MANILA, Philippines — Jobs need to be chosen that make use of the strengths of people with autism or Asperger's syndrome.

Both high and low functioning people have very poor short-term working memory, but they often have a better long-term memory than most normal people.

I have great difficulty with tasksthat put high demands on shortterm working memory. I cannot handle multiple tasks at the same time.

FROM BAD TO BEST JOBS

Table 1 is a list of BAD jobs that I  would have great difficulty doing. Table 2 is a list of easy jobs for a visual thinker like me. I have difficulty doing abstract math such as algebra and most of the jobs on Table 2 do not require complex math.

Many of the visual thinking jobs would also be good for people with dyslexia. The visual thinking jobs on Table 2 put very little demand on fast processing of information in shortterm working memory. They would fully utilize my visual thinking and large long-term memory.

Table 3 is a list of jobs that nonvisual thinkers who are good with numbers, facts and music could do easily. They also put low demands on short-term working memory and utilize an excellent long-term memory. Table 4 shows jobs that lower

functioning people with autism could do well. For all types of autism and Asperger's syndrome, demands on short-term working memory must be kept low. If I were a computer, I would have a huge hard drive that could hold 10 times as much information as an ordinary computer but my processor chip would be small.

To use 1999 computer terminology, I have a 1000 gigabyte hard drive and a little 286 processor. Normal people may have only 10 gigabytes of disc space on their hard drive and a Pentium for a processor. I cannot do two or three things at once.

Some job tips for people with autism or Asperger's syndrome:

• Jobs should have a well-defined goal or endpoint.

• Sell your work, not your personality. Make a portfolio of your work.

• The boss must recognize your social limitations.

RECOMMENDED COLLEGE COURSES

It is important that high functioning autistics and Asperger's syndrome people pick a college major in an area where they can get jobs. Computer science is a good choice because it is very likely that many of the best programmers have either Asperger's syndrome or some of its traits.

Other good majors are: accounting, engineering, library science, and art with an emphasis on commercial art and drafting.

Majors in history, political science,business, English or pure math should be avoided. However, one could major in library science with a minor in history, but the library science degree makes it easier to get a good job.

Some individuals while they are still in high school should be encouraged to take courses at a local college in drafting, computer programming or commercial art. This will help keep them motivated and serve as a refuge from teasing.

A person with Asperger's syndrome or autism has to compensatefor poor social skills by making themselves so good in a specialized field that people will be willing to "buy" their skill even though social skills are poor. This is why making a portfolio of your work is so important.

You need to learn a few social survival skills, but you will make friends at work by sharing your shared interest with the other people who work in your specialty. My social life is almost all work related. I am friends with people I do interesting work with.