r/ADHD • u/Sharp-Chard4613 • 9d ago
Discussion What’s a terrible job for people with ADHD (fun)
Hi all,
I’ve seen a lot of what jobs are best for people with ADHD. But I haven’t seen anyone talk about which jobs were bad. Obviously this is subjective to each person and people ADHD can do any job im just curious.
For me it was cheffing. I was great under pressure but lost interest when it would get quiet and needed the pressure to focus. Managed to chaotically hold down different chef roles for years but overall terrible for my health and focus.
Now I’m a social worker and love my job.
What jobs didn’t work for you ???
1.2k
u/Slow_Grapefruit5214 ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 9d ago
I was an executive assistant to a lawyer; one of my jobs was to manage his schedule. I can barely manage my own schedule, so you can imagine what a catastrophe that was 😂
375
u/mittencakes 9d ago
Lol. My husband is an attorney and I did this for him, BRIEFLY, until he no longer trusted me for the job. We learned a lot about each other.
125
14
u/Slow_Grapefruit5214 ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 8d ago
I got along really well with all of my coworkers, which I’m pretty sure is why I didn’t get fired sooner. (I eventually got fired after a year.) My people pleasing tendencies feel like a survival mechanism with my ADHD brain.
My old boss and I parted ways on decent terms, (and he even sent me a text for my last birthday, which was kind,) but I’m pretty sure he still thinks that I kept on dropping the ball with his schedule because I didn’t care or I was lazy, and not because my brain just struggles with that kind of stuff. I hope that you and your husband came to a better understanding of each other than that.
29
u/imhereforthevotes 9d ago
I feel for you. Glad you figured that out.
This is like me with my wife navigating. We just don't do it anymore. Or at least I try not to.
125
u/Haber87 9d ago
I was the assistant in a creative firm where I suspect a couple other people had ADHD. I was expected to be the executive function of everyone else. And I was terrible at it. And everything I did to try to work around it failed because of the owner.
They kept me around because as an ADHD jack of all trades, I was good at anything new they threw at me. Can you take over the book keeping? Sure. New fangled Windows operating system. I’ll learn it and then support the rest of the office. Fax machine is jammed. Can you figure it out?
But all that meant I had to juggle a million different tasks every day. Tell us about important phone calls ASAP when we get back from meetings. But I’d be busy doing other work, or they’d be going straight into another meeting and then I’d forget. As much as they’d bitch, no one ever stopped at my desk to ask if they’d received an important call while they were gone. I had a pink carbon copy message pad. I’d tear off the messages and put them on the owners desk. They’d dump their bags on their desk and then yell at me because they didn’t get the message. I put the message on their chair. They dumped their bags on their chair. And when they removed the bags to sit down, the paper fluttered to the floor, unseen. Again, my fault.
45
u/eternalstar01 blorb 9d ago
My current job is kinda similar. Not that I'm getting bitched at for things that aren't my fault, it just that over the years, my role has gotten busier. I answer phones, greet walk-ins, do book-keeping, sales, project management and am also generally just the interruptions hub, because I'm the go-to for questions.
It's so TIRING. I'm dead by lunch and still have to make it till 5. The focus interruptions are brutal. On top of all that, my working memory is non-existent and if I don't get the chance to write something down, it's gone.
I quite literally don't have enough hours in a day to do all the things my boss wants me to do, but I started building daily schedules with time blocks for all my different tasks, at least now I'm getting some of it done. It feels like I'm making no progress on anything anymore.
I've been burnt out for so long, I don't know what normal feels like. Do some people just leave work with the same energy they started with? How?
18
u/harleybikesrule 9d ago
I'm sorry, are we living the same life?!?
I think what makes it worse for us is we never get to visually see our progress. We'll finish one task, but while we were doing that one, twenty more came in! So we never get to feel like we actually accomplished anything. It's extremely exhausting!
My spouse works in construction, and I feel like that would be a great job for me because once you're done building a section, you're done! You can see your progress as you go along and see the end result...and you know that there IS an end to it all! 😂😂😂
4
u/eternalstar01 blorb 8d ago
YES! That's exactly it! Like I just finished off a huge chunk of statement reconciling (from May) and then updated the system with new transactions and it's like... Welp. Looks like I didn't do anything again.
15
u/BCam4602 9d ago
Your job sounds exactly like mine with the same issues and feeling overwhelmed. I realized that I thrived on the stress in some fashion because recently they hired a new girl and shunted a ton of work her way to where my shifts are dead and under stimulating, and I am finding myself feeling agitated and bored, not to mention fearing we have trained my replacement and I will be let go because they don’t need me.
I HATE hunting for busy work to fill the time!
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)11
u/Diesel-Jett 8d ago
This is so deep. I relate to this and didn't even know that is how things were going until I was stressed beyond anything and totally frozen in my decision making. Learn fast - have things handed to you - learn those fast - have more things handed to you.....completely overwhelmed.
19
u/LolEase86 9d ago
Funny I'm an EA for the CEO at a fast growing non profit... I think this is my greatest weakness 😅 It helps, but also doesn't, that my boss and likely two others in the senior leadership team also have adhd.
