Good jobs for someone with ADHD.

qwertyK

littlegreenparrot said:

qwertyK said:

littlegreenparrot said:

Its difficult to make tailored suggestions without knowing what you social skills are like. Going to assume your fairly confident dealing with people if you have considered the police and working in school. 

What other skills do you have? not sure about any job involving writing that isn't going to involve sitting at a desk. Also what kind of writing? Factual reports? Analysis? Fiction?

Sounds like you need things that involve variety and movement. So hand skills - engineering, carpentry, building, plumbing, etc most of these would involve an apprenticeship. 
Computers - programming, coding
Don't know if it would be to repetitive, but lorry driving/delivery driving gets you out and about. 

Don't dismiss university, if there is something you want to do you can do a lot of related work experience between now and next September. Some courses will also allow a late start if you find something in the next couple of months - its at least worth asking the question. 

Don't lose heart, it took me a long time to find a job that I liked and felt like I got on well with. 
Its not ideal but you won't be the first person to have a job to pay the bills while you figure out what you want to do and try to make that happen.   

I'm pretty confident but my social skills played a part in me being told I was going to be fired. Apparently my "body language is rude" - like I slouch or walk away from people when they talk to me (but am not aware of this).

I never liked programming because it involves sitting at a desk all day, I find it very complicated and boring, also a lot of maths based and I struggled with maths a lot at school, initally they thought i was dyscalculic but I went onto get good results in maths and I am pretty good when it comes to doing sums quickly. 

Ok, so scratch the programming. What about the other suggestions that do not involve desk work?  

You have mentioned working with children/young people. What about outdoor pursuits? Being an instructor? Seeing if the local scouts or the like need some volunteers? 

Regarding the social skills, I was thinking more of your confidence in dealing with people, rather than how you are perceived. You mentioned autism and many autistic people would not put themselves in a position to deal with the public at all because they wouldn't like it. I know every case is different though so was just trying to work out how that fits for you.

University, what course would you like to do? Where would you go ideally? Have you worked out of you would be entitled to funding? 

I am not expecting an answer to all these questions, I'm just trying to get you to think it through. You might find it helpful to write some lists or mind maps. Try to focus on what you can do, lots of this stuff can be learned even if you do struggle with it. 

When I went to university for about a month (I dropped out because I contracted literal PNEUMONIA as luck would have it and missed a load of work), I did Politics and International Relations. Truth be told, I really didn't like it, I chose the course because I had a vague interest in politics and was (and still am to some extent) interested in geopolitics and history. But when I got there it was not what I expected, everything was online, as someone with ADHD I procrastinate hugely and I was expected to read lots of content and I never really was able to absorb it. 

Only thing I'd like to do with young people is some kind of either social work or pastoral work, being an instructor of any sort has never appealed to me. I think for a lot of social work you need a degree and its a profession generally dominated by women so I don't know how men are percieved in it. 

qwertyK

YBR said:

I know a load of people who've traits like Autism, ADHD and possibly OCD that have found roles to thrive in in Engineering or the Railway industry. Definitely among Engineers (me included) there is more acceptance of those whose social skills leave something to be desired!

I was going to suggest Project management but that means being very organised.
Railway Maintenance, Installation or testing could have you outside and travelling over a potentially wide area but you have to work your way up past the routine bits to have the necessary experience for the interesting bits. Down-sides are working outside in any weather, lots of night-shifts and weekends.
I wonder about Systems Engineering for you, because it's a higher level of how systems and sub-systems interact and less the detailed bits for the sub-systems and components.
On the IT/Technology front, perhaps a hardware role - the sort that involves being a roving hands-on trouble-shooter for a company's clients?

Hmm interesting, yes definitely maybe I'm just not sure of the route into it. In many ways a unionised profession may be good for me because if I am likely to have issues I can have people stand up for me etc.

Maybe, that's basically what I did before as a small business and now I'm out of work and got time I'm going to try it again, I got plenty of work before just not enough to sustain living on so will try again this time

Savvy_Sue

qwertyK said:

Only thing I'd like to do with young people is some kind of either social work or pastoral work, being an instructor of any sort has never appealed to me. I think for a lot of social work you need a degree and its a profession generally dominated by women so I don't know how men are percieved in it. 

Being realistic, you're unlikely to be able to get into any kind of pastoral work with young people without generic experience, likewise social work (which you seem to be discounting anyway).

Hence the suggestion of holiday club work. I used to run one, and I was always delighted to have male playworkers! Also most will be aimed at primary school age, but you may find some for older children with special needs. 

lincroft1710

qwertyK said:

lincroft1710 said:

What exactly are your "writing skills"?

 I have written two novels too. 

Were they published?

pinkshoes

qwertyK said:

But the skills most jobs want you to have I fundamentally lack because of my autism and ADHD. 

I disagree with this.

I'm quite sure I have ADHD but never diagnosed. I'm a teacher. I can often struggle with focus but when it is something I WANT to learn or do then I make myself focus.  

Yes, I do struggle with "boring" meetings, but just have to make sure that I keep myself focused, write notes, try not to fidget etc...  I am also SUPER organised because I have lists so that my crazy fast working topic jumping brain doesn't forget stuff! 

I get to be on my feet all day, stroppy teenagers don't faze me out in the slightest.

ADHD doesn't mean you're not suited to stuff. It just means you need to adapt the way you do things so that it works with the way your brain wants to work.