Best jobs for ADHD

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:ADHD is really a superpower once you learn how to manage it.

+1. This is why I don’t think ADHD shouldn’t be classified as a disability. It’s just a different way of thinking.

Should have written: “This is why I think ADHD shouldn’t be classified as a disability.”

It's a disability because society is just not compatible with ADHD. People can't stand being around ADHD symptoms the 98% of the time then when ADHD superpowers spring into action it appears too routine or easy for anyone to appreciate. For example, I was spaced out at DS's baseball game then subconsciously reached out and caught a line drive foul ball heading for a woman's face. She was thankful obviously but people were more confused than anything.

Anyways, the successful ADHD people either got treated early and avoided the inevitable frustration/anger from school-age years or their naturally developed coping mechanisms led them to viable careers. The natural path sucks which is why so many of us have an ah-ha moment during adult diagnosis where we finally recognize why we are so different.

But it’s not a disability. It’s not an impairment.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:People with ADHD can do any job they want if they have learned to live with and adapt to the challenges presented. There are many helpful tools.

I'd say this, and it depends more on the persons other skills/talents. I have ADHD but would be terrible at sales. ADHD can come with social struggles too, and social skills are key in sales.

I've done realy welll in engineering, unmedicated, because the problems can be really intersting puzzles and i'm good at math, logic, and systems thinking. I make dumb mistakes due to inattentivenes, but spell/grammar check helps that in my documents. In my more technical work, i just have to go over things several times. The job is never the same day to day. Sometimes I procrastinate but I still get my work done. I do need deadlines, though.

ER doctor, teacher, or something where you have to be very present and in-the-moment wors for others.

I want to dispel the myth that social skills are key in sales. I moved into sales because I am neurodivergent (including adhd) and do not have the social skills to navigate climbing the corporate ladder.

Sales is much less about glad handing and networking today. It’s really data driven, so if you are good a math, seeing patterns and problem solving, sales could be a good career path. You do occasionally need to present to stakeholders but 85% of the time, the work you are doing is over email.

I found sales much more predictable and formulaic (you need X in your pipeline to move to proposal stage to hit your monthly goal) then trying to navigate a promotion by schmoozing with the right dept heads.

In sales, all I need to do is deliver my numbers, and no one bothers me - I can work anywhere and anytime I want and I don’t need to fill my calendar with useless internal meetings.

Also, I enjoy learning about clients businesses and how my company’s product/service can solve their problem. Listening is much more important than speaking.

Obviously, sales isn’t for everyone, but I was surprised at how good a fit it is for me as an introverted /adhd/neurodivergent person.

You do realize there are a milion different type of sales roles. I have a severe ADHD and am successful in sales. I hate most people, and don't do the "data driven" email strategies a lot of people use.

I am succesful because I don't really care, pulls the emotion out of the process. I don't over engage, I give pertinent factual information which gets the job done but minimizes the amount of conversation/personal engagement, which customer's appreciate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Steer her away from anything in the hospitality industry, which can be incredibly attractive for extroverts with ADHD but drug and alcohol abuse is prevalent.

Natural sciences - geology, soil science, environmental science? I’ve worked with a lot of people who spend the majority of their time “in the field” in any number of jobs largely research or permitting/enforcement related, but there’s a lot there. There’s always some desk work, and some involve more writing that others, but easily more than 50% of time outside.

Kind of an out of the box idea - safety inspector. Safety inspectors exist in just about every regulated industry, public and private sector, various levels, and compensation can wildly. Active work with lots of interpersonal interaction. Can be very detail oriented and a lot of learning rules/regulations, but it’s all very applied. Perfect for ADHD if a subject area of interest. One path for that:
https://www.bcsp.org/certified-safety-professional-csp

Another idea is to focus on an industry where there is a lot of opportunity to advance. Example: https://www.aar.org/issue/railroad-jobs/ Some work is and stays blue collar but there are many career paths.

Real estate

Jumping on here- if sales is attractive, real estate brokerage esp commercial is all people with ADHD, albeit ones who are social, outgoing and generally attractive.
The entire damn lot of them.

[Anonymous]

ADHD runs in my family, and the entrepreneurs have done well. They are risk takers, can hyperfocus when needed, and have enough self-awareness to hire good administrative help.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Sales

100%

Yep, sales.

[Anonymous]

My partner has bad ADHD and he is an electrician. It’s great for him because he can move around and when he’s engaged he works on stuff.