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Ask HN: What to look for in company for patient with ADHD?

I have been diagnosed with severe ADHD by 3 doctors over the last decade. Looking back at my resume, I have worked at 15 companies in 20 years. Right now I'm burned out. I joined a company 5 months ago where it's always crunch time and there are never any rewards. I feel like I haven't had a win ever. Success is met with "ok" and failure with lecturing sessions. I will most likely leave this company but I'm exhausted of these cycles. I feel like I can't again choose a bad company _for my own situation_ (not that they are inheritely bad, I understand I'm the constant in this equation). Anyone with or without ADHD could share some tips about what to look for in a company, redflags, etc?

elintknower 2y ago
After some time, I realized I had to build better systems for myself to make my work output more consistent and build better workplace buffers for myself. Basically, you need a system to avoid over promising and under-delivering even if it's because of your ADHD. Another key is taking time off and sticking to it when you do. Have you had issues maintaining employment due to culture or being pipped because of ADHD?
- adhdendofrope 2y ago
  In a few companies, I had one of those periods of obsession where I was obssesed about something that was in direct opposition to what boss or team wanted. In one I was obssesed with finding and fixing errors, so any wins from that were not celebrated because someone didn't want it. They would "celebrate" me not deliving such and such things. It wouldn't help if I thought something was being requested without a good reason (as explained to me, not that it didn't exist). In the previous company, people started to ignore me. I'm never rude or impolite, honestly. I feel like I'm the problem always so I try to ask questions and understand where I can do better. So I was getting shunned and that killed my motivation. In other companies I'd get bored of the work. I'd try to help people improve but I myself would get disengaged if I saw people in general didn't care (because each had their own reasons for not caring, which I understood but it had a negative effect on me). I never told anyone I had ADHD for fear of everything being labeled ADHD-related and not being considered normal, or having my ideas immediately ignored, etc. I'm exhausted and can't think straight but I think I've a talent for this field and even though I keep thinking of going to live in the woods/farm, I'd probably not be happy there and the cycle would restart. EDIT: I did mention I had ADHD in a meeting once in the current company (for the first time ever in my life at a workplace.. someone was sharing they had some severe health problems and I felt we were in a safe space, obviously we weren't), but I don't think the information made up in the hierarchy. Nothing was changed because of that.
swatcoder 2y ago
Have you slowed down to think about what you need in order to maintain long-term competency and satisfaction in a work envioronment? You're talking about it through the abstract lens of some diagnosis you've received, but your experience of work is idiosyncratic and personal. You surely don't embody ADHD the exact same way others do (nor do they among each other), and you likely have needs that stretch beyond the scope of the diagnosis. Try to be honest with yourself and compile a detailed history of your work. What was your experience of each work place? Why did you leave? What were you seeking when you accepted a new job? With 15 companies and 20 years, there's a lot of data there. Look for patterns and try to suss out what makes things work and what doesn't. And honestly, don't rule out that recurring defeat and burnout might be an inescapable part of the trade for you. That opens up the door for adapting to it by (say) learning to cache money and treat yourself to sabatticals between jobs, or even just adjusting your lifestyle and pursuing some new career altogether.
kstenerud 2y ago
You may want to reflect on your past workplaces and compile a list of the things you can tolerate, and the things you can't tolerate. Finding a good company is like finding a good marriage partner: it's hard, and more often than not you won't fit very well. So the next best thing is to know beforehand what you can tolerate. This gives you a few lines of questioning you can ask before you take the job (job interviews are a lot like a first date). Don't focus on the ADHD. It affects you, sure, but it doesn't define you. Humans are FAR more complex than that.
annie_muss 2y ago
First of all: It gets better. I have to say that because when you are having career trouble made worse by ADHD it seems like nothing will ever work. It can be a dark and lonely place. Now, onto the advice. When looking for a job, focus on the "micro" environment, not the "macro" environment. You are much more affected by the particular tasks you have day to day, you direct team and even your office than the overall mission or culture of the company. Game dev company vs finance company? Your ADHD doesn't care. Look for jobs and positions with constant change. ADHD feeds on novelty. If you are working on something different every month then you get a lot of novelty. Maybe that means consulting. Maybe that means a technical support position in a large company. Remember, think micro not macro. Try to find a team/manager/mentor that is friendly and supportive. If you're anything like you're probably hyper-sensitive to negative feedback. Even polite, reasonable negative feedback can feel like a dagger in your heart. Aim for a team that is overly caring and overly careful. Some people would scoff at this idea and complain that it gets in the way of an efficient team. You are not some people. You are you and need to work with your ADHD not against it. See if you can find work with lots and lots of incremental small wins. This could be fixing many small bugs while working with clients, or writing code in dev team that does TDD all the time. The small wins will build your motivation, confidence and general good feelings.

