Is an individual's success determined by their ability to communicate?
In 2014, Justin Pierce graduated with a degree in applied statistics from Grand Valley State University. Despite his professional experience and educational background, he could not find a job in his field. While living in his parents’ basement and working as a kitchen aide to pay the bills, he continued to apply for jobs.
Finally, after nearly five years, 328 applications, 135 rejection letters, and 14 interviews, Justin was offered a position on the technology team at the Chicago office of EY, a professional services firm.
“It was like winning the lottery or finally getting your Cinderella story happy ending,” Justin told reporters in a The Virginian-Pilot interview.
Why did Justin have such a hard time securing a job, when the overall employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow 33 percent through 2026 (much faster than the average for all occupations)?
Justin has Asperger’s syndrome and has difficulties with language. Whether it is a difficulty with speech, making eye contact, or reading social cues, these and other behaviors generally associated with Asperger’s eliminate many potential candidates from consideration in the standard interview process, no matter their technical expertise or capability of being a great employee.
Exceptional Soft Skills
For people with autism, the unemployment rate is estimated at 66% or more, as compared to the 3.6% national unemployment rate.
The Wall Street Journal reports that today’s young professionals are expected “to operate on a more sophisticated level than graduates of the past…employers are looking for fast learners who have exceptional soft skills — the ability to write, listen and communicate effectively.”
Likewise, as outlined in a recent Forbes article, if given two candidates of equal qualifications, sixty-three percent of human resources professionals across the United States would choose to hire the one with better “oral communications skills.” Other reports suggest that, as automation in the workplace rises, candidates with “hybrid skills” — technical skills along with social and communication skills — are more likely to be hired and are less likely to become professionally obsolete.
One thing is clear: even if our students perform well academically and have a highly-developed technical skillset, they will be left behind if they do not know how to communicate, how to start conversations, and how to connect with others.
More Than Just a Job
“The quality of your life is the quality of your communication.” — Tony Robbins
Out of all the life skills we possess, the ability to communicate is the most important. According to a 2016 study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), eighty-five percent of a person’s success in life is based on their ability to communicate.
Not only are effective communication skills necessary to perform well professionally; but, the better people learn to communicate and express themselves, the better the quality of life they will have.
If you are an educator and have students on the autism spectrum who struggle to communicate effectively, there are small steps you can take to help build their confidence and provide opportunities for them to improve their communication skills:
Call on these students first when they do raise their hand to respond.
Actively engage with them when they do start a conversation and include them in conversations and activities.
Ask open-ended questions to encourage students to talk more.
Focus on encouraging students’ strengths.
It is my mission to help people learn to communicate, better express themselves, improve their quality of life, and to Stop Being Invisible. If you are an educator or a loved one of someone with communication difficulties and are interested in more ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques one can use to overcome communication obstacles, please send me a message. I would love to connect!