Linear Careers Are a Myth

I will never forget the time I was speaking to a potential client and I told her that I loved the fact that my ADHD led me through so many types of jobs. I talked about it like it was a wonderful, rich career – and I could see on her face that she had never once let herself think of her ADHD as a good thing. Her eyes went wide, her expression softened, and she only said one thing. A very quiet, “Oh.” 

We are taught that “job hopping” is a bad thing, and that it shows a lack of loyalty. But I think it puts the loyalty back where it belongs: to our needs and desires. 

The job market is slowly starting to ditch the restrictiveness of a linear career path,  with the length of time a person stays in a job averaging about four years. According to Career Builder, Boomers tend to stay eight years, and each younger generation decreases – Gen X averages 5 years, Millennials just shy of three years, and Gen Z about two years. 

For our fabulous neurodivergent peeps, particularly those rocking autism or ADHD, sticking to a linear career path not only decreases earning potential and skill development, but can also be agonizingly boring. 

In Episode 082 of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, I spilled the tea on my thoughts about the societal misconceptions surrounding career progression, and why we should embrace the big rollercoaster of work for neurodiverse individuals.

Busting the Myth of Linear Careers

The truth is modern workers are much more likely to quit jobs in pursuit of growth and satisfaction. "This job doesn't support the lifestyle I want, so it has to go," is very powerful, but is often frowned upon when the younger generations – especially those of us who are neurospicy do it. Why? Because they think that neurodivergence somehow impedes our capacity to think for ourselves and what will lead us to a fulfilled work life.

And it's just not fair, especially when there are little to no supportive policies to help safeguard the neurodiverse from corporate tyranny aka being burned out from the classic overwork + chronic underpayment combo.

This old-fashioned expectation that we should just suck it up and stay, so we don't rock the capitalistic boat just doesn't gel with our unique and fierce brain features! So, it's time to ditch the performative loyalty and strut toward a more fabulous career path. You know, the one where the paycheck s = the value of work we pour in.

Millennials, Job Hopping, & Not Giving a Hoot

In my book "The Gaslighting of the Millennial Generation," I call out the haters and dive deep into how the world is doing the Millennials dirty when we're wrongly mocked for our mysterious job-hopping ways.

Seriously, YOU have every right to strut your stuff across multiple positions with pride. Between employers who treat loyalty like it's a hot potato, chronic underpayment, and the thirst for professional glow-ups, this job-hopping culture is the revolution we need to shift the narrative and create a more sustainable workforce.

Key Points, Quotable Sass, & All That Jazz

Time to bring the fireworks with some seriously sassy key points from episode 82. Here are some highlights to remind you that we're all about that fierce neurodiversity:

"Society expects you to stick with something when your brain doesn't go like that? As if! Ain't nobody got time for that."

"ADHD and autism are only disabling because they're like trying to rock stilettos on a rocky trail – it's a problem with the terrain, honey."

"Late-stage capitalism, underpaid workers, and record high profits, oh my! Loyalty to such companies? I would rather eat a hallucinogenic frog! Maybe then the delusion would at least have a reasonable cause."

Episode Mic Drop

Take this as a call-to-arms of sorts to break free from the ball and chain of linear careers, especially for our fabulous neurodivergent friends. I hope this episode's insights serve as a reminder that new career paths are a smashing runway for showcasing the inimitable talents and potential of neurodiverse individuals.
Now, go and be free! Love you!

Download the episode transcript here!

Are you a neurodivergent creative aching to dismantle societal myths and pave the way for more inclusive, flexible, and fulfilling experiences through artistic expression? 

Join the conversation and connect with others like you by subscribing to The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Let's embrace neurodiversity and celebrate our unique journeys together!
Hang out with Caitlin in the Neurodivergent Creative Pod, where folks make weird art AND talk about it!
Also, don’t miss the FREE MASTERCLASS >>> Art is Revolution: Reclaiming Your Passion Under Capitalism
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