Building a portfolio by Aaron Tanner

In a recent post, I summarized a list of jobs that are best for someone with Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. The key is finding work that does not rely too much on short term memory or where there is a constant threat of sensory overload.

 Once their strengths are known, have them volunteer or intern with an organization in areas matching their strengths before landing a permanent job. An advantage to having volunteered or interned in a field that they have an interest in is they can build a portfolio to help them land a job. The portfolio shows prospective employers they have experience in the chosen field.

In my particular case, my goal is to be a freelance writer and blog as a way of supporting myself. I have samples of my writing to show different publications I am interested in writing for. Also, I discovered a website called Contently, where I am currently building a portfolio of various articles to show others I put in the work for my writing. Even this blog can be used as a sample to put in my collection. I also sent my portfolio to a new magazine that highlights my work in hopes of being able to write for that particular publication.

 For other fields of work, say computer programming, take a screenshot of your work and post it in a Word document to put in your work portfolio. If need be, take pictures of your work and write a summary about the steps taken to complete that particular project. The images show that you completed a project from start to finish.

 A portfolio is a tangible way of showing prospective employers that there substance behind what is on a resume. An additional benefit to having a portfolio is it helps convince those looking for workers to overlook quirks when considering hiring someone.

 If you are someone with Aspergers or a parent of someone with Aspergers, starting a portfolio will help in having a leg up on the competition. If you or your child has a portfolio, or have plans to make one, comment in the section below.