I am recently starting to realize that I indeed am on the spectrum. I've only really known for about a year or so now. I have severe difficulty with paying attention and focus to the point where I was literally just fired from a job after one single day! The boss simply said after day one that he was letting me go, because I was too slow with my tasks. I had to organize groceries on a shelf. I have next to no ability to follow verbal instructions in person. I appear somewhat "normal" in conversation, but it would be very easy for me to "slip" due to the fact that I cannot pay attention for the life of me. I also just do not always get it in group situations as far as who is supposed to do what. Aside from all that, I have gotten good grades and am a pretty intelligent person. However, with all this it seems that I am essentially incapable of making it for myself.

So far my I have done the following:

1) Pushing carts at a supermarket, did okay with this and was able to earn about 150 dollars a week or so at it.

2) Writing online, did okay with it and can make about 100-125 a week if I dedicate myself to it enough. It's very tedious boring work that I possibly hate even more than pushing carts in the rain. Often, I only earn about 40-80 a week because of my scattered nature.

3) Worked as a "docent" at a museum for about 150 a week, but this was in my more high functioning days before I started burning out. I may be capable of similar work these days, but I am not sure.

4) I have started trying to buy and sell items on the internet, but it has been too soon to see where it goes. Somehow, it strikes me as harebrained despite the fact that everyone around me says this could be a good idea.

Anyways, if anyone on the spectrum has successfully made a living, I would like to hear about it. Is it even possible? I am a college graduate, so it would seem like it could be. Maybe I should just give up on the idea of it. If it really is implausible to make a living with autism, then let me know of this because I am trying very hard at the moment. Also, if you know someone on the spectrum who has been able to support themselves, let me know about them. I just need ideas right now and any idea helps, no matter how stupid it might seem. The only thing I am not under any circumstances willing to do is anything that is somehow objectionable and/or illegal. Other than that, I just need ideas.

[retiredlibrarian]

Man, there's hope. I'm proof of that. You do have to keep plugging away at it, though. I spent 25 years as a missionary/professor (and was considered an excellent professor at that). I was fired by the denomination 15 years ago, but that was because they found out I was gay, not that I was Aspergian (which even I didn't know back then).
After I was fired, I graduated from library school. Largely because of my age (mid 50s) it was hard for me to get my first library job, but I ended up working 10 years as a cataloger, which is the perfect job for someone with OCD and Asperger's. It was while I was a librarian that I learned about Asperger's, and helped me realize several aspects about my personality that I had always wondered about. I've never been professionally diagnosed as Aspergian, but I did take the self-test on this site, and it confirmed what I've accepted about myself for about five years now.
I retired two years ago. Once again, I'm feeling frustrated. I'd like to get part time work as a librarian to supplement my barely-adequate income. But in spite of applying for over 15 library jobs, I haven't gotten anything. But I attribute that to my age, even though age-discrimination is supposed to be illegal.

[catnip123]

I found out that I had Aspergers 4 years ago I'm a software engineer and have worked at my company for 29 years. The socal aspect of working has been challenging but I'm doing much better with that now I take some medication to help with concentration issues

[Jendellion]

I have the same problem. It seems like the only jobs being advertised are those which involve having to deal with the public, and I can't handle being around large crowds.

[coffeebuzzbuzz]

I tried to push myself to be "normal" and work cashier jobs--I either walked out or didn't show up for 4 out of 5 of them. My last one resulted in me calling for an ambulance because of a breakdown. I thought at that job, if I was open and told people why I act the way I do they would treat me better. Nope. Worse actually. If I do get another job, I think I will go through a career center we have. I don't want to play the disability card, but I am really tired of people provoking me and thinking that is ok. Or overloading me with more work than an average person can handle, then yell at me for not being able to do it. Ok, I guess it's the yelling/criticism I can't handle.

Ultimately, I would work by myself if I could. I did have a little business online(registered and everything) for 6 years. I only had to interact with people online, mostly email. No mean boss, just me. It was perfect.

[coffeebuzzbuzz]

Hey, this might help:
Employment and Asperger Syndrome | Autism Research Institute