The Autspot: a new online community for ASD folk

Check out The Autspot a new online community for those one the Spectrum. Offers forums, blogs, groups and some of the features found on Facebook as well.

http://www.theautspot.com/home/

ASD Networking Alert: Monster.com offers a new way to use Facebook to find a job

Monster.com has created a tool called BeKnown to help with using Facebook in your job search.

Some features are:

1. The opportunity for employers to offer referral rewards to anyone — not just company employees.
2. The opportunity for individuals to receive specific skills endorsements in addition to broader recommendations.
3. The ability to access Monster.com job postings and other content from inside Facebook and to see job postings at friends’ companies.

BeKnown Landing Page: http://www.beknown.com/landing
About.com Article: http://jobsearch.about.com/b/2011/06/25/beknown.htm

Getting hired in the summer

Depending on where you live summer can begin in May or June and extend through August or September. No matter when it occurs though trend is the same: hiring slows down during the summer. Vacations are more frequent so it is harder to gather the hiring managers together and the interviewers in one place.

This can be an excellent time to network with people though. Because of the vacations people can be less busy with meetings (though possibly busier with work) and relaxed from a recent vacation or anticipating upcoming time off. A well placed e-mail or phone call has a better success of getting someones attention.

So pick out a company, find someone who works there and reach out to them. You might not get the job in July but come September you can be first in mind for open positions. Also, you can break the ice with "So, do you have any time off planned?" It will put the contact at ease to reminisce about their time off or get excited talking about the future trip to Disneyland.

Another Forum for ASD job advice

Spectrumites has various forums or posting including one on employment. While it seems to be more recent than Wrong Planet and therefore smaller it does provide another avenue to connect with people that you may prefer.

http://www.spectrumites.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=30

Scott Porad: Not resting on your laurels

I like Scott Porad. He is a great guy. Following him on Twitter and his blog helped me get considered for an interview at the company he is CTO for... the Cheezbuger Network (the LOLCats people). His post here has always caught my attention and not just because of his answer. Its that as the CTO for one of the hotter Web 2.0 companies in the nation he still e-mailed a tech leader seeking to meet with the guy and pick his brain.

That is not resting on your laurels at all. Stay hungry Scott.

http://www.scottporad.com/2009/09/02/tell-me-about-yourself/ 

Networking Tips For Introverts - maybe they work for ASD too?

For most of us on the Spectrum our issues go beyond mere introversion but some of these tips will help just the same.

Six Easy Networking Tips for Introverts 

Note: tip #1 works well for interviews too

Networking via the internet

Part of a proper job hunt is specifically that... a hunt. You find your prey (a position you like in a company you like; hopefully with people you like) and then you stalk it. For a while lets assume you found the right job in the right company-- that would be several pages to describe-- but they are not hiring. What to do?

Extrovert NTs with a savvy approach would network to the job. Put themselves in front of the relevant decision makers at the company and show their value... or at the very least make sure they were the first person in the minds of the decision makers when it came time to hire.

For ASD folk this present numerous challenges including the networking part. However the internet has made networking much easier. As an example I recently applied for a job at the Cheezburger Network. It would have been a great job working remotely at a company that I really liked.

Rather than posting my resume via their online application system I looked up their CTO, found his e-mail address and sent him a message saying "What would I need to have on my resume for you to hire me?" I also found him on Twitter and LinkedIn so that when he followed up I could mention relevant things in his life in the e-mail. I made on-line friends with a couple of the people who worked there too.

I did not get the job but I certainly was considered for a position that was a step up which is a minor victory. Moreover, nothing prevents me from applying again.I plan on demonstrating how much more value I have added since this last process. A case in point is that the CTO wrote an article on what he looks for in hiring people and I will certainly address that in my next query to be hired.

The lesson here is that online, Aspies & HFA can communicate professionally with relevant decision makers. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tumblr and yes, blogs, all offer clues as to what the person is interested in and will respond to in a message. Use it. Put it in your communication. Did the person recently injure themselves? Offer sympathy. Do they love mountain climbing? Mention that you read Into Thin Air. These things are what will hook them and draw them to the person beyond the resume.