Are there any careers for people with learning disabilities/social anxiety disorder?

programmer24

like for instance maybe working in the it field as network/database administrator

Asif Dasl

You need to pin down what you mean by learning disabilities. I would say getting rid of a social anxiety disorder is the first step towards any job you wanted, not the other way around. You would really need to speak to a professional though - self diagnosis is often wide of the mark.

programmer24

I know I am trying to improve but its seem like people brought me down telling me im not good in working in the computer field

Asif Dasl

IT is big field and just because you are not good in one sector doesn't mean that you can't be great in another. Command lines aren't my favorite thing in the world, so being a CCIE is probably out of my reach. But I have a mental picture of much of the Windows GUI so I am more suited to Windows even though it use command lines but not to the same extent as Cisco would. I was a lousy programmer in college but I found my niche and you will too - stick at it.

programmer24

like I already found I want to do work with databases as a dba but some people told me to create a portfolio and I need to start at helpdesk and only way I can get a helpdesk job is getting certified in a+/n+ and I graduated from college also I plan to studying sql server

Psoasman

I suggested a portfolio, so that when someone asks you "Do you have any experience in database development, security, or integration?" you can say "Yes, here are several programs I've written" or something like that.

Data is the most valuable asset a company has and most of them just are not going to let just anyone have access to it. People say you will most likely start at Help Desk, because that is where most people start.

You could check craigslist for the computer gigs. I've seen in the past, that someone wants a small database built for them. You also might try volunteering with a non-profit and help them with a database. The experience earned will be helpful and you'd probably get a good reference out of it.

programmer24

maybe I can do networking instead of databases if that doesn't work out you right that I am trying to find my niche in the it field

programmer24

I have a couple of database programs like a phonebook app and video game database

tbgree00

Obviously it depends on the severity of your personal disorder but I don't know that you should look at it as a roadblock. If you can save any money or get any assistance to see a professional I think that would be helpful. Since you didn't say a physical disorder then there isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to do any IT job that someone else would, it would just be different.

Do you have any experience? That is the big thing in IT. If you can show a history of having high emotional intelligence and experience for a job I don't think you will have any issue. I don't think an interviewer can ask about health issues so it shouldn't come up. If you don't have the chops you will have some trouble coming in and being a NA/DBA. If you're learning the ropes and want that level responsibility you can try to find a Small business that would accept help. Don't shun a helpdesk role either.

Call up your local recruiter and tell them what you want and where you are in a career. I get calls from TEKsystems all the time looking for printer or desktop deployment people for contracts. Sure it stinks but the experience will get you somewhere.

astrogeek

In my opinion social anxiety disorder is a made up disorder so pharmaceutical companies can sell their poison to people who probably are really just quite and shy people. I'm not saying you don't have a disorder, I'm just saying that I used to think I had social anxiety disorder too because the symptoms pretty much reflect my personality - but that's just my personality.

I highly recommend reading "Quiet" by Susan Cain, she also made a terrific speech at a TED conference. Again, I'm really just taking a wild guess and I don't know you personally so I could be completely wrong, but for the longest time I thought something was wrong with me too.


With all that said, there are a lot of jobs in IT that don't require a lot of face time with other people, so don't listen to anyone that is saying people skills are a major requirement in IT because they aren't. Keep in mind a lot of people in IT come from other countries and don't speak English very well, yet they still do incredibly well - as long as you know your stuff, that's really what matters most.

I would recommend going for A+, N+, and Sec+ then see what ones interest you most. Having those 3 would be a great starting point and from there you could decide if you want to focus more on the networking side, server side, etc. Even in networking there are different fields; routing & switching, voice, security, wireless, etc. IT is a broad enough field that you should be able to find something that you are interested in.

About7Narwhal

programmer24 wrote: »

I know I am trying to improve but its seem like people brought me down telling me im not good in working in the computer field

I have a friend who use to work on a helpdesk who had social anxiety like you describe. He was very smart and very good at his job until the end user / customer started yelling or becoming unmanageable, then he would simply shut down. That said, he still works in the IT field, but it took him some time to find the right position to match his strengths and weaknesses.

While I agree that there may very well be some jobs that will be very difficult for you, that does not mean they ALL will. Take some time to really sit down and research the positions you might be interested in, see what kind of stress they might cause, and come back here to poll the people who have the positions you might want. With enough drive, you should be able to find a great IT job for you. As stated previously, the IT sector has a lot of diversity.

newb

astrogeek wrote: »

In my opinion social anxiety disorder is a made up disorder so pharmaceutical companies can sell their poison to people who probably are really just quite and shy people. I'm not saying you don't have a disorder, I'm just saying that I used to think I had social anxiety disorder too because the symptoms pretty much reflect my personality - but that's just my personality.

Same thing with aspergers I think. Try to go to the wrongplanet forum. A lot of people there are self-diagnosed. I tried talking to them but I can't identify with them either. They have terrible attitudes. Either they're too proud of being an aspie or they talk about how they "fixed" themselves. Some of them seriously want to get disability benefits for it.

