Press Releases

New Resources Available to Job Seekers with Autism for Career Planning and Job Searching


ARLINGTON, VA. (PRWEB) DECEMBER 19, 2019
The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) has expanded its employment program, Hire Autism, to all 50 states following the completion of its Northern Virginia-based demonstration test.

Hire Autism helps individuals with autism find meaningful employment opportunities by supporting them through various aspects of the job search process, including career exploration to job search readiness.

To aid in setting the foundation for a successful job search, job seekers can get their resume or cover letter reviewed by seasoned professionals who provide direct feedback on job seekers’ resumes/cover letters to ensure that they are polished and ready to send to employers. Job seekers also have access to a jobs portal with autism-friendly employers and career search resources.

As part of Hire Autism’s national expansion, OAR has partnered with Fit First Technologies, a company specializing in online career matching technology, to test Fit First’s Jobtimize™ career assessment tool. This tool is free to all job seekers with autism. Based upon an individual's behavioral traits, attitudes, interests, education and experience level, Jobtimize provides job seekers with personalized job recommendations and listings in their area. The Jobtimize test period will take place from January 13 through April 30, 2020.

“We are eager to take this first giant step to test Hire Autism’s capacity to support job seekers with autism across the country,” said Mike Maloney, OAR’s Executive Director. “And we are excited to have Fit First as our partner as we pilot test Jobtimize. Together we hope to deliver even higher quality support to individuals with autism as they look to find meaningful employment.”

“We are delighted to be participating with OAR in this breakthrough initiative,” said Jan G. van der Hoop, President, Fit First Technologies. “We’ve seen firsthand how beginning the career exploration process from a different starting point – an understanding of a person’s behavioral compatibility with a wide array of roles, rather than an inventory of their skills and experience – can actually lead to very different outcomes that benefit both the individual and the employer. The outcomes are even more dramatic for segments of the population that have traditionally faced barriers.”
All OAR resources, including Hire Autism, are free to all. Interested individuals are encouraged to create a profile on Hire Autism’s website where they can apply directly to job opportunities and request assistance with resume or cover letter development. Following a successful registration, individuals will receive an email with a link to access Jobtimize.

Questions and inquiries can be sent to Amanda Rioux at arioux@researchautism.org.
About OAR: The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is a national charity dedicated to raising money for practical research into the challenges of autism. OAR is established in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code and is incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia (EIN#54-2062167). As provided for under Virginia law, a copy of OAR’s financial statement is available upon request from the State Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Richmond, VA. Donations to OAR are tax-deductible.

About Fit First Technologies: Our mission is to make hiring practices and career exploration easier, more human and more efficient for everyone. Our behavioral job-matching science accurately predicts job fit, guiding both job-seekers and the organizations that employ them, to better choices. Because our products start with job fit, we are able to focus on the whole person and their potential, rather than being constrained by what may be in their resume. We take a lot of pride in the fact that our technology opens new doors for jobseekers, students, and those who have traditionally faced employment barriers. All in all, our platforms are helping to build a more functional, efficient workforce ecosystem.