Introduction

[BigWu]

Hey, been enjoying the ADHD life since forever; anyone have any suggestions for someone who can't keep a job and who's driving their family crazy?

[STEM_Dad]

Welcome to the forum.

Are you officially diagnosed with ADHD? Are you medicated for it? (I see in your profile that you are.)

How effective is the medication?

What seems to be the problem that you're having that makes it difficult to keep a job?

Is it usually the same sort of reason that you keep winding up without one, or different readings?

I've managed to keep jobs, but sometimes just barely. I know that I'm distractible and forgetful, and often inconsistent. My medication has helped me tremendously, especially with my working memory and much of my inattentiveness. (I still have much to improve with time management, organization, etc.)

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ADHD is often very interest-based. What types of work are you interested in? Have you done any kind of career assessment?

[BigWu in reply to STEM_Dad]

Hi, thanks for replying.

I'm officially diagnosed and been on meds since day one. The meds seem to be effective but I've never found the right dosage; I am thinking of asking about a different medication (done this in the best and always ended up going back to methylphenidate)

Job wise, I seem to have about a two year expiration date where the quality of my work slacks off; I'm fine if I like and respect the company and my direct reports, if I don't it gets hard to do anything.

I am in quality assurance so the work is always different; I've worked in everything from banking and financial to government, medical, retail, etc ... contracting has helped because I've had to learn a new facet to an industry constantly.

As for career change, I'm at the point in my life where I'm going to have to just ride this out to retirement; the time and effort to get to to the pay and responsibilities I have now would be prohibitive; got kids to put through college! I may look to go back to school after they're done.

Right now more than anything looking for other ADHDers to commiserate with. 😁

[sg6000 in reply to BigWu]

Fellow ADHDer here with a similar problem. For me, a job is only bearable if I like the work but once it gets too monotonous or boring it's almost impossible for me to get anything done. I'm at the point in my current job that I would love to quit since I got so used to it and there is nothing new to learn that I can't sit still anymore. I'm worried that this may turn into a pattern of starting jobs and leaving them over and over again once the excitement of learning something new wears off. Anyway, I don't have a solution for you but I identify with your problem!

[Wasted71years in reply to STEM_Dad]

I had the same pattern with work until I was fortunate enough to find jobs where I could shift around and change things so that it always had enough novelty. Eighteen years in each of the last two jobs because I could control the nature of the job, shifting to seek the novelty and using that as my job strength, the ability to take on new areas and technologies. Finally retired when the last job took away that flexibility and forced me into a rut which headed straight over the cliff towards termination again.

[Polly91 in reply to Wasted71years]

Which job allowed you to get novelty & keep learning ? Sounds like a good career path.