now that there’s basically no way to get a tech job in the US, what do y’all recommend as a career field for someone who:

• is autistic
• probably can’t get her hands dirty because of sensory issues (I might be able to learn but unsure) (I also considered wearing gloves whenever working with gross parts but I’m unsure how practical that would be)
• has crippling social anxiety
• is very good at quickly learning systems and dealing with numbers and other logical stuff like that

I’m okay with even low-paying jobs as long as it’s a liveable wage, but ideally I’d like something that doesn’t take too much unpaid training because I want to get some kind of income quickly

here’s what I’ve considered so far:

accountant: it seems like there’s an expectation for me to be “professional” (create a whole work persona and mask aggressively) which I hate, and I would also need to network. but I’m considering this

locksmith: I’ve always wanted to learn lockpicking, but I’m unsure how dextrous I am, and I feel like my hands might have to get dirty/sticky/gross if I did this

CNC machine operator: this seemed perfect for me at first (get to make cool parts, get to work with computers, minimal People Stuff), but then I learned that I’d still have to work with parts with my hands so my hands would probably still get gross and that would drive me crazy - unless I can wash them immediately after

boosts are encouraged!

@kasdeya Apparently Piano tuners make good money

@lycanmatriarch woah - huh! I wonder if there’s much demand for them. I think that would be pretty easy for me to do - especially if I had equipment that matched the pitch for me

@kasdeya There's a guy that has appeared in the YT short feed who does tuning , cleaning, and repairs and he grosses something like $120 per appointment

@lycanmatriarch woahh that’s incredible. that actually sounds like a really good job tbh - I love cleaning things lol

@kasdeya found him! https://youtube.com/shorts/cV74ZGvAMU0?si=II-BjDJyr5fsAvbQ

@kasdeya looks like his channel has some information on entering the trade as well.

@kasdeya maybe woodworking? like on angry machines you need to use bulky gloves, to deal with glue you need to use some kind of gloves too, and thin gloves used by tattoo artist are powderless and don't interfere with movement, so you could deal with dirt wood easily with gunking your hands

@kasdeya can comment on the CNC thing re: gloves: they are pretty frowned upon in metaworking because if they get cought in stuff it leads to really really nasty injuries. also, most of the liquids youd work with are (imo) really gross and hard to get off your hands

@kasdeya on that note, what do you think about welder?

@kasdeya librarian or archivist?

@kasdeya @jessica I have a friend who is a locksmith. It involves lots of grease and crawling around in tight and messy spaces. Generally handling things that haven’t been touched in decades.

@kasdeya two outside pitches:
1) if you can get the schooling, consider an engineering field! Hiring in the field has slowed a little with the rest of the real economy, but it's much more insulated from VC boom-and-bust cycles (buildings always need designed, machines improved, doohickeys implemented, etc.)
2) electricians make pretty solid cash, follow a big rulebook, and largely avoid the smells and grime of other building trades. You'll still need some certs/school, but no 4-year degree.

@kasdeya 👋 autistic cnc machinist+cad/cam programmer here!

if you're an operator, you'll mostly be keeping a machine running with someone else's code and deburring/finishing parts while it runs. moving as fast as possible is a high priority and management will be tracking your efficiency. it can be really stressful; i walked out of a job like that after just a day.

if there's a trade school near you that offers a machin*ist* program (ie: one that will actually teach you how to be more than an operator), that will probably lead to a better work environment. this is where the computer work and cool parts are. lots of problem solving and precise measuring, occasional collaboration with engineers and other machinists. i never have to speak directly with customers.

(if you have more questions i'm happy to answer :D)

@kasdeya librarian? But that requires education. You may be able to get an entry level shelving job without a library degree though.

Bookkeeping for a business.

IT for local businesses (for example, running the server room at a large grocery store)

All kinds of crafts/art production, but you also have to market yourself and create a business if you want to sell anything you produce.

Baker, but those jobs either require experience or are quite competitive.

If you're willing to work night shift, more opportunities open up for things like night stocking or shelving, etc.

Honestly, it's very tough for those of us who don't want to really deal with people and don't already have an education in a specialized technical field that has jobs.

I'm re-training from tech into wastewater, which I'm excited about, but I just got lucky that there's a 1 year wastewater program being offered at a local community college this year.

@kasdeya Would becoming a freelance and getting a job (aka: gig) outside the US, for a company on any other country be an option?

Not saying that it’s easy, but at least the world is huge and it’s there to be all yours.

Best luck in any case. 🤞

@kasdeya Honestly, apart from the getting your hands dirty part; you'd love being a mechanic, or a machinist (depending on how you feel about being extremely concerned with precision and repeatability)

@kasdeya CNC is absolutely filthy and will keep you completely covered in filth. Metal shavings, lubricant, grease, etc. And there is a LOT of peopling involved. Locksmithing is ALL peopling.

But independent accountancy? Get your CPA, learn tax prep, do good work, and once you build a small network, word of mouth will do the rest. And 'professional' can just be 'wear a nice^Wclean shirt.' Hell, often you don't need to see people at all. I only see my accountant at Porsche events.

@kasdeya
PLC Automation Technician

@kasdeya IT is the obvious choice! Since you made it on here, you're already ahead of the vast majority of people. If you specialize in Linux (which is always in demand), you get all the learning material for free. If you have some time, you could try some little projects like settings up a mastodon instance on a raspberry pi and see how it feels to you. There's loads of neurodivergent people in IT as well, myself included.

@kasdeya applying for something remotely in tech ain't an option?

Consider writing a CV with Project List / Portfolio and shooting it towards recruiters??

@sloth @kasdeya I assume if CNC operator work with pieces, protection glove would be required for safety?

@kasdeya My dad’s an autistic chartered accountant. Though he’s more of the obnoxiously extroverted type of autist.

I’m not sure if people care if you mask as long as all of the beans get counted.

He did end up retiring due to being worn out by a few toxic employers a few years ago and ministry of education fired him for conflict of interest because he was taking action over my illegal expulsion from school.

@gkrnours
@kasdeya Depends on the material you're working with. This laboratory-grade countertop (image 1) has a sharp edge before we chamfer it, so it's best to wear gloves (image 2) while machining it.

The electrical insulation I work with (image 3) every day is soft and doesn't have an edge sharp enough to break skin, so I don't use gloves while working with it. Any residue it leaves behind gets washed off with soap or hand cleaner, which I can go do whenever I want.

@kasdeya bookkeeping is also an option, if you work for a small firm there can be very little customer facing activity

@passocacornio oohh omg this might be a really good option! thank you

@mjustm I considered welding! it honestly looks pretty satisfying, but I’ve heard that it’s dangerous - maybe because the metal fumes from welding are harmful? but idk I’m kinda tempted to learn

@kasdeya electrician and plumber. Both are union jobs.