ADHD Friendly Occupations

I struggled with keeping a job until what I'm doing now. I am a scientific comunicator. I work in a science museum helping visitors understand all sort of topics. Every day is different, I get to walk around the whole museum, and I'm constantly learning new things. MY JOB LITERALLY REWARDS MY OVERSHARING OF FACTS

As an advocate I've found that there's no specific jobs or even fields that my clients come from or wind up in. What I have found is that workplace cultures impact far more heavily on their work and life. Poor workplace cultures tend to impact us very deeply and cause burnout and other awful things at a much higher frequency.

This advice appears more suited to people having the Impulsive presentation rather than the Inattentive presentation.

Accountant here. I didn’t enjoy working for others in their firms but I have my own firm now and am absolutely thriving. Numbers are my special interest, and joined with the creativity of entrepreneurship as you said, it’s the best career for me.

I'm a self-employed therapist and love my job. Its been a slog to get here, but now ive got all my billing set up to be automated, and i love working with a diverse range of client issues. In my experience, following my interests and joy has brought me a lot of success. Also, people look down on a "jack of all trades," but all my weird side hobbies have done me well when they suddenly come up at work.

I’m professor at the college. This is the best profession for me. Diagnosed with ADHD and ASD in my late 30th, and suddenly everything became so clear and make sense. I changed the well paid job I hated, monotonous and routine, to pursue career in academia. Thank you Dr. Barkley, your lectures inspired me to start my PhD to do research that will help students with ADHD to be more successful at school and in their future profession.

Dr Barkley. Really appreciate all your knowledge that you make public. This video is ideal for people in their late teens but less so for senior professionals like myself who hit their early 40s only to find out we have ADHD, and want to make sustainable career decisions as 'late bloomers'. The job examples involve a study path (medical), lifelong training (sports, music), ability to be OK with rejection (sales, performing arts), or a significant pay cut. I didn't cope with the admin involved with running my own business unfort! It would be a great topic sometime in future to hear from you about suitable career shifts for those of us already well into our worklives? I'm an ex-journalist in corporate affairs and already have two degrees. :)

Many of the jobs mentioned in the video are most suitable for extroverts and ADHDers with mostly hyperactive-impulsive presentation and a few or none of the traits and symptoms of other neurodevelopmental conditions. I'm an introvert who switches back and forth between inattentive and combined ADHD. (I have all or almost all of the inattentive diagnostic criteria and four or five of the hyperactive-impulsive criteria, depending on my life situation. And yes, I was formally diagnosed.) I also believe I have dyspraxia since I struggle with motor coordination, visual-spatial processing, processing speed, and sensory overload. (Yes, people with ADHD generally struggle with those too, and dyspraxia is commonly comorbid with ADHD.) Manual labor, trades, and other physical occupations are a TERRIBLE fit for people with those issues. Those with autism and NVLD also have motor coordination issues and sensory sensitivity. NVLD also involves visual-spatial issues. Autism and NVLD are also comorbid with ADHD. I also suspect that I have atypical autism (having a few or some autistic traits) since I prefer to be alone and don't like to talk. I also have selective mutism when under stress or pressure. I'm terrible with social interactions or communication and have social anxiety. So nope, jobs involving frequent social contacts and lots of talking just don't work for me. I much prefer to communicate via email, text, or instant or direct message. I like predictability and routine too, even though my ADHD side is protesting loudly. I actually have about 80% of the traits listed on the chart of autistic traits in women. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SQFb01SlrY&t=2s The exception to the job list is self-employment because it applies to people in general. Certain people, including many neurotypical people, want to escape wage slavery and aren't built to work for the man. It definitely applies to neurodivergent folks like us. Self-employment allows us to capitalize on our strengths and also allows for full self-accommodation. It's not always feasible or possible to get ADA accommodations in the workplace, especially for people with invisible disabilities or neurodivergent people. It's darn near impossible to get accommodations for dyspraxia here in the US since it's a little-known condition, even though the voluntary self-identification of disability form for job applications has finally recognized forms of neurodivergence including dyspraxia. I know that not all people can or want to be self-employed, but at this point in my life, it's the only logical option. I'd say that the best jobs for people with ADHD are the ones they're most interested in or passionate about and where they can use their gifts and talents. That also applies to people in general.

