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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children leads to several symptoms, including hyperactivity, fidgeting, lack of focus, and difficulty with organization.
However, Healthline reports that according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 60% of these kids continue to present ADHD symptoms as adults, constituting 4.4% of the adult population.
In adulthood, ADHD presents symptoms like disorganization, trouble focusing, and disorganization, but they are slightly different. In addition, people with ADHD often have unique strengths and personalities, traits that can help them excel in their work environment.
If you have ADHD and are struggling to find career satisfaction, perhaps you need to rethink your career path by reading about top jobs for people with ADHD.
When looking for a satisfying job as a person with ADHD, you must consider your passions and the strengths provided by the natural skills presented by your disorder.
Finding Where Your Passions Lie
Maintaining an interest in your work remains essential if you have ADHD. For example, if you work as a sales assistant in a shop selling plants but have no passion for gardening, you will struggle to maintain an interest in your work.
Boredom and disinterest will make it difficult to perform at work, taking its toll on your health and well-being.
Therefore, some self-reflection can prove vital to understanding what you like. After that, a career assessment test can offer even more ideas about the top jobs for people with ADHD.
Symptoms of the 3 Types of ADHD
The three main types of ADHD. These are inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combination. These are their symptoms:
1. Inattentive
These are the typical symptoms of inattentive ADHD, but some of these also present themselves in hyperactive-impulsive cases:
- Mistakes resulting from carelessness
- Inability to focus on a task for long
- General inattentiveness, like appearing not to listen or a wandering mind
- Struggle to follow or comprehend instructions
- Avoiding pasts, especially those that require continued attention
- Distractedness and/or forgetfulness
- Continuous procrastination
- Difficulties with time management and organizing tasks
- Hyperactive/impulsive
- Combination
2. Hyperactive-Impulsive
These are the typical symptoms, but sufferers may also have a few inattentive symptoms.
- Inability to stay still (fidgeting, squirming, moving away from workplace)
- Constant restlessness and excess energy
- Irritability
- Cannot work quietly and talks too much (often includes inappropriate conversation patterns)
- Interrupting
3. Combination Type
The most common type of ADHD is combination, where individuals have an almost equal amount of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
Top Jobs for People with ADHD
It’s essential to focus on your strengths when choosing a job. For most people with ADHD, these strengths include high energy, creativity, hyperfocus levels where they block all else out, and problem-solving skills.
Here’s a list of the top jobs for people with ADHD. Of course, these career choices may not fit everyone well, so choose a job according to your strengths, values, and interests. Furthermore, remember that it’s essential to manage your ADHD symptoms properly.
1. Computer Programmer or Computer Technician
Computer programing presents creative challenges making it ideal for people with ADHD. Programmers must find new ways to perform old tasks, allowing a person with ADHD to work independently in a job requiring solution-based and creative thinking.
Another one of the top jobs for people with ADHD is a computer technician. The work entails problem-solving and the excitement of interacting with others.
2. Engineer
Engineering has many exciting fields offering individuals with ADHD an option to choose the task and settings that best suit their hyperfocus and creativity.
3. Teaching
Teaching children of any age has many rewards. It requires lots of creativity, hyperfocus, and problem-solving while allowing a person with ADHD to use up their excess energy since they need to move around physically. In addition, teachers with ADHD can recognize the condition in their students, offering them advice on dealing with it.
4. Daycare Worker
Working with toddlers and preschoolers has its advantages for someone with ADHD. Young children don’t quickly notice when someone is off-task, but even if they do, they are very understanding.
5. Entrepreneur or Small Business Owner
Successful entrepreneurs have the creative ability to perceive things differently and to chase their instincts. People with ADHD are often great at finding solutions in the business world since they love to set their schedules and rules as they pursue their passions.
6. Chef
Cooking is a truly creative activity that presents many people with ADHD an opportunity to have a successful career. Besides requiring hours of running around a kitchen, being a chef allows people who love food preparation to think out of the box.
7. Nursing Career
Some types of nursing, including emergency room or critical care nursing, have all the excitement suited to a person wanting fast-paced and exciting work where quick reactions are crucial.
8. Architect
Building projects require creativity and seeing from various angles. As an individual with ADHD, you might enjoy the hyperfocus needed for a career in architecture.
9. Sales Representative
Sales repping requires high creativity in fast-paced work environments, often entailing long hours. For individuals with ADHD, there are several choices, depending if they prefer to work in inside sales, outside sales, or making direct sales.
10. Fitness Trainer
People with ADHD who love fitness and have high energy levels excel in this job because they constantly meet new people and enjoy the challenge of providing individual fitness solutions.
11. Beautician or Hairstylist
Helping others look and feel great appeals to several people with ADHD because it requires creativity, energy, and focus. The variation of working with several people on a structured appointment basis provides the right work environment.
12. Graphic Designer
Graphic design allows an individual with ADHD to work at their own pace while working on a variety of projects and giving vent to their creativity.
13. Journalist
Working on multiple topics with a limited duration in an ever-changing environment makes journalism appealing to people with ADHD.
14. Various Artists
Generally, the creative world of the arts suits people with ADHD because it allows them to work in one or several fast-paced environments where general chaos is acceptable. These fields include music, choreography, painting, TV production, photography, set design, and stage management.
15. Police Officer or Firefighter
Often people with ADHD enjoy the demands of working in law enforcement or as firefighters. These jobs require quick thinking and intense focus in high-energy and adrenaline-inducing situations.
16. Copy Editor or Writer
As a copy editor, you require high energy and to focus on several things simultaneously, presenting few opportunities to feel bored.
On the other hand, people with ADHD who prefer working at their own pace or independently may benefit from working as a writer.
17. Emergency Room Doctor
Another one of the top jobs for people with ADHD is becoming an emergency room doctor. The work requires creative thinking and problem-solving in a high-paced environment. Most importantly, the varied work schedules allow an individual with adequately diagnosed and treated ADHL to help others while also helping themselves.
18. Event Planner
The creativity, problem-solving, and organization required for event planning align with the skills of people with ADHD.
19. Marketing Professional
The requirements for a career in marketing match the strengths of people with ADHD. These include high levels of creativity, thinking outside the box, and the option to work independently or within a team.
20. Emergency Medical Technician
Another career that meets the criteria where people with ADHD can thrive is EMT (emergency first responder). The job suits individuals with strong teamwork and communication skills who can stay focused under pressure while making quick decisions as they try to save lives.
Working in a variety of jobs is ideal for helping people with ADHD to use their creative and problem-solving abilities with the right amount of safety. Finding the right job for you is important, as it can help you thrive personally and professionally. With the right structuring and support, individuals with ADHD can find a career that works best for them.
If you are considering any of these jobs, speaking to your doctor or mental health professional is important to understand better how your needs can be met in each particular role. Additionally, having supportive colleagues and employers can make all the difference when trying to navigate a successful career path as someone living with ADHD.
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