Wilma Fellman, author of "Finding a Career That Works for You"
Finding a rewarding livelihood is a challenge for most people, and having ADHD doesn’t make it easier. Certain traits associated with the disorder, such as creativity and high levels of energy, can be advantageous in the workplace. However, lack of focus, impulsivity, problems with organization and time management, and the other familiar symptoms can make life on the job very difficult. A recent study found that, compared with non-ADDers, people with ADHD earn less and are less likely to be employed full-time.
How can ADDers find happiness and success on the job? Wilma Fellman, author of Finding a Career That Works for You, stresses how important it is to find work that relates to your interests and to find strategies that help you work productively. Recently, Fellman spoke from her office in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, to ADDitude contributor Carl Sherman.
What kind of work is best for people with ADHD?
That’s the first question most people ask, and it’s the wrong one. If you pick a job solely on the basis of whether it seems to be a “good fit” for someone who has ADHD, you’re going to pass over a lot of options.
It’s true that certain occupations are off-limits to people with ADHD — being a commercial pilot, for example. But people with ADHD are finding success in an incredible range of occupations, including some, like accounting and scientific research, that initially might seem like poor choices for ADDers.
Rather than concentrate on your weaknesses, and where your symptoms might interfere with success, I recommend thinking more about your interests. The more passionate you are about a job, the less likely it is that your symptoms will get in the way. When they do interfere — as they almost certainly will — odds are, you’ll be able to find an accommodation to make things easier.
What sorts of things should ADDers consider when choosing a job?
One of the most important things is the way you process information. Some people like to go off by themselves to think quietly about a particular problem at work until a decision crystallizes. I call these people “internal processors.” At the other end of the spectrum are “external processors.” Rather than work out a problem on their own, external processors prefer to talk to lots of other people before finally settling on a solution.
Internal processors generally don’t do well in jobs that require lots of teamwork and brainstorming. They do better in positions that allow for significant “alone” time.
Another thing to consider is whether you are a “sprinter” or a “plodder.” Sprinters like to take on a project, give it their all, and quickly move on to a new project. They enjoy having closure at the end of each day, and they get bored if they have to keep working on the same thing for a long time. If you’re a sprinter, you might enjoy being a dentist.
Plodders prefer to devote the same level of focus to each day, and they don’t mind spending weeks or months or even years working on the same project. A plodder might make a good research scientist. Within every industry, of course, there are many types of jobs — one may work for you, another may be the kiss of death. Let’s say you’re interested in law. Criminal lawyers must pay close attention to complex facts over a long period of time — some cases go on for years. A sprinter might do better in real estate law, which involves shorter-term projects and less complex sets of facts.
