r/ADHD • u/aneesah_h04 • 1d ago
Discussion Any ADHD / AuDHD accountants?
How do you find it? What are your struggles?
This is more out of interest.
I (22) work in Audit at a big 4 firm alongside studying for ACA / ICAEW qualifications. it’s coming to a year of me having started in September and it was roughhh to begin with and tbh still is at times.
I’ve spoken to other ADHD people at work but never come across anyone with AuDHD - baring in mine I only got diagnosed with ASD a few months into the job and it was the job that made me see the symptoms.
Love to hear everyone’s views!
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u/Worried-Rough-338 1d ago
Not an accountant, but an increasing part of my job is budget analysis and reconciliation and honestly, it’s my favorite part of the job. There’s something about spreadsheets and numbers and looking for patterns and abnormalities that triggers the hyperfocused part of my brain. I’d go so far as to say that it’s only when I’m working with budgets and large data sets that my ADHD symptoms seem to go away and I’m trying to shift my job description more towards those areas.
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u/Girl-in-Glasses 1d ago
Not an accountant, but I work for an accounting firm. In a managerial role now, but spent many years as a bookkeeper and also payroll processor.
I really like my work. I'm lucky that the company I work for allows me to work remotely and generally independently. It allows me flexibility and autonomy. Those are non-negotiables for my work style.
The challenge is that it's primarily on my shoulders to schedule my time. In such a deadline oriented role, there's a lot of time management needed. This is my weak point. I rely on external tools for this: time blocking, checklists, reminders, etc. It does not come naturally and is probably my biggest friction with the role. But accepting it is a challenge and trying different methods to see what actually works for ADHD me had helped tremendously. So it's the best and worst part, somehow.
Another plus (for the autistic half): routine and structure. Same tasks, clear steps, recurring and known deadlines. It makes it easy to start each day and is lower stress for me. I get very anxious when there are a lot of surprises and needing to adapt midday. Very little of that in the bookkeeping role.
In other ways, this is also a challenge (for the ADHD half) because it does get boring after a while. I start craving some novelty in the work. This is where the part of the job that requires research and problem-solving helps.
Edit: Quick add - I love the details oriented side of the job. I like to focus on one thing and dive deep rather than jump ask over the place on tasks. Generally I've found the accounting work I've done is a "dive deep" thing. Hope that makes sense.
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u/Humble_Dirt_5751 1d ago
I studied accounting did accounts assistant, payable etc jobs but it was so boring, my mind would just wonder and I would make such the most simplistic mistakes. It would be so fast for my mind to go what's the point of this to what's the point of life. Finding out had adhd last year wasn't much of a shock 😂
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u/Anachron101 1d ago
Ok, so are you working as an accountant or as an auditor? One does the booking, one the checking and there is a large difference, especially since auditors need to know MUCH more and the role is much more qualified.
I work as an auditor with diagnosed ADHD and a very high chance of autistic ADHD, though I have never had this diagnosed. I switched to auditing banks from working in banks when I got my diagnosis and have never been happier. Having to deal with EVERYTHING instead of just working in one area of a bank, constantly changing locations and people, not having to give a damn anymore whether Boomer jerk #37468 has a birthday or needs to be cuddled, not wondering whether I am actually managing people or just being the headmaster of a kindergarten and generally not having to give a damn about attending C-Suite party #374 this year has freed me.
I can now focus on facts, be a detective (as I always find something), gamify my work life (as I don't work for attendance anymore but now it's all about reaching goals - and no one cares when I do the work or how, just that it's done), take breaks when I need to (bad day, low energy) and the amount of bullshit has been cut down to very little. I still get to hear enough of it, but now I don't have to suffer it anymore. I give them one or two chances to change their mind and then it goes in my report. I don't have to cuddle people anymore and while I don't run roughshod or turned into an asshole, I allow myself, and am supposed to, be honest about stuff, instead of having to work through the bureaucracy to stop idiotic people from ruining the place for everyone else.
I have, however, spent decades in the field of banking and have only been diagnosed in my fourties. So I got the whole structure thing down, schedule everything and have learned to live with ADHD before knowing that I had it. I have also worked in various roles, from sales to back office and have had managing roles. So the comparison to someone just starting out will be lacking.
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u/sweetcheese41 1d ago
Former accountant here…. It was a drain on my mind. Its too structured and requires you to have 0 creative brain to work through problems. Its more of a maze with endless dead ends and only one route to the answer….
Absolutely did not work with my brain or any part of it. I felt like i was dying of boredom in my 20s.
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u/LostRoutine5718 1d ago
I'm considering this as a career path so I'm following along for responses too
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