Choosing the Best Job for Autistic Adults

Patty Laushman
Jul 30
6 min read

By Patty Laushman

Though earning a paycheck is an important part of a job, it’s not the only important thing. Having the best job for you is part of the foundation for a satisfying, independent life. For autistic adults, however, navigating the job market can be particularly challenging. Depending on the research you look at, a staggering 85 percent are unemployed or underemployed globally. It’s heartbreaking to think of how much potential we are all losing out on.

A person wearing a beige sweater sits at a wooden desk, typing on a laptop. An open notebook with handwritten notes and a pen rests beside them, along with a tablet and a glass of water. The overhead perspective emphasizes focus and concentration. This image represents the importance of finding meaningful employment, especially for autistic adults, highlighting how the right job can contribute to financial independence, confidence, and personal fulfillment.

If you are an autistic adult, the right job offers so much that contributes to your quality of life. Besides the potential for financial independence, it can help you build confidence, contribute to your sense of purpose in life, and even provide the opportunity to develop really gratifying social connections.

In this blog post, I’m excited to share some of the lessons I’ve learned through my work with autistic adults, some of whom were already in the best job for them and some of whom were not. I’ve noticed that there are some common keys to success, so let’s dive into the details of what to look for when searching for the best job for autistic adults.

Aligns With Your Interests

One of the most significant factors in finding the best job for autistic adults is ensuring it aligns with your interests. When you’re genuinely passionate about what you do, work feels less like a chore and more like an opportunity to engage in something meaningful. It fosters engagement, boosts resilience during on-the-job challenges, and creates opportunities for long-term career satisfaction.

A professional dog groomer wearing pink gloves and a black uniform carefully washes a curly-haired dog in a grooming station. The groomer has braided hair and is smiling while working. The environment is well-organized, with pet care supplies and tools neatly arranged. This image represents the importance of finding a job that aligns with your interests, such as working with animals, which can bring fulfillment, engagement, and long-term career satisfaction for autistic adults.

For example, someone who loves animals might thrive in a role at a veterinary clinic or animal shelter. These environments allow for learning, contributing to animal welfare, and connecting with others who share the same passion. Similarly, a person with a strong interest in technology might find joy in IT support or software development. These roles involve solving challenging problems and working on innovative projects that spark curiosity and creativity.

Pursuing an interest-driven career can also lead to deeper connections with like-minded individuals. For example, I’ve found incredible fulfillment and camaraderie as an autism, ADHD, and AuDHD coach. Not only does my work align with my passion for helping neurodivergent individuals thrive, but it’s also enabled me to develop meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients who share similar goals and values.

Leverages Your Strengths

The best job for you should leverage your strengths, not constantly demand that you use skills that drain you or don’t come naturally. For example, if you excel at working with data but find face-to-face interactions exhausting, a role in data analysis or back-end programming might be a much better fit than customer service.

Autistic adults often have unique strengths, such as exceptional attention to detail, pattern recognition, and the ability to focus deeply on specific tasks. These strengths can shine in roles like quality assurance testing, archival work, or detailed administrative tasks.

A young man with curly hair, wearing a bright blue hoodie, leans forward in deep concentration as he carefully cuts a design on paper using a craft knife. His workspace is filled with creative tools, including a cutting mat and various art supplies. This image represents the importance of leveraging strengths in a career—someone with visual creativity and attention to detail might thrive in roles like illustration, graphic design, or model-making, where their skills are valued and social demands are minimized

For example, individuals with visual creativity might excel in graphic design or illustration. These roles allow them to focus on their creative strengths while minimizing social demands, as long as they have a direct supervisor who runs interference between them and clients or upper management. Similarly, those with a love for logic and systems might thrive as accountants or researchers, where their methodical approaches to work are celebrated.

The ultimate goal is to feel energized by your work rather than drained by it. When your strengths align with your job, not only do you benefit, but the organization benefits as well.

For example, you may have read blog posts here written by my guest writer, Jackson McMahon, who happens to be an autistic adult. What I recently discovered about Jackson is a hidden talent and unparalleled ability to organize complex data and produce error-free invoices for my business. His attention to detail and focus have become invaluable assets to my organization.

Matches Your Predominant Thinking Style

Another key factor in finding a great job fit is understanding your natural thinking style. Through her research, Dr. Temple Grandin describes three primary thinking styles: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, and verbal thinkers. Let’s explore these styles and their corresponding career matches.

Visual Thinkers

Visual thinkers process the world through images rather than words. They excel in roles that require spatial awareness, creativity, or hands-on problem-solving. Great career options for visual thinkers include:

A young man wearing a dark sweater and an apron stands at a workstation, attentively focusing on a task involving machinery. His calm and concentrated expression suggests deep engagement in his work. This image represents visual thinkers, individuals who process information through images rather than words. Careers like data analysis, engineering, and music composition are ideal for those with strong spatial awareness and a logical approach to problem-solving, where patterns and structures guide their work.

