Post from ADDbudies at Yahoo


Finding Your ADHD Friendly Job

http://add.about.com/library/weekly/aa071501a.htm

Thank you for finding this gem, Garry! :)

Finding Your ADHD Friendly Job

Doing what you are interested in, what you are good at and being governed by your strengths can lead to career fulfillment.

Related Resources
• Choosing an ADHD Friendly Career
• ADHD and the Workplace

From Other Guides
• Important Skills for the Workplace
• Alternative Work Options

Elsewhere on the Web
• Career Choices and ADD
• Career for ADD Explorers

ADD is different in each person, so what may seem like a great ADD Friendly job to you, may be a disaster for another individual with ADD. There are some common complaints of adults with ADD, including time management problems and organization. However, some adults with ADD have compensated by structuring their day and are extremely organized. Many people have asked what specific jobs are best for individuals with ADHD, but each person is unique and ADD brings out different strengths and weaknesses in each person. Every industry also provides a wide array of jobs so that for any interest, a job can be found. While an engineer with ADD might find it to be boring and tedious working in a large office, he might do well as an independent contractor where each job he undertakes is new and refreshing. So, how do you determine what job is best for you?

Understand that this is a process and will not be completed in a day or a week. It may take a month or longer. Your goal is to find a career that suits your lifestyle, your personality and your interests. Buy a notebook to keep all of your notes as you will refer to them in order to determine in which direction your career should go. Take as much time to work on the following steps as you need.

1) Write an interest inventory. Start with as many items as you want. List all of your interests and likes. A list might look something like this:

Likes:
Reading Books
Talking with people
Spectator Sports, especially basketball
Swimming
Internet
Web Site Development
Health Care
Solving Problems

Dislikes:
Answering phones
Paperwork
Large crowds
Early mornings
Working with numbers
Tedious projects
Public Speaking

Add to the list as you think of more interests and dislikes. Put a check next to the interests that sound really exciting to you and a check next to the dislikes that you really detest.

2) Write a work experience inventory. Think of every job that you have had. (It might be easier to work your way backwards, one job at a time.) List all of the functions and responsibilities that you had.

Skills Inventory

Office Skills: Filing, Answering Phones, Customer Service, Telemarketing, Sales, Bookkeeping, Typing 60wpm, Receptionist Duties
Computer Skills: Desktop Publishing, Web site development, Programming
Software: MS Word, MS Publisher, MS Front Page, Lotus
Office Equipment: Typewriter, Computer, Cash Register

Additional Skills: Accurate typist and proofreader, great spelling skills, quick learner

Take a few days to think about all the experience and skills you have had over the years. Add as much detail and information as possible to the list. (The example above is not a complete example. Include education, personal experience and volunteer work. Yours should be much more detailed.

3) Life Skills Inventory

Your next inventory sheet should include all of the day to day skills you have. You want to write down those that you are great at and those that could use some additional work:

Great:
Very creative, can usually find creative solutions to problems that arise.
Life of the party
Good in small gatherings
Work well on my own
Work well in small groups
Love to give and organize parties
Willingly make sacrifices for something I really want

Could Use Some Work"
Getting up and to work on time
Intimidated by large crowds
Forgetful
Disorganized
Sometimes work very slow to make sure it is done right

Decide which of these items you are willing to work to change and which are not changeable. Don’t accept a position where success would depend on an item that you have not yet strengthened.

4) Make an inventory of what you have liked best about previous positions that you held.

Flexible Hours
Lots of contact with the public
Worked without much supervision
Allowed creativity to come through
Received sense of accomplishment at completion of project
Boss gave credit for jobs well done
Deadlines forced me to complete work on time

Put a star next to the items you really liked.

5)Make an inventory of what you did not like in previous positions:

Did not get along with boss
Got talked to about lack of organization
Panic of upcoming deadlines caused me to miss the deadlines
Tedious and boring
Too unstructured
Too many people around

Mark those that you do not feel you would be able to deal with again in a work environment.

6) Take a break, by now you should be totally overwhelmed with all of these ideas and facts running around your head and you should probably put your notebook somewhere safe for a couple days and not look at it. When you come back to it, you might be surprised to see that you have even more to add to it.

7)Ask some close friends/relatives to help you complete the lists if you are having a difficult time with them. Ask them to be objective and to help your memory of events and jobs so that you can get an accurate view of what has worked and what hasn’t in your past employment.

8) If you are having difficulty with this portion, there are several sites that might be able to help you in determining career paths. See Choosing and ADHD Friendly Career.

9)Compare the results of your interests and your experiences. If you put down that you were interested in photography, but you haven’t yet picked up a camera, just think it might be fun, now is the time to cross photography off your list. What interests do you have left that are backed up by some type of experience or education?

10) Look at the interests that are left and begin to write down all of the jobs that are available in those interests. About.com guide to Career Planning has details on many of the major industries and professions.

11) You should now have in front of you a list of several jobs for which you have an interest and some experience/education in. Work with your list of life skills to determine if any of those positions would not fit your personality. Does a job require you to be on the road visiting companies and you just are terrible at following a map and always end of getting lost. This might cause undue stress and have you end up leaving the job. Is there a job that always starts at 7 AM and you can’t seem to get up and moving much before 9 AM? Match the positions with your strengths to find a position where you will be able to grow instead of feeling frustration.

12) Look again at what you disliked and liked in previous positions to determine what is important to you. Do you like the structure of a large company, where each day you know exactly what you are going to do and how long it will take you to do it? Do you like the excitement of a new company, being there on the ground floor and watching and being a part of the growth of the company? Do you want someone in the background to oversee your work, yet leave you alone to complete it? Use these to determine which type of company you would like to work for (or whether you would prefer to be self-employed).

Using all of information you compiled should help you immensely during the interview process. You will know what you want and why you should have a job. You will know what to look for in a company. This knowledge will allow you to show your confidence and make decisions based on what is best for you, rather than on the impulse of “Wow, this sounds terrific, when do I start?” If needed, take notes during the interview and bring them home to compare with your inventories to see if you and the position are a good match.

Doing what we are interested in, what we are good at and in a position, which will be governed by our strengths, rather than pointing out our weaknesses will lead to fulfillment in our careers.

Eileen
ADD Guide
Office Skills Office Skills

Yes, thanks Garry and Kassie.....and Yes, dislikes: early mornings...:D ....does anyone like early mornings???? Anyway, I should go through and write out this entire thing.....might learn something about myself...:)

I brought in the entire article because I thought it would be a great cut and paste thing to do at home. Very insightful, again thanks Garry for finding it! :)

Guess im the weirdo on this one Joan as that is my best time

I like to start work 3 ish in the morning and be done by noonish

I'm the same as you but not so early, I would like to work at 4am to 2ish myself :)

This isn't just for ADDers ;)

Source: http://content.msn.monster.com/articles/born/

Discover the Work You Were Born to Do
by James C. Gonyea

So you've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not doing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what it is that you should be doing?

To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Professional career counselors usually undertake this strategy when attempting to help clients identify appropriate career directions.

Here's what I ask clients to help them find their core. Ask yourself these questions and record your answers.

1. What subjects do you most enjoy reading about?
2. What television or radio programs do you most enjoy?
3. What are your favorite types of movies?
4. What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes?
5. What type of volunteer activities do you prefer?
6. What subjects do you enjoy discussing with friends?
7. What subjects come to mind when you daydream?
8. What have been your favorite jobs?
9. What were your favorite school subjects?
10. What are your pet peeves?
11. If you doodle, what do you often draw?
12. If you ran the world, what changes would you make?
13. If you won a million bucks, what would you do with it?
14. What are your favorite kinds of people?
15. How would you like to be remembered after your death?
16. What are your favorite toys?
17. How would you describe your political beliefs?
18. Who do you most admire in life and why?
19. What tasks have brought you the most success?
20. What tasks do you think you could do well that you haven't yet done?

