56 Best Jobs for Introverts What Kind of Introvert Are You

https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/best-jobs-for-introverts.asp
Here's why the best jobs for introverts aren't always easy to pinpoint: Introversion is a spectrum of personality traits, not just a single
characteristic. In fact, according to one modern school of thought, introverts tend to fall within one of four main types: social, thinking, anxious,
or inhibited.1 Do you know what type of introvert you are? (If not, you're about to find out.)

The following list of the best careers for introverts is based on a modern understanding of the four main types as well as the various traits that
comprise the introversion spectrum. Keep in mind that many introverts have a mixture of traits from each main type, even if traits from one type
tend to dominate their personality. That's why it helps to supplement any suggestions that you receive from guidance counselors or books
(such as those published by JIST, like 200 Best Jobs for Introverts ) with other ideas based on the types of introversion that most closely match
who you are.

Good jobs for introverts absolutely do exist. So discover some of the best careers for your personality right now by figuring out what type of
introvert you are:

Except where otherwise indicated, salary estimates are based on nationwide data from 2016, and job-opening projections are for the decade
from 2016 to 2026.2
  Social Introvert Jobs

The term social introvert sounds like a misnomer, doesn't it?

After all, many introverts prefer to avoid social situations. But, as funny as it sounds, this term is actually meant to describe those very people.
Social introverts prefer solitude. They would rather be alone or part of a small group rather than being around lots of other people.

However, it's important to understand that introverts within this category aren't shy. That is, they don't experience much, if any, anxiety in social
settings. They simply prefer situations in which they have to interact with as few people as possible.

Even so, social introverts are often known for their loyalty. And they tend to be good at understanding their boundaries and developing
meaningful relationships with the people who become part of their small inner circles. That's partially why, when it comes to good careers for
introverts, people who fall into this category might have the highest number of possibilities to choose from.

If you think that you might be a social introvert, then it's especially important to pay attention to your potential work environment. A lot of social
introverts find that working from home aligns with their personalities. And many others try to steer clear of settings that are crowded, noisy, full
of interruptions, or don't offer much privacy. A lot of those factors will depend less on your particular career and more on your particular
employer.

That said, many occupations offer chances to perform satisfying work without being around too many people. They include a lot of careers in
the skilled trades as well as other interesting vocations. For example, here are some potentially good career choices for introverts in this
category:

1. Database administrator

 Potential job openings—93,000

 Median annual pay—$84,950

2. Private chef

 Potential job openings—203,000 (for all chefs and head cooks)

 Median annual pay—$43,504 (according to PayScale) 3

3. Electrical or electronic engineering technician

 Potential job openings—120,000

 Median annual pay—$62,190

4. Mechanical drafter

 Potential job openings—59,000

 Median annual pay—$54,480

5. Civil or architectural drafter

 Potential job openings—95,000

 Median annual pay—$51,640

6. Plumber

 Potential job openings—610,000

 Median annual pay—$51,450

7. Commercial diver

 Potential job openings—4,000

 Median annual pay—$49,090
8. Industrial machinery mechanic

 Potential job openings—330,000

 Median annual pay—$50,040

9. Heavy equipment mechanic

 Potential job openings—135,000

 Median annual pay—$49,370

10. Private investigator

 Potential job openings—45,000

 Median annual pay—$48,190

11. HVAC mechanic

 Potential job openings—387,000

 Median annual pay—$45,910

12. Interpreter or translator

 Potential job openings—78,000

 Median annual pay—$46,120

13. Carpenter

 Potential job openings—1,044,000

 Median annual pay—$43,600

14. Heavy tractor-trailer truck driver

 Potential job openings—2,135,000

 Median annual pay—$41,340

15. Motorboat mechanic

 Potential job openings—24,000

 Median annual pay—$38,780

16. Welder

 Potential job openings—458,000

 Median annual pay—$39,390

17. Dental lab technician

 Potential job openings—50,000

 Median annual pay—$37,680

18. Motorcycle mechanic

 Potential job openings—19,000

 Median annual pay—$34,720

19. Small engine mechanic

 Potential job openings—44,000

 Median annual pay—$33,730

20. Animal trainer

 Potential job openings—70,000

 Median annual pay—$27,690

21. Baker
  Potential job openings—291,000
 Median annual pay—$25,090

 Thinking Introvert Careers

Even though they might not necessarily go out of their way to engage in social opportunities,
thinking introverts don't mind being around a lot of other people. Unlike social introverts, their energy isn't drained by social interactions. But
they do tend to be very thoughtful and introspective. As a result, they often spend a lot of time using their imaginations and self-reflecting.