Graphic Design: Creating visual content for websites, advertisements, or branding.
Drafting and Architecture: Designing floor plans or building structures.
Mechanics: Troubleshooting physical systems and machinery.

Visual thinkers thrive in roles where they can use their ability to “see” solutions in their minds, making them invaluable in creative and technical fields.

Pattern Thinkers

Pattern thinkers are drawn to logic, structure, and problem-solving. They often excel in fields that require identifying patterns, building systems, or working with numbers. Career options include:

Data Analysis: Finding trends and insights in complex data sets.
Engineering: Designing and building systems, from bridges to computer chips.
Music Composition: Creating or arranging intricate musical patterns.

For pattern thinkers, their logical approach and love for structure make them excellent fits for roles requiring precision and order.

Verbal Thinkers

Verbal thinkers process the world through words and language. They often excel in roles that involve storytelling, teaching, or legal analysis. Ideal careers include:

A man in a light blue button-up shirt stands in front of a whiteboard, pointing at a list of words with a pen while explaining a concept. The words on the board, such as 'teacher,' 'pen,' and 'books,' suggest a focus on language and categorization. This image represents verbal thinkers—individuals who process the world through words and language. They excel in careers like writing, teaching, and legal research, where strong communication and analytical skills are essential.

Writing and Editing: Crafting blog posts, novels, or marketing copy.
Teaching: Sharing knowledge in an engaging way.
Legal Research: Analyzing and simplifying complex legal information.

Verbal thinkers bring unique value to roles that rely on communication and language skills.

Dr. Grandin talks about how she is predominantly a visual thinker, her brain functioning like a Google image database. When you say the word, “dog,” she reports the word conjures up images of every dog she’s ever seen rather than one or two images of the generalized concept of dog.

Most individuals are a blend of these thinking styles, with one or two dominant traits. I think I am about two-thirds a pattern thinker and one-third a verbal thinker. I see patterns and connect the dots everywhere, yet I’m also a strong writer, and both of these help me in my career as an autism life coach.

A Supportive Work Environment

While finding a match with your interests, strengths, and thinking style is critical, the work environment in which you do the job is equally important. A supportive environment includes both the people you work with and the physical conditions of the workplace.

Supportive People

Supportive leadership and a supportive team dynamic are as important to your success as the tasks you do as part of your job.

Two professional women, one with long dark hair and the other with short gray hair and glasses, engage in a discussion at a modern office table. The younger woman holds a tablet and gestures as she explains something, while the older woman, working on a laptop, smiles and listens attentively. The office features bookshelves filled with books and decorative sculptures, creating a collaborative and creative atmosphere. This image represents a supportive work environment, where inclusive leadership and open communication foster success for neurodivergent individuals by ensuring clarity, respect, and teamwork.

Supervisors: Your direct supervisor is the single most important person in your job success. They can make or break an okay job or cause the perfect job for you to fail. A great supervisor understands neurodiversity and provides clear communication and reasonable accommodations if needed.
Coworkers: Inclusive and respectful coworkers foster a sense of belonging and reduce the need for masking or overcompensating.
Clients: Roles involving client interaction can be particularly draining for autistic adults, but if you can work with clients who respect your expertise and communication style, this can definitely work.

Sensory-Friendly Physical Environment

For many autistic adults, the physical environment can significantly impact their ability to focus and produce their best work. I have worked with clients who were operating in conditions that were literally toxic to their sensory systems. Key considerations include things like:

Noise Levels: Quiet spaces or noise-canceling headphones can help reduce sensory overload.
Lighting: A desk near windows or a desk lamp can mitigate the harshness of fluorescent lights.
Temperature: Personal fans or extra layers can help address temperature-related discomforts.
Visual Distractions: Sitting in a low-traffic area is much better than a workstation with high foot traffic walking by all day.
Smell Distractions: Avoiding workspaces near areas with strong odors, like break rooms, can make a big difference.

A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a soft-textured sweater, sits at a well-organized desk in a softly lit room. She is painting with focus, surrounded by art supplies, including brushes, markers, and color swatches. The environment is calm and visually uncluttered, with natural light filtering in, creating a soothing workspace. This image represents a sensory-friendly physical environment, where elements like lighting, noise levels, and organization are adjusted to support focus and comfort for neurodivergent individuals, including autistic adults.

If you find the natural work environment is draining your energy, make sure there is a sensory-friendly place you can go to reset and refocus.

Final Thoughts About the Best Job for Autistic Adults

The right job can transform an autistic adult’s life, offering more than just financial stability. It can boost confidence, provide a sense of purpose, and create opportunities for meaningful connections. By seeking roles that align with interests, strengths, and thinking styles, while prioritizing supportive work environments, autistic adults can find jobs where they truly thrive.

Remember, you have unique talents and perspectives to offer the world. The journey to finding the right job may take time and effort, but the reward is worth it – a fulfilling career that celebrates your individuality and allows you to contribute in meaningful ways.