitation center as well as an academic resource. We’d be happy to talk about how Capstone can help you or your young adult build skills for successful independence.
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