ADHD’ers personality- born salesmen | ADHD Information
I was just curious, how many of you adhd'ers have a similar personality as me.
Extremely extrovert
Extremely neurotic (by neurotic, I mean emotional)
Extremely intelligent
Mind racing with thoughts constantly, very inquisitive, etc.
My personality strongly matches that of Will Smith in the movie Hitch. And I've been described as a natural born salesmen. I'm proud of my personality, of course, I am very unstable, which can cause me many problems.
I feel that i got blessed (cursed) with some of the same personality traits. I have been doing sales since i was 16 and am great at it. but never seem to get very far because i have problems dealing with my bosses or i just want to do things my way.
Lynch1000 i am curious, what job do you do now and what have you been doing the last few years and what were you most succsessfull at???
David
When I did customer service, I could just about talk anyone into paying their bill. Don't know how, they just wanted to pay it. It was the only work I just couldn't screw up. Just sitting talking to people & the hyperactivity keeps the call limits in check.I couldn't sell a life jacket to a drowning man. I'm a bit of an introvert because I need to spend alot of energy filtering my words so that they make sense to people outside my brain. I also can't keep track of lies I've told in the past, so I always get caught when I lie. I'm very honest because lying never worked for me.I could only sell something if it was really the best product out there. As soon as this proved not to be the case, my anxiety levels would rise and nobody would trust me anymore.
I have had a few sales jobs in the past but no way does it fit my personality. Far too introverted and just not interested in selling people stuff they don't want. The only good thing about my sales experience is that I learned all the tricks and now am just ruthless in dealing with sales people.
I have been involved in sales a number of times - sometimes with great success. But it never seemed to last very long. Soon the ADHDer's sense of impending doom and fear of being unmasked as an imposter undermines the self-confidence required for continued success in a sales environment - at least that's what I found.
I have to say though, that when it is going well, there's no job that can match the 'buzz' of sales. When it's going badly, on the other hand, it's soul destroying.
Mark -
P. S. I was cr#p at the paperwork... 
Once I had a job selling some building-rights (don't ask...I dont remember exactly...)thing to people. Someone mentioned something negative about the thing, and I thought about their objection, and realized that I agreed. I said "HMmm, you're right...."
Then I got upset that I was selling something that wasn't so great. I wound up telling people-
"Someone's gonna try t o convince you to buy this service. Don't do it because xyz."
The people I spoke to thanked me. I got fired the next day.
My first job was door to door sales. I did great, quite often I got the bonus for top weekly sales in the company. Later when I was an auto tech, I had to employ these skills to sell the jobs to the customers. Not an easy task when most people believe mechanics are just out to rip them off. I can honestly say that YES there are alot out there who will, but there are some that do have the integrity to be honest with people. I can't really tell you how to go about finding one of them..... just use your gut instinct I guess. I HATE selling things. I'm too shy and impatient. I think maybe people with more of the "H" would be better salespeople (not just salesmen
) than just the
inattentive AD/HD folks.
scarygreengiant38461.5917013889I dunno, I'm quite hyper, and dont think I could sell anything. I'd really have to believe in the product 100% and believe that the person I'm trying to sell it to needs it 100%. I've never seen anything out there that totally fits that bill. I'm a bit introverted too.
I think that would be a pretty neat personality to have, for someone with adhd. You can be quite financially successful if you're good at sales.
not to change the subject, .....but um....
[QUOTE=lynch1000s]Will Smith in the movie Hitch. [/QUOTE]
...........
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va-va -va VOOM!!!
yummy!
I could only sell something if it was really the best product out there. As soon as this proved not to be the case, my anxiety levels would rise and nobody would trust me anymore.
[/QUOTE]
Floof, I couldn't have put it better myself. I could have written this post.
So no, I am NOT a good salesperson. I used to work at a second hand electronics store - I lasted a month. When people would ask me about how they could be sure they weren't being ripped off by buying a faulty piece of equipment, all I could tell them was that we offered a 30-day guarantee. When they asked what would happen if the thing crapped out after 30 days, I didn't have an answer for them. Nine times out of ten the customer would then walk out empty-handed.
If your still doing your survey, I am all those traits you are. I'm in the bussiness of bussiness consulting especially in the area of ADD and Learning Differences in the work place. This means I have to sell myself all the time. Right now, I am taking a break. I have to make a phone call to sell myself to the Director of Training at the Dept. of Justice but I don't feel like it. I did a workshop for them last week, and I'd like to do another. I did a good job, but the guy who hired me wasn't there.
Why do you ask?
I'm extroverted and intelligent but not emotional. Almost have a lack of emotions. [QUOTE=EastWest]
My brother and mother are the exact same way-you described them perfectly. They have both been diagnosed as Bi-polar. Do you think they could be mis-diagnosed and really have ADHD?
[/QUOTE]Could be, you never know. Maybe their shrink is an idiot. Not all doctors are well seasoned. It's like shopping for cars, one should really shop around.
My brother and mother are the exact same way-you described them perfectly. They have both been diagnosed as Bi-polar. Do you think they could be mis-diagnosed and really have ADHD?
