These Careers Will Set Introverts Up For Success
The word ‘introvert’ is often thrown around as a synonym for shy or even socially awkward. And while introverts can have shy tendencies, introversion doesn’t mean social ineptitude — and it certainly doesn't need to be a career impediment.
In a study from Intuit, 63%, of self-employed women polled identified as introverts, compared to 37% who identify as extroverts. These findings suggest that many entrepreneurs, freelancers, and other self-employed people may have introverted tendencies, which might differ from common conceptions of entrepreneurs being extroverted ‘rule-breakers.' Recent studies also show that introverts are more effective leaders in certain complex and unpredictable settings than their extroverted counterparts.
We all have different personalities, preferences, and learning styles. And while we may think of introverts and extroverts as two extremes, most of us actually fall somewhere in the middle. Still, it helps to know whether you lean toward more introverted or extroverted tendencies when it comes to choosing a job. Take time to think about things like the daily tasks, role expectations, office culture, and team dynamics when you consider career path.
Read on for some ideas for jobs that would set more introverted personality types up for success in their professional endeavors.
Many science careers are perfect for introverts. And though physics is just one field, a lot of science-related career paths are the ideal work environment for an introvert. Physicists study physical phenomena depending on the area of practice, including subatomic particles, molecules, or atoms. The average base pay for a physicist in the U.S. is $120,206.
Engineering is a broad job category with a huge range specialties, from chemical to electrical and dozens more in betewen. But most engineering jobs offer the ability for deep work and concentration and may not require a ton of socialization in order to get ahead. The requirements and average salaries vary for each of these position, but to give you an idea, the average mechanical engineer in the United States makes $84,496.
Web developers can focus either on the back-end or front-end of a website, and they help to shape how a website functions and looks. Depending on your personality, this work can be tailored to be pretty minimally interactive and more focused on deep work. Currently, the average salary for a web developer in the U.S. is $93,402.
Graphic designers do a lot of independent work focused on visual storytelling. They are responsible for creating visual concepts, with software or by hand, to share ideas with consumers. The work depends highly on the area of concentration and on the client or project, but generally this is a perfect career path for someone who wants to spend time "in the zone," concentrated on creative work. The average salary for this career is $52,589.
This is a broad umbrella that can be applied to many different career paths. A freelance worker is self-employed and not committed or tied to a specific employer. This allows for a lot of flexibility, independence, and the freedom to work from home. Regardless of the area of focus, a freelancer can set their own schedules and enjoy a flexible lifestyle that accommodates their own personality type and preferences. Though the income varies widely depending on the field, a freelance graphic designer makes, on average, $57,699, which is slightly more than the average staff designer might make.
If sifting through historical items, like old documents, audio recordings, videos, letters, and photographs, sounds interesting to you, then you might want to consider pursuing a career as an archivist. They traditionally work at museums or libraries, and the job can offer a lot of solitude and time to explore old relics. However, if you want to make bank, this might not be the job for you. In the U.S., archivists make an average salary of $46,795.
Social media management can be the perfect position for someone with a more introverted personality. These types of professionals spend most of their day online, sharing things on social media, scouring the internet for relevant content, engaging with other users, and strategizing. The average salary in the U.S. for this position is $59,965.
Some people prefer hanging out with animals more than people. If this is you, then why not work with and care for animals full-time? Working in the veterinary field can certainly lend itself well to someone with more introverted tendencies and has the added bonus of being a great way to spend lots of time with animals. On average, veterinarians make $108,218 in the U.S.
If selecting decorative items, lighting, and analyzing blueprints sounds interesting and creatively stimulating to you, this career path might be the one. And though you'll have to work with clients when developing a space, much of the work itself can have pretty minimal social interaction. The average salary for an interior designer in the U.S. is $62,926.
If you prefer hanging out with numbers more than people, then accounting might be a great carer path for you. The job requires you to keep your head in down, pouring over information and making sure everything is correct. And the job comes with a pretty sturdy salary, too: On average, accountants in the U.S. make $61,696.
