A SOCIAL media plea from a man with high-functioning autism asking people to help him find a job has gone viral, having been shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook.

Dinas Powys man Adam Hughes, 28, posted the status on Tuesday, January 30, asking the “people of Facebook” to help him find the employment he so desperately wants, attracting nearly 400 reactions and more than 220 comments giving advice.

“There’s been lots of people wishing me luck, which has been a nice gesture,” said Mr Hughes.

In the post, Mr Hughes goes on to say how a fear of visiting the job centre due to the intense pressure placed upon him has left him unable to attend and consequently, short on money. He has not signed on for around four years.

“There were some people who were really, really lovely, but there were some people who were quite nasty,” said Mr Hughes.

“They sent me on an intensive job search at another office and the man in charge was not very nice.

“I stopped signing on in 2014 because it was extremely unpleasant.”

But his focus now is on finding new employment, and Mr Hughes is keen to show he has the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.

Having completed a course in drama at Cardiff and Vale College last summer, he was offered a short-term role with insurance firm Admiral in Cardiff. Rather than finding the pressure too much to handle, Mr Hughes says his time there brought out the very best in him.

“It was absolutely brilliant, but unfortunately the contract was only for six weeks. When I left I was absolutely devastated,” he said.

“I got my work done so quickly that they ran out of work for me. They were so impressed with me.

“Everyone was really cheerful and the staff are spoilt rotten. It’s just a really lovely atmosphere.

“They have a fantastic motto as well – ‘people who like what they do, do it better’.”

Mr Hughes is now looking into a number of different avenues of work following the response to his post, including having applied to an agency to work as a television extra.

While his autism means that he can find high-pressure situations challenging, Mr Hughes says he is prepared to try almost anything to get back into work, but he does have a preference in mind.

“My ideal job would be to go back into Admiral. That place was so brilliant. It’s caused so much pain ever since leaving.It’s the only place I’ve ever wanted to work.”