Examine your answers. Do you see a certain behavior or belief in more than one aspect of your life? What information do you see repeated that seems to reveal a behavior pattern? What are your long-lasting interests?

Using this information, paint a self-portrait by completing the following statements:

* I am mainly interested in…
* I believe most in…
* I most value…
* For a good life, I feel I need…
* I can do the following well…

Now ask yourself if your current job helps you achieve these five statements. If it does, you're probably in the right career. Chances are, however, that the nagging voice means your current career is not satisfying your core features. If this is the case, then it's time to find a better fit.

If the right career choice is not obvious from the information you have gathered about yourself, then try reading What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles.

Originally posted by Garry Lawton
Guess im the weirdo on this one Joan as that is my best time

I like to start work 3 ish in the morning and be done by noonish

Oh no Garry.....you are not weird....I am just not an early a.m. person:) I tend to be depressed at 3:00 a.m.:(

I take my meds at beginning of day and they wear off by end of day...so at 3:00 a.m. there are no depression meds in my system and so at that hour, I'm a basketcase....:D

But for you....it's cool that that hour works for you:)

Oh my gosh...I love the early morning with all my heart........I just can't get myself out of bed to actually see it! I, like many ADD'ers, have a hard time settling down at night. I procrastinate just terrible. Its like I just can't stand the thought of giving up the day yet. I drive my poor non-add'er husband crazy! Does anyone else find it extremely hard to settle down at night? I have to say though...that when I actually put this little head down --I'm OUT!

I have a terrible time turning my brain off at night. My grandmother used to comment on how I was "just like my father." She always thought that I needed a job that required me working over-nights (like my father). When I was younger I was always tired because I would stay up all hours of the night. Now that I am older and I NEED my sleep to run after three boys I have developed ways to try and turn myself off.
Sometimes I read and I start early because reading makes me sleepy...say around 9:30pm. Other times I have to mentally take myself someplace that is calming after I have layed down. Every time I realize that my mind is trying to drift towards the things that I know will keep me up...I think of my "happy-calm" place and I visualize it. I have taught this to my 9yr old and it works for him as well.

I wrote that I liked:
- serving all kinds of people
- feeling of pride or belonging to a group or culture
- spontaneous, sudden minitasks to be accomplished, always with much variety

I disliked:
- adminstrative/secretary work
- long-term or repetitive responsibilities

So maybe I should think of careers like:
- travel/tourism information officer or guide
- nurse or radiology technician
- bartender
- flight attendant

I have been told that the best kind of job for adhd is an adventure job. Fire fighter, Police, adventure sports instructor.....

I lead horse tours in AZ. Good for me, I love to talk and it is always changing.

God I hate mornings. Probably as a result of the racing thoughts and not getting enough sleep the night before.

I had a girlfriend once who was like you mutant morning folk. She would SPRING out of bed when the alarm clock first sounded, where I will average hitting "snooze" about 20 times before finally getting out of bed. (I've finally learned that that half-sleep does nothing to allay my fatigue level and therefore now force myself out of bed at the first alarm, at least if I'm not so tired that I don't remember that fact)

She was extra chirpy and happy in the morning and would tap or touch me like every 30 seconds and attempt to rouse me with entreaties about how wonderful it was that it was a new day and we get to go to work now, etc.,etc.,etc.

Until I explained to her that even though I did love her very much and it would make me very sad if I perhaps reacted somnambulistically, if she continued to act this way in the morning I would eventually have no choice but to beat her senseless with my pillow.

The best morning was one saturday when a small earthquake started and just as it woke us up, I felt it crescendo and begin to taper off as she's FREAKING out- (she was from Washington, had never been through an earthquake before)

"OMIGODWOTTAWEDOGETINADOORWAYUNDERTHEBEDGETOUTSIDEW HATFORGODSSAKEDOWEDOIDONTWANNADIE WOTTAWEDO WOTTAWEDO WOTTAWEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

I just sighed, and mellowly said; "Welcome to California. Go back to sleep." as the rumbling diminished...










Oh. Um......................yeah. right. sorry. Ah, ADD friendly job, er, waking up ADD people in the morning?

Guess im the weirdo on this one Joan as that is my best time

I like to start work 3 ish in the morning and be done by noonish


This is quoting a reallllly old post.. but I am the same way.. I work at 6am, and finish anywhere from 10am-4pm (when I must leave for school).. Unfortunately I can't seem to get to bed before 1am.. hm. Is it possible to be a night owl, and a morning person? :eek:

why i am going into science
like labs
like chemicals
like manipulating life forms
do not like interacting with people
or working with them if they are stupid

Understand that this is a process and will not be completed in a day or a week. It may take a month or longer. Your goal is to find a career that suits your lifestyle, your personality and your interests. Buy a notebook to keep all of your notes as you will refer to them in order to determine in which direction your career should go. Take as much time to work on the following steps as you need.For me, this was a huge red flag. It could be self doubt, but I'm not typically one to doubt myself for many things. Instead, I for now see it as being honest with myself. I know that any project extending beyond the next oh.... 15 minutes? Will just be more wasted notebook or postit paper. Unless of course, it strikes my interest, which this doesn't (I couldn't even read the whole thing).

Then there is my issue with lack of creativity or imagination. The idea of the "Interest Inventory" seems to be, that I should list the things I like to do, and dislike doing. This is fine, except that I can't for the life of me name a single thing thats not already on their lists. Do I name everything I like? My god, that would go on forever... Do I name everything I don't like? That would be a much shorter list, but to what extend do I deside that I don't like it enough to add it to the list? I know (or assume from my jumping around the page), that this is a task-over-time idea, but again, this lasted 20 minutes and the subject matter actually did interest me.

Part 2 was seemingly easy, because in theory it was all straight-forward answers. Fact or Fiction, no guessing. However, part 3 goes back to judging (?) yourself, and making comments as to what your good at or not good at in life.

I think this article was perhaps written with the best of intentions, and that some ADDers will be able to complete and use this method. However, I highly doubt it was written by an ADDer, and wonder what the many other ADDers that cannot complete this like myself, are doing to find their career paths?

I opened this topic because, I too, am in search of a career. Jumping from job to job has gotten old, and my reason for doing this is just amazingly annoying to myself. Whether I get bored at the job, want more responsibility and can't have it, find and nit-pick little things that I don't like about the job until they are monsterous problems for me, etc...

I have looked back on past jobs so many times, and realized how great some of them were. How, if given the option, I'd go back to them in a heartbeat and do things correctly or differently (yeah right...). None of them were in my area of interest, or where I feel I want my career to be (Criminal Psychology), but they were great jobs for the time and are no more.

Well, I've rambled on so much I forgot what I'm saying. So, I'll conclude it here. This wasn't a rant on the article, and for those it helped, I wish you the best :). Just maybe looking for others tools, people who couldn't use this article found to use to their benefit.

Hey Robbie. I know what you mean. I would have lost interest before I found my pencil.

I've had so many jobs in my life it's not even funny. Like 60 or 70. I should really try and count them up some time. Good jobs, bad jobs, and really bad jobs. It was torture trying to find my career path. I thought about it constantly. It was frustrating and exhausting.

I would even go to the library and read this big fat book of career descriptions, looking for ideas. So many things were interesting, but nothing could hold my interest for long. I would hyperfocus on something and then I just couldn't get it together to register on time, or get the money on time, and then I'd be off on another tangent while working at some dead end job. This went on year after year.

I eventually drank myself into a halfway house when I was around 26. As part of the program, I was able to see a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Great guy! I'll always remember him fondly. He went out of his way to make sure I got on track and stayed on track. I needed it.

