Accepting myself
Amanda McCarthy
Recruitment Consultant specialising in marketing & advertising agency roles across the UK!
I'd like to preface this post by saying that I know it is long! It started out short, but then I had so much to share and I wondered if it could help even one other person that it would be worth the endless scrolling!
Laying bare my neurodiversity on a social platform where clients, colleagues and peers can see it, makes me very uncomfortable! For most of my life I have rubbed people the wrong way, because I can come across as over enthusiastic, too direct, overly talkative or opinionated, which is often interpreted as disruptive and needy.
I've spent a lot of time in a state of anxiety trying to mould myself into what I thought other people may want from an experience with me. I still fight a daily struggle to get tasks ticked off my long list and procrastinating to avoid the boring ones! I've changed jobs multiple times, worked with hundreds of people from very broad backgrounds and I love getting to know people!
My family and closest friends have always been supportive of my personality and will tell you that the above quirks are why they like spending time with me, since they can see that I enjoy finding ways of relating to people and connecting to the human experience. But in the wider world it doesn't always feel so inviting.
Reaching out for help is what led me discover that perhaps I was just different and that I didn't need to be liked by everyone I met. It was okay to change jobs because I didn't like the way that a company treated me and my colleagues. It is a good thing to know my own moral compass and to let it guide me in each step ahead.
I researched and read, I kept knocking on the door to get diagnosed and tested, and now I have medication and tools that help me feel more in control of my path. Being diagnosed with ADHD was no surprise, since I haven't sat still for longer than 2 minutes...ever, but getting my autism diagnosis was a game changer! There are so many different opinions on neurodiversity and inclusion and you sometimes just need to dive down deep to see what resonates with you. I even found that over time my own opinions changed because of where I was on my own journey.
I have to say that reading the heaps of content from creators who run workshops, talk to people across wider industries and are trying to make governmental change that support positive progress is very inspiring! I wanted to share my own story, since I speak to so many people each day. I aim to help them find the next great place to work and I wanted you to know that I know what it feels like to just want to be accepted out there!
Below I have listed some wonderful advocates to connect to, who have helped me to feel more supported and understood than ever, and my shame is becoming something far less draining to my inner thoughts as a result of hearing from them!
Leanne Maskell - ADHD Coach & author
Ellie Middleton - Autistic ADHD Coach & author
领英推荐
Dorie Clark - DEI & Communication Coach & Author
Molly Johnson-Jones - Champion of Flexible working and Employer Value Proposition
Alex Partridge - ADHD Podcast Host
LinkedIn have video training resources on plenty of topics:
Neurodiversity - https://www.dhirubhai.net/learning/search?keywords=neurodiversity
Communication - https://www.dhirubhai.net/learning/search?keywords=communication
If you are a marketing professional in the UK, then here at Stopgap - Marketing, Digital & Creative Recruitment , we have advice on:
How to Write a Winning CV - https://www.stopgap.co.uk/assets/advice_guides/stopgap-advice-guide-cv-advice.pdf
Preparing for Competency based Questions - https://www.stopgap.co.uk/assets/advice_guides/stopgap-advice-guide-competency-based-interview-questions.pdf
Creating your LinkedIn Profile - https://www.stopgap.co.uk/assets/advice_guides/stopgap-advice-guide-linkedin-advice.pdf
Staying Motivated in your Job Search - https://www.stopgap.co.uk/assets/advice_guides/stopgap-advice-guide-staying-motivated.pdf
#neurodiversity #adhd #autism #diversityequityinclusion #dei #acceptance
Private Care Business Relations Manager
10 个月love your post Amanda
Lead Consultant - charity and education integrated marketing recruitment
10 个月Brilliant post Amanda, this will help an awful lot of people, either to get a better understanding of themselves or of their colleagues. I have several friends who have recently been diagnosed and they all felt a huge sense of relief that they finally understand themselves better and how to tackle life going forward. Onwards and upwards as my old boss used to say.