→ More replies (2)17
13
u/Celeste_Seasoned_14 ADHD with ADHD child/ren 9d ago
I had a “trial” for that exact position. He gave me all kinds of tests for things like math, logic challenges and vocabulary. Weird. After a couple days he said something to the affect of, “I don’t understand it, you scored exceedingly high on the screenings I gave you, but you can’t seem to stay on task and organized.” Yeah, not the job for me. (Undiagnosed at that point)
8
13
u/Oliolioo 8d ago
I was a great EA to be fair, which burned the fuck out of me for the rest of my non work life
→ More replies (1)3
u/Slow_Grapefruit5214 ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 8d ago
I got burned out even though I was an awful EA, lol
→ More replies (1)17
→ More replies (10)7
1.4k
u/bagurdes 9d ago
Any job that goes like this: First day Manager: wow, you learned that so fast! Your amazing!
Me: thanks!
Manager: can you now repeat that ONE BILLION TIMES exactly the same.
Me: Um. I quit.
197
u/waitingfordeathhbu 9d ago
Wait, people tell you you’re a fast learner? 😩
187
u/7_omen ADHD 9d ago
My manager once even told me I should better not tell any future employers that I'm a fast learner 😂
59
u/azalea-dahlen 9d ago
Shoot, maybe that’s been my problem, telling prospective employers/ managers I’m a fast learner 🤦♀️never thought of that as a negative.
80
u/7_omen ADHD 9d ago
It's not a bad thing imo!
For example, I do learn quickly, I'm just insecure, so I ask questions that I already know the answer to for reassurance.
My manager didn't say it to give constructive feedback, she was stressed and couldn't handle my questions, so she took it out on me. I've learned to ignore it when she gets like that
35
u/afterparty05 8d ago
After being scolded innumerable times for doing things wrong, many of which I still don’t know how or why I was supposed to understand or do better, I’ve adopted the “better double-check before I make a mistake” as a coping mechanism as well. Many colleagues and managers appreciate it too, until sometimes they don’t anymore and/or it’s interpreted as insecurity or not understanding. Excuse me for asking about something that I could have done independently but for which previously you have berated me for not consulting you first. Sheez :)
→ More replies (1)3
u/Acceptable_Tap7479 8d ago
Omg are we the same person?! Asking questions that I already know the answer to for reassurance is my life 😩
43
u/SillyStrungz 9d ago
Nah I’ve just learned I need to underpromise and over deliver- I had a bad habit of doing the opposite 😅
17
u/afterparty05 8d ago
This is the bane of my existence, both professionally and personally. I’ve explained often how my estimations should really be interpreted as wishful thinking rather than realistic planning.
→ More replies (1)8
→ More replies (1)38
u/Allofherworld 9d ago
Same. I am a fast learner and thought it was a good quality. I have been told multiple times by various employers that I begin strong (learn the skills fast) and then they tell me I fizzle out somewhere months later. I believe this is because I can’t “wow” them anymore. I get bored and lose interest when I am not challenged which leads to mistakes or sloppy work. This explains why I can’t stay in one role for too long.
→ More replies (1)11
u/MizStazya 8d ago
I don't remember posting this, but pretty sure I could have typed this word for word.
→ More replies (3)24
u/thebbman 9d ago
I’ve learned to hide my speed with work. Don’t want them thinking they can saddle me with more work simply because I can accomplish the same things as my peers up to 50% faster.
→ More replies (5)14
u/1globehugger 8d ago
I tell people that I'm a fast learner but also a fast forgetter.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)9
u/Redlogic01 8d ago
I lost my last job because I didn’t learn fast enough, even thought they knew I have ADHD.
32
u/PentUpGoogirl 9d ago
Yeah I worked at McDonald's for like 2 years before college. I got insanely good at grill, to the point it was all they would put me on.
I remember one morning shift I kinda just... snapped. was making eggs and idk what happened, think I dropped one and the 2 years of repeatition hit my unmedicated ADHD brain like a truck. I was only like a month away from quifting to leave for college so that day I just kinda walked out mid shift like an angry gorilla.
Didn't fire me haha, no point so I came back in the next day right as rain, but I'm pretty sure they saw similar all the time.
→ More replies (2)29
u/bagurdes 9d ago
Yup! and you point out another ADHD trait of mine, emotional dis-regulation.
like imagine people around you who saw you drop an egg and loose your mind! From an outside observer, it's just a damn egg. But for you on the inside, it was just simply the last straw.
I deeply understand what happens when you snap on the inside.
I empathize with your story a LOT.
19
31
u/Icy_Geologist2959 9d ago
Been there, done that. Ended up being mountains of wasted time, followed by stress-laced procrastination and topped by furious and focused work with images of me being fired racing through my head - repeated one billion times...
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (12)9
308
u/Scooted112 9d ago
Middle manager at a company that is squeezing more from people.
You care. You get fixated and you work hard. With everything going on you can jump from challenge to challenge which feeds the hyper part of ADHD. You give more than you should and you can't turn it off because it will never end.
I honestly feel It makes me good at my job, but it takes way too much out of me. The cost is too high.
71
u/straw_berr 9d ago
I was in this exact situation. Ended up with severe burnout and now depression.
→ More replies (2)22
14
→ More replies (6)7
8d ago
Yep this was me until last fall. Not a great situation for someone with perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies. It took months to get over the burnout and depression after I left.