Part of the Vocational Rehabilitation program was to be tested. I actually found the testing to be very helpful. For example, there was this long test that would ask you questions like: Would you rather read poetry, or fix the lawnmower? Would you rather look under a microscope, or build a treehouse? Would you rather do this or do that? Hundreds of questions like that. Then they'd compare your answers with the answers of millions of other people from many different careers who have taken the test. A computer then spits out the results. People who answered the questions similar to you, work in this field and in this field and in this field etc. It doesn't really tell you specifically what to do, but rather, it gives you a general direction with a number of options.

It really helped me narrow the field and focus on options that were realistic, within my capabilities, and with a high likelyhood of sustained interest. I immediately went back to school and excelled. And for many years I was involved in a career that was satisfying and rewarding. I no longer work in that field, but it provided a stable foundation upon which I could build. For anyone who is experiencing career angst, I highly recommend Vocational Rehabilitation or Vocational Counseling and pray for a good counselor.

found this article in WSJ

Step one sounded like a good idea.

1. Find a job-search buddy who can listen, offer ideas and provide support and inspiration when your energy flags.

http://www.careerjournal.com/myc/survive/19980625-lavan.html


Is ADHD Interfering
With Your Career?





By Helen LaVan



What did Albert Einstein, Mozart, the Wright Brothers, Walt Disney, John Lennon, John F. Kennedy and Werner von Braun have in common? They all had attention-deficit or learning disabilities, which they overcame before going on to make significant contributions to society.


If you’ve been struggling with your career or unable to land a new position for no apparent reason, it’s possible that similar disabilities are hindering your efforts. Common behaviors often thought to be part of the emotional anxiety of losing a job may actually indicate you have an often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed psychological problem--Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.


ADHD is characterized by distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Often called attention deficit disorder, or ADD, this disability is sometimes viewed as only a childhood condition. Recently, however, it’s been recognized as an adult disability. From one-half to two-thirds of children with ADHD will continue to have significant problems with ADHD symptoms and behaviors in adulthood. Moreover, ADHD adults tend to have other problems, such as alcoholism, that impede job hunting and long-term career success unless they can be arrested and treated.


As many as 40% of ADHD sufferers have only inattentive type ADHD, a related condition. In these cases, sufferers have less hyperactivity and are more impulsive and inattentive.


Signs of ADHD


It’s not surprising that untreated adults with ADHD may have trouble job hunting. Many of the behaviors associated with the disorder can hinder career success and certainly make interviewing difficult, if not impossible. These include a short attention span, disorganization, difficulty concentrating, low tolerance for frustration and a quick temper. Untreated ADHD sufferers frequently interrupt others, seek conflict and resist authority figures. Their resumes may reveal a history of job changes and relocation, underachievement and poor time-management skills.


ADHD adults also may struggle with organizational and financial management problems. They get stuck in the syndrome known as, "The harder I try, the worse it gets," because they take on too many projects and then can’t complete them. Because they’re impulsive, they may make major decisions without planning for them appropriately.


Sufferers are easily distracted, restless and unable to get started and follow through. They tend to change their minds often, have writing or fine motor coordination difficulties, sleeping difficulties, low energy and sensitivity to noise or touch.


Social skills and emotional control also are difficult for ADHD adults. Unable to maintain long-term relationships, they may divorce and remarry often. Prone to depression, ADHD adults may have a pattern of substance abuse.


A Success Story


Many professionals with ADHD can have successful careers once they seek help and learn to channel their energy productively. Consider a 32-year-old insurance-claims examiner who was on probation because of his work style and problems with co-workers.


He had trouble concentrating, meeting deadlines, even sitting at his desk for a short period of time. He didn’t get along well with his boss or colleagues because he couldn’t tolerate frustration, frequently interrupted others and had a quick temper and trouble with authority. He was so fearful of losing his job that he became stressed and depressed.


He sought help and was diagnosed with ADHD and referred to a psychiatrist for medication. With new insight about his behavior, he decided to seek a job that would better suit his short attention span and allow him to transfer his skills.


He began networking with insurance-industry contacts at companies that fit his ideal profile. He set goals concerning the type and number of contacts to make weekly. After about two months, he accepted a job as an insurance adjuster which required him to be out of the office about 80% of the time.


Recognizing the Symptoms


The sidebar lists some of the most prevalent symptoms of ADHD. Although you may recognize certain signs or characteristics of ADHD in yourself, don’t try to self-diagnose your condition.


Seek a medical opinion from a psychiatrist or psychologist. Remember, though, that there’s no "adult onset" to ADHD. You must have had symptoms in childhood, even though they may have changed as you aged.


Realize, too, that since the illness has only recently been recognized in adults, you may have been misdiagnosed previously. For instance, some adults with ADHD have been labeled depressed or as having an antisocial personality or character disorder.


Impeding the Search


ADHD can affect your ability to find and keep the right job for these reasons:


• Inability to derive satisfaction from your career.


This is because of ADHD adults’ constant need for stimulation and inability to concentrate. The consequence often is poor performance ratings, which may cause them to impulsively quit jobs. This leads to low self-esteem that can affect a future job hunt.


Some employers label ADHD sufferers as lazy, irresponsible or insubordinate, says David E. Drehmer, a licensed clinical psychologist and executive director of the Performance Enhancement Institute in Clarendon Hills, Ill. This prejudice also damages self-esteem and confidence.


• Inability to develop a career objective.


While some ADHD adults make impulsive and poor career choices, others are working in the right fields but under the wrong conditions. However, they erroneously believe that they’re to blame for their lack of success, not their job environment.


Many seek counseling because they lack focus and feel their talents aren’t sufficiently utilized, says Rose Ann Pastor, a consultant with Clarke, Poynton and Associates, a Chicago outplacement and career development firm. Their inability to focus makes them unhappy and unproductive at work and interferes with their job-search efforts, she says.


• Inability to complete a resume.


ADHD candidates have trouble focusing and making decisions, which drags out the resume-writing process. One professional, in fact, worked on his resume for a year.


• Inability to set realistic job goals.


ADHD adults may present themselves as under- or over-qualified for available positions, possibly because they have difficulty securing information about the jobs or have low self-esteem due to previous job experiences.


• Inability to network.


The majority of jobs are secured through networking, but ADHD adults have poor relationship skills which make it difficult for them to work effectively with contacts. They have low frustration and energy levels and poor follow through. They may even forget to keep appointments. Some also spend too much time on information interviews or with the wrong networking contacts merely for the stimulation.


"Many clients have been involved in significant, unproductive networking," says Ms. Pastor. "They also haven’t been able to put closure on their resume and have made impulsive decisions."


• Inability to organize follow-up calls.


Following up with employers is essential, especially when you’ve applied for an actual opening. But ADHD makes many adults too disorganized to do so effectively.


• Low tolerance for criticism or feedback.


ADHD adults may have difficulty accepting advice from others, even a counselor they’re paying for assistance.


• Inability to pay attention in interviews.


Most candidates overestimate their interview performance. Only after seeing themselves on a videotape do they realize they didn’t answer questions effectively.


• Inability to review want ads.


ADHD adults may have trouble understanding what employers want because of problems with concentration.


Help Is Available


Adults can learn to control ADHD through counseling to learn coping skills and medication to control chemical aspects of the disorder. Many professionals disagree about the effectiveness of medications for adults and those who agree on treating ADHD with medication may disagree on which medicines are best.


Psycho-stimulant medications can help some ADHD adults, while antidepressants may help with substance abuse and depression, or when phobia, panic, anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorders are present.


If you think you suffer from ADHD, seek a medical diagnosis, and if medication is appropriate, make sure you take it as prescribed.


Helpful Steps


The following tips can help you to put your job search back on track:


1. Find a job-search buddy who can listen, offer ideas and provide support and inspiration when your energy flags.


2. Create a to-do list each day. Plan your activities and check them off as you accomplish them. Make a log of people to call and set aside time for this activity daily.


