<p>My son (who has Asperger’s) started an internship 20 months ago at a hedge fund. We were pleased he found something, but now it seems he’s really just an underpaid data entry guy. He’s been paid $10 an hour since he started. No raises (which I didn’t expect). No time off, since it’s just part-time. Because he has gotten faster, he’s actually working less hours too.</p>
<p>He’d like to move on and find something more meaningful, but he feels that the only thing he has learned is data entry. Advice?</p>
<p>Is he still a student? If so, he is a lucky guy to have a job (“internship”)!! Has he spoken to his supervisor about other opportunities since he is faster now and has some spare time with which to do other things?</p>
<p>If he’s already learned all there is to learn from the position, it’s time to move on (unless he’d like to keep it as a part time job). An internship is distinguished from a job by the opportunities afforded to the student - sitting in on higher-level meetings, shadowing someone in the organization, getting to be a fly-on-the-wall for the kinds of bigger things that they might be doing later on in their career.</p>
<p>Abuses of “internships” is rampant, and will not stop until the government starts enforcing the rules. Something that is not bound to happen anytime soon! </p>
<p>At least, in this case, there is a reasonable wage structure. In others cases, companies get away with unpaid internships.</p>
<p>My son worked full-time at GE as an Engineering intern ,making 21 an hour .He worked a semester . There are all kinds of interns ! GE paid a stipend towards housing .He did this first semester Junior year .</p>
<p>A bit off topic but I’m reminded of my S who, after a summer internship at a non-profit, said he was ‘saving the world - one spreadsheet at a time.’</p>
<p>I am assuming he has asked his current employer for something more meaningful, and they have said no. </p>
<p>We should/can remember from college application days…one can always dress up any activity. Your son maybe doing data entry, but did he find a better way of doing it, take on additional responsibility, be responsible for something? </p>
<p>D1 was a girl friday at her on campus job, but by the time we finished, you would think she was running the whole office (and department). She was asked to set up a spreadsheet of staff past/current salaries, and worked with the head of department to determine raises for the staff. After that she was asked to be responsible for the departmental budget. Yes, it was data entry, but she had to do some analysis and make sure they didn’t go over budget. </p>
<p>I was working with another student who worked at a wireless store off campus for 2-3 years. He said he was just a clerk there, was paid minimum wage. But after further discussion, it turned out he came up with a system (program) to help the owner track his inventory, and aging of inventory. He also came up with a student package to get more freshmen business. He didn’t think they were big deals.</p>
<p>Your son should look and/or ask for a different internship at the company to go along with a new school year in the Fall. Start now, as company’s are lining up internships for the Fall. He can sell himself by noting his quick mastery of data entry due to his Asperger’s and how his condition qualifies him better than others for certain positions.</p>
<p>I second what ‘oldfort’ said - since he’s been there 20 months now it’s time to approach his management there and discuss how he can move into another position there with more responsibility and more pay. If there’s nothing available there then he needs to look at other companies.</p>
<p>If he’s done with college already then IMO this isn’t really an ‘internship’, it’s a part time job, in which case he should be looking for a full time job in an area he likes - assuming that’s what he wants.</p>
<p>Limabeans, I am thinking that because your son has Asperger’s, he may not know that he needs to ask! I know that at my daughter’s first “internship” she was quite dismayed when assigned to start doing database entry – and she spoke up right away. She has had amazing opportunities, but she is always getting them by “offering” to do more – but of course, unlike someone with Asperger’s, she also has excellent social skills – she knows how to chat up the other employees, to compliment her supervisors, to do all the things that make others notice her and like her. </p>
<p>Obviously I cannot know your son’s specific limitations, but I’m wondering if he is just going in, doing his assigned task, and thinking that if he does the job well, efficiently, and without bothering anyone else – his talents will be appreciated and then he will be promoted. Logically, in an Asperger’s world, that is what should happen – but realistically, in the neurotypical world, that will never happen, as he may have made himself invisible. </p>
<p>Even if he has asked for more responsibilities or increased pay, of course he may have asked in an ineffective manner. (That is, asked the wrong person, chosen the wrong time, or asked in a way that left the wrong impression). How much is your son willing to share with you? Is he willing to practice or role play conversations with you – so you have a better sense of what has happened thus far?</p>
<p>Yes, my son graduated in 2010, with a major in Economics, minor in English. He tells me he has already asked for “more”, but I think he is assuming that means more entries. In any case, he doesn’t know how to pursue this further since he feels rejected very easily. In terms of his data entry assignments, he feels good that he’s become much faster over time and is there to help incoming interns. Then, the new interns get more to do (i.e. research analysis), while he stays back doing his data entry. </p>
<p>Calmom, you’re absolutely right in that he likes to be invisible. But by now, I can tell he’s bored. He’s a really smart kid (SAT1500, Dean’s List, department honors). The first half of your sentence is correct, but I revised the second half: *I’m wondering if he is just going in, doing his assigned task, and thinking that if he does the job well, efficiently, and without bothering anyone else – * he can keep the job.</p>
<p>He realizes he needs to move on, but he bombs every single interview. All he can say is that he has done data entry. I’m guessing the recruiters start to wonder why he’s still there. And it goes no further.</p>
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I only wish stradmom! There was no shadowing, no conversations, no other person his age, and certainly no other person at his level (not even the newer interns)</p>
<p>Oldfort, I have “tried” to dress his resume and he gets so unhappy. In fact, many recruiters have contacted him, but then during an interview, his narrative gets right down to nitty gritty data entry that that’s all these recruiters think he’s capable of doing. He’s a bit paralized if his resume “glorifies” anything.</p>
<p>limabeans - Through out the years I have read about your son’s challenges in finding a job, and I really admire you for everything you are doing for him. </p>
<p>Have you tried to get some adults to work with your son on interviewing skills? Your son sounds very bright and very diligent.</p>
<p>Thanks oldfort. You described him well. We have been working with several people to help with this job search:</p>
<p>psychiatrist<a href=“we%20don’t%20see%20him%20very%20often,%20mostly%20about%20meds”>/u</a>
therapist<a href=“once%20a%20month.%20%20They’ve%20been%20talking%20a%20bit%20more%20about%20the%20possibility%20of%20a%20gf”>/u</a>
someone from a Rehabilitative Bureau. (This is a state program that helps disabled find a job. Unfortunately, he’s not as well versed in higher level job possibilities.)
Job Coach He’s wonderful, but son needs more specific next steps. Not as familiar w/ Asperger’s.</p>