OARacle Newsletter

William Sowell came to the Hire Autism job board with a goal: to find a job that was meaningful to him, fit his skillset, and provided structure while also allowing autonomy. Upon reading a listing for a job as a collections driver with a Hire Autism employer, Compost Nashville, he immediately applied.

When asked what drew him to this role, Sowell shared, “It really felt perfect to me. Both because I had the skills they were looking for and wanted to do something I felt good about being a part of. A composting project is the kind of work that I am happy to do.”

The Compost Nashville team contacted Sowell for an interview and then offered him a job. As a collections driver, Sowell travels designated routes around Nashville collecting compostable materials from customers at their homes and businesses. The job “is relaxing and gives my brain a little more freedom to wander where it wants to while I accomplish my work,” Sowell said. Not only does his new role grant him more freedom, but it provides an environment where he feels “confident that I can fulfill all of my responsibilities, a job where I can give my full energy to on a daily basis and feel good about it.”

The Right Member for the Team

For Dale Harper, operations and human resources manager at Compost Nashville, LLC, hiring the right member for the team was his highest priority. “Choosing to recruit with Hire Autism gives confidence that we are accessing all talent pools in the Greater Nashville area,” said Harper.

In Sowell, they found the right person to join the team. “As a sharp operative since day one, Will earns respect for the responsibility taken on to our clients and team,” Harper noted. “Building trust in working relationships is a seed of unlimited potential.”

The Right Company and the Right Job

The inclusive, empowering, and welcoming nature of Compost Nashville was what caught Sowell’s attention and has contributed to his enjoyment of the role each day. “It really took finding them on Hire Autism,” said Sowell. “If I had found them on Google, I might not have been as inclined to apply, but seeing them on Hire Autism gave me a lot more confidence that it would be a respectful and inclusive working environment.”

This inclusion stems from the top down at Compost Nashville. From the start, it was clear to Sowell that his “coworkers are accepting, and everyone is there to get their job done and have a good time doing it.”

When asked what advice he would share with future Hire Autism job seekers, Sowell encouraged all job seekers to consider two big questions: “Does this employer respect my time and personhood?” and “Is this the best job for me?” As he stated so beautifully, “If I am dedicating the better half of my day five days a week to do something, there’s hardly anything more important than if I am enjoying my time and having a pleasant use of those hours. That is the best job for me.”

As for employers, Harper said, “Ensuring that all qualified people have an opportunity for employment is not only heartwarming but necessary in a competitive market…Hire Autism has my gratitude for giving its job seekers the chance to advance.”

Hire Autism Is Here to Help

Whether you are a job seeker searching for meaningful employment or an employer searching for qualified candidates, Hire Autism is here to help. Get started on your journey today by contacting us via email at mail@ hireautism.org, or by creating an account here.

Compost Nashville is a young and growing environmentally focused business. Their mission is to “grow food not landfills.” They have a small but efficient team of capable and motivated members and strive for a “family” style culture with a healthy work/life balance. Great news: they are still hiring.