Tag Archives: Work

The Intentionally Imperfect Job Market/Carreers

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When I was at the mall more than a month ago, on the same day I went livid on social media because this was what I felt was a contributing factor of the events that day; I felt pressured to check out as the sales associates I felt assumed because I was a guy, I was trying to go in and out.

The place was the local American Eagle Outfitters. The following Tuesday, I returned the pair of shorts because I was so disgusted by the feelings of the sales associates, just kinda wanted me out kinda thing. Obviously I didn’t want to do it the same day, and I was going to politely tell off my experience the Thursday before, but on that Tuesday the sales associate didn’t even know how to properly do the return process on their touch based Point of Sale system.

I started to realize that I wonder if employers are intentionally hiring the worse people in the name of “profits”, but the more snootier you are the more you’re going to sell. As I previously mentioned, I applied for a retail position, and the company was actually AEO. The actual store I was applying for was really cringey in recent weeks. When I went there recently, spotted the typical cute girls I try to socialize with (or in fact network), regardless, a guy literally was swooping in pass me to the girl of interest and it was like they were dating at work.

I see this crap and say to myself, OK I may had been too wordy in the resume, and cover letter and hobbled a little bit in the interview and put crazy four hour increment  schedules; but what I see is apparent typical people in jobs they don’t even give a flying crap about – and getting paid for it while I am just slightly below the typical people normal of acceptance and I feel it’s a harder obstacle.

It goes back to the core issue of where are the good people? Where are the nice, professional and bubbly people that drives customers in? Why are they all to themselves amongst the sales associates? 

AEO knows what’s on my mind (as the minifig newsie)

https://twitter.com/MinifigNewsguy/status/1538913369150955522

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Why I avoid Wanting to Work in Ego-Driven Worlds

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I wasn’t sure what blog to post it, my professional blog or this one. It’s on the theme of Why I Hate IT.

I don’t like the initials for Information Technology. IT was a broken concept from the beginning. IT’s roots began in the late 1980s when PCs became a mainstream product in corporate or enterprise settings.

There are two types of approaching technology, IS for Information Services or Systems and IT. The former was more focused towards users, focusing on solutions and outcomes and the understanding of how to craft a piece of software for the users.

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A Step In The Right Direction

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I was in my day program the other day; and a lady (not sure if she’s a staff or client or what have you…thanks to HIPAA laws on both the programing and HR, I probably won’t know) was there and I haven’t seen her since I departed in the “art” group back in the spring time. The lady and I spoke and conversed. She noticed my Boston Bruins lanyard and asked if worked.

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I also have this – a badge to notify people to keep a reasonable distance (typically for the “beautiful people” at the local Whole Foods and Market Basket who cut people off in the store asiles like they’re on the highway.)

I basically said, I do IT work on the side, and it’s my ID badge (and keycard, but was too lazy to state that.)  She followed up by asking, if she needed someone to fix her laptop to come to someone like me. And I replied with a yes.

I’ve never had the confidence to extend my various self-employed (I mean I’d make so little its barely even close to employment, it’s extra disposable cash.) I’ve tried to do internal projects and trying to work with family but the problem is it’s always a challenge because most often my mother would do it in favors (free lunch, breakfast, and other things that would be considered illegal like “bribing”.)

So basically my mother would not be the best investor.

But this is a step up. At least I am taking my venture more seriously and not make it some dummy company (which legally it is and probably always will be) but at least I am trying to seriously make a dent in a world where everyone is a techie and trying to follow my basic dreams for the last few years now (to no avail – at least so far.)

Why I’m not in a Career

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I’ve just joined Instagram about a few months ago. In fact the reason why I didn’t have such account was that I was running a 3 year old operating system and a phone that would barely handle iOS7. I got a new iPhone in June (5s, 16GB on a LTE network.) My first “SOS” for help from “adults” was in late that month when made the “#HopelessAutistic” on the sand, with a signature on the lower right, to claim a picture esque moment. When I noticed the two younger ladies doing something with their phones, I wasn’t sure where it would go.

So to be “ahead of the curve”, I posted it on Instagram, after registering an account.

The account had morphed into criticizing the Town government, selfies of hopelessness, and technology, mostly of telephony.

