I want a career! | ADHD Information

no Jarandle, we were all shaking our heads in unison.  The one thing that we all have in common is that we can and do wear many hats in the job market.  I guess that would be a talent if we can nail down the focus part huh?  Do follow your dreams like Barb said and if it invloves getting more education you should do that for sure.

Posting on a forum where everybody has "issues" and stumping everybody--that's like the nightmare of going to work and discovering you're naked.

I COMPLETELY relate to you, jarandle.  I'm 32.  I've been unemployed for 2 months.  For the last two years, I've worked in childcare, daycamp, retail, substitute teaching, and taking inventory in a warehouse.  Before that, I was employed full-time for two years (a record!) running a residential camp for sixth graders.  The three years prior to that, I: substitute taught, installed computer networks, worked seasonally at camps, did data processing for the department of health, gave out free soup at a hockey game, housesat, etc. etc.

Before that I temped for 6 months.

Before that I enrolled in, and dropped out of, law school.

Before that, I temped for two years: Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Polygram Records, Motown Records, and other offices.

Before that, I waited tables, was a stringer for the suburban newspaper, drove a forklift in a warehouse, and produced, directed, and technical-directed a weekly live local-origination cable TV show.

Before that, I was a videographer, videotaping weddings and highschool graduations.

Before that, I earned a B.A. in Journalism.

Then there were the highschool and college jobs: pizza cook, pizza delivery driver, deli delivery driver, vinyl siding telemarketer, video store clerk... the list goes on.

During the two years of full-time employment, I actually felt like a grown-up for a while.

When my most recent temporary position ended and I started looking for work, we were in a recession, or a "jobless recovery", depending on who you ask.  I tried to network.  The best lead I got was "have you tried applying at Home Depot?"

Well, intent not to settle for yet another dead-end job, but to go for the gusto, I launched an extensive job search, looking for an entry-level IT position (I've done a lot of computer "stuff" in many of my temporary positions).

As one job lead after another failed to come to fruition, I stumbled across a website of a camp in the Rocky Mountains which works with kids with ADHD, dyslexia, etc. and sent them my resume, figuring "what have I got to lose".

Well, it looks like I'm going to Colorado for the summer.  Another "temporary" job, but a pretty cool opportunity nonetheless.

For myself, I've passed despairing about "what do I want to do with my life" and now I'm on to "will I ever make enough money to someday buy a house?  Support a family?  At least have enough expendable income to go on a few DATES?  (I went through a LTR split two years ago).

Well, at least I have work for the summer, and in the mountains, no less, rather than a cubicle.  It probably will be a tremendous life experience.

My biggest fear right now:  I hope by the end of the summer my head won't be so far in the clouds that I forget I need to start paying rent again, find health insurance, etc.

In the two weeks before I go, I have three appointments with a career counselor at the local community college.  I already had one with her on Monday; I recounted to her my whole sordid "career", and she calmly nodded her head in recognition.  "Yep, that sounds pretty characteristic of an adult with ADD.  Then I told her "I just want to find a job in which I can feel like I am going somewhere, one that will provide opportunity for increasing financial stability, and one that will feel like I am continuing to learn something useful.  One that won't seem like complete drudgery, and make me not want to get out of bed in the morning."

She smiled and, again, calmly, said "I think I can help you with a lot of this."  She then had me schedule the follow-up appointments with the front desk.

I think I was talking to an angel.  I just hope when I return she's not standing there in a white lab coat with a gurney, an orderly, and one end of a pair of jumper cables.

One week ago, I had neither seen the career counselor, nor gotten the summer position.  I had begun to feel that my attempts to secure a good job were acheiving the same effect as would repeatedly pounding my head against a wall.

All I can say is, continue to take action, seek advice and help, and be willing to think "outside the box".  Someone said that to me a few weeks ago.  "Maybe you need to think outside the box."  "What box?" I replied earnestly.  "Where is this freakin' box people keep talking about?!"  My whole life I've been trying to discover this damn box so I can learn how to think INside of it like everyone else!!"

And then THE LORD spoketh: GO TO THE MOUNTAINS.  Or maybe that was acid reflux caused by the Strattera.  No matter, either way.  It looks like my summer is going to be in-tense. (In tents? BaDUM-cha)

I can wait three more months to finally settle in to my dream career and settle down with that hot teacher I saw on Match.com.  Wish me luck!

