Fall Job Fair Extravaganza
Exhibitor Workshop

Fall Job Fair Extravaganza

Wednesday, September 17

Exhibitor Workshop from 9 to 9:30 a.m. (*speaker available until 9:45 to address any questions)

Optimizing Worker Performance . . . A Closer Look at Employees with Aspergers Syndrome

• Have you ever interviewed a candidate with all the right job credentials but who didn't make eye contact or lacked affect and enthusiasm for the position?
• Do you have an employee who performs their duties well, but who is prone to saying the 'wrong' thing and whose co-workers find them 'standoffish' or odd?

If so, you may have met one of the estimated 1 in 250 people who have Asperger's Syndrome (AS). AS is a neurological disorder along the autism spectrum, which causes difficulty with social interaction and a desire for structure and routine. While each person is unique, they share the characteristics of high intelligence, attention to detail, excellent memory and ability to follow standards and procedures.

In a supportive work environment, people with AS can make excellent employees who can use their creativity and unique view of the world to make outstanding contributions in their field. There is evidence that Vincent Van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, code-breaker Alan Turing, and musician Glen Gould, among many others, all had AS.

Our guest speaker, Gail Kastorf, Director of Vocational Support at The Asperger's Association of New England [www.aane.org] will help you to better understand AS in the workplace and how employers, when armed with the right knowledge and strategies, can help both current and future employees with AS become comfortable, successful and productive.

Exhibitor set up starts at 8 a.m. to allow enough time for your attendance at this workshop. However, space is LIMITED. Use our exhibitor registration form to pre-register. For more details about the presentation, contact Gayle Sommer at The Career Place at 781.932.5513.