You're Hired!

Practical Strategies for Guiding Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Competitive Employment

Patricia S. Arter; Tammy B. H. Brown and Jennifer Barna

Despite having marketable skills, individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have one of the highest unemployment and under-employment rates of all disability groups. You’re Hired! Practical Strategies for Guiding Individuals with ASD to Competitive Employment is a guidebook to support practitioners who prepare young adults with ASD for competitive employment. Anchored in best practices, this teacher-friendly and classroom-ready resource provides detailed “how-to’s” on supporting individuals with ASD from their initial employment exploration through navigating the challenges of the first job.

This text is a valuable resource for Special Education practitioners teaching in transition programs and is well-suited for teacher preparation programs that provide ASD certifications. In addition, occupational therapists and school counselors will find many useful resources, such as inventories, checklists, and templates, that will aid in the roles they play in preparing individuals with ASD for the job market.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 148 • Trim: 7¼ x 10¼

978-1-5381-7740-2 • Hardback • December 2023 • $95.00 • (£73.00)

978-1-5381-7741-9 • Paperback • December 2023 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Series: Special Education Law, Policy, and Practice

Subjects: Education / Counseling / Career Development, Education / Special Education / General, Social Science / Social Work, Family & Relationships / Autism Spectrum Disorders, Business & Economics / Careers / General

You're Hired!

Practical Strategies for Guiding Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Competitive Employment

Hardback

Paperback

Summary

Despite having marketable skills, individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have one of the highest unemployment and under-employment rates of all disability groups. You’re Hired! Practical Strategies for Guiding Individuals with ASD to Competitive Employment is a guidebook to support practitioners who prepare young adults with ASD for competitive employment. Anchored in best practices, this teacher-friendly and classroom-ready resource provides detailed “how-to’s” on supporting individuals with ASD from their initial employment exploration through navigating the challenges of the first job.
This text is a valuable resource for Special Education practitioners teaching in transition programs and is well-suited for teacher preparation programs that provide ASD certifications. In addition, occupational therapists and school counselors will find many useful resources, such as inventories, checklists, and templates, that will aid in the roles they play in preparing individuals with ASD for the job market.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 148 • Trim: 7¼ x 10¼

978-1-5381-7740-2 • Hardback • December 2023 • $95.00 • (£73.00)

978-1-5381-7741-9 • Paperback • December 2023 • $32.00 • (£25.00)

Series: Special Education Law, Policy, and Practice

Subjects: Education / Counseling / Career Development, Education / Special Education / General, Social Science / Social Work, Family & Relationships / Autism Spectrum Disorders, Business & Economics / Careers / General

Author

Patricia S. Arter is a professor of special education and the Department Chairperson of Counseling, Leadership and Educational Studies at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Special Education. Dr. Arter’s main areas of research are creating access for marginalized special needs populations through inclusion, behavior management, vocational training, social skills training, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Specifically, she has over a decade of experience working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the areas of vocational training, social skills training, emotional regulation training and use of Virtual Reality (VR) to improve interview training skills. Before moving to Winthrop University, she founded and directed (2007-2019) the SOAR program (Students On-Campus Achieving Results), an on-campus program for individuals with ASD to secure competitive employment. Dr. Arter has more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and national and international presentations in her research areas. In addition, she has been awarded over $300,000 in grants funding work with individuals with ASD. Prior to her career in higher education, Dr. Arter was an elementary and middle school teacher in inclusive classrooms for more than 15 years.
Tammy B. H. Brown is a professor in the School of Education at Marywood University. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Education and serves as director of the Students On-Campus Achieving Results (SOAR) program, a campus-based program to help individuals with ASD to secure competitive employment. She has published numerous practitioner-focused articles in state and national journals, including a recent article in Teaching Exceptional Children on the use of Virtual Reality (VR) to prepare individuals with ASD for job interviews. She has also presented at nearly 50 peer-reviewed conferences. She is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the International Literacy Association (ILA), the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE), the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She is also a member of the Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA), where she has served on the journal’s editorial board.
Jennifer Barna, PhD, NCC, ACS, is an Associate Professor and Director of the school counseling program at Marywood University. She holds PK-12 school counseling certification with an autism endorsement. Dr. Barna is a Past President of both the Pennsylvania Counseling Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors. Her work with students on the autism spectrum includes several presentations on preparing students with ASD for the transition to college and supporting the social emotional development of students. She has also presented on how school counselors can support families who parent a child with ASD. Her most recent publications focus on helping students with ASD gain essential employability skills and making a successful transition to college. Dr. Barna is an advisory board member of the Students on Campus Achieving Results (SOAR) program at Marywood University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Autism Spectrum Disorders and Employment
Chapter 2: Preparing the Job Seeker
Chapter 3: Beginning the Job Application Process
Chapter 4: The Job Interview
Chapter 5: The Hidden Curriculum of the Job Place: Soft Skills on the Job
Chapter 6: Handling Conflict on the Job: Co-workers, Supervisors, Customers, Bullying, “Sticky Situations”
Chapter 7: Legal Rights and Workplace Policies
Chapter 8: Case Studies
References
Index
About the Authors

Reviews

This how-to book assists individuals on the autism spectrum in finding meaningful employment. The how-to process includes setting career goals, writing emails to potential employers, developing résumés, identifying job references, determining strengths and weaknesses, role-playing effective communication, handling conflicts, responding to bullying, and regulating strong emotions. The book includes résumé templates, job analysis worksheets, and lists on maintaining daily hygiene, finding technology tools to support interviewing skills, and understanding what not to say to fellow employees. This practical guide is tailored for high school and college career counselors and individuals on the spectrum. Distinguishing itself from general job search books, it addresses autism-related challenges in job searches, including social skills, language use, and restrictive behaviors. It also emphasizes and enhances strengths such as attention to detail, reliability, honesty, and expertise. The last two chapters extend beyond hiring to summarize the legal and social challenges employees on the spectrum may face. Recommended. All readership levels.

— Choice Reviews

The employment journey for autistic and other neurodivergent candidates is complicated. Employers, employment specialists, parents and candidates can sometimes feel overwhelmed by both the process and the resources available for those seeking jobs. This handbook collects a number of useful resources and activities that provide a professional with a roadmap to assist those on this journey. It is written in a clear and accessible way, and organized in a manner that makes it easy to use as a reference for all parts of the employment process.

— Lee Burdette Williams, PhD, executive director, College Autism Network

This book has a lot of great data, information about ASD, and strategies and informative practices for service providers, families, and perhaps employers.

— Katie Oliver, Office of Special Education, Colorado Department of Education

Through real-life examples, engaging case studies, and permanent product activities, the authors have essentially created an interactive curriculum to support the transition of young adults with ASD to the employment setting. A must-read for high school educators, parents, and any others with the role of guiding employment acquisition for young adults with ASD.

— Francis J. DeMatteo Ed.D, professor and director, School Psychology Program, Cal Poly Humboldt; author of of Delivering Psycho-educational Evaluation Results to Parents: A Practitioner’s Model

You're Hired! Practical Strategies for Guiding Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Competitive Employment provides a detailed road map for supporting autistic individuals in getting and maintaining employment. It is brimming with resources and practical guidance; it is truly a must-read for anyone who supports autistic individuals.

— Nicholas Gelbar, University of Connecticut; Educational Testing and Consulting