How'd You Get THAT Job?!

Michael Upshall Senior and Junior both have ADHD. This father-and-son duo doubles as boss and employee in their carpentry business, Probuilt Design + Build. In both work and life, they understand how the other thinks.  

For Michael Sr., school never matched how his brain worked, and he left high school in the 10th grade. That’s when he took up an apprenticeship, eventually starting his own business. He’s now a master carpenter. And he was diagnosed with ADHD in 2012.  

Michael Jr. was diagnosed when he entered high school, so he got the support to help him finish school. He’s been working at his father’s business since he was 12. Now, as an adult, he’s learning the ropes of running a business — while picking up ADHD strategies from his father along the way. 

Listen to this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?! for our first interview with two guests. Get tips to keep track of your thoughts, and learn why contracting could be the right fit for you. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.   

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Is ADHD hereditary?
• After high school: Different ways to thrive
• ADHD and the myth of laziness

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Darcey Gohring was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. But she didn’t feel comfortable disclosing her dyslexia at work until she was a manager. She was scared that her co-workers in the editing and writing world would look at her work differently. Now, she teaches writing classes and is an editor at Zibby Magazine. 

When Darcey was diagnosed, her father didn’t believe that her dyslexia was real. He thought she just needed to “try harder.” This shame followed her into adulthood. And it made her worry about what her colleagues would think of her learning difference. But when she got her promotion, she realized that she didn’t need to worry. Now, as a manager and teacher, she supports others in being vulnerable and sharing their stories.  

Listen in to hear more about disclosure in the workplace, and how Darcey’s own life experience inspired her upcoming novel. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Darcey’s Business Insider article: I hid my dyslexia at work for 25 years because I was tired of being labeled. Now I’m embracing it.
• Pros and cons of disclosing a disability to employers
• Dyslexia and creativity: What you need to know

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Isaac Zablocki always had messy handwriting and trouble getting his thoughts down on paper. When he was growing up, teachers in both Israel and the United States assumed his challenges had to do with switching between languages. It wasn’t until college that he was diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD.  

Because it was hard for Isaac to express himself through writing, he found himself drawn to film. Now, he’s the director of film programming at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Manhattan. He’s also the co-founder of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest U.S. film festival dedicated to showcasing films by or about people with disabilities. Learn how Isaac’s work in the disability film world highlights differences and promotes stories of those who are often unheard.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• ReelAbilities Film Festival New York
• What is dysgraphia?
• Signs of written expression disorder

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Trying to figure out the right job can be challenging — and feel pretty lonely — especially when you have learning and thinking differences. But luckily, there are ways to smooth your career path, and people to get advice from.  

In this bonus episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?!, host Eleni Matheou shares what we’ve heard throughout the show so far, and things we’ve learned. Tune in to explore common threads, like trying new things and being open to failure. Listen now to learn how to stack your skills into the perfect combo for both you and your employer.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Work advocacy 101: Asking your boss for what you need to thrive
• 40+ examples of career examples of people who learn and think differently
• 3 big myths (and truths) about workplace accommodations

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Dina Ragab is a lawyer with ADHD working on the California high-speed rail project. Dina has always known that she was “neurospicy,” but therapists couldn’t see past her anxiety to the ADHD underneath. It wasn’t until after law school that she was diagnosed, went on medication, and realized there were ways to manage her sometimes all-consuming emotions. 

Dina’s job path wasn’t always a smooth one. She went through a few positions and work environments until she found the honest, straightforward boss that she needed. In this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?!, hear Dina describe her journey through misdiagnosis — and how self-advocacy is an opportunity for co-workers to take one another’s needs into consideration. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• ADHD and emotions
• What is self-advocacy?
• A day in the life of an employee with ADHD

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Omar Mouallem is a journalist and filmmaker with ADHD. Omar has worn many hats — journalist, documentary filmmaker, “fake dean” of his self-made school Pandemic University School of Writing, and real professor — all without a college degree. When he began writing Praying to the West, he struggled to focus on one topic for an entire book. That led Omar to his ADHD diagnosis. 

