C
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TEEN WANTS
A JOB
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COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
BY DANA REINHARDT
ll of us remember our fi rst
job. Whether it was helping
out with the family busi-
ness, serving sweet treats
at the local frozen
yogurt shop, mowing
lawns or working at a summer camp, it
was an experience that, for better or for
worse, you’ll always remember.

While fi rst jobs rarely launch your
career, they are an important step to estab-
lishing yourself in the workplace. They are
an opportunity to practice working as part
of a team, taking responsibility, conduct-
ing oneself professionally and interacting
with customers. All teens should have
access to these valuable experiences.

For parents of teens with autism, the
job search can be a daunting idea. Signif-
icant gaps in education, awareness and
inclusion continue to persist in the work-
place regarding individuals with autism.

This has resulted in a high unemployment
rate for those individuals. According to
Autism Speaks, nearly half of 25-year-olds
with autism have never held a paying job.

Here are a few tips as you consider job
opportunities for your teen, help them nav-
igate the interview process and equip them
to succeed once they’ve landed the job:
30 Washington FAMILY
OCTOBER 2019
Set clear expectations
for the job-hunt process
It’s important to have mutual guidelines
and parameters you and your teen can
agree on upfront before diving into the
job search. For example, how many hours
is your teen willing and able to work,
given other commitments? Will they need
help with transportation? What kind of
environment will be most conducive to
success? Consider lighting, noise level,
potential for crowds, etc. that could be
sensory triggers. This will help focus your
search and ensure that you invest time in
fi nding a job that’s going to be a true fi t for
your teen’s needs and your family’s needs.

Consider their strengths
— and interests
When people picture individuals with
autism in the workplace, they may pic-
ture jobs that are routine-based and
entry level. While jobs like this may be
an excellent fit for some individuals
with autism — especially in the summer
when the learning curve can be steep
and fast — individuals with autism are
a diverse group. Like all teens looking
for a job, individuals with autism have
a wide range of strengths that can be
valuable in a variety of settings, whether
that’s an excellent memory, attention to
detail, analytical abilities or high-level
math skills. It’s important to emphasize
and encourage these strengths in your
teen and explore opportunities for them
to leverage and build on those skills.

At the same time, it’s important to
encourage your teen to think about their
interests and passions. Some teens with
autism may fi nd themselves limited by
the box in which society has placed them.

But as with any young adult, taking a job
that they are excited about can be more



fulfi lling, can encourage creativity and
can inspire them to dream big and take
ownership of their future.

Play out several mock
interview scenarios
In anticipation of the unpredictable
nature of interviews, run a few diff erent
scenarios with a mix of questions so that
you can talk through potential responses
with your teen and prepare them for the
uncertainty. This allows them the oppor-
tunity to work through those challenges
in an environment where they feel safe
and comfortable and with someone they
know and trust. It can even be helpful to
ask another friend or family member to
conduct one of the mock scenarios so that
they can practice with diff erent interview
styles and generalize their skills.

Provide a toolkit for
self-advocacy As your teen explores job opportunities,
it’s important to be both realistic and sup-
portive. We know all too well the harsh
realities of this world and how cruel peo-
ple can be. There’s a possibility your teen
will face disrespect, discrimination, and
rejection along the way. Consider how
ALL THE RIGHT
RESOURCES …
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!
According to
Autism Speaks,
nearly half of
25-year-olds with
autism have never
held a paying job.

you can equip your teen to face those cir-
cumstances when they arise, whether it’s
during the hiring process or once they’ve
landed the job. This can include educat-
ing them about the types of interview
questions that employers legally should
or shouldn’t be asking as well as shar-
ing ideas for how they can message their
strengths and skills.

Look for community
education opportunities
See the process as an opportunity to advo-
cate for your son or daughter while you
educate your community in the process.

Take time throughout the year to reach out
to a few businesses in your community to
see if they would be interested in inclusion
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training or a workshop. This can be a
unique way to raise awareness and create
more opportunities not only for your teen,
but also for other individuals with autism.

Remember that while individuals with
autism certainly face a unique set of chal-
lenges, rejection is a universal feeling. You
can remind your teen that they are not
alone by sharing stories of individuals with
all diff erent types of backgrounds who
faced rejection before they found success.

As parents, though we want to protect
our kids from facing hurt and rejection,
we need to give them the opportunity to
explore their independence. And as a com-
munity, it’s important that we continue to
advocate for inclusive hiring practices and
workplace policies for our children and
future generations. ■
Dana Reinhardt is the education
director of HASA, a Baltimore nonprofit
that provides health, speech-language,
education, language access and
inclusion programs to people of all
ages, and oversees Gateway School,
a nonpublic school for children with
autism and other communication-
related disorders. She can be reached
at dreinhardt@hasa.org.

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