Looking for a new job is a daunting task for anyone—especially in this economy. But for adults with ADHD, job searches can feel like literal torture. From writing personalized cover letters to preparing for interviews, each step requires focus, organization, and persistence—all of which can be stressful and tricky for people with ADHD. 

If you've ever found yourself endlessly tweaking your resume or agonizing over the perfect LinkedIn profile picture, you're not alone. Here’s why job-hunting can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent teens and adults, and tips to help you stay on track with your search and get hired.

☝️ But first, I’m going to share an anecdote that I hope you can’t relate to.

Laid off, rejected, & ghosted: My recent job experience

Last October, I was unexpectedly let go from a job I loved. I was devastated. It took me a while to stop feeling completely and utterly useless — to finally snap out of thinking I no longer had a real purpose in life and that my career was directionless.

When I finally mustered up the courage to put myself out there again, I went all out. A friend helped with my resume, and I applied to at least 20 jobs over a few days. I started off strong: scouring job postings, crafting personalized cover letters, tracking applications and follow-ups on Notion, researching companies and their missions... You name it, I did it.

Unsurprisingly, I was burnt out by the end of the week. But, hey! At least I applied to 20 jobs, right?! And do you know how many I heard from the following week?

Zero—at first. And then one rejection the next week. Followed by another rejection. And another. And then! An email that didn’t begin with, “Unfortunately…”

That’s right - I finally had an interview! And it went great! (I’ll refer to the company I interviewed with as The Company and the interviewer as Sally from now on.)

When my husband asked how it went, I said, “I honestly feel bad for anyone else interviewing for the position.” And I actually meant that. I was so confident after the interview! My skills and experiences were perfect for the job, I made them laugh, and I felt like I successfully communicated my genuine excitement about the role and The Company. 

It was a Monday, so I figured I’d hear something by the end of the week. I sent my obligatory follow-up email an hour after the interview and I waited. Later that day, I received 2 LinkedIn connection requests from employees at The Company, one of which was present in my interview. (We’ll call him Joe.) I took this as a good sign… Wouldn’t you? 

But then the weekend came. Nothing.

I sent a second follow-up email to Sally (like you’re supposed to!) on Wednesday—9 days post-interview. Still nothing. At this point, I think I was still making excuses for them: “Oh, maybe she’s just super busy!” Or “They’re probably waiting for the end of the month before they hire people!” 

The next Monday (14 days post-interview), I casually-yet-professionally reached out to Joe on LinkedIn, expressing my unwavering interest and other niceties, and asking if he had updates on the hiring process. I thought, maybe I have Sally’s email wrong and she’s been waiting to hear from me! (Can you believe I was still thinking positive at this point? Ha!)

And what do you know? Joe ignored me too.

By the end of that week, it was obvious that I’d been ghosted after my job interview, which is surprisingly worse than receiving a dry, impersonal rejection email, or even never hearing back after my initial application.

Finally, I took matters into my own hands: Three weeks after my interview, I logged into LinkedIn and sent a message to the CEO of The Company directly—I'm not one to beat around the bush. He replied later that day, acknowledging my situation and confirming that the position had been filled.

Despite the disappointment, my proactive approach paid off by getting the closure I needed. It was a reminder that standing up for myself and seeking clarity was the right thing to do.

This all happened in the past month, so it wasn’t until literally yesterday that I felt ready for another round of applications. I even subscribed to LinkedIn Premium to get better leads! (Someone remind me to cancel that before I get charged in July.) (Update - I canceled it on time!)

I need a job, though, because like most adults, I have expenses: health insurance, car insurance, a child, pets, food, bills, and repairs for our roof that’s one storm away from caving in. In the meantime, I’m still trying to keep things afloat—freelance gigs, tips and donations for my content, and whatever trickles in from YouTube. 

But honestly, there's this lingering hesitation. Do I really want to dive back into the ruthless depths of the 2024 job market? Invest my time and energy just to face rejection? Or worse - get my hopes up only to be left in the dark again? 

It's just frustrating and exhausting, you know? 😅

A note on being laid off

If you’ve recently lost a job, I want you to know that it’s okay to feel lost and scared. It’s also okay if you’re feeling like I was: kinda worthless and completely talentless. But it’s only okay to feel that way if you promise me that you’ll look in the mirror in the next few days and tell your stubborn reflection how amazing you are and how much you deserve a job that you enjoy. 

But I get it - sometimes you just need to cry it out. And that’s okay, too.

Make sure you’re financially secure for a little while, and then take the time you need to heal. Getting fired from a role you loved really does feel like someone died. Don’t rush the stages of grief. 

You are not alone. 🖤

Common job search struggles for ADHDers

Job hunting with ADHD can feel like playing a game where the rules keep changing and no one’s given you a rulebook.

Challenges ADHDers often encounter during their job search:

• Short attention span: Struggling to maintain focus on lengthy tasks makes it hard for us to finish job applications, catch important details in job descriptions, and stay engaged during interviews.

• Impulsivity: Acting on sudden urges without thinking can lead us to submit incomplete job applications, make hasty decisions during interviews, and skip important steps.

• Imposter syndrome: Feeling like an unqualified fraud (despite evidence to the contrary) makes it easy for us to dismiss our accomplishments, which is the opposite of what we should be doing in a job hunt.

• Procrastination: Putting off job search tasks until the last minute—updating resumes, writing cover letters, or preparing for interviews—can lead to overlooking small details or submitting incomplete applications.

