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The Autism Job Club: The Neurodiverse Workforce in the New Normal of Employment
The Autism Job Club is a groundbreaking book for bringing adults with autism and other neuro-diverse conditions into the work world.
The book has its basis in the autism job club that the authors have been part of in the San Francisco Bay Area, the job-creation and job-placement efforts the club has undertaken, and similar efforts throughout the United States.
The authors review the high unemployment rates among adults with autism and other neuro- diverse conditions more than two decades after the ADA. National data on autism employment and unemployment with the individual employment searches of job club members.
Bernick and Holden also outline and explain six strategies that, taken together, will reshape employment for adults with
*The art of the autism job coach.
*The autism advantage in technology employment.
*Autism employment and the internet economy.
*Autism employment and the practical/craft economy.
*Autism and extra-governmental job networks.
*Autism and public service employment.
The Autism Job Club will be a vital resource for adults with autism, their families, and advocates who are committed to neuro-diverse employment, not unemployment. But it will also speak to a far broader audience interested in how to carve out a place for themselves or others in an increasingly competitive job world.
The book has its basis in the autism job club that the authors have been part of in the San Francisco Bay Area, the job-creation and job-placement efforts the club has undertaken, and similar efforts throughout the United States.
The authors review the high unemployment rates among adults with autism and other neuro- diverse conditions more than two decades after the ADA. National data on autism employment and unemployment with the individual employment searches of job club members.
Bernick and Holden also outline and explain six strategies that, taken together, will reshape employment for adults with
*The art of the autism job coach.
*The autism advantage in technology employment.
*Autism employment and the internet economy.
*Autism employment and the practical/craft economy.
*Autism and extra-governmental job networks.
*Autism and public service employment.
The Autism Job Club will be a vital resource for adults with autism, their families, and advocates who are committed to neuro-diverse employment, not unemployment. But it will also speak to a far broader audience interested in how to carve out a place for themselves or others in an increasingly competitive job world.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2015
18 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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June 10, 2015Just a heads up, this book was an "autism parent" book. Not a book for or by autistic people themselves. I did not realize this when I started it. Over and over there was the same story: a successful business-person has an autistic child and was concerned about "what would happen to them when they were gone." And one of the biggest pieces of advice the author had, which I'm not necessarily denigrating, was to disclose diagnosis to potential employers in hopes they have a family member with a similar condition, and are sympathetic.
I understand the pragmatic approach. I see environmentalists practicing a similar style where they convince business to operate differently because "in the end" it will really benefit business bottom line. One section even encourages the comparison to environmentalism promotion, and how integrating a social message is wonderful for marketing (chp 19). I guess I don't see how "exploit these people as workers because they are actually easier and better for you to exploit" helps autistic people gain respectful employment.
The strongest chapter was 15, on craft, which I saw as recognizing the value of labor denigrated regardless of disabled workers, like food service, cleaning service, etc. It even discussed America's Next Top Model! There's a lot of possibility for solidarity and cooperation between feminist, disability, and labor rights movements to converge around this.
Heavy use of functioning labels.
I understand the pragmatic approach. I see environmentalists practicing a similar style where they convince business to operate differently because "in the end" it will really benefit business bottom line. One section even encourages the comparison to environmentalism promotion, and how integrating a social message is wonderful for marketing (chp 19). I guess I don't see how "exploit these people as workers because they are actually easier and better for you to exploit" helps autistic people gain respectful employment.
The strongest chapter was 15, on craft, which I saw as recognizing the value of labor denigrated regardless of disabled workers, like food service, cleaning service, etc. It even discussed America's Next Top Model! There's a lot of possibility for solidarity and cooperation between feminist, disability, and labor rights movements to converge around this.
Heavy use of functioning labels.
February 13, 2018
Had some good information, but most of the information was about employment in general. I'd say only about 10% of the book is actually geared at gainful employment for adults with autism, but ending each chapter with a paragraph about how the information in the chapter applies to autism.