Thanks to their rich inner lives, thinking introverts are frequently very creative. They are often able to think outside the box, recognize the big
picture, and synthesize varying ideas into new innovations. Plus, many of them are known for being good listeners and showing respect for
other people's ideas.

That's why fields like engineering, technology, and art and designare full of great jobs for introverts in the thinking category. Examples include
occupations such as:

22. Aerospace engineer

 Potential job openings—46,000

 Median annual pay—$109,650

23. Environmental engineer

 Potential job openings—40,000

 Median annual pay—$84,890

24. Industrial engineer

 Potential job openings—197,000

 Median annual pay—$84,310

25. Civil engineer

 Potential job openings—259,000

 Median annual pay—$83,540

26. Computer programmer

 Potential job openings—155,000

 Median annual pay—$79,840

27. Web developer

 Potential job openings—146,000

 Median annual pay—$66,130

28. Video game artist

  Potential job openings—66,000 (for all multimedia artists and animators)
 Median annual pay—$65,300

29. Fashion designer

 Potential job openings—23,000

 Median annual pay—$65,170

30. Interior designer

 Potential job openings—65,000

 Median annual pay—$49,810

31. Graphic designer

 Potential job openings—260,000

 Median annual pay—$47,640

 Anxious Introvert Jobs

Like social introverts, anxious introverts prefer to be alone.

However, in this case, the introversion stems from painful or deeply felt anxiety about how other people perceive them. So anxious introverts
are shy, feel awkward in social situations, and tend to worry about what has already happened or what might go wrong in the future.

Some people are crippled by their social anxiety. However, introverts in this category frequently have some marketable abilities that make
them well suited for careers that require intense attention to detail. After all, their anxiety gives them a lot of practice at imagining—and
planning for—worst-case scenarios. So, many of them are able to develop laser-like focus on important details.

As a result, some of the top jobs for introverts in the anxious category involve performing critical work that's very detail-oriented or that
contributes to keeping people safe. For example, consider the following occupations that often enable anxious introverts to use their strengths
while working alone—or with only a few other people—for significant chunks of their day:

32. Statistician

 Potential job openings—44,000

 Median annual pay—$80,500

33. Commercial pilot

 Potential job openings—40,000

 Median annual pay—$77,200

34. Technical writer

 Potential job openings—57,000

 Median annual pay—$69,850

35. Accountant or auditor

 Potential job openings—1,418,000

 Median annual pay—$68,150

36. Medical lab technician or technologist

  Potential job openings—129,000 for technicians; 129,000 for technologists
 Median annual pay—$38,950 for technicians; $61,070 for technologists

37. Aircraft mechanic

 Potential job openings—109,000

 Median annual pay—$60,170

38. Audio engineering technician

 Potential job openings—17,000

 Median annual pay—$53,680

39. Auto mechanic

 Potential job openings—756,000

 Median annual pay—$38,470

40. Proofreader

 Potential job openings—22,000

 Median annual pay—$36,960

 Inhibited Introvert Careers

Introverts who are part of this category frequently appear very

reserved and laid back. They often do things more slowly than other people and don't react immediately when presented with opportunities to
speak, make decisions, or take action. In fact, inhibited introverts have a strong preference for thinking before doing almost anything.

But that reserved nature often comes with heightened powers of reflection and observation, which makes a lot of inhibited introverts good at
offering wisdom from a big-picture perspective. As a result, the best job for introverts of this kind tends to be something that allows them to be
a voice of reason.

