Hi --

I am starting a new job search. It was triggered by my diagnosis of ADHD. While I have known for sometime I needed to find another job. I struggled with so many issues that "surviving in place" was my choice by default.

A job search when you are over 50 is quite different than a job search when you are young.

Whew, I don't want to list all my past jobs yet. The diagnosis of ADHD answered way too many questions.

Because I feel more trapped than I have ever felt, it's harder for me to make decisions. I never realized how much I used job changes to improve my outlook. But my psychological survival is at stake.

Another worry I have, is that while I don't might posting on this forum, I worry that someone from work may happen upon these posts and recognize me. I worry about exposure and repercussions.

Plus, my sense of reality and possibilities is off kilter. For example, in order to qualify for an interivew, I had to take some computerized tests. Of course, I was apprehensive and worried I'd fail. Well, instead of failing, the recruiter said I "blew the tests out of the water." Did I feel good about that? No, because in my current position, my supervisor and a co-worker who clashes with me -- have gone out of their way to make me feel stupid, ignorant, and incompetent among other things. So what good did it do to do good on a test if I can't "master" the whole ball of wax?

I've been reading the articles others have posted about finding an "ADHD friendly job." But, I have let various circumstances to become obstacles to doing a through job search. Plus, I suck at doing interest inventories.

I feel I need a sounding board and maybe some encouragement.

I wondered if anyone else was also looking for a new job, or if anyone was looking for support for difficult work situations and wanted to join a job support group.

I don't know how to start a private group. So, obviously I am open to suggestions.

Good Luck, Ann

Ann, I don't know how to start a support group either. But I know what you are going through.
I've found that many people in the workplace get ahead by working hard at making anyone smarter than they are look stupid. This is the case in your job so accept this as a fact of corporate life in many areas and stop beating yourself up.

No doubt that you "blew away" the tests because you possess the one blessing that comes with ADD; extremely high intelligence. :soapbox:

OK, so, I'm off my soapbox....and I have a question.
Forget for a moment about making a list to find your "ADD friendly" job. What is the one thing that has been a central theme in all of the jobs that you have had?

For example, I was a Field Service Engineer in the 80's...and worked for about 6 different companies. In the 90's I was in sales and sales management. In a weird turn of luck I ended up being a Sales Engineer (combined two decades of expertise into one job) that actually led me into training.
My career for the past 5+ years has been training related.
I started pushing it this way when I began to see a common theme in all of the jobs that I had bounced from.

As a Field Service Engineer the part of my job I liked the most was teaching people how to use their equipment or software or networks. As a salesperson and manager the part of my job I liked the most was mentoring, coaching and training. When I got the job as a Sales Engineer there was an opportunity to teach a 1 week crash course class for Sales Engineers and I pushed to be the person who created it.
It turns out the VP of Consulting Services was in the training and told the Director of training that I should be in the training dept.

Long story shorter: they paid to send me to a total of 23 days of hands on training on how to design, develop and deliver training. Now, I'm working full time in training development and there is RARELY a dull moment.

So, what is the main theme of your work history?

Hi Fightingboredom:

A love of words and art is the consistent factor in my work.

I have taken writing classes, I've been a typesetter (which I loved and ate up like candy), I was a bookstore clerk (which I loved and would have done for free), I've written user's manuals (which I love to write), I written company newsletters (while I enjoyed writing them, I did not enjoy the political pressure on the content), I am a member of a writers group, I maintain my department's website (which is something I also love but lack programming skills to look for a job elsewhere).

I know that this is my love but when typesetting moved to desktop publishing the people sitting at the monitors were graphic artists or editors, I was neither. I went back to school to get a journalism degree but ran out of money and time.

The drawback to looking for a job in publishing is that my accuracy rate and proofing skills are average and in the business those skills need to be much higher than average. ADHD may explain my less than stellar accuracy skills.

Another love I have is the outdoors--camping, travel, walking in the woods or on the beach. I thought I'd try travel writing but as long as I am employed full-time I can't pursue that because I don't write quickly.

I appreciated your story and I am trying to explore other options but I just can't seem to pull it together. I've got the resume and I read the want ads and scan the internet and look into industries where I may have an interest but nothing has come of these actions.

I could probably find a "job." But, I was really hoping to find something I loved to do.

Thanks for your comments. Ann

Ann, have you thought about being a contract writer?

Over the past 2.5 years, until 2 months ago, I have been, among other things, a contract technical writer and content developer for training materials.

Yes, it does take some accuracy but you can develop that as you go. Also, you could do the writing and work out a deal with someone else to proof your work before you turn it in so it IS accurate.

There are companies like Teksystems and Spherion and dozens of others that source talent for other companies in a temporary capacity. You might even be able to start doing it part time after hours if you find the right gig.

In fact, you could also look for local non-profit agencies that might want someone to edit, update or improve their website for a fee or nominal hourly rate. I did that for 2 years on top of the contract work I did.

Anyway, lots of ideas....just keep bouncing them out here and it will sort out.

Hi Fightingboredom:

Those are good tips. I will put them on my list. I especially liked the tip of getting my own proofreader!

I had thought about approaching nonprofits to see if I could get some webwork but I keep trying to increase my skills in that area to a point I feel more confident going it alone. Right now, at work, I have a helpdesk and a webmaster who offer quite a bit of help. The software keeps changing so much, I can't keep up.

Thanks for the ideas, Ann