And frankly, it's a lot of "no crap" information, like networking. Yes, of course, networking will help anyone and everyone gain employment...
And frankly, it's a lot of "no crap" information, like networking. Yes, of course, networking will help anyone and everyone gain employment...
January 17, 2018
IN THE AUTISM JOB CLUB, authors Michael Bernick and Richard Holden explain the complications of employment for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. A huge number of those with autism are unemployed. The authors estimate 60 to 70%. Many end up on disability for long periods: "A good number of adults with autism going on these rolls in their twenties and not exiting."
The authors explain how the job market has changed over the years, towards a more "gig" economy, and less stable, full-time jobs. See especially Chapter 7, "The Evolving Job World."
I found the experiences of William, Michael's autistic son, to be fascinating--but perhaps a little discouraging. Michael explains how his son was able to get a college degree, start a variety of jobs, but have a really tough time getting substantive full-time employment. As the author explains, to get a good job in today's economy, you have to show you are just as good as the other applicants.
The book also explains a number of resources and organizations dedicated to helping autistic folks get work. Many of these organizations are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
So overall, I found THE AUTISM JOB CLUB to be a SUPERB book. I didn't know what to expect, and I was very impressed. There is lots of valuable information here.
Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
The authors explain how the job market has changed over the years, towards a more "gig" economy, and less stable, full-time jobs. See especially Chapter 7, "The Evolving Job World."
I found the experiences of William, Michael's autistic son, to be fascinating--but perhaps a little discouraging. Michael explains how his son was able to get a college degree, start a variety of jobs, but have a really tough time getting substantive full-time employment. As the author explains, to get a good job in today's economy, you have to show you are just as good as the other applicants.
The book also explains a number of resources and organizations dedicated to helping autistic folks get work. Many of these organizations are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
So overall, I found THE AUTISM JOB CLUB to be a SUPERB book. I didn't know what to expect, and I was very impressed. There is lots of valuable information here.
Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
August 16, 2022
Could be a benefit to someone with, or is helping someone with, the higher ranges of the autism spectrum. Also an eye opener on the situation today when it comes to being able to earn an income or get additional help outside of the school systems.
April 27, 2015
As more and more people on the autism spectrum enter adulthood, the need for gainful employment opportunities for such individuals becomes increasingly imperative. Bernick and Holden have garnered much success in creating a plan for job clubs to assist anyone with a neurodiverse diagnosis, and the book outlines six steps towards implementing their model that will be of help to anyone seeking to assist either themselves or others. Beyond the creation of job clubs, the book addresses public policy issues on employment and will be a vital resource on such for many years to come.
March 10, 2019
This book provided a good overview about the difficulties that people with autism encounter when finding and maintaining employment. Currently, I am a job developer for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and hoped to discover new strategies to help me find employment for my people. It was a solid read, but it didn't give me any strategies that were different from what I've already tried.
November 20, 2020
I agree with a lot of the other reviewers that the book had a lot of information (most of it general and superfluous to the topic at hand, until the smaller 'conclusion' sections at the end of the section tying it back in). I'm not so sure this book is for neurodiverse individuals as it is for their networks, or business leaders approaching the topic of how to integrate neurodiverse and specifically autistic people into their workforce.
Paperback bought from Bookshop.org!
Paperback bought from Bookshop.org!
April 27, 2025
Outdated. There is some useful info about understanding job searching and the job market, but as an autistic person the book was not helpful to me. What it considers "high functioning" is the type of person who is still practically unemployable. I hoped to find more useful info for the type of autistic person who can be undiagnosed through adulthood.
The intended audience is not autistic people, it is probably recruiters or something similar. Additionally, much of the info about emerging trends is now outdated.
Finally, the book does not even manage to show convincing promise for the future of the autistic people it talks about in the job market. Many of the businesses or other efforts meant to help all seem to fail.
