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Ask HN: a father called me asking how to get a job for his son who has aspergers

12 points by andrewstuart ↗ HN
I am a tech recruiter. Today a father called me. His son has aspergers. His son is not very communicative but he's very good with programming apparently - I believe web development, flash, photoshop and dreamweaver.

The father wants to help his son get a job. I am a father with a small boy and I understand the desire to help your son in any way you can - I'd do anything for my little boy.

But I didn't know what to say. Is there any opportunities for kids with aspergers to get jobs in programming? Given that the kid in question sounds quite uncommunicative it sounds like it would be quite a challenge.

I wanted to ask the HN community - what can this father do to help his son get a job?

11 comments

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paulhauggis
The problem is that a big part of a web developer's job is communication. You need to take business (or loose) requirements and turn it into an application that works.

It's going to be very difficult for him.

smartwater
It will be difficult for him to build an app that can communicate with its intended audience as well, which is one of the most important factors. There's no revenue without it
maaaats
Not sure if the translation is OK, but in Norway there are a few companies tailored for people with aspergers. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=no&sl=no&tl=en&u=ht... This seems right in the ballpark. The first company restores old images in photoshop. The second does various forms of programming/computer related tasks.

I'd try hooking his dad up with any of these firms, to find out how they can use the same means wherever in the world they are located.

Edit: This sentence is way off:

> Just off the old control tower on the dock, in a masonry bit beyond the old departure hall, sitting IT consultants to Cracow.

Should be along the lines of

> Close to the old control tower at Fornebu (...) sits IT consultants for Unicus.

e.g., the second company name is Unicus. First one is Pixellus.

dsschnau
Recently I worked at a financial company with a small, struggling I.T. dept that was willing to hire anyone and everyone who said they could code. I recommended my cousin, a young comp sci college grad on the Autism spectrum, to work there and he got hired in. He's coming up on completing his first year there shortly.

Since he's now had some field experience in software development he gets calls from recruiters often. He's set for supporting himself for the rest of his life now :)

He didn't talk about autism with our boss or anyone at the company until after he was hired in. He had gone through tons of interviews and I gave him the best advice I could before the interview.

I guess the best advice I could offer is to say try, try, try again, and for the father - remember that being on the Autism spectrum isn't the same as having a disability, but rather just being a little different :)

lifeisstillgood
OK - actual concrete advice.

Open source, text only communication, provide guidance and support and discussion around rejection and trolling.

Find an area the son is interested in, and has a little experience with - perhaps gaming, perhaps collecting.

Identify some OSS projects, in the area, plus identify something the son wants (may be harder this last one)

build the project locally. Try to automate the build. Contribute back the automation and docs. Slowly change the project to do something else. contribute that back.

Rinse and repeat - if its possible think in terms of a year or more.

More advice on OSS projects get the father to post here (or contact me / others directly)

as for text only communication - stick to email - it is asynchronous and gives time to prepare.

And trolling and rejection - sorry thats going to be par for the course - I suggest the main criteria for OSS prjects is not the tech, its the community.

strangestchild
There are recruitment agencies which only take individuals with autism on their books, and try to find them roles which suit their particular skills profile. A quick Google should turn up some useful results, but be careful to not be taken for a ride.

Tech is a good industry for those on the autistic spectrum, as it values protracted periods of focus and analysis; but as with any job, communication is really important – perhaps especially so in tech. It will be important to find an employer who is prepared to take him on as an individual and work with him to minimise his difficulties and build on his strengths.

frankpalmans
Mr. Steward, Andrew,

As I understand and have observed Asperger's is a spectrum condition. Not knowing how close you are with father and/or son, it might be premature to assume he'd be ideal for a programming job (or any other technical vocation). Though, regardless of where the son might be on the spectrum, his family has experienced how different he can be. It is safe to assume that father is concerned for his son's well-being, and likely based on ample experiences.

I am mentioning this for two reasons. I would, first of all, identify and confirm the father's underlying concern. Why will he sleep better at night if his son has a job? I would not be surprised if any financial worries are dwarfed by, for example, the fear of seeing his son alone and isolated. The father might see the job as a possible solution mitigation to his real concern. Since not having a job is a problem, but a fixable problem -as opposed to Asperger's(*)- it might be the only solution he sees to help his son.

Not all those diagnosed with Asperger's find a niche in technical work. One of my close friends became a photographer. He was diagnosed at an early age and has had a therapist helping him make sense of the world. Regardless, the main message is that photography is his thing, it is something he enjoys, can keep him busy and pays the bills. The fact that the photographer is exempt from several social rules and expectations surely benefits.

Though not immediately useful, perhaps it gives you some ideas.

All the best, Frank.