Careers for the socially awkward

<p>as much as i hat to admit it, im not really a good people person; im shy, introverted, awkward, and nervous around people i dont know well. on an autism spectrum scale, i rate a 24, which means im not an aspie or anything, but im not to far away from being one. I think most people would recommend engineering for someone like me, but the problem is that im not really a math or science person. Im much more interested in sociology and anthropology. economics is the most mathy thing i could possibly ever imagine myself doing. What careers would you guys recommend for me?</p>

<p>also is it possible to do something in law that doesn't require social skills. im not really knowledgeable on all things lawyers can do, but i know not everyone does the stuff they do on law and order.</p>

<p>Pick what you enjoy the most. People will overlook the awkwardness if your are competent, confident, and passionate about what you do. Don’t pick a field just to fit in. Pick the thing you can see yourself doing for the next ten years if not for the rest of yur life. </p>

<p>If you have serious problems with math, then economics is not for you. If you’re okay with math and really enjoy philosophy and the study of human nature, then you could do well in economics. </p>

<p>Anthropology sounds good too.</p>

<p>many lawyers are introverts, so it could be a good path if you are ambitious and willing to put in lots of hours. much of law work is reading and writing in solitude, so there is not really a team or client component for most lawyers.</p>

<p>of course being an extrovert helps when a case goes to trial or you are doing business development/meeting new clients for your firm. but you could certainly be a successful associate and attorney as an introvert.</p>

<p>I was super shy in high school, I actually had social anxiety disorder and would freeze up whenever someone (particularly a boy) would talk to me. This posed a problem since I wanted to major in Political Science, a field you HAVE to be an extrovert for. My parents suggested I get a part-time job to open me up. I worked at Starbucks and was forced to talk to people I didn’t know. It helped immensely but I was still shy. Then I went to college and REALLY opened up. Perhaps it’s because I majored in something that I knew I understood well which boosted my confidence and in part because as you get older, you do become more comfortable with yourself. Now I work at a job where I literally have to talk to hundreds of strangers everyday and somehow relate to them, and I’m really good at it! So pick the field YOU want, you will open up. Just take a deep breath and relax.</p>

<p>Actuary</p>

<p>OP, I am exactly the same way as you, and I’m gonna be an actuary.</p>

<p>I’m kind of in the same boat, but at least in my case, I don’t think I can blame it all on genetics or internal factors. A few times Ive forced myself out of my comfort zone and done something I wouldn’t usually do, and from there on, that specific action has gotten easier with repetition.</p>

<p>Be an actuary! You can ask real/live actuaries questions about the career at the Social Actuary ([Social</a> Actuary -Forums, Networking, Exams & Jobs](<a href=“http://www.socialactuary.com%5DSocial”>http://www.socialactuary.com))…</p>

<p>The problem with being an actuary is the that the career is way over-advertised (including having spam bots on random forums) and now the market is over saturated. It’s a pity…</p>

<p>I agree with Tortfeasor, do whatever you will enjoy the most. You can work on social skills as you go along. Succeedsocially.com has some good advice and there are many books on the topic as well. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>