Moving your career forward takes planning, networking, applications, self-promotion and a lot of executive function. If you’re neurodivergent, those demands can stack up quickly, especially in workplaces that weren’t designed with you in mind. This guide brings together eleven practical things you can do to progress, using the tools, rights and support that are already out there.
A note from the author
Feel free to skip this part.
As a late-diagnosed ADHDer, working out my career has been overwhelming. The endless career paths online, hyperfocusing on one interest after another, and trying to manage corporate spaces while running on empty with burnout often left me standing at a crossroads.
I’ve stayed in roles I didn’t enjoy because I was scared to move. What if the next job was worse? How would I cope with a new routine? I’ve also landed projects I loved but didn’t feel good enough for, thanks to the negative messages I’d absorbed before my diagnosis. That feeling is usually called imposter syndrome, and it’s very common among neurodivergent people.
My advice is simple. Acknowledge how you’re feeling. Trust your instincts. And when the time is right, take a leap of faith. Not an impulsive one (ADHDers, I’m looking at you), but don’t let fear stop you exploring something new.
Ask yourself what you need to feel secure, what your values are, and how you’d know whether an employer shares them. Those are better questions than the fear-based ones. If any of these tips helps you land something new, email us at hello@enna.org and tell us. We love good news.
Eleven tips for career progression
1. Define your values
Start with what matters to you. Write your values down and decide which are non-negotiable and which have some give. If environmental responsibility is a deal-breaker, a fast-fashion giant probably isn’t your next employer.
Once you know your values, look for organisations that share them. Connect with their hiring managers on LinkedIn and send a short, friendly email introducing yourself. Say what you have in common, ask them to keep you in mind for future roles, and attach your CV.
2. Ask for what you need
You’ll do your best work when the conditions are right, and your employer can’t change what they don’t know about. Before you talk to your manager, fill in our working styles guide so you can explain how you work best, and read up on reasonable adjustments so you know what’s possible. Then book a meeting to talk it through.
3. Ask for feedback and regular check-ins
Tell your line manager that progressing matters to you and ask for specific feedback on your performance. Vague praise doesn’t help you plan. Agree a rhythm for check-ins, fortnightly or monthly, and bring a short list of topics so the time is useful. Use them to review progress, raise anything getting in the way and adjust your goals.
4. Make your workspace work for you
Notice where you do your best work. It might be a quiet corner, a desk by a window or somewhere you can control the lighting. Ask whether those spaces exist in your office, or whether small changes are possible, such as noise-cancelling headphones or a different desk. Check in with yourself every so often, because what works can change. Our post on flexible work arrangements for neurodivergent employees covers the options in more detail.
5. Use flexible hours
Most of us have times of day when we think more clearly. Work out yours, then propose a schedule that makes the most of them, explaining how it benefits the team as well as you. In the UK you can make a flexible working request from your first day in a job. Once it’s agreed, set clear boundaries so that flexibility doesn’t turn into always being on.
6. Try assistive technology
The right tool can take a lot of strain out of the working day. Speech-to-text, reading software, task managers and calendar apps all help in different ways, and we’ve rounded up some of the best apps for employees with ADHD. If something helps, ask your employer to provide it. If cost is a sticking point, Access to Work grants can pay for practical support at work.
7. Look for training that plays to your strengths
Be honest about what you’re good at and where you want to grow, then look for courses, qualifications or stretch projects that match. Take the options to your manager and ask for their backing. Afterwards, put the new skills to use straight away and ask for feedback, so your progress is visible.
8. Help build a culture of acceptance
If you want to, sharing your experience can change how a team thinks about neurodiversity. That might mean joining or starting an employee network, helping with an awareness event or passing on useful resources. Making the workplace inclusive is your employer’s job, not yours, so do as much or as little as feels right.
9. Find a mentor
A good mentor gives honest advice, helps you read the unwritten rules of a workplace and can open doors. Look for someone whose career interests you, ask whether they’d be open to meeting regularly, and agree what you both want from it. Some organisations run formal schemes, so check with HR first.
10. Set clear career goals
Think about where you’d like to be in a few years, then break that into smaller steps you can act on now. Share the plan with your manager and ask which roles, responsibilities and milestones would get you there. Revisit it regularly. A goal nobody looks at again doesn’t do much.
11. Don’t be afraid to start something new
Change is hard, especially if routine helps you feel steady. But a new project, role or even a new career is often where the biggest growth happens. If a big jump feels like too much, look for opportunities inside your current organisation first, and lean on friends and family while you try new things. Everything good in your life right now was once a change.
How Enna can help
When you’re ready for your next move, the Enna jobs board lists vacancies from employers who are actively working on neuroinclusion, and you can register for job alerts so new roles come straight to you. Keep your applications in one place with our free neurodivergent-friendly application tracker, and if your CV needs a refresh, our CV guidance walks you through it.
