To ask what job I can possibly do?

[ThoughtsAnyone]

I am turning 40 and really need a job but I am an an introvert with social anxiety and ADHD.

The ADHD affects me the most as it's attentive and means I struggle to learn, never learnt anything at school due to lack of focus, concentration so have no formal qualifications or GCSE and have tried to gain them since but just find learning impossible.

I have had a few jobs but none of them last more than a few days as I find it difficult to learn and remember things I'm shown so eventually employers give up when I still don't know what I'm doing and let me go.

I would like to work but I am not a people person, I get exhausted around people and with social anxiety as well it's so hard, I hate when people thinking I'm stupid because I can't follow instructions or remember things I'm shown.

I have been a SAHM for 20 years this year.
My dh works but now my youngest is turning 3 I have to look for work and I have no idea what I can do, I guess I am terrified of the thought of going back to work and I really don't feel I can contribute anything of any value to society, it's more the knowledge that the employers don't want me there and talk to me like dirt as they realise how incoherent I am.

I feel like this world is meant to be for normal people and if you're not normal it's tough and you're forced to try to fit into a social norm that isn't natural to me and I don't function in.
At school I was punished for not being able to learn and at work and society it's the same, does anyone have any ideas what jobs there are that could possibly be right for me?

I enjoy driving and being outside. I need something unskilled, no experience.

You may qualify for eas (previously sick benefit). Advice at job centre

*ramblingmum

You say you can't learn, but from your post you are literate and have learnt how to drive. There must be all sorts you have learnt as a parent. So you can learn but maybe need to do it in a particular way.*

This is such an insightful post.
Also op, just one thing to consider - your ADHD traits might actually be beneficial in certain jobs. I'm not knowledgeable about your condition so can't make suggestions but I can tell you that I have MS which does affect my cognitive processing and ability to focus for long periods and finish tasks in anything approaching an ordered way.
I am the happiest I've ever been in my current job because it's impossible to start and finish anything without being forced to divert my attention to something else. Priorities have to change by the minute. I now train new people and am always surprised to see people struggling with not being able to finish things and quickly focus on something else. They can find it stressful and frustrating but it somehow suits my limited concentration span and inability to focus for very long perfectly!
There are positives in the way you process information op and you could find that the way you are actually makes you better at a job. Best of luck

I was going to suggest driving. My DH left school with no qualifications. He has obtained a HGV license and is now earning more than me and I have a degree. So it just goes to show qualifications aren't everything.

I was going to suggest something like factory work, fruit picking or even bin collecting. Where I live there are a lot of industrial manual labour type jobs and there are employment agencies that specialise in that type of work. If you look around you may be able to find similar where you live.

Pet sitter (you would have to make a note of any special instructions) or courier. Maybe gardener or working in a tea room?

Working in a supermarket at night sounds like a good idea in theory but you will be surrounded by people, could be around 50 people on shift at once. Don’t be fooled in thinking there isn’t much to learn as you won’t just be stacking shelves but also working on many other areas, the work is very varied.
Delivery driving might be better suited to you as you will be alone most of the time.

Lawn mowing or window washing.

could be around 50 people on shift at once

Where is this?!
At the store I worked in (average sized superstore) we had about 6 people a night on the 10pm-7am shift. There were a few who worked 8pm-midnight but not many, maybe 1 or 2 extras on busy delivery days or over Christmas.

The ADHD is lifelong but the anxiety doesn't have to be.
I get the anxiety probably comes from the struggles that ADHD bring for you but I'd see about getting some help for your anxiety at least.

supermarket picking. Wander around 2-7am choosing good quality items for people's shopping.

Can you drive? If you've raised children you have a lot of people skills even if you don't know it.

@VeggieSausageRoll
The place where I work at night has up to 50 staff in every night and even more during busy times like Christmas. Not everyone works the same hours but most work 10 hours through the night. This is an average size supermarket. The OP needs to know the reality and ask when applying for jobs how many staff will be working there.

@VeggieSausageRoll

could be around 50 people on shift at once

Where is this?!
At the store I worked in (average sized superstore) we had about 6 people a night on the 10pm-7am shift. There were a few who worked 8pm-midnight but not many, maybe 1 or 2 extras on busy delivery days or over Christmas.

When I worked at ASDA there were regularly 50 people on the night shift. They did all sorts - restocking shelves, co-ordinating deliveries, unloading deliveries and putting them away, getting rid of recycle and rubbish for the bin lorries, sorting out online shopping, stocking shelves, date-rotation, tidying the store, changing displays...

When we were open all night, we also had people on security, a couple on self-scan to help anyone who needed it, a late-night pharmacist and several night managers too.

Exam invigilator? Very little contact with anyone and very process driven.

And online surveys in any spare time for few extra £

OP, you said "I need something unskilled, no experience." Please ignore the following as it is easy to give the following advice but could you try to take a long-term view once you meet your immediate need for a job and presumably earning.

You seem to equate 'not being able to learn' with not learning taught, possibly academic subjects in a school classroom. A PP touched on this with reminding you that you learned to drive and had written a literate post. Is there a craft skill that you find interesting in which you could build your skills and hopefully earn in the longer term? Some people find they thrive with practical activities rather than paper-office/school learning.

Good luck.

I was going to say pet sitter but someone beat me to it. Could you set up as a childminder or get on the books somewhere like Sitters? Absolutely loads of people are going to want sitters/after school care with the restrictions on schools.

Regarding the ADHD, could you spend a few evenings looking into treatments and strategies for it? There seems to be a lot of good information online now (I think my DD has it so I've been reading up). I wonder if you could get your Maths GCSE for instance using something like UpLearn that works with the brain, not against it. Think what a confidence boost it would be!

Oh, apologies, UpLearn is only A-level. But there must be a GCSE version. I'm just thinking of my younger sister here who couldn't grasp Maths at school but learnt it in her 30s. She got such a boost from it.

If you are in good physical shape, I would looked into jobs like gardening, construction, etc. mostly I am thinking those types of jobs, because the people I know with adhd benefit from combining learning with physical activity. It’s anecdotal, I am not claiming to know anything real about the condition. Just something I have noticed.

Hospital porter? Garden centre?

Your language skills are good though so you're probably far more capable than you're giving yourself credit for. Is there something you'd actually quite like to try? But you're nervous about trying for it?

I have dyslexia and I'm always worried about applying for roles and I feel I often sell myself short due to not feeling good enough. Don't bother going for promotions etc, even though I know I have a lot to offer.

Dh is similar. He is an HGV driver

Have you thought of trying adhd meds?

I have suspected ADHD and work in retail. It works really well for me because I don’t have to focus on one thing for too long- there’s always a different task to move onto. I’m an introvert too, but I can cope with other people for the length of a shift.

I’m not sure how that will work with your anxiety, but I’ve had a long history of anxiety and having a job I love has diminished it entirely.

Good luck!

cleaner. It's what my son does who has SEND. If he can do it, then you can.