Autism Parenting Magazine Issue 71 (Member's Dashboard) | Page 27

SOCIAL SKILLS

2 .

Know your personality type

My personality platform is INTJ ( introversion , intuition , thinking , judgment ), which is an abbreviation used in the publications of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ( MBTI ) and refers to one of the 16 psychological types . Women of this personality type are especially rare , forming just 0.8 percent of the population . Knowing my type has certainly helped me understand my strengths and limitations in the workplace as I can identify other individuals with the same type .

This has also been helpful because there are career suggestions that go with each type , so if parents are struggling to help their children identify a career path , knowing the type can help eliminate less favorable options . Here is a free nonclinical test that you can take to inventory your personality : http :// www . humanmetrics . com / cgi-win / jtypes2 . asp . Consider using this test to overlap characteristics of your daughter ’ s personality with her interpersonal strengths and career goals .

3 .

Pay attention to perseveration

Having raised my son with autism , I honed in on his areas of perseveration from an early age . He was encouraged to pursue areas of intense interest . He really loved working with animals . I researched these areas for him to identify potential career paths . Now he is becoming certified to run his dog walking business . He will perform this role very well because he has been learning about and caring animals from a very young age .

My Aspie husband is a software engineer . This technology field is one to which he has gravitated to from a very young age . Following this type of code-driven career has enabled him to excel . He works remotely and enjoys interacting with colleagues who share similar interests and routines .

For parents of Aspie women , consider your daughter ’ s interests . If she is interested in technology , encourage her pursuit of this field . Your daughter is likely incredibly smart and likely focused on a specific interest . Nurturing this intensity will help her become an expert in this field . As she becomes an expert , she will more likely fit in because she will be contributing to advancing her work and less anxious about not fitting in with social complexity .

4 .

Explain the social landscape

Take time to explain the social strata to your daughter . She is observing . She is trying to figure things out . She needs to be socially equipped before going into the workplace . And this extends to developing networks . Aspie women have a difficult time enjoying the benefits of networking which is so vital for how neurotypicals advance at work . Please understand this and help your daughter find a network where she can contribute and develop social connectivity .

5 .

Join industry associations early

As your daughter is preparing for her job , there are associations that she might join in her specific area of interest . For example , if your daughter is interested in engineering and she joins an association for engineers , she will gain a professional foothold with other professionals who share the same passion . There are excellent clubs for female engineers . Shared passion , energy , and time are excellent methods to grow professional capital .

6 .

Consider alternative work arrangements

I know that working remotely has been beneficial to individuals with Asperger ’ s . Depending on the industry , working from home , meeting through Zoom , and uploading work to cloudbased environments offers a lot of flexibility and social balance . My son attended an online high school . My husband works remotely . I teach online classes . I communicate through online chats and virtual meetings . I provide training through Learning Management Systems . These kinds of tech tools have been vital in enabling me to work . Communication is work-driven . I don ’ t get caught up in trying to navigate the social landscape . I can concentrate on doing my job .

Teach your daughter these types of technologies early . Sometimes the social atmosphere

Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 71 | 27