At nearly 30 years old, I have been fired twice from roles in my chosen career of public relations. It’s true that I have sent emails five minutes too late and missed a few typos, but I enjoy the field, even if I don’t love every aspect of it.
And being fired – more than once – hurts deeply. I have been effectively told that I am not fit for the career on which I have set my sights, which has left me confused and anxious.The ordeal hurts much more knowing that I have exclusively worked for places that center on addressing health disparities.
While I never disclosed my ADHD diagnosis, I believe I still would have been met with discontent if I had, as my attempts to adjust processes and procedures to work with my brain were often met with annoyance. (Either way, it shouldn’t matter whether my disability was known; everyone works differently.)The more recent role placed me on a performance improvement plan just one month after I started.
I was let go six months after my start date. I imagine that many neurodivergent individuals like myself know what it’s like to be on a PIP, and it’s not for a lack of skill or trying.