Five Tips for Networking On the Spectrum
Previously, I have covered tips for being successful in online coding bootcamps for students with executive function challenges and autistic students, and a deeper dive into how to stay motivated throughout the program. The career portion of these programs (networking, interviewing, and more) is often one of the most challenging components for otherwise strong students, and autistic students may face some unique challenges in the job market. I write from own experiences with online bootcamps as a student and as a mentor and instructor, and informed by my studies in Landmark College’s Certificate in Learning Differences and Neurodiversity program to give you Five Tips for Networking On the Spectrum.
1. Learn About What Being Autistic Means — Decide What it Means to You
There are many competing theories of autism, from compelling to downright offensive. Not all autistic people consider it a defining aspect of their identity, but many do, and chances are if you’re reading this article, this might be you. It may not seem directly relevant to the career search process, but in my experience, one of the most important steps in building networking skills for anybody is to develop a strong sense of self-understanding that you can bring to any professional conversation. Taking the time to learn about different theories of autism and how others might perceive it as well as how you, personally, relate to being autistic can help you consider what strengths you might bring to a role that aren’t common among other candidates, as well as why you might sometimes feel like a fish out of water in career-related conversations.
2. Weigh the Pros and Cons of Disclosure
There are definite pros and cons to disclosing being autistic in job-related conversations (including interviews and later at work). On the one hand, once you’ve disclosed to somebody, you can’t take it back, and you have no control over what their assumptions might be as a result. On the other hand, there are lots of potential benefits to sharing your neurodivergence more openly, including networking with other autistic professionals and learning from their experiences. You may find that you don’t have to disclose directly in order to reap this benefit of sharing in a community with other autistic professionals. There are some online professional networking groups that are open to a range of neurodivergent folks, and you might be more comfortable disclosing in a community like this or simply participating without speaking directly about being autistic yourself. Finally, you may find that there are benefits to disclosure with certain understanding coworkers or managers who might be able to better interpret your actions and motivations with that knowledge.
3. Understand Monotropism
If you only research one theory of the autistic mind, I recommend it be Monotropism. Monotropism is the idea that autistic people have a “narrow attention tunnel” and that this is what enables the kind of deep focus required to develop highly specialized areas of interest and knowledge. This can also be what makes it harder to context-switch or cope with small talk and other networking chatter. When you understand the concept of monotropism, it’s easier to see how this is a borderline superpower, especially in many technical fields, and not the deficit that autistic traits are often characterized as. Armed with this knowledge, you can go into professional conversations knowing that most non-autistic people you encounter won’t think like this, and interpret their words and behavior accordingly. You can also rest assured that while superficial chatter might be required for networking, the ability to go deep on a single topic for an extended period of time is definitely an asset in the actual workplace.
4. Be Mindful of Intersectionality
Intersectionality is the concept that multiple marginalized identities (such as race + gender, neurodivergence + race, etc.) interact with each other in ways that may lead to experiences unique to that intersection, and aren’t just the sum of the contributing identities. For example, even though there might be a higher than average number of autistic individuals working in technology, if you’re an autistic woman in tech, you might have experienced sexism which kept you out of feeling camaraderie with other (male) autistics. On the flip side, you might feel out of place in (predominantly neurotypical) “women in tech” communities. Keeping in mind the fact that each of our identities is influenced by all of the others can make it easier to understand why we feel like an outsider in spaces we expect to feel connection. Keep seeking out others who share different aspects of your identity in order to more easily build rapport, and recognize that being autistic is one of these marginalized identities which can contribute to feeling isolated, which is why it may or may not make sense to disclose (see Tip #2).
5. Prepare Thoroughly for Transitions
This tip can be applied throughout the entire job search and networking process, but is especially important in fast-paced networking environments, during back-to-back interviews, and when transitioning to a new job itself. Big transitions, and especially transitions with a social component, are often highly taxing for autistic individuals because they require adjusting attention significantly (see Tip #3). If you know ahead of time that you will be attending an event that might require a lot of transitions, consider making plans ahead of time to ease those transitions. If you’ve been booked in back-to-back video call interviews, you might ask the HR professional if they would be willing to schedule you with 15 minute breaks in between. If you’re attending a busy networking event, you might practice a short line ahead of time that you can use to politely excuse yourself from a conversation, and then step out into the hallway (or somewhere else private) to recover in between conversations. When it comes to preparing for a new job itself, make sure you self-advocate about start date to give yourself ample time to prepare for the new situation if that’s what you need.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this latest piece in my series on coding and career development for neurodivergent learners and professionals. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the earlier posts in this series, and stay tuned for more writings from my experience as a neurodivergent professional and mentor to other neurodivergent professionals.
