The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is calling for resumes from Autistic adults. Several large American corporations have contacted ASAN expressing interest in creating internships or hiring college-educated Autistic people in order to create a more diverse atmosphere at their workplaces. In addition, ASAN is frequently sent openings for jobs in the government, non-profit, advocacy and public policy sectors for which we would like to recommend adults on the spectrum. As a result, we are reaching out to the broader community for resumes of interested Autistic applicants who are seeking employment.
While Autistic adults from all backgrounds are invited to send their resumes, ASAN is especially but not exclusively interested in resumes from Autistic adults in the Washington, D.C. Metro area with college educations and/or backgrounds in information technology, computer science, biology, finance, economics, political science, marketing, and other professional fields. ASAN is considering various possibilities for enhancing employment opportunities for Autistic people who do not have a college education as well as for those working in non-professional fields. We hope to offer additional calls for resumes towards those ends later in the year.
ASAN plans to keep these resumes on file and will make them available to employers upon request. If successful, this will enable ASAN to keep a database of qualified Autistic people who are looking for employment in specific areas, and those resumes may be submitted to companies interested in employing Autistic adults. With low employment rates among both college graduates and Autistic adults, we hope that this will help to level the playing field for Autistic people searching for jobs.
By submitting a resume to ASAN, an individual is agreeing to allow ASAN to share their resume and any information they provide with potential employers, including their status as a person on the autism spectrum. Individuals should only submit resumes if they are comfortable having this information shared. For privacy reasons ASAN will not make the database itself publicly searchable or available.
While ASAN hopes that this will help more Autistic people gain employment, we are unable to take full responsibility for finding employment for Autistic people and ask that those who submit resumes continue their own searches for jobs. Please do not direct follow-up inquiries to ASAN. Those wishing to submit their resumes may do so by emailing them as attachments to resumes@autisticadvocacy.org. Please ensure that resumes include contact information, educational and employment experience (including internships), volunteer experience, types and areas of work the applicant is seeking and any other information you hope to make available to an employer.