3. Seek a job-search coach or career counselor with good credentials and a problem-solving or developmental, not a directive, approach. A counselor can help you work through the psychological issues caused by ADHD and assess your personality, career interests, skills and values. I use the Strong Interest and Skills Confidence Survey, the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator analysis and other instruments to evaluate professional and managerial candidates.


4. Join a job-search support group, where you can vent feelings of anger and frustration, gain support to keep you on track and network.


5. Create a good resume. Write an effective document to use when responding to ads or writing marketing letters to employers. Set goals for how many to mail each week--20 is a realistic number.


Use a resume objective to describe the type of position you’re seeking, followed by a summary of qualifications--six or seven bulleted statements about why you’re qualified. These items might include an overall summary statement, specific knowledge and experience, an important accomplishment, awards or commendations, education, computer skills, international experience, industry familiarity, continuing professional development or special personal skills that qualify you.


When mailing resumes, play "60-cent roulette," meaning that it only costs you 60 cents to send each resume, so when in doubt, send it out.


5. Use your resume as a "cheat sheet" to stay on track when answering questions during interviews. Wear a special accessory, such as a ring, to remind you not to veer off the subject.


6. Job search on the Internet. Visit career sites with job listings. These are presented in a different, more lively format than print ads and may be easier to read. By setting parameters, you can limit the number of listings you receive. For example, by listing certain criteria, a marketing candidate who used CareerPath reduced the listings he received to 40 from 135.


7. Don’t take rejection personally. You’ll be turned down for openings 99% of the time, so don’t get discouraged if your initial response rate is low.


8. Network effectively. This technique works if you set priorities and manage your time effectively. In an excellent job market, though, responding to available openings, talking with headhunters in your industry or function and completing targeted mass mailings may be more effective.


9. Seek a position in an environment that suits your work style and ability. Consider jobs that allow you to leave the office but still require periodic reporting and accountability. Tell yourself that the difference between being a superstar and a marginal contributor may be finding the right environment, not a lack of ability.


A 44-year-old automobile financing specialist couldn’t keep a job securing financing for dealership customers. After losing five positions in 10 years, he would frantically seek another job even after just accepting one. Incorrectly diagnosed as manic depressive, his symptoms were eventually recognized as fitting ADHD and he received medication and counseling.


Knowing the real reason for his problems, he decided to seek a new kind of job. To channel his creative, problem solving, networking and financial skills, he was encouraged to find work securing venture capital funding for entrepreneurs. He has kept this position for four years and is very satisfied with his ability to help start-up businesses.


Besides being appropriately diagnosed and provided with medication, he benefited from a job-search strategy that required setting goals and deadlines and being accountable for them to a career counselor. He also learned coping skills so that he wouldn’t blow his job-hunting frustrations out of proportion.


With an adequate understanding of their illness, proper medication and coping skills, ADHD adults can job hunt successfully and enjoy satisfying careers.


-- Dr. LaVan is assistant director of M.B.A. and alumni career services at DePaul University in Chicago.

I know I'm new here and all, but I'm surprised some of the "elders" of this forum haven't ever mentioned this: Reposting entire articles from other Web sites is a copyright violation. On most forums I've found the best thing to do is excerpt a paragraph or two as "fair use" and then link to the whole article.

I should stress that my comment wasn't aimed at anyone in particular. I noticed the first day I was on this site that there were a lot of articles reposted in their entirety.

I should stress that my comment wasn't aimed at anyone in particular. I noticed the first day I was on this site that there were a lot of articles reposted in their entirety.

Wouldn't it be ironic if one of the common symptoms that shows up in most ADD'ers is an apparent lack of adherance to the rules.....that even sometimes looks like complete defiance of the system that made the rules?

Wouldn't that be ironic?

Buckle Up! ;)

Hi Cynically Naive:

I was under the impression that if you gave credit and the URL for an article or such, that was in accordance with copyright procedures. Also, no profit was made from the use of the article. Fair use I thought applied when a portion of the material was being used in a publication for sale.

I could be wrong.

Thanks, Ann

FYI -- Update re: Fair Use/Copyright

from U.S. Library of Congress
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html

§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use38


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The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

Your interpretation may be right, and of course I'm not a lawyer. All I know is, many other message forums I participate in have adopted a policy where excerpting articles is OK but reposting them in their entirety isn't. They've always cited copyright concerns when adopting this policy. Obviously this site's management doesn't have the same policy, so that's between them and the copyright holder I suppose. I'm just expressing surprise.

Alright here's something...
Do think that there are some professtions that are more ADD friendly than others like a list or something like that...?

Me,I might be an engineer.That would be awesome.

I took an aptitude test when I was about 17. They said I should get an outdoor job like a park ranger. I ended up being a payroll clerk and later an administrative assistant. I really liked the jobs for a year or so and then boredom would set in and my work would decline.

From: http://www.add.org/articles/ask_20.html




For Good Career Choices: Ask 20 Questions


Contributed by: Wilma Fellman, M.Ed.


Planning a career is serious business. Money, time, effort and self-esteem go into the process of finding that right career match. How can we maximize the probability of success and minimize the possibility of failure? It isn't by an instant, simple fix of stereotypic generalizations. We need to start with a complete collection of data, and in so doing, ask the following 20 questions:


1. What are my passions...those interests that really "light me up?"
2. What have been my accomplishments thus far?
3. What personality factors contribute to my ease of handling life?
4. What are the specifics that feel as natural and automatic as writing with my dominant hand?
5. What are my priority values that must be considered to feel good about myself?
6. What are my aptitude levels that maximize success?
7. What is my energy pattern throughout the day, week, month?
8. What are my dreams and how do they relate to the real world of work?
9. What are the pieces of jobs that always attracted me and how can those pieces be threaded together?
10. How realistic are my related options in terms of today's job market needs?
11. How much do I really know about the related options?
12. How can the options be tested out, rather than tried out, with the possibility of failure?
13. What special challenges do I have?
14. How do my challenges impact me?
15. How might my challenges impact on the work options?
16. How could the challenges be overcome by appropriate strategies and interventions?
17. How great is the degree of match between the option & the real me?
18. Can we test out the degree of match before pursuing the field?
19. How could I enter and sustain the work environment chosen?
20. What supports can be put in place to ensure long-term success?


Let's examine each of the questions, to see how the information they provide is valuable:

1. Interests:
As we get older our interests broaden. We become exposed to more of life's experiences and select those that create a spark for us. Yet, most adolescents are asked at 17 to make a decision about what interests them enough to formulate a career! A career counselor can administer an interest inventory that will throw out dozens of options, but the secret to its helpfulness is in the interpretation of the results. There are clues to be gotten from an interest inventory...tiny clues that added to other clues, will weave a trend, an answer, a direction. Just handing someone a list of correlated jobs often "falls flat" in terms of helpfulness.

2. Accomplishments:
We learn from our successes and from our failures. Accomplishments should be charted to see if there is a pattern that can lend support for a particular career route. Early accomplishments might be simple, yet still demonstrate a quality or talent that has grown with the individual.

3. Personality factors:
When we are comfortable within our own skin, we do a better job at whatever we attempt. It's helpful to identify how personality factors impact on our day-to-day comfort, in an attempt to move toward those environments that nurture our comfort zones-and away from those that constantly threaten.

4. Natural & Automatic:
Most people have a dominant hand preference. If we break our dominant hand, we can adjust--but it requires more focus and more energy. Most of us want a certain degree of challenge in our life's work. We want to feel as though we are growing. However, if 95% of our day-to-day tasks felt as unnatural as writing with our non-dominant hand, or if we had to focus with everything we have at every moment, we would likely feel threatened and burn out quickly. If we can feel natural and automatic with the majority of our job tasks, (even 51%) and still interject areas of challenge, then we have found a balance that could cultivate freshness, creativity and growth.