I don't see this as a disability and I know there are tons of other people like this in the world. There are people that might even have more supposed "conditions" than I do but are able to disguise them better or they are seen as more acceptable to society. For example, if someone gets irritated easily most people would think they have a temper. But no one instantly thinks "Oh they are bipolar/have xy disability". Seriously, I have no doubt that if you take 100 people into a psychiatrists office they will all be diagnosed with something.

And Op, do you have any other learning disorders apart from the social anxiety or was that it?

programmer24

I have a year of exp in IT but it was mostly deal with databases like working on a database project at my college. I have a hard time of expressing my ideas in creating a database I know how to create a database and another thing is about learning to talk to people like I know how to communicate with people and not a lot people understand me. Right now I am studying on a+ then n+ as to trying to work as a helpdesk then working towards of being a network admin

programmer24

i have trouble of processing information but i am good with basic networking in school its just i have trouble of finding entry level job as to get my feet wet and learn troubleshooting and configuring networks. It was hard for me to find internships when i was in college

Asif Dasl

newb wrote: »

Same thing with aspergers I think. Try to go to the wrongplanet forum. A lot of people there are self-diagnosed. I tried talking to them but I can't identify with them either. They have terrible attitudes. Either they're too proud of being an aspie or they talk about how they "fixed" themselves. Some of them seriously want to get disability benefits for it.

I LOL'd - I'm an Aspie. There is a good chance there is a few Aspies here that don't know it too. Some social anxiety, intelligent, good in their careers but some problems socially. Einstein, Mozart, Darwin, Newton, Bill Gates to name a few famous Aspies. There is a test you can do to self diagnose it but really you still need to go to a professional. I agree everybody is probably something to a psychiatrist but generally they only intervene when there is a problem.

EDIT - A good Wired article on Asperger's the geek syndrome

programmer24

and you are working in it correct

programmer24

its just sometimes its hard me to get a helpdesk job because i just came out of school with a bach degree in computer information systems, which i dont know if that is a good degree to graduate with. Also i have basic knowledge in database/networking but no actual hands on exposure where if i get into a scenaro with a customer in regards to computer issues then i know how to explain fix it versus not knowing what i am talking. Right now im just studying for a+ certification and then network+ and maybe look for a long term entry level position as helpdesk which it would not only be beneficial to me as to gain exp and getting my feet wet but also it would help me to communicate with customers and would leave me toward a career in being a network admin

Asif Dasl

I was working in IT, currently unemployed but working on getting back in to IT - with a current interest in VMware.

But something like Aspergers or any other learning disability is you are somewhere on a spectrum of affectedness. Some people are your Einstein's and gifted, others not so much and struggle.

You need to find your niche where everything works for you and you are happy. But you can't rely on self-diagnosis cause there are other factors which only a professional can recognise through experience. And then you can take that advice on board and try and get on with a normal life.

I hope you find something to get your foot in the door cause I'm sure your confidence will rise when that happens..

programmer24

basically i really want to get into networking/security but i am willing to work at helpdesk where i would get train but also to helping me working towards being a network admin in 5 or 6 years

programmer24

plus certain people was telling me if i want to work helpdesk then i need to talk to people and i know i have basic communication skills

Asif Dasl

Helpdesk is generally where IT begins on the IT administration side of things, so your people skills might be tested with difficult people but if you use it as a challange then there is no reason why you can't become a stronger and more skilled person. Get A+ & Network+ out of the way and then apply for positions. Hopefully you get some place after that.

programmer24

basically i want a career in it where i can challenge myself as to deal with difficult people like i dont have any problem talking to people. I am studying A+ with no class and i knew some of the networking stuff at school so it should be a little easy. But what do you mean by that statement - so your people skills might be tested with difficult people but if you use it as a challange then there is no reason why you can't become a stronger and more skilled person

Asif Dasl

People skills are like a muscle, the more you do it the better you become. You have to find nice ways to communicate with people who may be yelling down the phone to you. You seem a little unconfident, getting in to a position would be good for you (and me! but that's another story!) that's all..

programmer24

Listen i have confidence its just sometimes people give me wrong career advice and tell me that i should do something else (which it led me to scrambing as to trying to be good at lot of things in IT field which is unnecessary) and the major i graduated with is too broad-computer info systems but thats another story. Anyway i am confident that i can pass A+ and N+ and be good at helpdesk and build it from there.

Asif Dasl

OK cool, good luck with A+ & Network+

programmer24

maybe it would leave me to database/network

DoubleD

I have this as well social anxiety
I mainly get it when im with unfamiler people and also when I go for interviews or if I have to ever do any public speaking.
I get the shakes and feel like I want to run away and also my heart rate goes faster its not nice.
I dont really get it all that much but when I do I try to face up to it best as I can and I dont take any drugs for it but I could if I wanted to but I try to avoid that and just face up to it when I get it.