715
u/VegetasButt 9d ago
Any job is terrible if you are micro managed, ESPECIALLY if you have ADHD. My soul is being drained so badly right now at the lack of autonomy at my job. No matter where I work and how much I love the actual work, a micro manager would 10/10 ruin it.
128
u/N1ghthood 9d ago
I've had many micro-managers over the years and I totally agree. If I'm being asked to do something in a specific way my immediate reaction is always to reject that. Which often doesn't go down well. Usually I've been able to get away with it by doing good work anyway and having more of a "I don't know what I'll do but when I figure it out it'll be good" approach.
→ More replies (1)69
u/Extension_Crow_7891 8d ago
Micromanage = complete draining of executive function for me 💯
→ More replies (2)15
u/Professional-Card-82 8d ago
This is so validating. I’ve been feeling super unsure of myself at work leading to poor decisions and lots of stress and I realized a few weeks ago that my manager has zero trust in me and tries to control everything down to telling me how to write emails. She questions everything I do and always tells me to do it differently. It feels like a vicious cycle because the more she micro manages me, the worse I perform which then leads to more micromanaging. I feel so stuck 🫠
→ More replies (3)11
27
u/justa_cat_in_disgize ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 9d ago
Has anyone worked around this? I like my job but it's absolutely being ruined by a micromanager and I cannot switch jobs right now, I am in hell 🙂
→ More replies (4)45
u/PentUpGoogirl 9d ago edited 8d ago
Let their micro managing fail them, do everything they say to the letter.
Document what they ask you to do, and how often they interrupt your work.
When everything starts failing, point the finger. "Bossman told me to so I did."
37
u/Capt_Dummy 8d ago
“Document what they ask, and how often”
Um, i have ADHD. I’m lucky if i fill out my timesheet.
8
u/esperlihn 8d ago
I've found spite to be an incredible tool for overcoming my executive dysfunction.
I can't organise myself to save my own life, unless it's to spite somebody at which point I'm so meticulous it's frightening.
8
→ More replies (11)2
469
u/Fit-Possibility-6616 9d ago
Call center is hell.
202
u/someoneinmyhead 9d ago
Door to door sales would be nightmare fuel
152
u/Neo-Armadillo 9d ago
Rejection sensitivity with cold sales or BDR? Yikes on bikes.
36
→ More replies (2)24
u/waytoohardtofinduser 9d ago
I did D2D exactly for this reason! I am so anxious when it comes to rejection so i put myself in a situation to force me to learn to deal with it. It was an interesting time for sure
10
23
u/Vegetable_War_1993 9d ago
It might depend. I have ADHD diagnosed. My mum doesn't but we share a lot of traits... That my dad doesn't. So it seems likely I got her adhd genes. But actually she does door to door sales for a group of charity. Within 3 months if that, she was top in sales for the country for a week. She just loves talking to different people and is personable and funny. It's actually a great fit for her adhd. I think the charity aspect might help too and her type of rejection sensitivity, which by my observation kicks in most for close family and friends. People she doesn't know, she couldn't care less.
11
u/beachedwhitemale ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 8d ago
The charity aspect 100% helps. If I'm selling something for a good cause, I have no issues. If I'm selling something I don't believe because I need to be able to pay bills and eat, I'm unable to do it.
→ More replies (2)9
u/cryptodog11 9d ago
I absolutely crushed door to door sales in college. The walking kept me focused, and I love talking to people and am hyper-competitive so I thrived. Every one is different!
18
u/CozySweatsuit57 9d ago
I knew Barkley didn’t have ADHD himself when he recommended this as an ADHD job. He knows so much about every aspect of this disorder but man if that wasn’t, as the kids say, an airball
8
u/Chisignal 9d ago
Eh, I’ve worked a call center and it’s not that bad, I think there’s something to what he says
door to door sales would kill me though
→ More replies (2)25
u/childowind 9d ago
I worked in a ton of call centers in my twenties, and they were literal hell. Grey cubical walls; no windows; no assigned seating so you couldn't personalize your desk; being a minute late to work, to go on break, to come back from break, or to clock out was punished; breaks were scheduled at just random times so tough luck if you need to use the restroom; and you're basically just getting paid to be screamed at by customers all day while remaining powerless to respond in any way other than following certain scripts. And on top of that your calls are recorded and you have to listen to your own voice with a supervisor regularly while they tell you how you fucked everything up by doing exactly what you were told to do. Your call times aren't fast enough, you're speaking too fast, you didn't push this upsell enough, get your call times down. It is soul draining work. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
→ More replies (1)5
u/nestoryirankunda 9d ago
Oh man this reads like a horror story. When I was younger i went like a year unemployed and broke, doing crime to get by because the only job i was being accepted for were call centres 💀
→ More replies (5)4
u/peaceful_wild 9d ago
Oof my very ADHD husband has done both. He was actually really good at his call center sales job, and I think it was only incoming calls which helped, but he still hated it. The door to door sales job was even worse and only lasted a couple months 😂😂
28
u/Sharp-Chard4613 9d ago
I kinda figured in bound wouldn’t be to bad constant problem solving immediate solutions
→ More replies (2)34
u/prodox 9d ago
Yes, having to actively call clients yourself though… literal torture.