• Rejection sensitivity and fear of failure: Heightened sensitivity to perceived rejection or criticism while looking for work can negatively affect our confidence. In extreme cases, we may avoid checking our inboxes and LinkedIn, or even prematurely quitting our search altogether.

• Perfectionism and hyperfocus: Setting excessively high standards and becoming overly focused on minor details in resumes or cover letters can lead to burnout after hours of hyperfocus and trying to achieve perfection.

• Motivation: Motivation is already hard for people with ADHD, so during job searches, we may feel stuck or unable to start tasks—especially when dealing with setbacks, like rejections, getting ghosted, and prolonged searches without leads.

• Executive dysfunction: Planning, prioritizing, and organizing job search activities require executive functioning skills. With ADHD, we easily become overwhelmed by these demands, making our executive dysfunction worse. We may lose track of emails and important files, miss application deadlines, and struggle to prioritize job leads effectively.

• Interview anxiety: Nervousness during interviews can lead to rambling, oversharing, and forgetting key points—even if you practiced beforehand.

  
  

Job searching with ADHD

Today’s job market is a mixed bag. On one hand, there are more freelance and remote work opportunities than ever, which can be great for those of us who thrive in a flexible environment. Working from home has seriously been a game-changer for me!

On the other hand, the rise of AI in recruitment can be a hurdle. Automated systems often screen out resumes that don’t fit specific criteria, which can be challenging if your unconventional career path doesn’t fit into a neat box.

Why many ADHDers choose entrepreneurship

ADHDers may struggle to find jobs that align with their strengths and interests, leading to dissatisfaction or frequent job changes. That’s why many of us end up exploring the entrepreneur lifestyle at some point. I don’t know about you, but the stress of searching for jobs, masking during interviews, and forcing myself to comply with a rigid 9-5 structure isn’t exactly worth it for me. 

Entrepreneurship allows us to create our own schedules, follow our passions, and work in ways that suit our unique strengths and weaknesses.

ADHD-friendly tips for job searches

If you’re an adult with ADHD and want to make your job hunt easier and successful, you’ll need to adopt strategies that accommodate your neurodivergent traits.

Embrace your ADHD hyperfocus.

Every once in a while, people with ADHD experience moments (hours, really) of intense concentration or hyperfocus. Leverage periods of hyperfocus for maximum productivity; tackle critical job search tasks, like browsing job boards and taking skill tests.

💡 Pro tips: Hyperfocusing

• Track your hyperfocus habits. Do you typically experience hyperfocus in the morning? Mid-day? Nighttime? After you take medication? After lunch? Once you’ve identified patterns, schedule job search tasks during those blocks of time when you naturally feel engaged.

• Use timers. Set a timer for 30-minute work sessions. Allow yourself to fully immerse in the task without distractions, then take a short break before starting the timer again. 

• Don’t skip the breaks! Limiting the duration of tasks can prevent burnout. Not to mention, it can keep you from spending too much time on unimportant tasks. Take five minutes to get up, stretch your legs, and drink some water. 

Simplify your approach.

Streamline your job search by breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Gain clarity and avoid overwhelm by concentrating on completing one task at a time.

💡 Pro tips: Task management

• Use apps. Use task management tools or apps to create detailed checklists. Examples include: Todoist, TickTick, Notion (my favorite!), Google Tasks, Google Keep, Any.do, ClickUp, Asana, and Workflowy. Some of these apps have AI features that break down larger tasks for you. 

• Prioritize your tasks. Prioritizing is hard when you have ADHD - I know! But you can use tools and methods! For example, you can prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance with the Eisenhower Matrix.

  
  

Treat your job search like a real job.

When you treat a job hunt like it’s already an actual job, you're sticking to a routine, setting goals, and paying more attention to deadlines—things that can really help with accountability. Plus, you get more practice with things like time management and organization—important skills to have once you land a job.

Set goals and visualize your progress.

The secret to setting goals with ADHD? Make them specific, doable, and time-bound. Additionally, keeping track of progress where you can see it will help you stay on track.

💡 Pro tips: Goal-setting

• You should be able to measure your goals. This is what “specific” means. Some examples: “apply for 3 jobs”, “get rejected twice” (yes, you can make that a goal!), and “connect with 20 people on LinkedIn.”

• Make visuals. ADHD brains thrive on visual cues. Create a simple job search timeline or use a color-coded calendar to track application deadlines, networking events, and follow-ups.

  
  

Work with a coach.

Consider working with a career coach who understands ADHD challenges. A dedicated ADHD career coach can offer personalized strategies, accountability, and support throughout your job search.

Let's wrap this up.

The highs and lows of searching for a new job—from enthusiasm to dealing with rejection—can be emotionally taxing. This is especially true for neurodivergent adults. In fact, many of us explore entrepreneurship for its flexibility, which typically fits better with our strengths and passions.

But for those pursuing traditional jobs, it's about finding strategies that work with our ADHD brains. Simplifying tasks, using hyperfocus wisely, and treating the job hunt like a structured job itself can help us stay on track and procrastinate less. (Maybe.)

Despite the setbacks and rejections, every application and interview is a step forward. It’s progress! We (you and me!) can navigate the job market with resilience and move closer to finding a role that truly fits us.

...Unless we keep getting ghosted, in which case, I give up. (Only joking.) 😉