-tactile jones

Hi!
Follow your dream! You are never
too old to learn and many people
don't even decide on a career goal
until they are in their 30s. You
have a start. Maybe some of your
credits will be transferrable and
you might be able to challenge some
classes due to life experiences.
Even if you have to start from
scratch, go for it! Just make sure
you really do want this first. Once
you have decided, don't stop until
you get there! It is so easy for an
adult to decide to focus on taking
care of responsibilities and plan
on going back later. Even if it is
hard, you can do it all. This is
the voice of experience here. I had
a child at home and planned on
taking a year off, then returning
to college. That time never came
and my child suffered for it. Had I
finished my degree, I could have
provided better for her and had
much more reasonable work hours. I
also would have been happier and a
nicer person.
Our friend tactile jones has a
valid point. A degree in a field
that you aren't sure is what you
want can make for a very eventful
but not fulfilling life. ADD just
makes it that much harder to plan,
so when you find your dream, you
need to persue it.
TACTILE Jones, you so obviously
have a heart for kids and helping
them learn without being bored to
death! I can't believe you aren't
back in school getting a teaching
degree! If you could find a way to
make learning as much fun for kids
as you want to, you'd be teacher of
the year! You could implement some
of the ideas you were putting forth
in the chat room! BTW, when are you coming back there?
Jarandle, I apologize for using
your post for yelling at tactile
but he doesn't seem to see where
his heart is. Someone has to tell
him and I guess its me!    
     BarbThank everyone for your input. I shouldn't worry too much. I do have a supportive husband who says not to worry and rush into things. Tactile...the Counselor w jumper cables too funny!!! I am new to this board,haven't been diagnosed w add but I believe that I have it. All of the life stories that I have read sounds like my life...Depression, Disorganization, procrastination, Poor communication skills...etc. Also I have  constant music playing in my mind! My concern is that I will be returning to the workforce but have everythin and nothing in mind to put my energy into. I have an 2year degree and 1 year short of a B.S. in Psychology. I plan to finish my Degree but not to work in that field. In the past I've worked in retail an Customer Service but love fashion. Being 34, I feel like I am too old to start a new career.   Is there anyone else here with the same situation? You can  comment email me at jrandle69@hotmail.com  What, have I stumped everyone? Leave it to me....

Hi Jarandle,

This is just my opinion. I think that it is VERY important to find work that fits:

#1 - Your aptitudes. If you don't have the aptitudes, it will be a bad experience. If you can't stand kids, don't be a teacher or day care worker. If you can't get organized, don't be a conference planner.  

#2 - Your desires. It does not need to be your life's passion (classical pianist, author, etc.), but it does need to be something you like enough that it gets you excited every morning. Something you feel good about and can "buy into". It does not need to be any major thing, but something that lets you go home at the end of the day feeling like you made one little tiny corner of the world a little better and that you did a good job.

#3 - Your ADD. Some jobs require certain aptitudes that tend to be the very weak points in most ADDers abilities.  If you are creative or athletic, find a job where that is valued more than being able to remember to return all 35 calls, complete the budget forecast, and remember to make the dinner reservations for your clients (as well as what they all like to eat, drink, their names, their spouses names, and what sports their kids are in).

Do not set yourself up for failure (yes, I am speaking from experience). It may seem like a "good' job with "good" benefits. One problem I had was that I could justify this and the training was exciting enough that I could learn almost any job. But actually doing the job was a different story. I earned a bachelor degree in accounting when I was 32 years old. It seemed like a "good" job. School was fun (even though it was night school and I was exhausted). But actually doing the job every day was too much for me. 

So I went back to school and got an MBA (dumb and dumber). Then I managed to work my way into a "really good" sales job with a software company. I am good in interviews. Or as some have told me, I am a good bullsh*tter. So I have managed to jump from one sales job to another just before I was fired from the previous one. I am very good with customers. I just cannot get organized enough to return calls and follow up with multiple accounts (multi-tasking).  It has wreaked havoc on my finances and my marriage.

Okay, we were talking about you, now I am talking about me! typical. 

I don't think 34 is too old (of course at 45, 34 is starting to look pretty good). Some careers are really full of young people with no responsibilities who are expected to work 60-80 hours a week. Others are not that way. You should be able to find a fit.

Good luck! 

tactilejones
I had no idea that someone could have run up more variences in jobs then me, like ever 1 - 2 years I would be switing jobs and industries. Most I ever had a job was 4 years, but I did not know better then to quit when it got bad, so I got fired.

I now know I want to stay in my field for credit, I am excellent talking to people teaching about credit. I just can't handle current job of office manager. Too many other tasks to keep up with.

I want to go to college but in the past I have fell flat - took courses that were not realistic like Auto Mechanics and CDL license... I need something more like English, Math, Writing, Business... I wish I had the money to just keep going to school and advancing my learning - otherwise I would make a job out of that.

I am 32 here, finally starting to narrow in on what I want to do with my life, I just don't know what courses to take in school to make it a reality though, counseling at the college to this point has not helped me figure a course of plan yet.