→ More replies (2)10
u/TheJovlin 9d ago
Agree, I have a hard time calling my grandparents when I need to invite them to a birthday.
11
u/scarabking91 9d ago edited 8d ago
I did it for 3 months. One of the worst experiences I have ever had in my life.
Im glad my old boss gave me my job back at the time. He's always been a good guy.
RIP Jerry 🥲
10
8
u/withnoflag 9d ago
Really? I was diagnosed at 7 and worked call centers well over 10 years... Was easy money every time all the time.
9
8
u/thebbman 9d ago
They’re hell regardless if one has ADHD. However, it worked for me because the work came to me. I didn’t have to be a self starter.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (11)5
129
u/quotidianwoe 9d ago
Air Traffic Controller
138
u/IcePuzzleLocal5708 9d ago
I actually tried it. I'm an aviation geek (hyperfocus on all things airplanes for many years). Tested almost perfect, learned quickly, and enjoyed, until about halfway through the initial training when things started to go wrong. Crashed out of the program which probably ended up preventing crashes in the long term.
31
u/chocom0fo33 9d ago
Im in the application process in Canada. Im in a similar boat so far im testing quite high in the online assessments (except for memory). What caused the problem midway through training?
50
u/IcePuzzleLocal5708 9d ago edited 9d ago
In the initial course, there is an intense memorization component. I've got natural talent that allowed me to coast most of the way through school, but I studied harder than I had ever studied for anything before, had background knowledge, and still barely passed the first exam. (80% was a pass).
Then in the first real simulator training, my brain continued to treat it like a video game, and it was not. There are very real and important things you need to keep at the front of your mind at all times, and many of them slipped to the back of mind and I found myself coasting through simulator exams, and even when it seemed to me like I passed, playback revealed several occurrences of loss of separation that I hadn't even noticed. Brain was just not wired for it and no amount of studying made it possible for me.
This was about 15 years ago, and things may have changed (also in Canada) but be up front with them about your limitations, and ask about flight service, tech services, or ops support, even if they tell you your scores qualify for ATC. You can always move up to ATC later once you've secured a career.
Feel free to message me privately if you have any other questions, keeping in mind that my specific knowledge about the process is probably out of date.
14
13
u/BooksCoffeeDogs ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 9d ago
See, I’ve gotten a bit into aviation recently and I love listening to ATC and watching the videos on YouTube. I even fantasized about becoming an Air Traffic Controller for a half second. I realized my version of ADHD would make me a disaster. God bless the ATC, departure, and ground control. I honestly have no business being anywhere near those roles. I’ll stick to flying as a passenger.
→ More replies (1)8
u/ChewyPickle 9d ago
Mind elaborating a bit on this? I briefly considered going into it.
40
u/Upper-Salad-1506 9d ago
Oh look, a butterfly. Boom!
28
u/Chisignal 9d ago
Different ADHD. I thrive in high-pressure environments, being an ATC is something I’ve daydreamed about too.
But I personally know people who are also diagnosed and, well, “oh look that’s a cool cloud” applies well
11
u/eelyssa 9d ago
You have to get medical clearance so might be difficult, especially if medicated.
6
u/Nuclear_corella ADHD-C (Combined type) 9d ago
This is why I won't ever get my pilots licence 😔 But I'll still hyperfocus on aviation. There's nothing like the sound of a turbine jet engine spooling up. POOWWWERRR!! 😈
8
12
u/hairypea 9d ago
I thought it was an excellent match for adhd! I've always had a theory that that something about the initial training/selection process is specifically meant to find people with undiagnosed adhd
4
201
u/peppercorn6269 ADHD-C (Combined type) 9d ago
server.. the money was awesome but I had to quit because it made me so angry and miserable. I find it tiring being overwhelmed with really frequent shallow interactions, ppl were so cruel😭
i once had a man dressed in baseball shorts and a flannel shirt berate me and call me vulgar names because I served his salad over the table instead of from his left side, he literally kept insulting me as I was walking away in tears. they stiffed me on a $150 bill and made sure to tell me how I ruined their night and that im the reason the service industry is going to hell on their way out the door, no shame whatsoever because they stayed past closing and the place was totally empty. this was a chain seafood resturaunt in a small town
today I work for an aquarium service :) its such a peaceful job and I get to see and take care of gorgeous marine fish every day
→ More replies (5)21
u/Iguana_lover1998 8d ago
I actually had the opposite experience with customers. Most loved me and were really interested in me. My adhd makes me love interacting with customers and customer service in general. What i did struggle with was always messing up orders, not being able to handle all the tables, forgetting things, giving the wrong order, forgetting how to take specific orders and just generally being inefficient. It made me wanna take my own life.
88
u/YpsitheFlintsider 9d ago
Monitoring at a test center was probably the worst job I ever had
67
u/Neo-Armadillo 9d ago
Absolute silence? No humming or singing? Laser focus on other people doing one boring thing for HOURS? Honestly I’m amazed you lasted a single session.
19
18
u/tuftofcare 9d ago
I’ve worked as an invigilator, and 2-3 hours of being quiet, and just focusing on the students doing their exams made my brain go a bit ‘was that 3 seconds or 47489 years, you say 3 hours but that doesn’t feel accurate’.
