After job hunting for several months and with the encouragement of his support network, Matt Ghaffari reached out to OAR’s Hire Autism program for assistance with his job search. Claudia Zacharias, a Hire Autism navigator, worked with Zacharias over several months, providing guidance, resources, and feedback.
Ghaffari incorporated her advice and feedback and made use of the resources she recommended to build a strong resume and cover letter. He had previously worked with a career counselor but found a navigator who understood his needs allowed them to build a trusting relationship. “Claudia was down to earth,” he said. “I could easily understand and relate to her.”
In addition to Zacharias’s support, Ghaffari requested a mock interview with two additional navigators to help him practice answering questions in a formal panel interview setting. He found this practice invaluable and admired how the navigators made it feel like an authentic interview, praising how they “provided feedback on what I did and did not do right, with options, comments, and praise that were easy to understand.”
Although navigators are independently paired with job seekers, they work together to provide assistance on mock interviews and share resources and advice. “Even though we put our own stamp on the role, what we have in common is our dedication to supporting autistic jobseekers, who benefit from the personalized assistance,” Zacharias said.
Ghaffari found Hire Autism mentoring positive and enlightening. “Claudia helped me recognize my strengths, accomplishments, and potential when I struggled to find the motivation and confidence.” His confidence in recognizing his talents grew, and he felt more comfortable showcasing them in pursuit of a new job.
He encourages other job seekers to trust their mentors while remembering who they are as individuals and advises them to “recognize your weaknesses before your strengths. What you might think is a weakness may be inexperience. Recognize how you can present that inexperience in an interview to emphasize to your employer who you are trying to be.” He also encourages anyone embarking on a job search to have patience.
By diligently applying the navigator’s suggestions to his job search, Ghaffari’s dedication paid off. He accepted employment as a youth mental health case manager. In this role, he is an inter-agency liaison for underserved youth and recommends obtainable resources to clients.
Zacharias celebrated Ghaffari’s success. “He was always open to new ideas, and I am proud of the way he was willing to try various approaches.” She also reflected on her growth as a mentor and her ability to understand the particular needs each job seeker has. “Both the navigator and the jobseeker share the satisfaction of traveling this journey together. Celebrating each success along the way has brought me a great deal of joy.”
If you are an autistic job seeker searching for meaningful employment, get started on your journey today by contacting us via email at mail@hireautism.org or by creating an account at hireautism.org. If you would like to impact the lives of autistic job seekers directly, please consider becoming a Hire Autism navigator.
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