elintknower 2y ago

After some time, I realized I had to build better systems for myself to make my work output more consistent and build better workplace buffers for myself. Basically, you need a system to avoid over promising and under-delivering even if it's because of your ADHD. Another key is taking time off and sticking to it when you do. Have you had issues maintaining employment due to culture or being pipped because of ADHD?

adhdendofrope 2y ago
In a few companies, I had one of those periods of obsession where I was obssesed about something that was in direct opposition to what boss or team wanted. In one I was obssesed with finding and fixing errors, so any wins from that were not celebrated because someone didn't want it. They would "celebrate" me not deliving such and such things. It wouldn't help if I thought something was being requested without a good reason (as explained to me, not that it didn't exist). In the previous company, people started to ignore me. I'm never rude or impolite, honestly. I feel like I'm the problem always so I try to ask questions and understand where I can do better. So I was getting shunned and that killed my motivation. In other companies I'd get bored of the work. I'd try to help people improve but I myself would get disengaged if I saw people in general didn't care (because each had their own reasons for not caring, which I understood but it had a negative effect on me). I never told anyone I had ADHD for fear of everything being labeled ADHD-related and not being considered normal, or having my ideas immediately ignored, etc. I'm exhausted and can't think straight but I think I've a talent for this field and even though I keep thinking of going to live in the woods/farm, I'd probably not be happy there and the cycle would restart. EDIT: I did mention I had ADHD in a meeting once in the current company (for the first time ever in my life at a workplace.. someone was sharing they had some severe health problems and I felt we were in a safe space, obviously we weren't), but I don't think the information made up in the hierarchy. Nothing was changed because of that.

swatcoder 2y ago

Have you slowed down to think about what you need in order to maintain long-term competency and satisfaction in a work envioronment? You're talking about it through the abstract lens of some diagnosis you've received, but your experience of work is idiosyncratic and personal. You surely don't embody ADHD the exact same way others do (nor do they among each other), and you likely have needs that stretch beyond the scope of the diagnosis. Try to be honest with yourself and compile a detailed history of your work. What was your experience of each work place? Why did you leave? What were you seeking when you accepted a new job? With 15 companies and 20 years, there's a lot of data there. Look for patterns and try to suss out what makes things work and what doesn't. And honestly, don't rule out that recurring defeat and burnout might be an inescapable part of the trade for you. That opens up the door for adapting to it by (say) learning to cache money and treat yourself to sabatticals between jobs, or even just adjusting your lifestyle and pursuing some new career altogether.

kstenerud 2y ago

You may want to reflect on your past workplaces and compile a list of the things you can tolerate, and the things you can't tolerate. Finding a good company is like finding a good marriage partner: it's hard, and more often than not you won't fit very well. So the next best thing is to know beforehand what you can tolerate. This gives you a few lines of questioning you can ask before you take the job (job interviews are a lot like a first date). Don't focus on the ADHD. It affects you, sure, but it doesn't define you. Humans are FAR more complex than that.

annie_muss 2y ago

First of all: It gets better. I have to say that because when you are having career trouble made worse by ADHD it seems like nothing will ever work. It can be a dark and lonely place. Now, onto the advice. When looking for a job, focus on the "micro" environment, not the "macro" environment. You are much more affected by the particular tasks you have day to day, you direct team and even your office than the overall mission or culture of the company. Game dev company vs finance company? Your ADHD doesn't care. Look for jobs and positions with constant change. ADHD feeds on novelty. If you are working on something different every month then you get a lot of novelty. Maybe that means consulting. Maybe that means a technical support position in a large company. Remember, think micro not macro. Try to find a team/manager/mentor that is friendly and supportive. If you're anything like you're probably hyper-sensitive to negative feedback. Even polite, reasonable negative feedback can feel like a dagger in your heart. Aim for a team that is overly caring and overly careful. Some people would scoff at this idea and complain that it gets in the way of an efficient team. You are not some people. You are you and need to work with your ADHD not against it. See if you can find work with lots and lots of incremental small wins. This could be fixing many small bugs while working with clients, or writing code in dev team that does TDD all the time. The small wins will build your motivation, confidence and general good feelings.