Help - What can I do?

[rail_enthusiast]

Hello,

 

I am 30 years old and suffer from Dyspraxia (diagnosed at secondary school) and Asperger's syndrome (diagnosed last year).

 

My organisation skills and sequencing skills are very poor, and I have a terrible short term memory. As a result I find it difficult to work in situations where I have to be aware of multiple factors which change frequently. I am very good at sharing information with people and helping them, but struggle being in a situation where I need help, or have to ask people for help or assistance. Partaking in group discussions is very challenging for me too, and I struggle to keep track of conversations taking place in meetings etc. I base this analysis of my ability on my experiences in the work environment, and also looking further back at my experiences at school.

 

I have worked in the IT sector since starting full time work nine years ago, and up until the past few years have predominantly worked in Helpdesk or Desktop support roles. I think that I have been able to cope with these roles pretty well, as they have not relied on my weaknesses. For instance, I would only have to deal with one thing at a time, only dealing with something on a short term basis while I was fixing it (on the phone or at a user's office), and would also be in a position where I was able to offer knowledge, rather than ask other people for it.

 

More recently (over the past 3 years), my career has progressed and I have found myself working in jobs which I find extremely difficult and put me under great mental strain. My latest job which I started 3 months ago (in an IT discipline which I haven't worked in before) requires me to be aware of a highly complex IT environment, many factors of which are constantly changing due to projects etc. I have difficulty writing things down quickly, and unfortunately (due to a high staff turn over and being understaffed), my colleagues don't have time to baby sit me through learning my job.

 

I feel terrible being such a burden, and to make matters worse my manager can be boarish at times, and in the past has been unsupportive of me. My job has started affecting my health, and due to one of the health issues I have had to medically surrender my driving license for a year.

 

I think it would be difficult for me to move back into a role which suits me better, due to it being three years ago since I last worked in such a role, and the IT marker being saturated by people wanting to do these roles.

 

I feel completely burnt out and unable to adapt to new situations or learn new skills. I would like to leave my job straight away, however don't think I'd be able to get what I earn now in a different role. To add further pressure to my situation, my girlfriend (who I supported through her studies as a mature student) has just qualified as a nurse, after working very hard to get there. We would both like to save up and buy a house, however I can forsee me actually becoming an unemployable burden on our relationship and us not achieving our aims and goals life.

 

I would love to change career, I think that in the past I have just been ignoring the fact that I have been working in a career I am ill suited to, due to other matters being more pressing. I enjoy helping people and love animals. I would ideally like to work in a field which encompasses at least one of these aspects. I have considered becoming an IT trainer, but even then I would have to take a pay cut and expend considerable effort in acquiring the required training certificates to work in a field which I believe to be over saturated and highly competitive.

 

I have no idea what to do, or how to get my mental state back where it should be. I cannot see my self being able to continue in my present job for more than a month before resigning. (Partly due to stress, partly due to incompetence)

 

Although I am capable of understanding some concepts, I struggle to understand complex concepts, where complicated relationships exist between sub concepts of concepts. This, in my opinion, is the problem, and why I am incapable of fulfilling my current role.

 

What can/shall I do to move forward from this? Are there any jobs that I'll be able to do without adopting a blag/band aid approach to my work?

 

Any suggestions of suitable career options and possible solutions to the conundrum I'm in would be massively appreciated.

Edited January 3, 2012 by rail_enthusiast

[trekster]

Could you try contacting your local job centre to ask for help with finding a more suitable career for your needs?

You might qualify for financial help such as Employment and support allowance.

 

Your job centre can also send you for psychometric testing which would give you an idea of what career paths could suit you.

Another idea is to ask at your local college for advice if you wish to retrain.

 

Good luck.

[rail_enthusiast]

Thanks I will look into following these options.

 

I feel so depressed and useless at the moment. I feel completely dehabilitated and unable to adapt or learn anything new. I hope that this is down to me being depressed, and not my AS getting worse as I get older

[darkshine]

This situation would make a lot of people stressed, add AS and depression into the mix and it might seem like a much bigger issue. I think you should be able to be satisfied that you know yourself and your abilities, you are trying to make a rational and informed decision about what to do next, and are doing that despite being down and not feeling confident. You are being honest with yourself, so take some credit that you aren't hiding from this, you are actively trying to deal with it. Maybe things will seem better when you have found the direction you are going to go in next.

 

The best thing is to know what your options are and then decide from there (hope your better at making decisions than me!!)

 

Best

 

Darkshine

[Tally]

I think the first thing you need to do is try applying for the types of jobs that you used to do well at, just to see how hard it really is going to be to get back into this type of work. Your experience and the fact that you know you enjoy this type of work may well be a bonus against other applicants. If you can explain your reasons to returning to this type of work after trying other things in a positive light, it might not be an issue. At least if you put in some applications, you will know for sure whether it's going to be as difficult as you think it is.

[Mandapanda]

There's nothing wrong with applying for a post like you used to do and saying that moving into a slightly different was what you wanted to do and you miss the work you were doing previously.

 

There is a skills questionnaire online https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/planningyourcareer/skillshealthcheck/Pages/AbouttheSkillsDiagnosticTool.aspx

 

Your girlfriend may have keyworker status and therefore get help with accommodation.

 

It does sound like you are getting exhausted and feeling low due to the extra pressures and difficulties you are encountering, so I would suggest you speak to your doctor for some short term support to help you through.