The intended audience is not autistic people, it is probably recruiters or something similar. Additionally, much of the info about emerging trends is now outdated.
Finally, the book does not even manage to show convincing promise for the future of the autistic people it talks about in the job market. Many of the businesses or other efforts meant to help all seem to fail.
March 16, 2020
I should have bought this book instead of checking it out from the library. I took pages of notes. The authors talk about current job trends, and then specifically apply them to autism job seekers. As a parent of a young adult on the spectrum, I feel better prepared for what he/we are facing. It is not all rosy with tidy recommendations, but I am more clear-eyed and focused in my thinking. A lot of out of the box ideas are presented. As a parent, I thought the book was great. I think my son would not have been able to wade through reading it himself.
December 8, 2024
"The Autism Job Club" by Michael Bernick and Richard Holden is an excellent resource for US-based autistic people and their loved ones. Some of the strategies contained in the book will also be useful for the autistic communities living elsewhere.
I would love to see more books like this popping up in every country in the world, each detailing the best tips and suggestions for autistic people to find employment in different settings!
I would love to see more books like this popping up in every country in the world, each detailing the best tips and suggestions for autistic people to find employment in different settings!
December 20, 2018
Tries to cover everyone who falls under the autism umbrella in a book that is short on substance. There are good ideas that help get one's mind working, but there aren't many breakthroughs. Reads more like a progress report for the job organizations mentioned in the book.
July 29, 2018
Dry as a bone, and really pertaining more to employment in general with a sprinkling of autism anecdotes. But maybe interesting for someone with less knowledge of the topic.
July 18, 2024
Given that this book is already 10 years past the publishing date and the expansion of the neurodiversity movement, I feel it does a decent job (no pun intended) of explaining the picture of employment for autistic adults who have lower support needs ("high functioning").as well as explaining the general picture of why autism can be in conflict with traditional workplace environments.
In some ways, it was a breath of fresh air to see my own employment struggle repeated by so many others.
However, the authors focus very little on the barriers preventing autistics from getting employed that have nothing to do with their personal attitudes. The authors assume autistic people create burdens for the typical workplace and are ultimately responsible for the negative associations others have. The book fails to address the disparity of discrimination and inequality as what it is.
Furthermore, for the authors, an autistic person without a job is barely considered an equal or fulfilled person. Employment and consistently approved metrics of garnering income are the only pathways for autistic people to live successful lives, In this perspective.
Fundamentally, the book provides a few tangible resources for help and a few valuable statistics that can be equally garnered from more recent and sympathetic advice.
In some ways, it was a breath of fresh air to see my own employment struggle repeated by so many others.
However, the authors focus very little on the barriers preventing autistics from getting employed that have nothing to do with their personal attitudes. The authors assume autistic people create burdens for the typical workplace and are ultimately responsible for the negative associations others have. The book fails to address the disparity of discrimination and inequality as what it is.
Furthermore, for the authors, an autistic person without a job is barely considered an equal or fulfilled person. Employment and consistently approved metrics of garnering income are the only pathways for autistic people to live successful lives, In this perspective.
Fundamentally, the book provides a few tangible resources for help and a few valuable statistics that can be equally garnered from more recent and sympathetic advice.
March 11, 2024
Bernick's heart is in the right place, but he lacks a deep understanding of organizations and how talent processes work. His passion is a very specific segment of the autistic population (those with average or somewhat below-average abilities), but he tries to address everyone, and it does not connect.
March 13, 2015
Presented some very clear points and hope that the world at large will realize that a population will need to be employed in the coming years. I am hopeful that clubs and systems close to what is going on in California are happening in the rest of the country
April 10, 2016
There is no question that the Autism Job Club is a great resource for adults with autism and their families. To me the book also challenges the employers of America to pick up talent from underrepresented groups - this book lays a solid case.
January 16, 2016
miserable outlook. Not sure it was beneficial. Maybe it the parts I skimmed.
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