What occupations are most suitable if you have ADHD?
We are all unique; we think and act differently, our traits are distinct, and so are our personalities, skills, and interests. You might be a restless, creative, quick-thinking person, or you might thrive in calmer, more structured environments. But one of the keys to finding the best career path if you have ADHD is to find training that leverages your strengths , skills, and, above all, that you enjoy and are passionate about.
It's important that you think about, analyze, and discover what you're capable of doing well, and that you minimize your weaknesses. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will help you in this and other situations in your life. This is especially true considering the times we live in, in the midst of a technological revolution, where changes happen so rapidly that we barely notice them.
If you're unhappy in your job, or haven't found one yet, despair is the biggest enemy to overcome. Explore new career options, because even if the future seems uncertain, we live in a time when the strengths of some people with ADHD are highly sought after in the job market. This could be a great opportunity .
Depending on your employment situation, you should ask yourself some questions such as:
- What aspects have you found most difficult in your work?
- In what areas do you have the most difficulties?
- How do you handle things best?
- Can you request some adaptations or adjustments to your work that would benefit both you and the company?
Be careful with this last question, because requesting any kind of accommodation or reasonable adjustment can be counterproductive and, at times, easily misinterpreted. This strategy needs to be carefully considered, as requesting accommodations means officially disclosing your ADHD status to management and, possibly, to your colleagues. Furthermore, you should assess how beneficial or helpful these adjustments will be in your current situation.
Anna
There are many questions you should ask yourself to be sure of the steps you take. A professional psychologist or coach can help you find solutions to the challenges you experience at work , as well as in other areas of life that may be affected by ADHD. Of course, these professionals must have experience with ADHD. This detail is very important to always keep in mind. This advisor can help you make the change you're looking for in your career, identify your strengths, weaknesses, and interests, and find the right path to build a successful career that meets your expectations.
We live in a time when the strengths possessed by some people with ADHD are in high demand in the job market. This could be a good opportunity.
If you are receiving medication, be sure to allow yourself time to adjust your treatment through regular checkups with your specialist, who will adjust it as needed. You may notice some positive changes as the new regimen takes hold; don't be impatient. Treatments don't work the same for everyone, and remember that those of us with ADHD require multimodal treatment.
What are the best jobs if I have ADHD?
My first answer is quite simple: " The best job is the one that makes you happiest ." It sounds simple, but there's a catch. You must find your strengths and skills, develop them, and perform well, both in childhood and adulthood. Let's not insist on studying or working in areas that, however much we might like them, we will be incapable of mastering, because this will lead to frustration, at the very least. Often, making these decisions is difficult; it's a matter of weighing the two Fs: happiness versus frustration.
As Billy Roberts, an ADHD specialist, says, “To find the best job or pursuit for your unique ADHD brain, you need to discover what ignites its fire.” According to a study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders (Boot et al., 2017), people with ADHD report more creative achievements in the real world than those without ADHD, but it also revealed that adults with ADHD are selective with their output, choosing creative tasks and environments that align with their abilities and preferences.
Let's not insist on studying or working in areas that, however much we like them, we will be unable to fulfill, because this will lead to frustration.
Certainly, people with ADHD have an extraordinary talent for solving problems and creating systems, due to our ability to hyperfocus ; although it may sound very narcissistic, we are unique and specialists in that.
Ana Gómez Salcedo
Even so, a large number of people with ADHD move from one job to another. The causes are varied, but they share several notable characteristics:
- We don't adapt well to overly bureaucratic organizations.
- We manage time internally in a different way than the company.
- We are not comfortable in the workplace because it is not suitable.
So we keep moving from company to company until, as is typical for people with ADHD, we eventually become self-employed and create our own businesses ; we are entrepreneurial by nature. That's why many people with ADHD do well in business ventures, computer programming jobs, and the creative industries. In my case, I've always been self-employed, an entrepreneur, and a business owner. I define myself as a "createga" (creative and strategist), a word I invented and trademarked many years ago.
One of the tricks to finding the best job for you is to find training that takes advantage of your strengths, skills and, above all, that you like and are passionate about.
They say numbers aren't our strong suit, and in my case, it's very true; I always failed math and physics. However, I know a good economist who has ADHD. What I mean by this is that any job can be suitable if your strengths lie in it. No two people are alike, therefore, no two people with ADHD are identical .
Even so, there are some work environments that work well for people with ADHD, such as:
- Artistic professions (literature, dance, painting...)
- Restaurant (kitchen)
- Sales Representative or Salesperson
- Small business entrepreneurship
- Teaching
- Design
- Modeling
- Photograph
- Public relations
- Emergency services (medical emergencies, police, fire departments, or military). People who must work under pressure and make split-second decisions.
- Computing
- Sport
- Engineering
You can do any job you want, but as a general rule, people with ADHD do well in jobs with flexible and non-traditional schedules , and we handle pressure and fast paces well, like those found in classrooms, hospitals, or restaurants. But I insist, discover your strengths and abilities, and develop them like no one else.
Questions about Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
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