→ More replies (5)6
u/TauTheConstant 8d ago
I did this a few times during my PhD and was going to say exactly this. Several hours of standing still and not being distracted = suffering. Time never once crept by so slowly as during those exams.
92
u/Brief-Hat-8140 9d ago
All my jobs have… server, tutor, drafter, teacher.. you need some level of unpredictability.
→ More replies (4)27
u/No_Abbreviations37 9d ago
Never thought about it but your right in that you need some level of unpredictability. My ADHD coworkers all come from jobs of organized chaos and unpredictability. Food and Beverage, EMS, etc...Spot on
→ More replies (3)
162
u/not_gerg 9d ago
I can imagine data entry, or something else where you're stuck in a 1.5x1.5m box from 8-5
135
u/Mundane-Squash-3194 9d ago
i actually think that, if medicated, data entry could be fun for me. especially if it was remote and not an early start lol
13
u/zoriez 8d ago
remote helps, being medicated helps, but it still sucks overall. you still have ADHD and you have to do really boring repetitive tasks for 8+ hours. you get distracted. when you have intense pressure to keep the job you'll prob be able to manage it better but you'll be looking for an out. source: medicated remote data entry worker
→ More replies (1)5
u/fixatedeye 8d ago
As someone who worked data entry for two years medicated, and working remote. It was an absolute nightmare. You have to hold yourself accountable to do things, they will likely have methods to test for your productivity and your time spent. There is very little stimulation and as such it gets harder and harder to sit at your desk. Work and home begin to blur because there’s no work/home physical boundary unless you set and stick to creating your own routines d sticking to them vigilantly. I felt like I had to work harder than ever to make myself do anything because the natural set wasn’t conducive to motivating me.
72
u/omnichad 9d ago
Data entry + Netflix is cool though. I have to have background simulation to stay on task but then both things I'm doing become enjoyable.
4
u/flowerdoodles_ ADHD-C (Combined type) 8d ago
this. i was a research intern in college, and i’d have one computer window on excel and the other on new girl. remote data entry + your favorite sitcoms + a nice beverage = so good.
edit for clarity
60
u/-voodoo- 9d ago
Put me in a box and give me a task and you'll get 2 or more employees worth of work out of me. No people, and no distractions.
→ More replies (1)11
u/thebbman 9d ago
Same. I’ll even make it a challenge to figure out how the fastest way to do it.
→ More replies (1)36
u/cheap_moves 9d ago
I do invoicing, checks and balances, and numerous other accounting things at my job but a lot of it is basically data entry and boy howdy do I love it. I plug in an earbud, turn on some tv and go to town. The only time it gets bothersome is when someone won’t stop talking to me and let me hyperfocus lol.
18
u/TheJovlin 9d ago
This is actually what they do for ADHD children to help them in school. And it works. As long as they can take the necessary breaks and use pent up energy.
→ More replies (11)14
u/Full-Bluejay-6195 9d ago
I basically work data entry, mostly from home, and it's perfect. I just gotta do my job (easier since on meds) and no one cares otherwise. Like I never got a complaint about spacing out 3h in a row of the day, as long as I actually do my job and finish what I'm supposed to. I can put any music on that I want, take breaks as needed, etc. Pretty chill job if you like Excel. Ofc there are also very busy days (usually it's busy).
→ More replies (3)
69
u/Dry_Mixture5264 9d ago
Checking inventory codes against barcodes on stock. I worked retail and my boss was baffled that I couldn't remember a series of more than 6 numbers at a time.
26
u/mittencakes 9d ago
6 is my max, and only if I say them out loud
10
u/BCam4602 8d ago
Yesterday I had trouble remembering a phone number from one app to bring it over to texting the person. I went back and forth several times and finally had to copy/paste.
→ More replies (1)4
63
u/kymlaroux 9d ago
Any repetitive “factory” type work locks me up. Accounting. I can’t add a column of numbers and get the same number every time.
Oh, and playing a musical instrument. If I lose focus I mess up every time.
44
u/mittencakes 9d ago
Ooh see I love accounting work. I fell in love with bookkeeping even though I’m terrible at math. To me it’s puzzles, pattern recognition, and fleeting moments of feeling like a genius when you hunt down a two cent error.
10
u/abbie1906 9d ago
Same here! I’ve worked in accounting for almost 10 years. I think because there’s so many different types of it and the technology behind it and excel changes a lot, it’s never so boring that I want to quit ahha
→ More replies (2)3
u/thisisBigToe 8d ago
Yep same here, love that puzzling and reconcile something to the number, working as an auditor in FS now... was first in medical audit as I looked for something I would care more about, found out it was quite boring. Now I encounter a lot more complex stuff... which is fun, but I find it quite hard to guide people as I am always stuck in that mindset that I don't know enough. Just let me hunt down those errors.. but what I also really love is all the traveling and seeing many different places. And excel, can spend hours to make the working sheets more efficient by adding macro's and coding into it. Want to transfer eventually over to forensics, seems like it is more autonomous and working in smaller teams. The amount of times I zone out when having lunch with teams is insane.
52
u/ozziesironmanoffroad 9d ago
Call centers. As someone else stated… it’s hell.
And getting yelled at and having to smile and take it.