Inhibited introverts are generally not afraid to ponder hard questions in order to find the truth and get to the heart of big challenges. That's why
a lot of them find success and fulfillment in fields such as science, counseling, and other vocational areas that require keen analytical and big-
picture thinking abilities. For example, they are often well suited for occupations like:

41. Physicist

 Potential job openings—17,000

 Median annual pay—$115,870

42. Astronomer

 Potential job openings—2,000

 Median annual pay—$104,740

43. Geoscientist

 Potential job openings—35,000

 Median annual pay—$89,780

44. Personal financial advisor

  Potential job openings—255,000
 Median annual pay—$90,530

45. Biochemist or biophysicist

 Potential job openings—32,000

 Median annual pay—$82,180

46. Management analyst

 Potential job openings—839,000

 Median annual pay—$81,330

47. Microbiologist

 Potential job openings—22,000

 Median annual pay—$66,850

48. Market research analyst or marketing specialist

 Potential job openings—771,000

 Median annual pay—$62,560

49. Anthropologist or archaeologist

 Potential job openings—7,000

 Median annual pay—$63,190

50. Conservation scientist

 Potential job openings—20,000

 Median annual pay—$61,810

51. Creative or non-fiction writer or author

 Potential job openings—126,000

 Median annual pay—$61,240

52. Wildlife biologist

 Potential job openings—19,000

 Median annual pay—$60,520

53. Career or education counselor

 Potential job openings—353,000

 Median annual pay—$54,560

54. Marriage or family therapist

 Potential job openings—57,000

 Median annual pay—$49,170

55. Mental health counselor

 Potential job openings—216,000

 Median annual pay—$42,840

56. Addictions counselor

 Potential job openings—141,000

 Median annual pay—$41,070

Introversion's Wide Spectrum of Traits

Everyone is introverted in some way—to at least a small degree. So popular stereotypes about introverts are sometimes misleading, even
though they prove to be accurate for many people.

These days, it's fairly easy to get a handle on your personality type through online quizzes or more extensive assessments like the Myers
Briggs Type Indicator. The results of such tests can offer clues to your individual strengths, but they can't necessarily give you firm answers
about what jobs to pursue. And they carry the risk of inspiring you to define yourself by them, which can limit your outlook and blind you from
good opportunities. The truth is, no personality assessment can ever be perfect, especially since human beings grow and change.

That said, it's important to be familiar with some of the most common traits and preferences of introverts. They include:

 Being alone or with very few people

 Drawing energy from within instead of from external stimuli
 Having a lot of personal space and "down time"
 Listening and observing more than speaking
 Waiting for other people to approach them in social situations versus initiating contact themselves
 Taking extra time to think before speaking or taking action
 Exuding a calm, quiet, and reflective demeanor
 Learning deeply about a few topics instead of superficially about many
 Having the freedom to work independently, with little or no supervision
 Rarely engaging in self-promotion
 Subduing their external demonstration of emotions
 Having limited contact with the public

It's important to note that every introvert is different and will not necessarily display all of the preferences and personality traits listed above.
Plus, introversion is not a mental disorder. And it's not confined to humans. Nearly every species on Earth has both introverts and extroverts,
including fruit flies.4

Even though our society—to a large extent—has been set up for extroverts to thrive more easily, it would be foolish to overlook the
contributions of millions upon millions of people who fall into the introversion spectrum.

Take Advantage of Your Inner Spark

Don't let introversion hold you back. As many of the best jobs for introverts prove, your personality can become your biggest asset. So if you're
ready to move your life forward, then explore the nearby training options that can help you get started on a suitable career path. Conduct a
quick search right now by putting your zip code into the following school finder!

Find a School Near You

 Academia, Four Meanings of Introversion: Social, Thinking, Anxious, and Inhibited Introversion, website last visited on May 6, 2016.
1

 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Projections, website last visited on February 2, 2018.
2

 PayScale, website last visited on February 2, 2018.

3

 Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, "Introverts: A Defense," website last visited on August 3, 2017.
4

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