A reciprocal follower named patch_cord_pbx, a person, thing or it from the area (from what I can gather) asked me this recently:

“[Avaya’s IP Office] Server edition is crazy awesome @stevenclickford ,, your interest is great why don’t you work for telecom[?]”

I did not respond because I felt there was much needed story to go without posting it all on Instagram.

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Obamacare and Autistics – Perfect Match To Work?

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I do not believe a socialized system has sustained for over a generation without falling apart completely. In the UK, their socialized healthcare system has been proven to be deadly, and while some “Aspies” will say “what’s wrong, everything seems to be good”. Well have they read papers like the Daily Mail? Oh wait, that’s a “racist”, “conservative” outlet.

You can never win to these people.

I digress.

While I do personally believe Obamacare (a.k.a. the “Affordable Care Act”) is not the best option for America (due to its problems from the very beginning) one can’t help to take advantage of working less than 32 hours a week without meeting the requirements to be eligible for Obamacare.

Granted my last job I had was about 8 months before Obama got elected, and I was working about 20 or so hours. I’ve used that as a barometer for attempts for jobs that would be perfect for Obamacare (retail, service jobs, etc.)

However, when I go to my local Uno’s or go to any store at the local mall, I don’t see many people with a visible disability. At a chain (or even a mum and pop restaurant) it’s ether lesser people or most ordering is placed through a glorified tablet (hopefully not an Android, but I fear it is one!)

Many people with a developmental disability could be taken advantage in a positive way to “contribute to society” and many would be willing to work in such sectors.

The question is… where are they? And are these companies taking advantage (positively) to hire these people to comply with Obamacare/ACA?

Well I popped that question to the state’s head of Vocational Rehabilitation last spring at an annual family support conference in front of hundreds of people.

I was told by her that there was a study the Federal Government was supposed to release, but apparently it’s been kept from the public, essentially.

Hey what about President Obama’s promise for an open and transparent government? And I thought he was supposed to be accommodating to people with developmental disabilities?

And where’s the outrage?

Basically I’ll end with the bumper sticker-esque line (which is true in my case) “Don’t Blame Me, I voted for McCain!” and “Don’t Blame Me, I voted for Mitt!”

@Work Relationships (and boundaries)

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This post might be for the audience that has experienced or knows people with special needs.
As I am looking to start getting a job or going into a work program, I am preparing myself of how to tackle my difficulties known as socialization. For someone like me, allegedly there roadblocks of how to have an retain an “appropriate”  “boundaries” with peers, superiors, and other social “status”.
I am going in a mind set of having a [super] professional respect and boundaries with my prospective co-workers. Work is not a place to make friends, its a place where you are expected to perform and do what is expected in your job title. Often, people with autism or other disorders typically do not know what is right and what is wrong. Thats where the “boundaries” comes from.
Now there are places I have contemplating of working. I feel given my educational background of a fraction of a high school diploma* and unfortunately in the mean world of reality, people do judge you by how many “pieces of paper” you have framed. Doesn’t matter what the context is on that piece of paper, its how people judge you.  So I have settled with the idea of working in retail in some of those “cool” stores at the local malls. Since I have gotten less and less laid back (for whatever reason, since it would be improper for me narrow it down giving I have been in a real angry mood, and some of my thoughts might be totally wrong) that I might not even gel well at those places where its socially ok to be laid back and casual.
* I got a High School diploma, but I felt that I didn’t work harder to really deserve it. In my view, they overstated my grades just to give me the diploma with the intent to get need services in the future. I wanted to learn more, instead of learning to do vocational work; and I didn’t get what I felt like I needed.
Another issue is some of these work programs for special needs (like autism) have targeted the high functioning population and think they can meet the high standards. Like the last work program I was in was pretty white-collared, putting high standards (since thats how the corporate world is) and expecting to meet those demands, and have 0% mistakes.
Now I have nothing wrong about the corporate standards, as that has been part of my DNA for almost my entire life. My problem is the “high functioning” population that is often misunderstood of having Asperger Syndrome* while most AS individuals are typically normal, above normal and don’t have significant issues. So if I come off as someone with AS, then the standards go through the roof, and if I fail to meet the standards, then I get fucked by the system. Often people with AS come off as a high standards individual, such as dressed in a corporate attire in some cases.
*currently NOT part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder. The disorder has “autistic-like” traits, while individuals are known to  have”social difficulties.” Again the focus on the latter, and most cases these people don’t have delays like autistic people traditionally have. Do not believe people when they say they have Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism; which clinically is NOT. Also the official name does not have a posseive noun, referring to Hans Asperger, the doctor that coined this non autistic disorder.
Well that last sentence would apply to me. I often dress up as a corporate attire, because I was taught to be a high class individual, and have higher expectations than his peers because people had pushed me to “go to my full potential.”  Today I often dress up, and have a lanyard of an ID badge of what is now a defunct IT consulting firm that I was trying to do before I got a “real job.” Again it has been perceived that there needs to be an “image” to come off as a professional as opposed to his “normal” peers of being inappropriate, dressed over casual, or act immature, as someone like me can’t do things like that and often would be considered as scandalous.
As I go back onto the topic of “relationships at the workplace” there are laws I need to comply (no not Sarbanes Oxley or HIPAA, etc.) but laws like Sexual Harassment, Harassment and follow ethics. Again, while my “normal” likeminded group have enablement of doing things that should be called out on. Ethics is my highest point. I feel that I need to be the “good guy” and expect to have the highest respect in the workplace.
I might be a person that people may hate if I work as a Genius at The Apple Store, or a clerk at Aeropostale or flipping burgers at a Five Guys, because I have been taught to be professional, and to retain full respect of the public and my future co-workers. And I have a conclusion to make sure I put everyone up on a pedestal and respect all my co-workers as a higher level of socialization.
If I didn’t have autism, I’d probably be in Iraq or Afghanistan being in the U.S. Miltary. I seem to have military standards in me.
Call me crazy, but I am a professional with meeting high standards 24x7x365. Because I am expected to be a professional.

