Exam/test based job placement

[robertcolumbia]

Hello!

I am an adult with ADHD and have been trying to follow a "strengths-based" approach to getting a job and advancing. I tend to do rather poorly in terms of resumes (too many gaps) and interviews (lack of sales strengths, some Autism-like traits), but I am very good at passing written skills, knowledge, and intelligence tests, and also good at practical, hands-on, or in-person testing (e.g. "Go to Room 305 and batten down the hatch that you find there. File an associated TPS Report with the new cover sheet for the activity persuant to the policy handbook in room 506). My reading level was rated as astonishingly high in high school, and my math scores are pretty good too. I have a college degree.

Are there any job placement programs, job boards, or employers that do placement or hiring primarily by exam, especially in Virginia or in the US mid-Atlantic region?

I have contacted several local and regional job assistance programs for persons with disabilities, but I usually either get no response to my inquiries, am told that they don't do placement (but do have a smorgasbord of services that I don't need), that they specialize in placement for persons with Intellectual Disabilities (into low skill, repetitious jobs that are unsuited for me), or that the first step in getting a job is to abandon my strengths and try to become a social networking personal branding social butterfly sales extrovert. Non-disabilities help organizations are worse.

I don't receive any benefits at this time (I want to work, not live on welfare!). I am intentionally not disclosing my degree major and job history because I know that I have a lot of strengths and skills that do not "show up" on such a profile, and I don't want to be stereotyped/pigeonholed based on my past.

Thanks,

[bros]

A lot of civil service jobs require tests. Maybe see if they have any jobs open?

We won't pigeonhole you here - i'm a 26 year old guy with a degree in Special Education, certified to teach Elementary and I am multiply disabled.

[healthy11]

robertcolumbia, first, let me welcome you to our forum. Bros has already given you a great reply, both in terms of recommendations for looking at government jobs, which tend to be very "procedural," and in reassuring you that we don't pigeonhole anyone here.

My son is bright, but has ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia. He has also done very well on standardized tests, but in addition to struggling with written work, "soft skills," and interviewing are weaknesses. In his case, however, math and science-related activities are his strengths. He earned his degree in engineering and has been working for a large corporation for several years, since graduation. Unfortunately, he's not particularly happy at the moment because he's been doing more "sitting at a computer" than "hands on" work. We're trying to "coach him" in terms of approaching his boss to ask about taking on different assignments, but it's not the easiest thing to do, as you probably know.

In your case, regarding government jobs, have you looked at sites like www.federaljobsearch.com/l-virginia

Also, this article may give you some leads, as certain companies are now actively seeking employees with autism/"neurodiversity" :
venturebeat.com/2017/05/07/software-firms-are-actively-seeking-neurodiverse-employees/