Aspies For Freedom

Hi All!

First off, I really want to thank all of you for your awesome replies to my last post, "I need advise".  My aspies friends are the best and I love AFF!

Okay, so here is another dilema I am facing.  As some of you may remember, in September I got fired from my last job.  I was a Receptionist.

So, moving fast forward I got employed at a bakery (temp/hire) at the local Costco (which is a big warehouse store in the U.S.)

Okay, now that the Thanksgiving Holiday and Christmas Holiday (with the exception of New Years) holidays are over the bakery move many of the temp to hire bakery wrappers up to the "front end" (bagging)

I was the only person they kept back there and what has happened is in my department they only hire one person per shift.  It is crazy because the work has double and they expect me to get all the bakery goods  wrapped and put out.  They make me lift heavy boxes and I am only 100 pounds and those boxes are at least 30 pounds.

I am able to do all this, however, yesterday I had it and told the bakery manager that if he didn't move me up to front end I would quit!

The problem I seem to be having is trouble multi tasking.  I had the same problem at school like when I would have tons of home work I wouldn't even know where to begin and I would just freak out.  Usually none of my home work would get done.  Again, I suffered from Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia.

It seems as though multi tasking is effecting me in my previous jobs as well.  I worked a great deal of receptionist work and when I had to multi task I would just freak out.  Feel tons of pressure.

That sad thing about all this is I thought that if I got out of office/receptionist work and got into something where I didn't have to read or mulitask I would have it made.

I am finding out that bakery work is TONS of multi tasking. However, I also found out that I work good as a team player. You know providing I am working with some one and there helping complete the task I am fine.

Well, going back to the bakery the manager told me that he would transfer me to front end and has put in a good word for me because he feels I have a great attitude and I am a good worker.  

He said not to feel bad that not everyone is made for bakery and he could understand my not wanting to stay in bakery.

I might loose my job because I am not sure that Costco need "Front end" people.  I don't know if I am fast enough for front end work.  It seemed to me that I wasn't as fast for bakery wrapping and that multi tasking was to much for me.  

I am so bummed because now I am forced to go back to office work.

I am thinking maybe I should go back to Voc Rehab and see if they can help me find a job that would fit me.  I canceled Voc Rehab when I found the Costco Job and the worst thing I canceled unemployment as well.

I find myself up creek once again.  I am not sure if any of you can give me any advise, but like some of you I feel horrible like I am always struggling to keep a job.

Oh, well, any advise would be cool.  Thanks again, Kalo

Hi Kalo, sorry to hear about the hassles at your current job.  I really think you should go back to Vocational Rehab and explain your whole story, especially the problems you are having at your current job.  I have not been to my vocational rehab place lately but I will have a lot more to tell my counselor when I do return, because I have been paying closer attention to my own work difficulties recently.  I also have trouble at times with multi-tasking, but more so with learning new routines.  I also seem to lose skills and forget very basic things if I have even a couple of days off from work; if I work in the dining room for a day or two, then return to working in the kitchen, I find that I am "rusty" and that my timing is off, as if I were a beginner and not the  an 18-year-veteran that I am. I still do OK, but I don't really get my rhythm back until at least halfway through the day.  I actually work better, and feel better, working many days in a row; the consistent "practice" of my job skills really helps me.  I don't know whether any of this sounds familiar to you...but I hope you get a front end job and that it goes OK, at least long enough for you to work with vocational counselors to find something suited to you!

May you prosper in 2007...

Ooops, sorry Cuz, I pasted your replying post.  And also I meant to have this thread in the "support" section and saw that I posted it in the diagnoses area.

Okay, what you describe sounds a lot like me.  I remember one of the permanent employees getting some what fustrated with me because I couldn't remember how to stock the stupid bagels on the rack!  I think it has more to do with spacial perception and I don't have good memory for that.

Secondly, I feel like I have ADD really bad when there is a lot of things to do.  Meaning I don't know where to start and I get confused easily.  However, I noticed that once the permanent employee was there and instructed me to wrap the muffins first or wrap the pies  I was okay!

It feels like I always need heavy supervision. One the good thing I was told is that I have a good attitude and I am hard worker.  But, I guess that doesn't really cut it in the bakery department.

I just hope "front end" is better.  One thing that really shocked me about working at Costco is the employees aren't to kind to seasonal workers.

Any how I think I will go back to Voc Rehab and see if they can help me.  I am thinking that maybe office work isn't so bad and that if an employer knows I have some difficulties that can just over look them.

I don't see why not as I am really dedicated, loyal and hard working person.  

Thanks for your advise and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you as well and may you also have a prospereous one as well.  As a matter of fact that  wishing also goes to EVERYONE at AFF!!! [/i]