Mixing It Up: Your Eclectic Career Path Might Be Your Superpower (No, Really)

Picture this: You’re at a networking event, sipping on overpriced wine, when someone asks, “So, what do you do?” You freeze, wondering how to explain your journey from circus clown to tax accountant to aspiring marine biologist. 

Welcome to the wild world of career mashups, where your professional life resembles a game of Chutes and Ladders on steroids. But here’s the kicker – that winding path? It might just be your secret weapon.

The Power of the Career Mashup (No Spandex Required)

A career mashup is like the professional equivalent of a mixtape – a combination of diverse experiences that create your unique brand. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder, you’re building a treehouse with spare parts and a bit of duct tape. This varied background sets you apart, transforming you into a versatile professional – think Swiss Army knife, but without the tiny, useless scissors.

Career mashuppers turn “Jack of all trades, master of none” into “Jack of all trades, master of connecting dots while juggling flaming torches.” Each experience, from barista to entrepreneur, adds valuable skills, creating unexpected synergies. For instance, handling demanding customers as a barista teaches you how to manage high-pressure situations (and how to make a mean latte). Starting a dog-walking business? Congrats, you’ve just earned your Ph.D. in “herding cats” – I mean, entrepreneurship.

ADHD + Career Mashup: A Match Made in Dopamine Heaven

If you have ADHD, your career mashup isn’t just a superpower – it’s your kryptonite-proof cape. ADHD brains, with their insatiable curiosity and ability to hyperfocus on random topics at 3 AM, thrive on exploring diverse paths and accumulating knowledge and skills. Your ability to make unique connections can revolutionize your career approach (and possibly solve world hunger, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

Managing ADHD in a varied career involves developing strategies to stay on track, but your ADHD-driven creativity and hyperfocus are invaluable assets. Just remember to set reminders for those pesky things called “deadlines.”

Forty, Fabulous, and Starting Fresh (Because Why Not?)

Women over 40 considering career changes bring decades of wisdom, skills, and experiences. Take Joelle, who transitioned from a non-profit executive director to running a successful perfume business. Her previous roles provided negotiation, budgeting, and business structuring skills, giving her a significant head start. Plus, she knew how to diplomatically tell people their ideas stink – a crucial skill in the perfume industry.

A career mashup lets women weave personal and professional experiences into a compelling narrative, showcasing leadership, community management, and negotiation skills. It’s like creating a patchwork quilt, but instead of fabric, you’re using life experiences (and possibly some wine stains).

Plot Twist: You’ve Got ADHD (And You’re How Old?)

A late ADHD diagnosis offers a chance to reframe your career history. That job you left out of boredom? Classic ADHD behavior. Hyperfocused project delivery? ADHD superpower. Off-the-wall brainstorming ideas? ADHD creativity. That time, you reorganized the entire office supply closet instead of finishing your report. Let’s… not talk about that one.

Leverage these traits intentionally: hyperfocus during crunch time, creative problem-solving, and productivity hacks that would impress anyone.

Crafting Your Unique Professional Brand (No Crystals Required)

Through storytelling, transform your varied experiences into a coherent professional brand. Identify transferable skills and emphasize the narrative rather than the timeline. Group experiences by skills or problems solved, and tell your story in interviews to highlight your unique perspective. 

Embrace the Chaos (It’s Your New Best Friend)

Your meandering career path is your secret weapon. It brings unique perspectives, empathy, and mentoring abilities. Next time someone asks, “What do you do?” smile and say, “Well, it’s a funny story…” Your career mashup makes you a versatile, adaptable professional with a unique edge. 

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to alphabetize my spice rack. You never know when that skill will come in handy in my next career pivot. Maybe I’ll become a professional organizer for easily distracted chefs. Hey, stranger things have happened!

Rachel Gaddis

I’m a career transition coach who focuses on helping ADHD women over 40, particularly women who’ve been recently diagnosed. As a career transition coach who was diagnosed with inattentive-type ADHD at age 44, I understand the profound impact such a diagnosis can have on one’s professional and personal life. Using co-active coaching methodology, I help my clients align their professional paths with their core values and innate strengths. My approach is profoundly influenced by my personal experiences – including a late ADHD diagnosis, overcoming breast cancer, embracing my 50s, and executing a major career shift.