Work

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Note: This post was written during the Alpha/Beta stage. I wanted to bump this up so you can read my views on why I am not in a work program yet, and how my (allegedly made up) social skills issues and the ever so confusing understanding relationships at the workplace has put me into a long and screeching halt. At the same time, I am going to take time off to sort out various issues as I noted on my other blog just now. I am hoping to come back and try to calmly write my frustrations on relationships again. I can’t imagine what others like me go through, let alone someone who is “normal”
I’ve not been in a job since early 2008. It had nothing to do with the economy, it was because it was part of my school program and the company was unable to hire me permanently under their payroll. The company was billed by my school and the school program  in return would give me the paycheck. At that time, the company had some seasonal difficulties, though now they are doing much better because they are allegedly the suppliers for a famous phone made by a California tech giant.
With that being said, my last day was within the following week to my 21st birthday, which is when any special needs student looses their school services and land into the real and crazy world of adult services, which in the beginning can be very difficult. (Hereto, I’ll leave the rest of the technical stuff for The Forgotten Autistic, since I normally cover these general and personal issues.)
So I have struggled finding the right work program. I’ve dealt with one a few years ago and it was an utter fail. Now I am in a new area, therefore their might be some promising options or work programs.
There are a few issues with work programs outside of a school program
1) is the “image” of the programs. Some programs I had seen were “white collared” like jobs. Sure, white collared jobs are fun, I’ve experienced it a little bit over time
2) with that being said, there is of course a responsibility, accountability, and maturity, and the job “coaches” or “trainers” often have to push and push the clients. I have done very poorly with people pushing me. I won’t go into the details, maybe its something I don’t fully know yet.
3) another issue is, in one of these “startup” programs (and do I love “startups – insert sarcasm) the applications are lengthy and dare I say intimating. My mother probably would say that most places do that, and its what life is and how workplaces work, and blah blah blah. Well, can anyone understand that maybe it has to do with how the label changed my life, most importantly the “social” aspect?
4) whether or not I choose a work program or not, there is a roadblock. Knowing I have social difficulties (whether its real or synthetic) I’d feel awkward doing some even simple blue collared job (something more up my alley!) Or even a turtleneck job! How would I be able to interface with “normal” people in a retail environment? Some of those teen/college age stores are people ether much younger than me or if they are on or close to my age, they probably are perfectly tolerant to illegal aliens, homosexuals, physically disabled, other backgrounds or races but not for developmentally disabled people! I bet there are people in such places that have used the “little bus” joke just like they did in high school!
The deprival of my “social skills” and replacing it with fear, intensive self-doubt and over-thinking is the major road block to a future of a 20 hours or less work program. I have not properly addressed this to my support team yet. Part of it is the lack of listening of some of the people. I still have the office skills from the previous employer, its like riding a bicycle, its just the social part that is severely stopping my life. If anyone is willing to hear me out.

