New Job, New Beginnings

Professionally, my son has been on a roller coaster for over three years. He completed a job program, got a driver’s license and secured employment. He then lost his job and waited a long time for that next chance. During the pandemic, his high-functioning autism and high expectations played a role in this roller coaster. 

My son’s first job was a custodial position. As his mom, I could have told the employer that cleaning was not his forte. He was not motivated to learn the job. He floundered, and it ultimately didn’t work out.

He spent the next three months looking for work. He applied for jobs that his job coach found. He tried online job-matching apps and applied to businesses with signs in their windows. He knew he wouldn’t be good at fast food, so he focused on retail sales. 

He decided he wanted to work in a shop and applied in the area. He visited shops and learned about different products and popular items. He concentrated on finding work, with the ultimate goal of opening his own store someday. 

He was persistent and finally got called in for an interview. However, after waiting all that time, he opted to hang out with friends at a party rather than go in for the interview. The owner didn’t offer him a second chance to interview right away. 

After many visits to the shop, the boss finally called him in for another interview. It went well, and he was hired. 

The job is going well. There is a learning curve, but he seems up for the challenge. He’s finding out that not all customers are nice, and he becomes anxious at times but uses techniques to de-escalate on his own. He’s developing friendships with the other employees and loves to go to work every day. 

He has moved from re-entering society to developing employment skills and getting a driver’s license and has had job success for the past three months. 

Budgeting is the next life skill he must conquer. So far, he hasn’t been able to stretch his paycheck to last a week, even without living expenses. As he continues to learn how to navigate the world, he’s getting closer to reaching that all-important goal of life as an independent adult. 

Building independence – here are relevant ideas to help get there.