As we all know, the job market is a competitive place. Many can leverage their skills for a single job, making it especially hard for younger people to secure a spot in in the market. That’s especially true for some specific categories. When this young man decided to upload his cover letter online, he had no idea he was in for such a response.
After all, what he did was so normal. He was just looking for a job. Yet he sparked a broad discussion and movement around the job market.
While skills are important, there are many factors that make it harder for certain people to get a job, like your gender, your race, your family status and even your health.
On top of the innate difficulty in finding a job, this can be quite a difficult situation for many.
Ryan Lowry is an autistic young man from Virginia. He’s 20 years old and he decided he wanted to get a start in the job market.
While he did face some writing and talking issues, he was determined to accomplish his goals…
His parents, Rob and Tracy Lowry were very proud of their son’s capabilities and they decided to pick a school that would allow him to grow his skills and make him ready to be independent.
Thus, they enrolled him at the Loudoun County Public School.
According to his father, Rob, Ryan was an exceptionally intelligent young man: “His deficits are social and communicative but once you pierce through that fog, he is the brightest person I’ve ever met.” His parents were determined to help him succeed…
Ryan’s school was under a special program designed to prepare its’ pupils for the workplace and give them independent life skills. Loudon County Public School would allow him to keep studying until he was 22.
Ryan was now ready to move on with his plan…
Ryan’s father was working in the insurance industry and advised his son to join LinkedIn. Due to his experience, he knew it was an effective way for his son to learn how the job market works.
It was Ryan though who came up with this unbelievable idea…
Ryan was already working part-time at a café that was employing people with special needs. But his contract would be over in a year, when he’d graduate. Thus, he decided to follow his father’s advice and set up a LinkedIn account.
Then, he decided he needed a cover letter. He wouldn’t be satisfied with something ordinary though…
His parents were genuinely happy that their son wasn’t just positive towards being independent, he was actively pursuing that himself. Though they didn’t ever doubt his abilities and motivation, that still made them happy.
But what Ryan decided to do later made them shocked…
Ryan wanted to think out of the box. “Would another ordinary, boring cover letter help me out?”, he thought to himself.
He knew he had to make the difference, so he asked help from his younger brother as well. What would he say to him?
Cover letters are usually a short note from the employee who’s explaining why he thinks he’s the right candidate for a particular job.
But someone can also upload an open cover letter showcasing his best qualities.
Ryan’s dream was to work in the animation industry, as he is an avid fan of cartoons and animated movies. He was determined to make it to the field and create a masterpiece in this genre.
And he wasn’t going to let anything stop him…
Ryan waited until everyone was asleep, as he wanted to be left alone with his thoughts while writing his cover letter. This wasn’t a simple note to him but rather a way of expressing himself.
And that’s why the result was so special.
As he was typing on his computer, Ryan paused for a while, to rethink about his brother’s advice. His younger brother had a brilliant idea: instead of typing the cover letter, Ryan should instead write it by hand and take a photo of it!
That was surely a very alternative way to do it but, would it work?
Ryan knew that him being autistic would make some employees think twice about employing him. He was determined to be honest about this, but also showcase his high capabilities.
He wanted to prove himself and he’d stop at nothing…
Ryan’s letter was truly unique; it wasn’t another ordinary cover letter but rather a heartfelt message. Ryan was sure he had the capabilities to be an excellent professional, but he also knew that he had some learning difficulties.
That wouldn’t stop him though…
What he needed was simply a small push from a mentor to help him grow. As his father had said, Ryan was an intelligent man with great potential.
Sure, he needed his time, but he was well worth a chance. What did the employees think of his letter though?
Ryan uploaded his cover letter on LinkedIn and it got traction quickly. As unusual as his letter was, the responses seemed to be even more out of the ordinary, which took the Lowry family by surprise.
What did they think of their son?
What they noticed immediately was that Ryan’s account was bombarded with notifications and messages. What these contained though left them with their jaws open.
How was that possible?
Apparently, many employers were moved by the young man’s heartfelt letter. Plenty of them offered him a job but also a mentorship role so that he can grow as a professional. The Lowry family was ecstatic.
They certainly didn’t expect such a response. And there’s more…
Soon, Ryan was facing a merry problem: choosing between all the different job offers. While he was primarily interested in animation, he also was looking into an IT career.
He was thinking about all the different scenarios seriously until this offer came…
A company named “Exceptional Minds” came up with an offer that would let him work in an animation program, specially designed for people with autism, that would last for 3 years.
Now Ryan was getting prepared for the workspace, getting his resume and portfolio ready. While he was very close to choosing the animation program job, he still hadn’t decided.
In his mind though, he had already won. And the public believed the same thing…
While the Lowrys were ecstatic with their son’s job offers, they felt that they had to advance the cause for others who face the same problems getting into the job market.
They started compiling information and advice into a document to share to the autism community throughout the nation.
Ryan himself understood that, while he managed to get job offers himself, the vast majority of people with autism are unlucky: In 2017, autistic adults faced an 83% unemployment rate in the United States, a reality that probably has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Ryan activities sparked a conversation regarding autistic people’s chances in the job market.
Many people shared their first-hand experiences employing people on the spectrum or finding employment themselves.
Many were just congratulating Ryan, happy that he found a job in his dream field.
Meanwhile, others were sharing how hard it was to find a job as an autistic person.
Meanwhile, Ryan Lowry started training with a local animator at A Place to Be, a NGO that specializes in music therapy for people on the autism spectrum.
But he didn’t stop there, he continued shocking the world, in a positive way…
Ryan also started software developing courses.
But after seeing the overwhelming support he had, with the support of the NGO he was training at, he wrote a song and produced a video named “THANK YOU”.
Ryan is determined to succeed and become a successful animation professional.
The only thing we can do is to wish him a good start in his career and we’re sure that if he faces every problem in life with such determination, he will surely overcome it!