Twentysomethings Moving Back in with their Parents

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Fault of the Obummer Economy or Plain Ol’ *Loosers*?
Bloomberg News ran this little blurb recently about the rise of young adults moving back in with their parents.
I understand that people born before 1960 had this mentality that as soon as you finished college, you’d live on your own or live with roommates  and if you lived with your parents, you’d be shunned by your peers. However with this legitimate Great Recession, I can understand some of those numbers, some would be safe to say they are the “llooossser” types. Also, lets not forget that the numbers of people with autism disorders born from 1987 to 1992, are turning that magic number of 21, and as soon as they turn 21*, they are out of school and in many cases out of work because the work programs are owned by the school systems.
*Minimum IDEA regs for services end at 21. Only 10 of the 50 States (the Liberal ones like NY, Mass, California have it at 22 and states like Michigan, IDEA cutoff is 26 believe it or not!)
I do get sensitive because in this Bloomberg piece, they do show a bias towards men that are moving back in, and of course that’s offensive to my group because there are stereotypes that anyone with autism are those lost looking little boys or just a plain old socially stupid PDD types or just men acting like regular jerks while they have their Asperger label. I came from a filthy rich town and I was very scared of finding my significant other because of the stereotypes of society, its like who wants to date a guy whose on the lower class side and suffers with a brain disorder?
I don’t trust the MSM that much, and I know there is an anti male bias to many of their reports (don’t forget how they had put focus on the autism stories a few months ago and how they put emphasis of how the boys have higher rates than girls – there goes that stupid boy innuendo again!)

The stupid excuses of why we can’t be in love

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The bureaucratic teachers will say to one that they aren’t a “dating service” when they know that 99.99% of the class is male. They can’t do anything beyond their job title, even it its less than a dozen responsibilities.
Harassment, and Sexual Harassment is hardwired into us because guess who would be headed to jail first? You guessed it – the ones on the spectrum!
I don’t know why stalking isn’t brought up to be lectured upon, I have read about those alleged “concerns” from the ones that make the spectrum worse than it should be.
The so called experts, (the one’s with those PhD degrees that specializes in just autism) have to break things into pieces so one on the spectrum can understand, in this case relationships. At some point, the pie will be sliced into so many thin slices, that making something understandable would make the problem worse. Again, there is a negative slant, is most cases about what not to, which always seems to the be “important” part.
Then I could go on and explain how most people with ASD cases are often forced to go to a work program from when they are 18 to their 21st birthday. It’s kinda like boot camp where you kiss your childhood goodbye and become a slave in the workforce, and some work programs you have to learn how to become a corporate slut like in the case of my ex-town, by working, working and working and be a whore to the VP just to make a killing salary.
Again just an opinion of someone who has just been screwed by a system that might had made up a disorder just to employ mothers for a full time job.

The stupid excuses of why we can’t be in love

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The bureaucratic teachers will say to one that they aren’t a “dating service” when they know that 99.99% of the class is male. They can’t do anything beyond their job title, even it its less than a dozen responsibilities.
Harassment, and Sexual Harassment is hardwired into us because guess who would be headed to jail first? You guessed it – the ones on the spectrum!
I don’t know why stalking isn’t brought up to be lectured upon, I have read about those alleged “concerns” from the ones that make the spectrum worse than it should be.
The so called experts, (the one’s with those PhD degrees that specializes in just autism) have to break things into pieces so one on the spectrum can understand, in this case relationships. At some point, the pie will be sliced into so many thin slices, that making something understandable would make the problem worse. Again, there is a negative slant, is most cases about what not to, which always seems to the be “important” part.
Then I could go on and explain how most people with ASD cases are often forced to go to a work program from when they are 18 to their 21st birthday. It’s kinda like boot camp where you kiss your childhood goodbye and become a slave in the workforce, and some work programs you have to learn how to become a corporate slut like in the case of my ex-town, by working, working and working and be a whore to the VP just to make a killing salary.
Again just an opinion of someone who has just been screwed by a system that might had made up a disorder just to employ mothers for a full time job.