Career options for introverts

Thinking about the world of work, the need to interact with others on a daily basis, is enough to make some people break out in to a cold sweat. Recognising your personality and making good career choices based on it can make the difference between enjoying or dreading going to work every day.

If you find yourself feeling drained after social interactions, with a preference for working in small groups, or on your own, you may be an introvert.  As an introvert you may not like large social gatherings but you may still be a competent or excellent communicator.  You may prefer to communicate in small groups, formally, via email and reports rather than by interacting with people you may not know.

The opportunities

With hybrid and remote working there are more choices available today to suit all personalities, including introverts.

With the growth of the gig economy and more and more people and businesses using freelance expertise to fill otherwise employed roles, the opportunities are better than ever.

You can work on your own schedule and in your own space. Zoom, Skype or Microsoft Teams offer platforms to interact remotely for meetings. If freelance, you could determine the extent to which you interact in person through networking or business support groups.

The following are examples of careers which could easily be carried out on a hybrid or remote basis or freelance if going solo is an option.

Other career examples might include:

What are the key considerations?

• Consider careers that allow you to focus on your work and work independently. Focused work with attention to detail is typically a strength for an introverted person.

• Consider careers that involve helping others. Building personal relationships with individuals over time is often considered a strength for an introverted person.

• Look for careers that offer opportunities for remote working or flexibility, including a hybrid arrangement. This will also involve considering the employer as well as the career.

• Avoid careers that are high pressured and fast paced.  Introverted people tend to prefer thorough work, with attention to detail. Jobs that require you to move from one task to another in quick succession may not be suitable for many introverts.

• Think about whether the type of career you choose might lend itself to self employment in the future should you choose to work for yourself. The career types mentioned above may offer this opportunity.

Identify your strengths

These will be different for each individual but generally speaking introverts tend to have excellent attention to detail, be good listeners and be reliable and consistent. Building strong personal relationships with others over time is also a characteristic of many introverts.

Traditional one to one networking with groups of people you don’t know will be a challenge, but increasingly today networking is done via the phone or Zoom or via online forums and platforms such as LinkedIn.  Providing you bear your strengths and preferences in mind when considering careers, you should be fine.

And finally…

Choosing a career to suit your personality is important and no different whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or anything in between.  If something is a weakness don’t consider it a limitation if there is a strategy or tool that can help you overcome the weakness. We are all different and we all have our own interests and strengths, but identifying yours will help you decide the best career and employer to suit you.