How to Craft a Career Around Your ADHD Traits

Design a fulfilling career by aligning your work with your ADHD strengths

It’s about curating your role to fit your ADHD traits rather than contorting yourself to fit traditional molds.

After reading a thought-provoking article he had written for ADDitude Magazine, I reached out to psychology professor, Mark Sciutto to learn more about the concept of “job crafting.” Even though Dr Sciutto does not have ADHD himself,  he has worked with students who do for over thirty years and has developed a keen interest in helping them thrive.  

During our extensive conversation, Mark and I talked about the concept of "occupational typecasting” when it comes to adults with ADHD.  It's often said that certain jobs are better suited for people with ADHD, but this doesn't mean we're limited to these roles—we just need a more nuanced approach to navigate the workforce. Once we understand why we are attracted to certain types of tasks or challenges, any path can be “the one” for us.
Instead of trying to find a job or field that fits our ADHD, Mark advocates for "job crafting" or "curating."  This concept is based on mapping out your job tasks and aligning them with your strengths, then creating support structures for those tasks that challenge you. It's like curating your own role to fit your ADHD traits, instead of contorting yourself to fit a traditional mold. This resonates with my journey as an entrepreneur, where I've had to blaze my own trail, setting up systems and collaborations that allow me to thrive, based on my strengths and struggles. .

Traditionally, interventions for managing ADHD include medication, behavior therapy, and accommodations—like distraction-reduced workspaces. While these are beneficial, Mark proposed a more integrated approach that focuses on aligning work with our ADHD characteristics. Think of it as playing to our strengths while creating an environment that supports us in the areas of our challenges. This kind of alignment doesn't just benefit the individual; it can enhance productivity and creativity within the entire workspace.

This compassionate, strengths-based approach to ADHD isn't just academic for Mark. During our conversation, he shared a success story that truly brought these ideas to life. A former student of his, who discovered the freedom to thrive by starting a tech business, illustrated how aligning work with ADHD traits can be transformative. It made me reflect on my own experiences and those of other entrepreneurs I've met. For us, creating businesses that resonate with our unique abilities isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity for true satisfaction and success.

Living in a world that often measures achievement by uniform standards, many entrepreneurs with ADHD find themselves grappling with underachievement, not due to lack of potential but because classrooms and offices were never designed with their minds in mind. Symptoms like boredom and disengagement are too often misinterpreted as laziness, when in reality, they signal a need for more challenging or meaningful work. 

There’s another important point that Mark emphasized: the narrative around ADHD often focuses on the hyperactive, impulsive behaviors typically seen in boys. This narrow view has resulted in the inattentive, less disruptive ADHD traits that are more common in females being largely ignored. Many of us find that we're not diagnosed until later in life, after years of battling internalized negative feedback and the pervasive fear of being seen as lazy or incompetent.

Mark's insights encourage us to rethink how we approach ADHD. He spoke about viewing ADHD traits along a continuum, rather than a strict diagnosis. This perspective can reduce stigma and make mental health care more accessible. It’s a shift from labeling ourselves with diagnoses to understanding our unique characteristics, tendencies, and strengths. In conjunction with this perspective, Mark pointed out the importance of empathy—both for ourselves and those we work with. Recognizing ADHD traits in oneself or others can significantly enhance our understanding and improve relationships both at home and in the workspace.

A powerful metaphor that Mark shared, which resonated even though I am not a sports enthusiast, likened ADHD traits to the roles in baseball—specifically, relief vs. starting pitchers. Relief pitchers, who thrive in high-pressure, adrenaline-filled environments, align well with ADHD tendencies. However, our education systems and workplaces are often designed for "starting pitchers," failing to develop the skills necessary to thrive in those "relief pitcher" moments. 

This analogy made so much sense to me, as I've often found myself at my best during moments of crisis or under tight deadlines—periods where my ADHD-driven ability to hyper-focus truly shines.

As entrepreneurs, many of us decide to venture into self-employment to create environments where we can thrive. However, this doesn't come without its challenges. Without the external structures of traditional work settings, we often have to create our own systems to keep ourselves on track. This process is a continuous journey of self-awareness and adaptation.

The pursuit of aligning our work with our ADHD traits isn't just about achieving tangible success—it's about finding personal meaning and creating impact. This holistic approach to our work life can significantly elevate our satisfaction and well-being. Mark's ongoing research and plans to publish his insights in books and articles underscore the importance of this approach. As he gathers stories from a diverse range of professionals, it becomes clear that success with ADHD is less about the profession itself and more about how one aligns their work to suit their unique brain.

In reflecting on my conversation with Mark, I am filled with gratitude. I’m thankful for the conversation itself, but also for the broader understanding it brought me. ADHD isn't just a set of challenges to be managed—it's a part of who we are, and when we align our work with our ADHD traits, we can truly flourish. This conversation left me invigorated and excited for what’s to come, both in my own journey and in the journeys of others in this community. Here’s to crafting work that fits us, supports us, and allows us to shine!

Feel free to DM me on LinkedIn or send me an email at diann@diannwingertcoaching.com. If you'd like to hear the full episode on the ADHD-ish Podcast, you can do that here.