5. Priority Values:
We want to feel proud when we speak of our life's work. It's important to consider those parts of life that have the greatest meaning and identify them to be incorporated into a career. While we can't always work at our greatest "heart's desire," we also wouldn't want a career that goes against our deepest convictions, values and beliefs.

6. Aptitude Levels:
As in the discussion of personality factors, comfort is essential in a good career match. If we are working at a job that requires too high or too low an aptitude level for us, the match won't work out in the long run. Aptitude levels can be tested, or assumptions can be made using school achievement scores, aptitude levels and/or past performance in various subjects.

7. Energy Pattern:
Charting an Energy Pattern is an enormously useful tool in assuring a good career match. While everyone tends to have times when they are more "tuned in" than others (i.e., "I'm a morning person," or "I do my best work in the wee small hours...") charting an Energy Patterns goes far beyond that. It includes charting one's degree of energy (rating on a scale of 1-10) 3 times a day for at least a month. The results can be surprisingly helpful to learning to harness energy when it's there--and plan more "automatic" tasks for when it is not there. Particularly with adults with ADD, gaining predictability is an essential part of the career development process.

8. Dreams:
Our dreams need not be taken literally. If I dream of being a fireman, I may or may not find that a good career match. But, there are clues from our dreams that add to the process. If adventure and physical activity are both things I value and strive for, then I will keep that in mind as I continue to gather my facts.

9. Threading pieces:
Rarely do we love or hate all aspects of a job. It's more often the case that there are pieces of jobs that we enjoy or wish to avoid. A very helpful process is going through previous jobs and identifying those pieces and then threading them together to see what type of bigger picture they indicate.

10. Realistic vs. Fantasy:
If I truly want to be trained to be a circus clown, do I know if there currently is a market for them? If my talents lie in watercolor painting, am I aware of whether or not I can support myself doing that kind of work? I know for sure that I would want to go into something with my eyes open, and not with a fantasy shroud covering reality!

11. Knowing about options:
Today, it is easy to access valuable labor-market information that can cut down on mistakes in career decision-making. It is estimated that a career can be read about in the library in about 12 minutes. An easy investment in one's future!

12. Testing out options:
Once we've done the reading and still feel interested in a particular field, it's equally essential to do some testing of the option. We need to place ourselves, physically within the boundaries of where the work is being done. By observing, discussing, volunteering, interning, etc., we are gathering clues that would otherwise never be collected. This step separates the trial-and-error career seekers from those who wish to have more logic behind their final choice.

13. Special Challenges:
Often in the testing of options, we discover that, while there may be many areas of match, there might also be areas of mismatch. It's important then to identify the mismatch, the degree of mismatch and what might be done to offset it! If it's a disability that results in the mismatch, we'll need to zero in on the extent to which extra support and/or modifications would be necessary. As in previous discussion, if the degree of mismatch is greater than the degree of match, the option is probably not going to prove to be a good one in the long run. Strategies and accommodations are available for consideration, providing the match is otherwise a good one, and the outcome can result in a marketable employee.

14. Individual Challenges:
One person with ADHD may find that his/her symptoms manifest totally differently from another person with ADHD. Therefore, the next step would be to access the specific "gotcha" areas of the job that runs up against the individual challenge. Since we are all different, the strategy should match the specific person, and not be a stereotyping of someone else.

15. Challenges Vs. Career Options:
By observing, volunteering, interning, etc., we can often get a good idea of the degree of challenge a disability might provide within a given career option. It might be this step that separates a really exciting career option from one that has the potential to be a constant source of frustration.

16. Strategies and interventions:
There are dozens of wonderful books that highlight strategies and interventions used by others with similar challenges. These should be tried out in "safe" environments, long before the career match has been chosen, to see if they can provide enough offset power to eliminate the challenge as a barrier to the career option.

17. Degree of match:
Once there are one or several career options before us, we want to do more than make a pro and con list, for good decision-making. We also want to decide on the degree of match for each option. If there are 23 essential tasks associated with a particular job, and 2 of them don't match with what we are all about, it becomes extremely important to assess the degree of mismatch. It can often be the case that if 23 tasks line up well, but only 1 doesn't...that the one that doesn't is so great a degree of mismatch that the career should not be considered. This step must be dealt with carefully and skillfully.

18. Test out:
To begin with we stated that we want to minimize the possibility of failure and maximize the probability of success. This "test out" step cannot be skipped for that reason. Testing out can simply mean working as a volunteer in a place LIKE the one you'd like to work...just to see if it works. If all the other steps have already been done, the number of times that this step produces a surprise negative is very small...compared to not using a structured method of career decision-making.

19. Enter & sustain:
If we have tested out the career option, we have also already made some contacts into the field. Therefore, entering the field becomes much easier than one who tries to "knock on doors from the outside." To help sustain employment, all areas of perceived mismatch should be identified, along with strategies, accommodations and modifications, if necessary. Remember to be sure that the majority of the job is a comfortable, non-threatening environment.

20. Supports:
Today, more than ever before, career counselors, therapists, coaches and other professionals lend support for the career seeker to continue to grow within the field. There is no shame in seeking support. If talented basketball players require coaches to help them achieve their best, why not career-seekers? Such supportive interventions can be behind the scenes and no one else need know of it. It's the wise career person who identifies his/her needs and seeks them!


Planning a career is serious business. But it isn't a difficult business. It requires that we agree to as much effort put into it as we do in what we choose to wear! It requires that we find a process that works for us. It requires that we gather as much data about what makes "us tick" as we can gather in order to make the best decisions possible! Put the time in. You're worth it! For really good career choices, ask 20 questions.


Adapted from the book by Wilma Fellman. (2000). Finding A Career That Works For You (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1886941386/ref=nosim/adda-20). Specialty Press

A suggestion I would like to make is to take the MAPP Assessment. There is some cost involved, but it was worth every penny I spent-about $40. You take it online-make sure you are rested, in a good frame of mind, and take your meds. You will give more accurate responses that way. When finished, you download and print your results. Mine is in a binder with my learning style, teaching style, personality type assessments and information. It is my tool for finding and working with my strengths-and really lifts me on bad days. I took it 3 years ago and as a member can still use the member section! That impressed the heck out of me!

The information below is from the website. Disclaimer, I receive no benefit from this company, I only post about it because it has helped me define my career goals and focus my choice of teaching areas. I use it when updating my resume, and preparing for interviews. It is very positive and has an outstanding reputation in the corporate and educational fields! I paid for the 2nd tier assessment-it is amazingly thorough. It even gives you a list of statements you can use on your resume! You can take it free and get a mini report-if you like it, then you pay for the type of report and/or services you want.

Information about the MAPP™ Assessment (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/AboutUs.asp)click here to go to site


Based on years of development and success, MAPP provides a unique online assessment that seeks to guide, motivate and empower people to achieve their greatest educational and career potential.

More than 4.5 million people have taken the MAPP assessment. MAPP has gone through extensive validity and reliability (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/Validity.asp) studies and is used by jobseekers (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForJobSeekers.asp), companies (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MappForCorp.asp), schools (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForStudents.asp), workforce centers (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForWorkforce.asp) and coaches (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForCoaches.asp).

The assessment consists of 71 triads of three statements. You must select the statement you MOST agree with and the statement you LEAST agree with, leaving one blank. This process takes approximately 20 minutes. Take the MAPP and you can view your results immediately online.

Jobseekers and individuals wanting to learn more about their strengths and motivations toward work can take the MAPP assessment at www.assessment.com (http://www.assessment.com/) and receive a free sample report of their top motivators and job areas. If you like what you see, you can choose to purchase a full report. There are 4 options for you with retail prices ranging from $19.95 to $129.95- for the full executive package. View report options (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPReports.asp) and choose the best one for you.

