I'm feeling awful right now, having done an online pre-recorded interview for the Civil Service today, and feeling I didn't do well. I was so pleased I'd passed their Situational Judgement Test, and the first sift of written application. Now it feels like I've messed up.
I didn't ask for any adjustments for the interview because I didn't think they'd be able to fairly allow adjustments that would have helped me (like not a horrible pre-recorded thing! But looking online when prepping for it everyone seems to find them hard!)
More generally it's so hard in so many ways to find work. I have repeatedly made myself ill in the past trying to do jobs that don't match my skillset, or are hugely stressful with difficult hours, because these are the minimum wage jobs I can get. So have CV gaps, very limited employment history. Main thing is a decade gap after breaking down before I knew I was autistic and found ways to manage. I did get a degree in this time (Bsc, 2.1).
Frustratingly, the first job I had after this gap went well for the first year or so, then things changed that made the job (or rather hours etc) so difficult I burnt out and ended up off sick and then leaving. (Posted about it on here - general consensus was leave!) So I couldn't just find a new job whilst working, as I'd intended when I took the job as a first step back to work. I've had one job since then and left after two months (a fortnight ago) because it broke me. (Domiciliary care work. Annoyingly, I thrived on the actual job, but the poor management, and bizarre timetable/zero hour contract made it unbelievably stressful. But again it was meant to be a temp job whilst I found something better for me.)
The main thing that's so hard is PROVING I am capable of things. Because I don't have the work history to pull examples from. Examples from studying or other things only cover so much. Also having had roles with little autonomy, I often (for example) see where things could be done more effectively but have no power to implement change. So don't have those sort of examples.
I wish there was a way to actually try a job
for a bit to show what I can do.
I've tried finding schemes to support autistic people in finding employment but there never seems to be anything suitable. I don't meet the cliché of being a computer genius or anything. And the things I am struggling with aren't the expected difficulties with reading people or making eye contact or whatever.
I've got so much to offer. I'm dedicated, pay attention to detail and getting things right (but balanced with getting things done!), I'm actually quite good with people, I'm fairly intelligent and can synthesise complex information and make informed decisions over a course of action, I'm very quick thinking when necessary (except in some job interviews!) Probably more stuff too but not thinking straight now as so sad.
I just want someone to give me a chance.
(A part-time chance. Which is another complication...)
I've battled so hard for so many years, I wish an employer could see what I've done to get where I am. I'd be employed in an instant!
I'd really appreciate any advice, and frankly, a handhold right now.
Thanks for reading.