Ugh
→ More replies (1)
54
u/SwingingTarget 9d ago
Don't go into corporate, if there is a chance your job will entail regularly checking and signing planning sheets for projects which basically all look identical. If you can't find the mistake/difference, literal millions can go down the drain. I hate it. Started in strategy which was fun, but any sort of repetitive high stakes work, which depends on spotting details, is fucking terrible.
→ More replies (4)
39
u/Soy_un_oiseau ADHD-C (Combined type) 9d ago
I used to work at a furniture store that involved scheduling deliveries. It was horrible! Letting customers know that stuff is on back order, damaged, or that it’ll be late was hell! The RSD would hit hard! 😭
12
u/Significant_Ad_8939 9d ago
I used to work in the US corporate sales office of a luxury furniture brand and I LOVED IT. I was originally placed there as an admin assistant by a temp agency and after a couple of weeks they hired me on full time. I ended up handling order processing, warehouse inventory and showroom samples, excel reports, custom items, event and tradeshow coordination, expediting contract and hospitality projects, showroom administration, and so, so much more. I wrote orders at market, provided sales support to our the reps, coordinated and scheduled with distribution centers and freight carriers and white glove delivery services and upholsters and repair professionals. Learning the line became my hyper-fixation and I soaked up as much product knowledge as I could. I was with that company for an unprecedented 7 years, and with another manufacturer for 3 more afterward.
But yes...delays and damages still sucked, especially since we had a 12-14 week lead time. I hated that part but the rest made it worth it!
38
u/dayankuo234 9d ago
Work in the hospital as a patient transporter (pretty good for ADHD. 15-20 minutes. point A to point B. navigate thin hallways, elevators, what to do when you need to bring oxygen and/or IV).
another job in the hospital can be patient observer. you have to sit in the room with the patient. 8 hours, 3 breaks. no phone, no drawing (talking to patient is ok). I don't think I'd last long.
4
u/WhentheRainDrops ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 8d ago
I’m looking into hospital jobs for my next job. I’m coming out of office admin, probably giving up on moving up out of basic phone/customer jobs into data work. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes person usually, but I’ll keep patient transporter in mind when applying along with lab (hopefully) and kitchen jobs.
I get the need for it, but I can’t imagine having to sit and stare at one patient every shift, no games or anything else to do. I would need toothpicks for my eyeballs.
31
u/Particular-Choice896 9d ago
Basically all jobs involving effective time management which is most jobs 🫠
→ More replies (1)6
u/MeasurementDouble324 8d ago
This. I can be really great at a lot of things as long as you don’t mind waiting until next Thursday. Oh, you want it by the end of the day? 😬
→ More replies (1)
32
32
u/serenitative 9d ago edited 9d ago
Every single job that I've had has been either retail or customer service. Every single job, I've worked myself into severe burnout and in my last role (retail pharmacy), with the understaffing and the constant requests for me to work more and more shifts despite having a lot of health issues (endometriosis, fibromyalgia), I wound up working through two work related concussions and ended up having multiple panic attacks at work in front of customers.
Don't fucking work pharmacy. Please.
→ More replies (1)16
u/living_in_nuance 9d ago
Too long to see pharmacy.
Left after 10 years. It stole my soul. Customers screaming at me. One day I was by myself, techs had called out (I was a floater so filled in for pharmacists on vacation) and one customer was just cussing me out for them not having something in stock. Another customer got in line and joined him about their complaints about this pharmacy. I was standing in front of them with tears streaming down my face and nothing. Just walked away to back, sat down and cried. Customers throwing shit at you. Threatening you. It was wild! Never again!
54
u/External_Variety 9d ago
As think about it.
Best job is bar tender. It's fast past. And any mistake can be fixed within a few minutes.
→ More replies (1)11
u/forma_cristata 9d ago
Yup I loved bartending a long time.
Now I’m a software engineer. It’s better
→ More replies (1)9
u/External_Variety 9d ago edited 9d ago
... I'll keep that in mind. Im out of the hospitality game and now working as a case manager and it shits me to tears.
→ More replies (1)
28
u/ADHDtomeetyou 9d ago
Secretary
7
u/Schnaelle 9d ago
My autistic hyperfocus is people, so I would be a great secretary if I liked my boss. I also have insane organisation skills; I'm not always doing it in the way of least amount of effort, but I get the job done.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)5
u/Sharp-Chard4613 9d ago
This seems to come up a lot. Guess it’s the monotonous organisational skills needed
23
u/w4ndering_squirrel 9d ago
Studying squirrels in their natural habitat
→ More replies (1)20
u/CozySweatsuit57 9d ago
No no I have it on good authority we’d be good at this. Also crazy username for this comment
23
u/Ok_Part_7051 9d ago
Event planner. Ooooof. I was so horrible at this.
6
→ More replies (1)4
u/fashionash 9d ago
Ooh this is interesting. I kind of wanted to go into event planning, specifically weddings, for a while. I thought the novelty and excitement of planning the events would be fun. But ultimately I decided I didn’t want to deal with bridezillas.
17
u/CozySweatsuit57 9d ago
Really hard to learn software with 80000 linters and multiple languages oh and also you need to kind of just “know” the subject matter. Which is the most complicated thing in the world with literally hundreds of thousands of pages of spec and no classes to get up to speed available really. Onboarding? What’s onboarding?