Take the MAPP assessment now (http://www.assessment.com/TakeMAPP/Default.asp) and receive your free sample report.

If you begin taking the assessment, and do not have time to finish, your work will be saved. You can return to assessment.com and log in with your email and personal password entered when starting the assessment. The MAPP system will remember who you are and allow you to begin where you left off. You may also log in and view your report(s), or order a more extensive report, at any time.

MAPP is available in nine languages; Bulgarian, Chinese, English, French, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. copied and pasted from the website-9-10-2006

Hope this helps someone!
RADD

I have a hard time trying to get through some of these assessment tools. I can't get anything down on paper or lose track of where I am, or lose interest in the process. I just have never been able to complete these things!!! I too am looking for a job, my unemployment is about to run out, yikes! I'll have to figure something out soon.

Well, I agree with robbie. I couldn't get through even the first paragraph without scrolling up and down through the article to see if there was a point to the whole thing. I can't write things down, otherwise they end up in a big pile on my desk, and I just throw them out when I finally get to cleaning at the end of the month.

The other thing is, I know what I'm good at. I know what I'd like to do. I just can't seem to get to the point of actually doing anything about it. Sometimes I get close, but I just don't follow through. If I could find somebody to help me to stick to my goals (and not my wife, since she would use that nagging tone) I'd probably be in a better place by now.

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I love my wife and I know that she means well, but all she would accomplish is to annoy me.

I sometimes don't fully understand that either.

I understand completely. I had my husband helping to keep me on track, but he would use a kind of frustrated, disgusted tone and I would get ****ed off and we'd end up in an argument and nothing gets done then because we're both too mad.:confused:

Hello All,

Doing all the mapping of skills is interesting, tacking test, doing an skills inventory etc.

What I wrestle with is finding a job/career that I'm not bored with immediately and CAN PAY THE BILLS!!!!!!

So I take the test, let's say, and it determines that I should be a park ranger...great! Interesting, not boring etc. But how am I suppposed to pay the mortgage on that salary? I'm 49 years old, been working for high-tech computer industry for 25 years and earn a respectable salary. I HATE IT!!!!!

Now, I've jointly decided, with my current company to resign at the end of November. Why would I do this?

I just accepted that I have problems. Took me most of the 25 years to realize this and accept it. However, my performance in my current position has been dismal. I admit it. Two weeks ago I started Adderall XR. I don't feel I'll get the most benefit until I'm doing something that I really like (Whatever that may be). But I must make enough to pay the mortgage. I'm caught in this hellish job spiral of not able to do the job (hate it and bored) and not able to change careers ($$$).

The pressure of having to pay the bills is almost as intense as the boredom.

Not sure I'm making sense. FWIW, I'm a marketing manager.

Andy

Hello All,

Doing all the mapping of skills is interesting, tacking test, doing an skills inventory etc.

What I wrestle with is finding a job/career that I'm not bored with immediately and CAN PAY THE BILLS!!!!!!

So I take the test, let's say, and it determines that I should be a park ranger...great! Interesting, not boring etc. But how am I suppposed to pay the mortgage on that salary? I'm 49 years old, been working for high-tech computer industry for 25 years and earn a respectable salary. I HATE IT!!!!!

Now, I've jointly decided, with my current company to resign at the end of November. Why would I do this?

I just accepted that I have problems. Took me most of the 25 years to realize this and accept it. However, my performance in my current position has been dismal. I admit it. Two weeks ago I started Adderall XR. I don't feel I'll get the most benefit until I'm doing something that I really like (Whatever that may be). But I must make enough to pay the mortgage. I'm caught in this hellish job spiral of not able to do the job (hate it and bored) and not able to change careers ($$$).

The pressure of having to pay the bills is almost as intense as the boredom.

Not sure I'm making sense. FWIW, I'm a marketing manager.

Andy
Well, for what it's worth, I can identify (mostly) with your situation. Though i don't make the same salary (actually I get paid $14.50/hr), and I HATE what I do. Thus my performance has been on a steady decline. I work in customer service for a distribution company, and If I didn't have to answer the phones, I could process orders all day long & be OK. But I have to multitask and answer phones. And because of that, my performance has suffered greatly, to the point of not getting a raise (which they used to give every 3 months), which then resulted in my losing confidence and second guessing myself, which led to behavioral issues because I no longer desired to even do my job. So now I find my self on the virge of being fired (I got handed my final warning last week), and I can't just quit because I need the income to pay the bills. I haven't really had time to do any job hunting, but then again I've never been good at looking for a job anyway, and now I'm kinda screwed. The only reason I've had any jobs is because I knew someone who could get me in. My doctor (a General Physician) has me on Paxil, which seems to work wonders for my anxiety, but does little for my ability to focus. Either way, here I am, stuck between a rock and a hard place financially.

Though I have to admit, I have been more aware since I've been on medication. I'm starting to pay attention to certain details and am noticing things that I just didn't notice before. Also, last week, I came to the realization that I have been undermining my own credibility this whole time by having such a negative attitude. Before getting handed my final warning, I was talking with the director if IT, to see if there were any projects he could put me on, and he said that if I had asked him 6 months earlier, he may have been able to get me in. However, since I am no longer in good standing with the company, there was no way he could justify such a move. It was something that I guess I've always kinda known in the back of my mind, but this conversation really put a spotlight on it.

This is definately a good thread for ODDJOBACE. With over 60 w2's filled, I am too smart for being employed (for a while anyway) but lack the ability to be self employed.

I'll keep trying and never give up.

Given that a person's interests broaden as they become older. Aptitude testing is very helpful to a point in helping to determine potential career pursuits, however, what about Aptitude testing that includes criteria and attributes of a ADHD person to help them tweak these directions even better?

thanks for posting this
I've been out of highschool for about a year, taking time to figure exactly this out, what i want to do with my life, but after a year, 2 career councellors, countless tests, im no further ahead, ive looked into a few careers, but it seems like im walking in a cirle, being pushed by everyone around me just to pick what they see me as. now i dont have a firm grip of my ADHD yet, i dont know wether im at my 20%, 40% 70% or 90% efficiency yet, so i dont know what i can expect to accomplish to get to as career and to build it. should i sit back, and handle things one at a time, and then think about these things? or simply go ahead with things, and see where life takes me?

Asking myself, where am I most comfortable interacting with people?

his seems to be helping me discover where and what types of jobs to look for! Also using results from my MAPP Appraisal Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential-Worth the $40 for job-seekers and $20 for students-I get no benefit from this, it has been absolutely necessary to understanding myself and my career objectives and "fit" You won't regret it!! If you take it, we could start a thread and discuss how to use results!!!! Junior in High School is the earliest they suggest taking it.

http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForJobSeekers.asp (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForJobSeekers.asp)

http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForStudents.asp (http://www.assessment.com/AboutMAPP/MAPPForStudents.asp)

Where should I find a job? IN HIGHER EDUCATION!!!! I am motivated and actually excited about the job search-at least as excited as this process can make me....

Guess what? I am finding my way in my career transition/refocus.... It is in Career Development!!!! It is so very ADD friendly, perfect for an ENFP, and matches my career and vocational assessments perfectly!

Tonight I found a certification course for non-counselors that is reasonable. I qualify for it because of my MSEd in Workforce Development and my Careeer/Technical Eduction teaching experience! I can take the class online with one 3-day face-to-face meeting away from home!!! At the end of this, I will be an official: GCDF-GLOBAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR. (the course costs less than a 3 semester hour graduate class, but the content is superb!! It is officially certified by the Center for Credentialing and Education).

I also joined the NCDA, NATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, which lists as a professional organization on my resume. By joining and becoming certified, many more jobs will be open to me and I hope to eventually become a Career Counselor which entails getting a Master's in Counseling. Adding to my Professional Affiliation section of the Resume!