[QUOTE=lynch1000s]I was just curious, how many of you adhd'ers have a similar personality as me.
Extremely extrovert
Extremely intelligent
Mind racing with thoughts constantly, very inquisitive, etc.
My personality strongly matches that of Will Smith in the movie Hitch. And I've been described as a natural born salesmen. I'm proud of my personality.
[/QUOTE]
I understand you COMPLETELY!! We are kindred spirits. Could we be siblings?????? BY the way, Will Smith has ADHD. I saw his name on a web site of celebs.goldenmoment38463.6423148148I have to agree completely with Floof, that is me in a nutshell. Far too honest and introverted for sales![QUOTE=EastWest]
My brother and mother are the exact same way-you described them perfectly. They have both been diagnosed as Bi-polar. Do you think they could be mis-diagnosed and really have ADHD?
[/QUOTE]
ADHD is frequently misdiagnosed as bipolar, not saying that your brother and mother were misdiagnosed.
Bipolar is more cyclical, so the manic and depressant states happen in cycles. ADHD'er suffer from severe mood swings, which can also be considered manic/depressant states as well.
Will Smith could possibly have bipolar himself. But when I'm in my good states, I reflect a similar personality to that of Will Smith.
I've just found this great site - so Hi to you all from the UK - I've been struggling with working out me for years - some of the posst I've read are very helpful - ne thing that is making a big difference to me now is that I have been able to becme art of the ddat programme as a consulant - so am out there in he UK sharing how this programme can change lives and remediate the impact of ADD / ADHD and tose other lables we all had to carr for years.
I know when I am with families of all kinds I can listen with clarity and share rality too - I have a brother with similar symptoms and for 50 years he's not known why he is as he is- I have 3 grown children in similar situations and I am really encouraged to see how research and development is now taking off.
Have a look at ddat.co.uk if you have time and from here it is possible to go to the US or Australasia site too.For those who complete the programme it works - I'm looking forward to continung a dialogue with new friends -
I appologise if tis is on the wrong part of the site - yours from a newbeee
All I know is that I am a smart, educated, attractive woman who wants a job to fit my ADD personality. I work as hard as a dog when I'm doing something I do well. I'm creative, articulate and fun to be with, so why is it that I haven't been able to find a job after over two years of searching? I tried to start my own private practice consulting and training others in the area of "invisable disabilities" but I"m not making enough money to support anyone, let alone my three kids and myself. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work from Columbia University '80, I've been employed gainfully since I left school until I left my last job.I worked in sales. All my supervisors told me that I had one of the best success/sales percentages, but couldn't figure out why I would offer our products. I'm not an introvert, I am the very opposite. Loud, proud, and obnoxious.
I also worked in a call center (WORST AD/HD job in the world) and my biggest problem was that my calls were too long. I would just get on topics w/customers and talk forever. I would watch the timer on the phone ticking by and I just couldn't get my mouth to stop. Needless to say I don't work there anymore.
Can't stay away from these forums...topics are just way too interesting to me.
I love seling and love talking to people especially about emotional issue. I used to have a job selling computers during my college years and did so well that the boss basically lowered my commission rate cuz they said I was making too much and others are complaining. Come to think of it, I like selling cuz I talking and convincing ppl. lol.
Also, don't know why i have love to talking to ppl about emotion issues. Like my friend just broke up in relationship and I kept asking and asking? Nosy? Don't think so cuz I feel like I can't seem to stop once I start talking.
When I start to get into a conversation, it seems to take over me.
On the upside, it works great with girls/ladies b'cuz they fall for that kind of stuff. It almost I preyed on their emotional weaknesses. I mastered this in high school and college and used it to my advantage.
Typical of ADD person?
Heck yes it's typical of ADD. Are you on medication? I find I still have a problem leaving a conversation, but it's better with meds. I can spend hours on the phone with one person.
I have problems with saying the samething at least 5 diffrent times in the same convo,,My family and friends are use to it...I actually can stop myself but just takes a little reminder in head. I just got the ritalin prescription but it's not this symptom that I want to fix. More for the concentration issue and sudden blank outs.
I'm not sure if the talking thing is really a bad thing. I think that's rather articulate characteristic. It's not like I can't stop and scare off ppl. Perhaps I'm still on a mild ADD stage and can get worse.
[QUOTE=debrabrooks]
Heck yes it's typical of ADD. Are you on medication? I find I still have a problem leaving a conversation, but it's better with meds. I can spend hours on the phone with one person.
[/QUOTE]I have all them traits, (in the first post that is), my friends use me to call people when they are getting ripped off or taken for a ride.
The cable company tried telling my father in law that even after a massive 12 years with their company, when he moved house they would be expecting a £80 charge, to move the dish and stuff. I was having none of that so I called them and worked my magic, worked a treat, not only did he get the move for free, I managed to get him a months free subscription.
There are a thousand examples just like that one, all my friends and family call me when they get in that kind of situation.
I have never tried sales, but I reckon if I did, I could sell Oil to the Arabs.
Zach