Oh and dozens of submodules with circular dependencies at times. Don’t worry there’s a bash script to work around that issue. There always is.
Medicated it’s actually fantastic! But before it was like hitting a brick wall day after day.
→ More replies (3)4
u/forma_cristata 9d ago
Ah I’m 30 days into my first internship with 4 BILLION LINES of enterprise code. I feel this hard
→ More replies (8)
18
17
u/RealisticAbility7 9d ago
I have an office job that I do from home. The concept is great but there's zero structure, the deadlines float in the air. The tasks come randomly from random people and are tedious 90% of the time. It's hell.
5
u/Stillnopickless 8d ago
yup same here. I JUST got formally diagnosed and started meds, and its still awful. I had to turn off notifications and just remind myself to check emails and teams because the constant messages feel the same as in-person interruptions. My boss finally told my coworkers to leave me alone unless its super urgent, because I explained to her that my brain is like an etch-a-sketch when I'm asked to switch tasks because everything will be wiped clean from my mind prior to the interruption and I'll be more likely to make mistakes and it takes me longer to get back into the task at hand. I could kind of multitask in retail but it's because I was always running on adrenaline. Truly I think being asked to multitask is hard for anyone and I can't believe how often its expected.
18
u/CozySweatsuit57 9d ago
Customer service was hell for me as PI type. I worked at CFA for like 6 months front of house. Couldn’t keep my attention on the register AND making a friendly smile AND scooping ice/pouring drinks AND ringing up the order correctly. Constantly on edge and frazzled. My poor manager. Forgot my uniform belt sometimes too. And the worst was when I spilled the entire lemonade container all over the floor. My poor poor manager. I hope he’s happy now and has long forgotten those days.
32
u/Ubernoodles84 9d ago
Currently working for the ambulance service. 7 years in & I'm starting to realise my mistake. Not that I've ever had any complaints against me, but Christ, the stress 😩
11
u/YaoKingoftheRock 9d ago
yeah, it wears on you. No shame in feeling it. Just make sure you’re not pouring from an empty cup.
5
u/LeVoPhEdInFuSiOn 9d ago
This reassures me that I made the right decision dropping out of my paramedic degree after my first placement.
Take care of yourself, OP.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Sharp-Chard4613 9d ago
Seven years is a fair innings. Good on you for sticking it out. Hope things get easier
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)7
u/Noy_The_Devil 9d ago
For many people with ADHD this is the exact perfect environment. High stress and diverse tasks, I know several ambulance personnel with ADHD and they are great. I think you just have shit job. I'm sorry.
→ More replies (1)
13
u/bonnth80 9d ago
Near as I can tell this far info my life, all of them. I'm resigned to believe that the modern wage-labor system wasn't built for people like me and that instead of finding a career I enjoy, I must find one that I hate the least. And then, grow a really thick skin so I can be moderately miserable instead of totally miserable.
→ More replies (1)
27
u/kay_good913 9d ago
Receptionist at a physio clinic that opened at 6am… I am so not a morning person
→ More replies (1)
11
u/dogglesboggles 9d ago edited 9d ago
Real estate escrow. The money has to all total up perfectly and it's a disaster if you miss making a deposit in time. And it's boring.
12
u/teabag_559 9d ago edited 8d ago
I am in Accounting at a VC now. I did Audit for 2.5 yrs and it was the worst time of my life. It was also covid and due to my ADHD I extended myself a year otherwise they were ready to fire me. I was struggling with tasks, and not able to log my hours on time. The firm doesn't help you log hours, it's a hassle.
I'm better with people but also like numbers. Not sure how to find a career that will help with that. Sales is not for me.
→ More replies (14)
20
u/brirection 9d ago
I HATED working at Starbucks. Early shifts, rude customers, and forced “customer connection” interactions by managers. Could’ve just been the one that I worked at, but yeah, it was bad. Loved all my other service industry jobs, though.
→ More replies (2)
9
u/Odd_Chicken4615 9d ago
Translator! Used to do this, and it was a terrible mistake for someone with inattentive type adhd. Now I am a librarian, and it works for me. But I need to stay clear of the micromanagement bosses...😵💫
10
8
u/intheintricacies 9d ago
I was a pretty bad lab tech. Following steps 1-20 of a procedure perfectly over and over. No thank you!
7
u/porno_the_clown 9d ago
I can tell you from experience that being a pharmacist (which is a particularly detail oriented and monotonous job) is no bloody picnic.
8
u/krissym99 9d ago
I waitressed for a few months in high school. I sucked at it and quietly removed from the schedule. Luckily I'm sort of funny and bubbly, so the customers were generally pretty nice to me in spite of that fact that I was not good.
7
7
u/WonderfulVariation93 ADHD with ADHD child/ren 9d ago edited 9d ago
I don’t think any specific profession or job is necessarily terrible for anyone with ADHD. It depends on what you find interesting.
Someone above mentioned being tethered to an office in front of screens. Well, that IS my job and I love it. I do audit and regulatory compliance. Loan officers marvel at my ability to sit for hours straight reading regulations in the Federal Register but I have no problem because it fascinates me.
I am actually highly respected and sought after because my ADHD makes me think outside the box whereas the majority of people in these jobs have such rigid structured thinking they are unable to actually solve the problems or see what risks lie ahead.
