Career advice?

[kkonzen15]

I have a question for you guys: I’m just wondering if any of you have had any trouble getting and keeping a job? If so, what have you done to help with that? Do you have any advice for someone who is looking to change careers?

[AnimalLoverEsq]

I have trouble finding and keeping jobs... as well as finding and keeping a place to live (I've lived in 10 different places in the last ten years). I would love to say I had advice, but I'm looking for some myself. Just wanted to chime in and say you're not alone! I've had 3 different jobs in the last few months.

[Shirleytaps]

Hi! It sounds like maybe you haven't found a job which utilizes your strengths. I highly recommend the free Coursera course called "The Science of Well-Being" by a Yale professor. One of first tasks is taking a character strengths test. After that there are a series of lectures (mostly video) and some light reading over a period of 10 weeks. This exercise may help you find your strengths and figure out a way to apply them to the right career. I am a lucky person. I found my career at 18, though it has not been without ups and downs. I've even been fired. Don't give up on yourself. You have value in some career for sure.

[IgnoranceWasNotBliss]

I agree with what the poster said about finding your strengths. They’re different for everyone. With adhd, if you have hyperfocus, those are good to start with. What makes you hyperfocus? Why are you hyperfocusing? What about this hyperfocus caught your attention? If you hyperfocus you’re already “drawn” to some things for a reason. Just think about it more thoroughly. Maybe you hyperfocus when someone is organizing something and have to take over. So you think you like to organize. But what actually had you hyperfocus was the fact that they were doing it wrong and you can do it better. I’m that case, maybe a job where you have to find discrepancies with people’s work.

If you haven’t found something yet that keeps you attention, don’t start there. Just think of the aspects you liked and disliked. I think they also have adhd career coaches????? Could be a scam though. Not sure.

For me, I LOVED my job! I was undiagnosed for 40 years and now I know why I loved it. I like to push myself for speed. Go faster! I like to push myself to the limit with multitasking! I like to change jobs every 1-4 times a year. I had the opportunity to work in many different countries and cities and lived to move and experience new things constantly. That’s the novelty seeking of adhd. I sound successful don’t I!!

Well, jokes on me. I was a waitress for 17 years. The money was actually really good and the second I didn’t like something about my job, I changed it. Of course, I knew I was much smarter than what I did. I knew I had plenty of lost potential but at the same time, it was perfect for me. I loved it and I miss it everyday (I’m a stay at home mom now).

I’m the back of my head, I always wanted to be an interior designer. I’ve moved a million times and LOVE to decorate new apartments and restore old furniture. But I never would have had the ability to formally learn and follow through with that on a professional level. Maybe now that I know I have adhd and have medication, I can explore that! Also decorating cakes. I hated baking my whole life. Still do actually. But it turns out I hyperfocus the cake decorating part and NAILED it! The first cake I ever made was for my sons 1st bday and I made a 2 tier baby shark cake that seriously.... was flawless! I had no idea I could do it. That’s happened a lot in my life. I have no interest in something and then suddenly, I hyperfocus, and I’m Picasso. The first painting I ever painted toured around the country with an art gallery. I was 16! The next semester I had a different art teacher that didn’t inspire me like the last teacher and I never painted again. It was the teacher. Not the painting.

Interesting how we can work.

[RollingThunder]

Hi! I changed jobs every 5 years! Now, I know why! Then: I thought for advancement, higher salary, climbing the ladder on different ladders. I had a great career in Procurement, always problems to solve, systems to create, organizing to get things running smoothly then moving on! Fun!