<p>I consider myself and introvert but am certainly not shy or quiet when it comes to school or subjects I am passionate about. I am a high school senior, so I've recently started thinking about what kind of job I'd like to do in the future. Scientific research appeals to me, but I'm afraid of my life being dictated by where jobs are available in my field, b/c from what I hear, research/science jobs are scarce.
I'm curious: are you an introvert, and what kind of work do you do, and do you enjoy it?
What careers would you recommend for a motivated introvert who writes well and doesn't necessarily want to do repetitive or rote work in a cubicle?</p>
<p>I’m not a parent but I consider myself to be an introvert. Here’s what I learned from my current part time job, when I want to be I can “fake” being an extrovert. At times the introvert in me comes out at work but once I remind myself I can correct it. Example: I have to greet strangers and then take them back to do orientations in a one on one setting, sometimes I wouldn’t talk to the person on the walk to the room which is rude of me. So I would force myself to ask about their day, goals for the program, and sometimes they just asked me questions.</p>
<p>I had a lecturer in one of my courses explain he is a introvert and taught us a few tips in faking in it. One that I still use even outside of work is to say hello to anyone within 5 ft of you. It’s polite and you never know who you will meet. I did this to some professors I didn’t even know and they replied back sometimes starting conversation. Second one was always keep a smile on your face.</p>
<p>Have you considered accounting? I heard it is a good job for introverts and my mother had to take a course on grant writing. I should also say I did mini speeches to new participants, and one time to a group of visitors from Europe that was a total surprise which was followed by a Q and A with me. I didn’t even know until they walked in the room. It gets better with practice and after work I can go back to being myself.</p>
<p>It’s hard to think of any modern job for which an introvert is well-suited. Even scientific research, while generally carried out in one’s own lab, is a widely social and collaborative endeavor in which networking is critical to building a career. The relationships you form with other scientists are one of the most rewarding parts of being in research.</p>
<p>My advice would be not to look for a job for introverts, but to look for ways to become more social. Talk to the cashier when you’re buying something, offer (genuine) compliments to strangers, and when making conversation, ask people about themselves. You can ask almost any senior in your school – whether you know them or not – where they’re going to college, what they want to study, what other schools they looked at, and why they chose the school they did. Most people will readily talk about themselves and their goals/accomplishments, which opens the conversation easily and takes the onus off of you to speak. Do this is small steps and you’ll gradually find yourself becoming less and less introverted.</p>
<p>I think there are plenty of jobs for introverts… lots of CEO’s are. There was an article in Time magazine about being Shy… that was about introverts. Writing is always a good basis for doing something where you work a lot alone. Introverts are sometimes social… they just prefer it in more limited doses.</p>
<p>There is a difference in introversion. Most people are ok dealing with people you work with (vs. having to go out and meet clients). If you don’t like working in a cubicle, then being a truck driver or Chef would be jobs with limited interaction with other people. Caretaker of a lighthouse is good too.</p>
<p>If you want help from other people, I think you need to be more specific on what you like to do. If you don’t want to live in a specific area, then where do you want to live? If you like North Dakota and being outside, then petroleum geoligist might be good (find new oil fields, extract what is there).</p>
<p>I always recommend the bok What Color Is Your Parachute for people thinking about jobs.</p>
<p>How about journalism? You would have lots of interaction with people, but it would be task-oriented, not schmoozing. As an introvert, I have no trouble talking with people about the work I’m doing. I just don’t like small-talk situations.</p>
<p>I heard Susan Cain speak this past fall. She wrote a book called, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” You might want to check it out. You should know that, like, half the population is introverts and there are lots of fields you can go into. (This was at a Society of Actuaries meeting. Probably 90% of us raised our hands when she asked who in the room considered themselves introverts.)</p>
<p>If you lean towards science and math, then look at Pharmacy as a career. As a pharmacist you can work primarily on your own but you aren’t locked to a desk or cubicle. Pay is good too. Not much writing involved though.</p>
<p>MyLB gave you a great suggestion - “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” is a life-changing read, I highly recommend it. You’ll discover that Steve Jobs was an introvert as were many other famous, successful people. </p>
<p>You will really look at yourself and everyone around you differently once you read it.</p>
<p>LOL… I’m introverted, not socially inept.
Like I said, I have no problem talking to people, even to crowds when it’s about something I care about. I just don’t want to be surrounded by dozens of people who I am expected to pander to all the time. I prefer the contact of small groups.
Crowds are not a fear for me, just an annoyance if experienced in excess. I find lying to people to make them feel comfortable emotionally draining.
However, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy meeting new people and want to sit in a corner by myself all the time.
Thank you though to you and all the other posters for taking the time to respond.</p>
<p>Job for introvert - President of the United States</p>
<p>Thomas Jefferson: No gift for oratory but he wrote the most important and most beautiful document in the world - The Declaration of Independence</p>
<p>[THOMAS</a> JEFFERSON – Introvert of the Week :: Introvert Retreat](<a href=“http://introvertretreat.com/29/thomas-jefferson-introvert-of-the-week/]THOMAS”>http://introvertretreat.com/29/thomas-jefferson-introvert-of-the-week/)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.thoughtful-self-improvement.com/Introverts-T2.html[/url]”>http://www.thoughtful-self-improvement.com/Introverts-T2.html</a></p>
<p>I am an introvert, and I work in the IT industry. I am NEVER the most introverted person in the room there. 
I started as a programmer, but I do like to organize things. My undergraduate degree was in business, but I took quite a few computer classes just because I liked them (didn’t discover this until I took a required class in it as a junior, too late to change my major and graduate on time). Eventually I became a project manager. It has forced me to develop some “extrovert” skills, but my natural state is still as an introvert.</p>
<p>If you are an introvert, look for medical lab tech majors or medical imaging. The lab techs tend to work solo or in a lab with a few people and since you like lab work, sounds like a great fit. Starting pay around here rivals that of engineers, in the $50-60k range, a bit higher for medical imaging (CT, MRI, Ultrasound, etc.).</p>
<p>This may seem counter-intuitive, but have you considered teaching?
If you are not shy about subjects you’re passionate about–you might enjoy sharing your passion by getting up in front of a class/leading a discussion on some of those subjects.
S#1 is an introvert, but he really loves being a high school teacher.</p>
<p>S #2 is even more of an introvert. He recently changed his major from actuarial science to computer science. The head of the actuarial science program told him–in a thick foreign accent–that he really needed excellent verbal communication skills to be an actuary. That was enough to scare S into changing his major!</p>
<p>Great, easy to use book - 10 Best College Majors For Your Personality</p>
<p>My S is an introvert, and like you is trying to figure out what will work for him in terms of careers. He is currently taking a course in alternative energy & finds it extremely interesting. I am encouraging him to talk to the prof about working with him … it seems like a good field for him. (He is also not socially inept!:))</p>
<p>I’m basically an introvert who can be extroverted when I need to. I actually am fine with people and interested in them, but need to be alone and get recharged. Architecture works well for me as there is a very set list of info I need from clients, so I am not at a loss for words, but there’s also a fair amount of desk time when I don’t have to talk to anybody. My biggest problem is somewhat of a phone phobia - I really hate initiating phone calls, though I don’t mind receiving them. Email has made my life so much easier, and you have all agreements in writing and it’s easy to send pictures and mark them up. For me the hardest part of the job is going to zoning boards and boards of architectural review to get variances and okays on design.</p>
<p>Math is a good field for an introvert - get data, do analysis, report results, do it again.</p>
<p>I’m an extreme introvert, bordering on a hermit. I’m retired now, but I loved my job as a technical writer/editor. Almost everything was handled via email.</p>