Dear Bob ... I'm a techie, currently underemployed at a small firm where my boss has told me that there is a "good chance" I'm going to be laid off next month (not surprising; the company has struggled off and on with bankruptcy for some time). That being the case, I have changed the mode on my job hunt from "sporadically half-hearted" to "active". None of this is particularly unusual. However, my own Dear Bob …I’m a techie, currently underemployed at a small firm where my boss has told me that there is a “good chance” I’m going to be laid off next month (not surprising; the company has struggled off and on with bankruptcy for some time). That being the case, I have changed the mode on my job hunt from “sporadically half-hearted” to “active”. None of this is particularly unusual. However, my own situation has a twist.I have a condition called Asperger Syndrome, which means that I need certain accommodations to be able to do my work effectively, the main ones being a high degree of solitude and a very quiet environment (other things would be helpful as well, but those two are by far the most important). This isn’t simply a personal preference, as it is with many other people; if I don’t have these things, I simply can’t work. When, if ever, should I discuss this during the job search? Would it be better for me to simply ask during interviews, for example, what kind of environment the company has, and then gracefully say that it would be a bad match if the company describes itself as “fast-paced”? (Which is a euphemism for noisy and people-oriented, of course.)If an interviewer asks me whether I have any disabilities that might “impede my ability to perform the job”, how should I respond? I can do a job fine if I have peace and quiet, but if someone is sitting one desk over and yammering on the phone, for example, I can barely even do simple arithmetic, let alone troubleshoot a faulty network connection.A final twist: I do not yet have a formal diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome, although everyone I’ve spoken to is quite convinced that either it, or some other form of so-called “high functioning autism”, is indeed what I have. What are the ethical and legal implications (both on my end and the potential employer’s) of not being formally diagnosed? It seems like a rather complicated issue. I don’t want to possibly do wrong by a potential employer, but I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot, either. – Not really disabled, but …Dear Not really …Two of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received about finding a position were from Challenger, Gray and Christmas, the one of the leading outplacement firms. Both fit your situation. So credit where it’s due. The advice?1. During any job interview, learn to discriminate between qualifying questions and disqualifying questions. Disqualifying questions can’t earn you the position but can disqualify you from it. “Are you willing to travel?” is an example. Answer these as briefly as possible, and always with some version of the right answer. So … imagine you aren’t willing to travel. The right answer is some variation of, “With the right situation, yes.” I’d bet there is a set of conditions under which nearly every job seeker in the United States would be willing to travel, so it isn’t a lie, either.2. Your job during a search is to get an offer. Once you have the offer you can decide (a) whether you want the job; and (b) what conditions your prospective employer will have to meet in order for you to take it. Put these two ideas together and they clarify your situation. First, don’t mention the Asperger’s during the interview. It certainly can’t help you get an offer, and in terms of a disqualifying question – “Do you have any disabilities?” – it certainly isn’t the right answer. No matter what the law says, this will certainly create more discomfort than a simple “No.”According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to an HR director I consulted, nobody can ask you whether you have a disability. They can, however, ask you if you’ll need any accommodation. If they ask, the answer is no. Worry about the semantics of whether you need accommodation or just prefer a quiet, undistracted working environment until after you’ve received a job offer.Which brings me to my next response: Unless you find your Asperger’s so debilitating that you think you need treatment, don’t get it diagnosed. So long as the diagnosis is just your opinion, in the application form you can answer “No” to this question if it’s asked. No matter how certain you are, you aren’t a doctor after all, and your inexpert opinion doesn’t create an obligation for you to speculate. Once you have a confirmed diagnosis and specific need for accommodation, failing to mention it if asked, either on the applicartion form or in an interview, could be considered grounds for termination irrespective of your job performance. And according to my HR director friend, once you’re employed your perception of a disability creates the same obligation for reasonable accommodation as one that’s been professionally diagnosed. So … your job right now is to get offers. Then, for each offer, you can decide whether you want to take it or not, and whether you want to discuss subjects like working conditions. Once again, don’t mention the Asperger’s. There’s no reason to: All you have to say is, “By the way, I’ve found I’m much more productive if I can close a door, shut out the world, and really focus on the computer screen. What are the chances I can work in that kind of environment?”Another possibility: If you haven’t already, on your own look into alternative solutions to the distraction problem – perhaps a CD player and noise cancelling headphones if that will do the trick. That way you don’t even have to ask for the special office – just ask (again, after you get an offer) if the culture is such that wearing headphones and listening to music while doing your job is considered reasonable and acceptable behavior.And not asking for special treatment is important. Also from Challenger, Gray and Christmas is my definition of a professional: “I have no problems. I cause no problems. I solve your problems.” The more you can present yourself this way, the more likely you are to receive an offer. You also asked about the ethics of the situation. My opinion: It’s unethical to claim you can do a job you can’t do. It’s unethical to simply lie in response to a direct question that is, in itself, ethical to ask.Beyond that? This is capitalism, an economic system that assumes you’re going to look out for your own self-interest first. If you worry more about the well-being of a prospective employer than about your own best interests our entire economic system will collapse.Don’t let that happen! – Bob ——– Technology Industry