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The key is finding the right type of customer service job, and the right type of company to work for.
Long before I ever found out I had ADHD, I worked some sales & promotions jobs, but they all felt horribly sleazy to me, since they were completely profit-driven. I was raised with a very strong set of ethics, so the principle of “do anything to get their money”, makes my skin crawl. But, in most sales jobs, all that matters is selling as much as possible—and the management insists that the only way to do that is to say and do things exactly the way they tell you to.
Even if I’d known I had a medical condition and had asked for concessions, I wouldn’t have gotten them. At those places, it’s commission-only, and if you don’t make your quota by the end of the month, you’re out of there. To them, you don’t have a medical condition; you’re just making excuses.
For me, the best customer service jobs are the ones geared to welcoming people, and making their experience as pleasant, efficient, and memorable as possible…giving them directions and information, helping them with any special needs, etc.
Where I work now, they embrace people who are outgoing and creative, because they recognize that those are the traits that our customers find appealing and interesting. They also recognize that we can be rather eccentric at times, so they’ve taken the time to learn how to work with this. They control us enough to keep us grounded, and keep the place running smoothly, without stifling our creativity. There’s a bit of selling involved, but instead of having to meet quotas, the top seller each week gets a prize. It’s a case of leading with the carrot, not the stick. And it really works.
Sure, there are good days and bad, but overall, I love coming to work, because they appreciate me and value my contributions. They know they can trust me to do my job very well, whether things are running smoothly, or if it’s a bumpy night. And I know that I can trust them to back me up if I need them. They’re generous with praise when it’s called for, and constructive with criticism.
It’s a place where, generally, I don’t need any accommodations, because it fits me pretty well as I am.
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