Next step: applying for the NCDA New Professional Mentoring Program! A one year committment. Can you believe all this good stuff happening all of a sudden? I guess it happens eventually!

It has not been a great year for me, but the process has taught me a lot about myself and the time allowed me to really explore and discover the focus of my next career step. My plans include specializing in career development for students, people with ADD/LD, and other special populations. I am excited and it is getting easier and easier to get those cover letters written and be confident in my abilities and value to future employers.

I hope this encourages others people with ADD-and just perhaps, I will soon be facilitating the career development of some of you on this forum! You inspired me along with my high school students. Thank you for helping discover the part of teaching I love the most! Your pain, struggles, frustration, discrimination, as well as successes, encouragements, victories helped me see how much these services are needed by people with disabilities! For ever grateful to you all,

VI--

Do you have a college degree? Are you in college? Guess what? Every college has a career services department that provides free services from assessments to resume critiques to job search/interview skills!

I went today and it was great. I found out what I was doing right and got lots of good suggestions for improving my marketing materials!!!!! Fingers crossed, another tool, another step, and on I go.

Fre and priceless-just the gas to get there. If you live far away, email services are available too-just ask. I learned a lot and we talked about other options in higher ed to explore! Hopefully soon I will have a job!!!

VI

Do you have a college degree? Are you in college? Guess what? Every college has a career services department that provides free services from assessments to resume critiques to job search/interview skills!
This is great advice. However, I found that my college's Career Center had stopped providing these services to alumni. I let them know that I was very unhappy with this cost-cutting decision, and that it would directly impact my propensity to donate in the future. I've found a job now, and have no inclination to donate because I feel that my college wasn't there for me in a time of need so why should I feel obligated to give back?

Because I'm ADHD, impulsive, and like to name names ;) , I'll mention that the college in question is Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. In fact I think I'll call them and see if this policy is still in place.

Go for it! I have an update-I am currently about half-way through my training class to become a certified Global Career Development Facilitator. I have learned so much about my own job search and how to identify my values, skills, goals, and other characteristics and how to apply them to identifying career areas that match those plus my experience and education. Not just ADD friendly, but me friendly.

It is not just the ADD affecting your career-most of it is lack of career development guidance! Finding the right job is hard and I am beginning to think having ADD makes us think many of our problems are ADD. When the fact is, most people of any ability or disability have no idea how to chose a job that fits them or how to conduct a job search, including resume's and covers that effectively market their accomplishments to employers.

Can I encourage you all to see your ADD as only a part of the career issue, a huge part of it is the lack of knowledge and skills for career/life planning that fits who you are as a whole person, not just the ADD part.

That is one reason I started the site in my sig-it is free and will always be, because of the need for career information. This forum and other expreiences inspired the idea and finding the GCDF certification is icing on the cake. My goal is to write a proposal and find a business that is willing to support what will be a non-profit service down the road. I need access to a server to plan e-learning career planning using Moodle and moodle rooms. So I have lots to do!

I sent in a job application and the search committee started reviewing credentials this week. Will see if I get an interview. I just need a job for an income and to make a difference in peoples lives-with a career/academic success focused career area.

Try this---write a description of your ideal job-that will tell you a lot about yourself. I love working with career development-it is part of my career path -teaching showed me I need to focus on working with students in career and academic success-so maybe I will teach career ed, manage coop vocational education programs, work in college career/academic services, or other related job. There is no one perfect job-isn't that nice? There are many related jobs in your career interest area making it easier to find the right fit!

Better go do my homework-working on my portfolio-examining my MBTI, Holland scores, values, work satisfaction and then writing the description of my ideal job and the resume that goes with it! And then create a life plan with my short and long term career/life goals. Then it is on to client coaching training, developing career service materials and programs, and examining the role of technology resources in career planning.

You know what? This is so much fun and so satisfying. I love doing it! To be certified you have to have one of 4 combinations of education and career experience. My MSED and two years teaching Career and Technical education fit the bill perfectly. Now I have to start the application process-employers have to confirm my 1400 hours of work experience in the 12 competencies we are required to have. It took many years, but I am finally discovering the career area that fits me instead of trying to fit myself to a career!

Thanks for reading!

has anyone ever desired to be a stand up comedian? i feel like i get so much gratification out of making people laugh. I think it would satisfy that desire for the rush and excitement of not knowing if the crowd will like u or not.

Yes, thanks Garry and Kassie.....and Yes, dislikes: early mornings...:D ....does anyone like early mornings???? Anyway, I should go through and write out this entire thing.....might learn something about myself...:)

Nope, I don't do mornings... unless I stay up 'til 3 a.m.!:rolleyes::D

Guess im the weirdo on this one Joan as that is my best time

I like to start work 3 ish in the morning and be done by noonish

Nope I don't think you're weird!! Because I do the same thing and I'm not weird either... It's the people who think ADD/ADHD'er's are weird... that are weird... LOL:D

This is definately a good thread for ODDJOBACE. With over 60 w2's filled, I am too smart for being employed (for a while anyway) but lack the ability to be self employed.

I'll keep trying and never give up.

Yup, I had been told that I was "OVERQUALIFIED" because I had too many jobs... and why have I had too many jobs... they never would ask.. although I have a good explanation, but do not have to reveal that I have ADD... according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (http://www.eeoc.gov/types/ada.html) , employers are not allowed to ask you if you have a disability - but they can ask you (I think, in some states) if you are able to perform the duties. I've gotten rather confused on whether to let them know I have a disability (hearing impairment, before I was diagnosed with ADD, and before I got my hearing aid) or not.:confused:

I was on the net yesterday, and ran across a website called www.myplan.com (http://www.myplan.com) it has one free test and a low cost for I think 5 tests total. I agree with whoever said they struggle to get through some of these tests the do, but these only took around 15 mins or so. after taking one they match responses to career suggestions, after taking all 5 they combine the results and give a few matches. It was only $20, don't know the reliability of them, but the results I got are jobs I never thought of, after reading descriptions of them I think its a good match though

I skimmed the job article-- too ADD to read it tonight, but I have to say, I've got the perfect job for someone with ADD. Dogwalking! No attention span nor ability to sit still required!

Dogs don't have much of an attention span either (esp. not my dog- Jack Russell/sighthound mix). All I do is speedwalk around my neighborhood & the park across the street all day. If I'm anti-social, I go in the woods. I can also go hang out in the dog run, talk to friends I run into, do laundry in between walks, etc.

All my business is word of mouth, so I don't have to worry about advertising or even having a business card. No one cares that I talk too much or am hyper-- I think it's to my advantage in a weird way. I'm very skinny (bcs. I walk all day, every day), and hyper, so people know that I'll give the dogs a good walk and get them tired.

I'm my own boss so I can turn down dogs or clients I don't like and decide when I want to get a friend to fill in so I can finish early and do something.

People pay me at the end of the week for that week, so I don't have to do any billing. Some people pre-pay for a set number of walks so I just mark off each walk after I do it and they leave me another check when the walks run out.

I have a whole organizational system for the keys so I don't forget them and I write down everything in a schedule book. I have trained all my clients to text message me. When I get home, I go through my texts for the day and update my calendar.

I have a tendency to run late, so I have people give me a 2-hr window in which they want their dog walked. I can definitely make it there somewhere in that time frame and this works well in case I have some weird emergency at an apartment (burst pipes in kitchen, gas leak, dog ate the couch, etc)

If there are special feeding/medication instructions, I have my clients leave a written copy of them in a visible place. If I'm not sure about something, I just check and then I know that I'm not screwing up and every one is happy.

Sometimes I have to do the first morning walk for a dog, but I generally start work at 11 or 12. I don't have to commute, all of my clients are right in my neighborhood, so I don't have to waste time in traffic or pay for gas.

