Does It Fit?

I often have conversations with ADHD adults about occupations or careers, or whether they are prepared to do their jobs.

It simply boils down to the matter of a good fit for the individual’s strengths and skills.

One adult female told me, “I’d love to have a job working in an office, but I can’t spin the different plates or balance all the responsibilities. I just can’t. I’ve tried.”

So we talked about her strengths and other interests, and she kept coming back to her work with children. She loves the concept of Play Therapy. Bingo, she concentrated her efforts toward play therapy where she already had the hours of training. It fits her well.

As I have previously mentioned, Husband retired after nearly 40 years as a technical writer. Frankly, I’m not certain what made him so successful at that type of detailed work except he has fabulous writing skills, and he reads one word at a time.

He catches typo errors faster than anyone else I know. He loves to scan bulletins, billboards, magazines, and papers for the minute mistakes. He points them out with a broad smile across his face.

I once remarked, “You really get a sense of satisfaction from finding those, don’t you?”

“It’s a game,” he said.  He wins.

So back to the retirement, when it came time to find part time work, he struggled with what kind of job to look for. He applied for a tollbooth attendant with the turnpike authority.

At first he worried about remembering the routine or learning the process.

“You’re kidding me, right? You’ll learn what to do. It may take a few days, but I have no doubt you will catch on quickly.”

“What makes you so certain?” he implored. “How can you be sure?”

“Because I know you and your interests. I know your skill strengths.”

“Such as?”

“First, you like for people to see you are in The Know. When a driver asks you a direction or question about Wichita, you will enjoy having the answers. Second, you’re good with numbers, so you will memorize fees with little effort, even if the machine does total the fees. Third, you will talk to drivers and smile at their dogs and children. That’s good customer-relation skills.”

“Those are the easy things, he replied.

“But the things that come easy to us are usually our abilities and strengths, and the things that come easy to you are necessary skills for this job.”

And, definitely, the job is an excellent fit for him.

In the main, adults with ADHD possess creativity, intelligence, and numerous, individuals skills, but ADHD symptoms such as disorganization and time management problems may hamper using those skills in the work place. Like the woman I mentioned earlier, these adults struggle with work that does not fit their skills.

At McNay & Voth ADHD Services, we take pleasure in helping adults discover their inner creativity and focus on work or occupations that fit who they are and what they can do.

If you are an adult with ADHD who struggles with issues at work, we invite you to contact McNay & Voth at 316-655-9807 or www.coachadhd. Make an appointment for a free hour consultation. We can help you find your personal fit.