Adult ADHD and Employment: Identifying & Communicating Your Strengths
Keeping up with the expectations of your working environment is a major topic for many adults with ADHD. Certain symptoms may be a source of frustration and difficulty, but others may be your greatest source of strength and success in the workplace. It is important to identify and improve on your weaknesses and lean on your strengths.
Let's take a look at all the valuable ADHD assets that can be used in the workplace. It's not uncommon that the following ADHD traits might have been the reason for criticism in the past for you, but they can equally be seen as your greatest strengths.
Go through this list and identify your personal strengths:
- You may be able to draw on a lot of energy and enthusiasm, which can be an asset in the workplace. This can be used to take on new projects and tasks with enthusiasm and help motivate colleagues. Attitude is a huge part of team building, and you might be the glue that makes a great team.
- You may be able to multitask and handle multiple projects and tasks at once. This can be beneficial in a work environment, as it can make you more efficient and effective at juggling different projects. Multitasking might open you up for higher level roles where you have more oversight on multiple projects.
- You may be a very creative and innovative problem-solver. This can be used to generate novel solutions to work-related problems and can really shine through when issues arise with clients, supply chain issues or when given limited resources.
- You might have the ability to think outside the box and come up with unique and creative solutions to problems. This can be useful on a team when redefining processes or during ideation phases of projects.
- You could have a risk-taking attitude, which, especially in our modern fast-paced world can set you apart from others. Being willing to take risks and try new things can help you act on what others may be afraid to and even branch out on your own as an entrepreneur.
- You may have the ability to focus on details, which can come in handy when developing marketing materials or writing code. If you pay attention to the small elements of a project, ensuring accuracy and precision in your work, you could be due for high achievements.
- You might have tenacity and persistence, and especially in more bureaucratic companies or working in industries where there are many guidelines to follow, these are useful skills. If you do not give up when faced with difficult tasks and instead approach problems with determination and focus, you can build a fruitful body of work and experience.
- You might have the ability to work with minimal supervision and if you want to work remotely this skill is a must. Taking initiative and self-directing your work, frees up your supervisor to focus on other tasks. These skills will make you a useful member of any team, especially at a start-up or smaller company.
- You may have the ability to work in fast-paced environments which may allow you to get up to speed quickly at a new place of work and start taking meaningful action faster than others might. Quickly adapting to changing situations and remaining focused on the task at hand is what managers are looking for.
- Finally, you might have the ability to identify patterns and link ideas quickly and in a world of trends this could not be more useful. The faster you can identify relationships between ideas and concepts, the faster you can start getting to work on a solution.
Once you have identified your strengths, write them down and ask yourself a few questions:
Are the positions I am going for utilizing these strengths?
Will I have to overcome certain negative ADHD symptoms to excel at the organization I am currently working at or would like to work at one day?
Am I properly communicating my strengths to my manager and team so I am asked to assist where I am best suited?
If you are in the process of defining what your career will be, here are some great job options for people with ADHD. You can utilize your strengths and speak proudly about them in these professions:
- Graphic Designer
- Social Media Manager
- Copywriter
- Photographer
- Entrepreneur
- Programmer
- Web Developer
- Video Editor
- Personal Trainer
- Event Planner
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