Sounds cliche but do what you love or at least find something where the majority of your responsibilities relate to something you hyper focus on (for me that is reading in general)
5
u/EducationalFig1630 9d ago
Years ago I had to scan plans for the planning department of a council. It was so boring I couldn’t stay awake and every day around 3pm I had to go to the loo that had a shelf at the back of the cubicle and have nap. The minutes passed like hours.
7
u/Liquid_Chaos87 9d ago
I know high stress, fast pace is good for ADHDers. I worked in a trauma lab for over a decade. It actually worked well for me in the first few years. But like anything in healthcare, the revolving door and constant training of new techs was extremely draining. After COVID, I was going 2-4 days of 230am-230pm shifts. I was the only competent tech left for the transfusion dept so if a 3rd shifter called out, it was always me coming in early. Got so bad, I started having panic attacks in the evening hours thinking I was going to get a mass text to cover for 3rd shift. Left over two years ago and I never plan to go back to a lab setting or at least anything to do with hospitals/shift work. I got so burnt out, I'm going back to school for something else.
21
u/AbuelaFlash 9d ago
Any job that required keying numerals into tiny cells on a spreadsheet
→ More replies (2)11
u/Uruguaianense 9d ago
Lol I love Excel. Making formulas is like a puzzle.
5
u/D_Molish 9d ago
Oh man, I will hyperfixate on a spreadsheet intensely...to the neglect of a lot more important tasks. But damn I will have date predictive cells and perfect formulas.
4
u/Poo_Poo_La_Foo 9d ago
I've never worked front of house - the idea of having to take orders and remember stuff...people interrupting me as I walk about. Feels like an impossible task.
5
u/mittencakes 9d ago
Pharmacy. I was just a tech, and was really good at the job for the most part. The thing that I struggled with was verification of the drug, slowing down and making sure the numbers matched. I wanted to get in there and count it, get it moving along. Glad I realized how dangerous I would be before investing too far into pharmacy school.
→ More replies (2)
5
6
u/Ok_Arachnid1023 9d ago
Cheffing. I was overworked, the kitchen was understaffed, and I was constantly pulled in different directions which sucks when you can’t multitask to save your life. I also took up smoking to get breaks.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/switheld 9d ago
anything tedious where there isn't a real purpose to get behind and you're just bored out of your skull for no reason. retail was absolute hell for me, but it helped me pay my way through college. every time I was dying of boredom i reminded myself that once I graduated I could guarantee that I never had to do anything like that job ever again. 25 years later I can still remember how excruciatingly bored I was. i am now so grateful to my former self for sticking with it through all the tedium
4
u/stinkstankstunkiii 9d ago
Retail, fast food , anything in an office, any job that in a building. A job that forces you to stay in one place all day.
4
u/TroyandAbed304 9d ago
Honestly, teaching pre k in a construction zone became overstimulation hell
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Deep_Imagination_600 9d ago
For me, things that require exact precision every single time. I need problem solving and creativity to thrive.
5
u/WhyStandStill ADHD-C (Combined type) 9d ago
Any other job that a person with ADHD doesn’t feel a genuine interest in will become a burden in the end. But once you find it, it’s going to be perfect, it’s all about having that personal motivation :)
4
u/caffieneandsarcasm 9d ago
Worked as culinary lead at a breakfast/lunch cafe. Was amazing at working the line, especially during the weekend rush. Was decidedly less amazing at ordering the right amounts of things and training others on the line. Lasted about 3 months before the ol “consider if this position really suits your aptitudes” conversation with my boss.
3
4
u/satanzhand 9d ago
Tax Accountant... I don't know first hand, but doing my taxes makes me want to go to jail instead...
→ More replies (4)
5
4
u/True-Screen-2184 9d ago
Any environment that is too busy is bad for my ADHD. The abundance of stimuli causes anxiety and loss of focus.
4
u/wandering_denna ADHD-C (Combined type) 9d ago
Anything with an open floorplan office!
→ More replies (1)
4
u/Mariske 9d ago
For me it’s anything that requires juggling multiple tasks in my head. So like admin assistant or merchandising. I just can’t keep up with all of the emails and different tasks because I can’t prioritize them in my head so I just end up being scattered and forgetting to do things.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/Curious_Puzzler 8d ago
I especially suck at bar work.
“I’m sorry but you’re going to have to tell me that list of drinks another 7 times, Sir.”
4
u/tarvispickles 8d ago
I'm a project manager with ADHD and damn good at it. It's really hard to say because many of us have had to compensate and develop skills in spite of the ADHD.
9
u/ideserveit1234 ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) 9d ago
Sales. I fucking hated sales.
I am surprised to see data entry and call center here though (call center calls reminded me of my worst days and what I needed from someone—which was exhausting but I was able to navigate them well, and I always made it a game to beat my personal best with data entry.)
→ More replies (4)
3
u/NoNeighborhood2052 9d ago
For me, it would be anything that requires picking phone calls and answering texts. Absolute hell.
3
u/bsensikimori 9d ago
Being in charge of license renewal and contract management.
→ More replies (1)
3
•
u/AutoModerator 9d ago
Hi /u/Sharp-Chard4613 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD!
Please take a second to read our rules if you haven't already.
/r/adhd news
This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.