Job seekers with ADD: Essentials for Managing the Search Process and Ensuring the Best Job Fit

Lisa Noble is the founder of Career Connectors LLC. A graduate of the University of Virginia, she has 15 years of experience as a hiring manager for Fortune 500 companies (IBM, Bayer Healthcare and Prudential) and top WPP marketing agencies, giving her deep insight into what HR recruiters and managers are looking for in candidates they hire.

After years of leading teams of young people, creating career paths and grooming them for their next employer or role, Lisa created Career Connectors, a service designed to help students and job seekers see their own value and find opportunities that best fit their personality, skills and ambitions.

1. How prevalent is ADD or ADHD among job seekers, and why?

2. What if your client doesn’t tell you they have ADD/ADHD, or doesn’t know
themselves? Are there behaviors or other indicators a coach can look for? give us some examples

3. What are some common challenges unique to job seekers with ADD/ADHD? How
are they different from other job seekers?

4. What does this mean for the Career Discovery process? How can you help your
clients identify their ADHD strengths and make sure the industries, companies and
roles they are considering play to these strengths?

5. You mentioned earlier that executive function, or the ability to prioritize and organize activities is a particular challenge for job seekers with ADD/ADHD. This is
a major part of conducting a successful job search. What sorts of tools do you use
with these clients to help them manage the process?

6. Everyone has a bit of anxiety as they present themselves to potential employers.

What sorts of negative self-talk do job seekers with ADD/ADHD engage in, and
how can a career coach help them?

7. What sorts of work environments and roles are best for candidates with
ADD/ADHD?

8. In school, an ADD/ADHD diagnosis often entitles students to accommodations like
extra time on tests, quiet places to take tests and even note takers. Can a candidate request accommodations from their employer? How and when might they make this request?

10. Are there differences in the way you might coach recent college grads as
compared to career changers with ADD/ADHD?