Dogwalking sounds like a weird job that wouldn't pay much, but I make more than I would in any corporate job I could get. Although I went to an Ivy League school (plus 3 others before hand), I still have a year left, so no degree. I have a terrible employment record- new job every 6 months, all of them crappy. I've managed to stick with dogwalking for 3 1/2 years!!!

I would strongly encourage any ADDer who loves animals and is hyper to try it. It took me a while to build my business to the point that I don't take new clients unless someone moves, but I was able to support myself and pay all my bills even when I first started. It helps living in an urban area, but my brother lives in the suburbs outside DC, in VA and he has a dogwalker, so there is a market for it in much of the US. Another upside- even if there's a recession, people still have to work a lot, so they need more dog walks. Furthermore, people love their dogs and will pay the dogwalker before just about any other bill (plus I have their apt. keys :)). I don't have a payment policy because I've never had a problem with people paying me. I generally tell clients that they can pay me whenever it's convenient for them.

I was on the net yesterday, and ran across a website called www.myplan.com (http://www.myplan.com) it has one free test and a low cost for I think 5 tests total. I agree with whoever said they struggle to get through some of these tests the do, but these only took around 15 mins or so. after taking one they match responses to career suggestions, after taking all 5 they combine the results and give a few matches. It was only $20, don't know the reliability of them, but the results I got are jobs I never thought of, after reading descriptions of them I think its a good match though

Here's a website that has links for different skills assessments: http://www.iseek.org/sv/10210.jsp

And here's one (can't remember if I've tried it yet... Yep I've got it bad:D).. http://www.acinet.org/acinet/skills/default.aspx?nodeid=20. I don't know how reliable it is...

That's all I can find right now...

I've always wanted my own talk show ( that couldn't get gonged ), or be a professional wrestling manager.

Our community mental health center's CEO has a public access cable show every so often.

He once told me, " Don't worry, you'll never be a guest on the show."

I nearly keeled over from laughing so hard.

You don't supposed he's still p.o.by my putting Butt Head laughing on one voice mail track, and White Zombie's intro to Thunder Kiss 65 on the other ?

Oh well.

tc
mctavish23
(Robert)

oddjobace, what are some of the jobs you have had, and how old are you? I'm just courious..you sound a lot like me!

Njtrout, I'm the same way. I have had corporate sales jobs and hate all of them. The jobs that are usually good for me, will not ever pay enough to live in a home and pay a mortage, etc. Starting your own business is probably the way to go for most people(with ADD), but figuring out what you will enjoy and be successful in is the problem!

I like adhdogwalker(nice name as well!) suggestion on the dog walking business. She has emailed me several times with some idea's/suggestions for this type of business. Sounds good to me. I just have to GET MOTIVATED to do something like this. The corporate world is not for me!

I can COMPLETELY relate to the feeling of being trapped by my salary. I really like the actual WORK that I do (technical writing) but the priority juggling, long meetings, politics, and most things "Corporate America" drive me INSANE.

This forum looks like it is going to be very helpful. I'm glad I found it. Oprah's whole "follow your spirit" thing sounds great, but it's easier said than done when you have spent a long time doing one thing, it pays your bills, and other people depend on you.

I do love dogs!

One of unfriendly add job is hunting. Somebody may shoot someone during textmessaging or something else !!!

I like to work and am a hard worker provided I like what I'm doing. I hate answering phones and I hate checking paper work

I wonder what is the most ADD inattentive type friendly job?

I wonder what is the most ADD inattentive type friendly job?


Im inattentive and really enjoy art, I can just zone out.

One of unfriendly add job is hunting. Somebody may shoot someone during textmessaging or something else !!!

Only if the "hunter" or "huntress" has three or four arms... I have my phone off when I hunt!

I have found my niche in a temporary job as an overnight crew at Mcdonalds. daytimes are too stressful to handle. That and I easily drift off task, flipping spatulas, ect.

hardly any costomers come thru. I have a list to make sure I get every thing done. and most of my night consists of talking with my manger in front of the TV in our lobby :) Its an easy going, higher paid, position. Im a night person too, so it seems like the logical choice!

If you can drive well while multi tasking, the cab driver is a good way to go.

There is always something new going on to keep the mind occupied. (you just can not look at that weird shiny thing down the side street, while approaching a car stopped at a red light!)

In my case, I am often having to recieve customers calls, dispatch other drivers, have small (chit chat) with my passengers, keep track of time calls, and drive at the same time.

Many people with ADD would be suitable for this job.

(iI will post more later, but I have already thought up my next post, IN A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT while typing this)

OOPS....

I already forgot what I was thinKing about that would be a cool post, while I was typing this......YA I remember......I forgot again.......oh ya, it was really important.....Its....Its....ahhhh

Probably true! In college intro to psych class (LONNGGG before my Dx)--one of those huge 300-student things--the professor gave us a "personality test" and commented on a few during the next class. I came up as most similar to a race car driver! My favorite jobs have been as a big-city paramedic and two as a field wildlife tech, including a long stint capturing & taking research data on snakes in the boonies, including of course plenty of venomous ones. Unfortunately, now I have physical problems (no wonder!) that prevent my doing these kinds of jobs, and I'm really struggling to find the niche I'm sure exists out there for me. TX DARS (Dept. of Assistive & Rehab Services) called the other day (couple months after application & interview) and are setting me up with a job counselor in a program which also advocates w/ employers & assists their clients. Will keep y'all posted on process/results. Pray for me! tt

I've seriously considered petsitting, but still recovering from knee & back surgery. Can walk okay, but bending/lifting limited. Do you ever have to lift dogs, or have them pull hard against the leash?

I wrote that I liked:
- serving all kinds of people
- feeling of pride or belonging to a group or culture
- spontaneous, sudden minitasks to be accomplished, always with much variety

I disliked:
- adminstrative/secretary work
- long-term or repetitive responsibilities

So maybe I should think of careers like:
- travel/tourism information officer or guide
- nurse or radiology technician
- bartender
- flight attendant

I've been trying to figure out what I want in a job for a long time... and you said it right there! That's what I love about any job...
Lot's of variety: People, tasks, sudden "Let's go team, we gotta rock this!" sort of attitude you know? STIMULATING ATMOSPHERE without a bloody ORG DIAGRAM with me at the bottom... why... that's a question for the B that put it on her wall. She's not even my boss... ok ok.

Anyway, thanks for this insight!

I recently got diagnosed with ADD, and specialist actually told me I was very lucky to be in the perfect job.

I'm a graphic designer/web editor/email editor/forum administrator/copy writer

I flit from subject to subject so I never get bored. Everything I do is creative, whether it be designing a flyer or coming up with the next marketing campaign.

I only work 3-4 days a week which is perfect. And I have the most patient boss in the world that doesn't mind if I swap days around, or am an hour late, or if I prefer to work from home sometimes.

The only trouble is with my workplace is that it's a very 'social' orientated call centre.

I tend to sit in the corner in my own little bubble. And only interact when I need/want to.

I'm terrible at making small talk / listening to small talk. I drift off or change the subject. I hate going into the kitchen to make a drink in case there's someone in there I'll have to make small talk with.

They have a lot of parties/get togethers. I almost always make an excuse to avoid them. I want to be popular and chatty but I find it really hard and stressful.

I feel the same way you do except I don't work in as flexible of an environment as you do. I totally concurr about dreading having to be around others in the break room & try to make "small talk" while waiting for the microwave or having to participate in some office social function. It seems like its the favorite sport of my co-workers to twist every comment I make into some way to bust my chops or tear me down and make me the butt of the office jokes. Then to make themselves feel better they'll comment "you just leave yourself wide open for a comment all the time so I can't help saying it." (As if that justifies picking on someone.) Then when you decide to just withdraw from those social situations or even just sit there and not say a word (when you can't physically get away), you get accused of being either a snob, malcontent or worse. I can't win either way it seems.