The problem is that once you hit 30 and you have a series of low-level jobs under your belt, pursuing many of these careers is no longer realistic.

Hey Dr. B - I am a librarian. We spend a lot of time on public desks, we have to interact with all sorts of people. I know when I got into this field I didn't realize how exhausting it can be. I mask a lot. We actually have a rule at our (public) library that the public desk shifts can't be more than about 3 hours at a time. I love working in the back room away from all of the noise (the quiet library is mostly a myth unless the library is a study library) and movement. We have quiet spaces for those who need them but the main part of the library is humming constantly. On the plus side the constant change keeps me engaged, even in the workroom doing labeling or jacketing. I like the work and must keep engaged or I might mix something up.

Doctoral level licensed psychologist with ADHD here….I found that I cant stand doing therapy, so boring! But I love teaching, supervision, psych testing/assessment, crisis intervention….I was sad when I realized I was worthless as a therapist, I have no patience, but I have done well in other ways as a psychologist. Im currently training to learn pharmacology and become a prescribing psychologist in one of the few states that allow it. I would enjoy helping others with ADHD by prescribing medication. Meds have helped me tremendously.

I think looking at ADHD success stories like top-level athletes, musicians, actors, and such is not a good reference. For every one of those there’s a million people who tried these things and failed. And it’s not just about doing the right things and making the right choices, because there is also luck involved in these cases, ADHD or not. What I think a lot of us want is to just get a stable job with a decent pay that doesn’t wreck us with demands in the exact areas where we fall short of the norm. Depending on the personality, a career in law-enforcement or the military might be a very good idea. The fire brigade or other emergency services is another option. There’s the question of emotional incontinence but I have found sudden and hasty situations to quell my personal storm and actually help me stay sharp and decisive to get the job done.

Are there separate suggestions for inattentive type? I’ve struggled mightily with motivation, so running my own business was a huge mistake. I’ve made a living as a programmer, but it’s been a constant struggle to do the equivalent of dotting my i’s and crossing my t’s.

I have ADHD and I’m a scaffold builder; I love the hands on and constantly moving by either building, taking apart builds it’s fun and the time flies by

I can't see with the rejection fear aspect that being a door-to-door salesman would be a good job

Teaching covers allllllll of those things and is never boring. It’s overwhelming at times and the expectations that teachers should provide the solutions to every single problem in society and in the home is an unrealistic expectation we have to deal with. But there’s constant movement, making materials, a schedule, talking (my god so much talking), helping, and if you like you’re subject, story telling (performance). I’m really surprised you left out educator - I know you said athletic educator, but intellectual educators are not outside the scope of talent required for this job.

Was so glad to see this in my feed. Work is by far the biggest struggle in my life. Feels impossible to work 8-9 hours consecutively at a boring job, then go home and maintain life with cleaning, cooking etc

I diagnosed myself with ADHD after retirement I was an airline pilot. At times it was boring. I really loved it when the weather was bad or when things went wrong😊 and I was challenged. I was also happier and more relaxed as a Captain rather than a co-pilot. I was very uncomfortable with authority figures. I loved being the authority. A psychologist told me there are hunters and farmers. I am a hunter always looking ahead and seeing the ‘big picture’. Being a farmer would not have worked Now at 80, I wish I knew all this sixty years ago. Great video Dr. Barkley.

Dr Barkley a lot of people I know in the field of ADHD are under impression that you have retired and no longer involved with education. I think gradually we should see more and more subscription to your Chanel. Please continue your dedication to ADHD and education. I wish you well.

Here are some more ideas! I have ADHD and this is a list of jobs I’ve done or know I’d thrive in 🙂 -Preschool teacher - Foley artist/Field Recorder - Occupational therapist - UX/UI designer - Graphic Design - Workshop facilitator - Occupational therapist - Stage production - Guide (travel, extreme sports etc...) - Barista As someone who needs accountability in their life to function, these jobs are wonderful for the teamwork and creative stimulation they offer.