My job is to bring people together—to create an environment where the employee can maximize their potential and an employer can utilize that potential.
As an employment specialist for Compass Resource Group one of my first steps in trying to uncover their potential is to assess the soft and hard skills of the individual. In my experience this seems to be the greatest barrier individuals with Asperger’s face. In the next few entries I plan to discuss the difference between hard and soft skills as they apply to both the search for and maintenance of employment.
What are soft skills? The Oxford Dictionary defines soft skills as personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.
With regards to soft skills, the greatest questions from job seekers and employers are:
- How do I encourage friendly interactions between coworkers and supervisors
- How do I create and maintain a comfortable and safe work environment
- How do I address the unique logistical concerns of employment such as changing schedules and arranging transportation as they affect individuals with Asperger’s
In the next post I will discuss the different strategies we at Compass Resource employ to foster an environment of mutual respect and understanding between the employee, their coworkers and supervisors in the workplace.
By Maggie Cromeens
Gabriela Lemos was born in Porto Alegre, Brasil, and was raised in San Antonio, Texas. She is currently a student at UTSA, graduating in December 2014 with a Bachelor degree in English. Brie states that she loves language and words, and the way in which people communicate with each other. She has always been interested and attracted to the autism community. “I find those on the spectrum to be incredible in so many ways, and I believe we can all learn from each other in our different strengths and weaknesses. I would love to use my talents to aid those who are not as strong in areas which I have confidence, and in turn receive an infinite amount of lessons and aid from those who I work with. Everything you send out, comes back to you, and I plan to practice sending out love and compassion every day”. We feel so fortunate to offer Brie’s talent of writing as well as her passion for autism awareness every week through our Aspergers101 Weekly.
>You have highlighted a very imrnatpot point. It is so easy to view Autism, (particularly Asperger’s) as the ‘extreme form of maleness’ and think of it in terms of affecting only boys. One of the pupils I worked with, a female with Asperger’s was totally misunderstood. Because she showed such a keen desire to socialise, her Asperger’s diagnosis was often questioned by inexperienced staff and other parents (even though this is a key feature of classic Asperger’s). Some staff would say “X shouldn’t get away with that behaviour, she understands, I had a conversation with her earlier and she doesn’t seem Autistic to me”. ‘That behaviour’ would be something like hiding under the table when it was time to take a shower after swimming.