Arik 4/5/20 Arik 4/5/20

Top 10 reasons to hire autistic people, either as employees or remote freelancers

Autistic and aspergers adults possess many desired skills, but generally have excellent tech orientation, which makes them a great talent for tech companies. There is an increasingly huge need for such employees (see HBR).
Highly retained employees (for some companies, 1% increase in general employee retention worth > US$ 50M/year).
Tens of thousands of $ worth of tax benefits (this is relevant to full-time employers)
Post your jobs on our newsletter and get in-front of almost 1,000 high-functioning autistics
It adds to the general diversity of the company, which according to scholars and researches contributes to the ability to meet customer needs, creativity, innovation, and the accessibility of products. Even if you hire autistics as freelancers who work from home, you are still more diverse.
It enhances the company’s brand as an inclusive employer, and therefore attracts top talents. Anyone wants to work in an inclusive workplace that is open to everyone.
Managers of autistic people become better managers to their neurotypical employees as well. They are more inclusive, give better feedback and set clear expectations.
Existing autistic employees (who kept it confidential so far) will be happier (as indicated by Microsoft). According to a survey by StackOverflow, 2.6% of the programmers indicated they are autistic.
Many scholars identify autistic people as trustworthy, innovative, attentive to details, analytical thinkers, productive, reliable and more. Many of them become masters of their trade and therefore are immune to boredom.
With 500,000-1M teens entering adulthood in the upcoming 10 years (in the US), and with direct and indirect annual costs of US$ 236 Billion to the American taxpayer, hiring autistic people and providing them with the professional fulfilment is both socially and economically right.
Being more diverse means getting more diverse customers = more income.

Arik 4/5/20 Arik 4/5/20

What’s important to autistic people about their jobs

Following hundreds of responses to “32 remote (work from home) jobs for autistic people and Aspergers, test which one fits you best”, this is what we learned:

Several months ago I released a post which enables autistics and Aspergers to test which remote (mostly online) jobs might be a good fit for them. Let’s take a look at the answers:

To what extent do you prefer repetitive work?

The average was 6.2 (out of 10)

To what extent do you prefer your instructions to be well defined (less room for improvisation and interpretation)?

The average was 7.9

To what extent do you prefer the tasks to be highly divided to small tasks by the employer?

The average was 6.3

To what extent do you prefer minimum social interactions (with your employer as well as with other people related to the tasks given)?

The average was 7.7

As we can see, the most important things for most autistic and aspergers about their job is getting clear, not vague instructions, followed by minimizing social interactions. Working remotely from home can definitely minimize social interactions. Clear instructions are inherent to working remotely so this answers the most important things to autistic people about their job. The more I look at these answers, as well as read posts that are trying to answer the question ‘what are the best jobs for autistic people’ (we had a few here: example 1, example 2), the more I understand it’s more about the environment and less about the role.

If you think I missed something, feel free to comment.

Arik 3/22/20 Arik 3/22/20

A simple freelance contract template [free, and personalized]

Create a personalized freelance contract by answering just a few questions.

If you are a writer, graphic designer, artist, web researcher, or any other freelancer (or a client hiring such a freelancer) who doesn’t know how to create a freelance contract, you can answer several questions below and we’ll generate a personalized contract.

An additional option you can check is Bonsai - a startup backed by the same early investors as Airbnb, Reddit, Dropbox and more - that provides what you need to run your freelancing business (contracts, proposals, invoices, time tracking, expenses and more). I think they have a 14 days free trial.

Fair disclosure - if you do use them Spectroomz earns a commission, but we wouldn’t recommend them if they weren’t serious.

Contributor 3/16/20 Contributor 3/16/20

What are the Best Jobs for Autistic People?

The majority of autistic adults are un or underemployed, largely because the demands of traditional jobs erase autistic needs. So, are there jobs for autistic people?

By: Vanessa Blanchard

I’ve had a lot of jobs in the last 20 years. Some were great, others awful, but all of them burned me out. Figuring out why I couldn’t hold a job helped me learn I’m autistic. The majority of autistic adults are un or underemployed, largely because the demands of traditional jobs erase autistic needs. So, are there jobs for autistic people?

I think yes, but the key to stable employment for autistic adults is to let meeting their needs become part of the job. We often thrive in environments without hierarchies that foster authenticity.

My worst jobs were ones where hierarchies mattered greatly. I’m always thrust to the bottom of social structures like this. That’s what being “othered” is about. These are the jobs where needing accommodations is both a betrayal and a sign that you’re a liar.

The worst job I’ve ever had was in real estate. I wanted to talk about houses all day. Instead, I had to mask constantly and chase people’s approval. Office work requires constant interruptions and phones make me anxious. I quickly found myself being manipulated and bullied within the office.

There were parts of that job I loved very much, but I couldn’t make it 4 months before I was fired. The disappointment and embarrassment nearly broke me. It took me months to recover and I had to pay for therapy out of pocket just to last as long as I did.

My best job was the opposite. I designed crochet patterns and sold them on Etsy. This job let me organize my day around my needs. I could stim freely. There were tasks that were good for bad sensory days, hyperfocus, or no focus, far fewer social and sensory demands, and new projects meant novelty within a routine. Breaks were allowed because stillness brings innovation and clarity, which is integral for an art business.

I kept that job for several years before I decided to move on. During that time, my mental health improved immensely. Building an expression, stitch by stitch is a tangible transmutation. Finishing a thing is my favorite way to gain confidence.

I firmly believe that there could be a diverse range of jobs out there for autistic adults that won’t chew them up and spit them out. It will require innovation and perhaps a union so that we’re protected from discrimination, but it’s 100% possible for many more of us to have the independence and sense of purpose that employment offers.

Arik 3/9/20 Arik 3/9/20

A freelance proposal example and template

This is a freelance proposal template and example. Learn how to write a project or bid proposal and get hired for more projects faster.

Below you can find a general freelance proposal template you can copy and modify. You can also find our freelance proposal template tool—just enter the details and get your personalized template.

Since more people will use it, please treat it as a basic template you’ll need to adjust.

Freelance proposal template:

Hi [name of the client],

I'm [your name], and I'd love to [what is the job - concisely show the client you understand what’s the job and that you read their job description. Clients HATE general templates].

I'm a great fit because [explain why you are a great fit]. [(optional: I also attached an example of [what is the example (it could be a previous job you did, a project from college or a small portion you completed from the project the client posted)] which I find similar to your project.

I'm ready to start working on your project [when] and can complete it by [when. make sure it's before the deadline the client posted].

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[your name].

Use our freelance proposal tool instead of copy-pasting

Freelance proposal example:

Now, let’s see an example of that freelance proposal template. Let’s assume the project you are proposing for is a data analysis of an online survey conducted by the client with regards to their app.

Hi Jimi,

I'm Arik, and I'd love to summaries the data you collected through the survey on your app ‘GreatApp’.

I'm a great fit because I have analyzed data for over 15 surveys so far. I also attached an analysis example of a survey taken by the users of a dating app, which I find similar to your project.

I'm ready to start working on your project tomorrow (9 am EST) and can complete it by Thursday 1 pm EST.