As a freelance writer for many years, Omar flourished as his busy mind moved from project to project. He’s won awards for his investigative journalism, where hyperfocusing down research rabbit holes is a strength. When the pandemic hit, and work dried up overnight, he had a lot to reconsider. Listen to this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?! to hear how he got his start from a Craigslist ad — and how impulsivity can actually work in your favor. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Praying to the West: How Muslims Shaped the Americas, by Omar Mouallem
• Amazing Cats, by Omar Mouallem
• Digging in the Dirt documentary
• ADHD and hyperfocus
• What is self-awareness?

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Delia Gallegos combined her love of fandoms with her business experience to create the perfect job for her ADHD. Delia is the chief financial officer of Black Nerds Create (BNC), a collective for marginalized creators to make fandom content.  

Delia first joined BNC as a side hobby to her business operations career. But during the pandemic, she took part in the great resignation and left a job she loved at the Smithsonian. Delia realized that everything she loved about that job was about being there. Without the stimuli of in-person work, she couldn’t get a thing done. Delia’s resignation led her to transition her hobby to full time when she saw that BNC could use her business skills. 

Listen to this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?! for tips on forming habits with ADHD — and how sometimes you need to throw everything against the wall to see what sticks.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Black Nerds Create
• ADHD and anxiety
• 4 ways I stay organized with ADHD
• ADHD symptoms at different ages

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Scottie Donovan is a New York City wastewater engineer with ADHD. When she entered the field, being on the frontlines of a pandemic wasn’t what she expected. But since wastewater helps determine positive COVID-19 cases, she’s played a vital role in public health information. She’s also heard enough poop jokes to last a lifetime. 

Scottie chose to study civil engineering because of how interactive it is. She’s worked in water treatment plants, and eventually found herself at a desk job in a consulting role. This transition wasn’t the easiest for her ADHD. But with tools like lists and time chunking, she makes her days work for her. In this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?!, get Scottie’s tips for being honest about how much work you can take on. Plus, get a history lesson on how the sewer system advanced our civilization.  

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• 4 ways I stay organized with ADHD
• ADHD and sensory overload
• 30 examples of workplace accommodations you can put into practice

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

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Luke Kolpin is a chef with dyslexia. He’s cooked in high-pressure environments, from Top Chef to the critically acclaimed Noma in Copenhagen.  

Luke didn’t have the best relationship with school when he was first diagnosed with dyslexia. After high school, he started taking community college courses. But he still wondered what he really wanted to do. That’s when his best friend suggested culinary school. After all, Luke’s nickname was Lunchbox when he was a kid.  

Culinary school changed Luke’s world. He excelled in the hands-on work — but he also had to get past the academics. A teacher who recognized his skill set made all the difference.  

In this week’s episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?!, Luke shares how he handles challenges that bring up old anxieties — and that asking for help is OK. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• After high school: Different ways to thrive
• Classroom accommodations for dyslexia
• Dyslexia and anxiety in children

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hanna Brooks Olsen is a freelance writer with ADHD. Coming to her ADHD diagnosis was a long journey. Like so many, Hanna thought ADHD was purely hyperactivity, and she didn’t fit that description. But when she learned about the inattentive aspect of ADHD, she saw the connection to her life. She realized that her ADHD symptoms were intertwined with her bipolar disorder, anxiety, and eating disorder.  

As a freelance writer, Hanna does it all — from editing nonprofit newsletters to writing tweets. But she didn’t set out to become a jack-of-all-trades writer. Like many college graduates, she just wanted to earn enough money to pay her rent and student loans. After working a few odd jobs, Hanna discovered that she could use her skills on her own time to do what she loves: write. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.  

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].  

• Why some people with ADHD self-medicate — including me, by Hanna Brooks Olsen
• ADHD and eating disorders
• ADHD in girls

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.