No one would ever put “event manager” on a list of the best jobs for introverts. I bet you are already cringing at the thought of a fellow introvert.
I am an introvert and was an assistant event manager for a few years. While I dreaded it most days, the positive side is that I learned a lot about project management when all was said and done.
I try and hang on to that as I recall my disdain for all the social interaction that was required: the constant ringing of my phone and the busy environment when we set up for an event with all the people around me, everyone wanting a piece of me because I had the info they needed.
If you want to avoid what I experienced for those three years and would much rather avoid jobs better suited for extroverts, you’ll find a comprehensive career list of suitable jobs right here.
What Is An Introvert?
Introversion is a personality trait often seen as the opposite of extroversion. People who identify with an introversion personality type are called introverts, meaning they tend to turn inward and focus more on their feelings, thoughts, and ideas.
Introverts also thrive in environments with minimal stimulation because they will experience an “introvert hangover,”… feeling wholly drained after spending time with too many people or having too much social interaction.
No one is quite sure about what causes people to be introverts, extroverts, or ambiverts (yes, that is also a thing).
Introversion could result from physiology or genetics, where you are born with a particular personality type. Or it could be a product of your environment, such as how you were raised, your life experiences, and your education.
A study found that an introvert’s brain works a little differently when compared to an extrovert’s brain. When an extrovert is in a social environment, they get an excited or pleasure buzz, so their dopamine (the chemical messenger responsible for how we feel pleasure) levels spike.
Introverts are more sensitive to dopamine, so highly sociable events aren’t enjoyable. With lower levels of dopamine, an introvert feels drained and uncomfortable.
Introverts also have an increased blood flow to their frontal lobe, which helps them solve problems, plan, and remember. They prefer to focus inward and not get busy socializing outside their mind and comfort zone.
Personality Traits of an Introvert
Here are the personality traits of introversion:
Introversion also has 4 subtypes, so you likely fall into one of these categories:
- The anxious introvert – likes alone time; and feels awkward around people
- The restrained introvert – think before making a decision
- The social introvert – prefer small groups
- The thinking introvert – think a lot; daydreamer type; creative imagination
Is Introversion Bad?
The pandemic and lockdowns around the world have highlighted the extroverted culture of a traditional workplace, especially since introverts thrived when they could work from home.
A BBC article said it best: “The workplace was created by extroverts, for extroverts,” which is also why it feels like introverts are destined to fail in so-called extroverted careers and environments. Plus, it’s why introversion has such a bad rep – and being an introvert isn’t a bad thing at all.
Misconceptions and labeling introverts as “reserved,” “shy,” “arrogant,” “unfriendly,” “unable to be a leader,” “people haters,” “too serious,” and “rude” don’t help. Introverts are misunderstood by extroverts, who outnumber introverts at a ratio of 3:1.
But being an introvert isn’t a character flaw. In fact, in some ways, it’s considered a strength, despite society telling you there is something wrong with you. You can be successful in your workplace, whether it’s more suitable for extroverts or introverts because the power of self-acceptance helps you leverage your gifts and feel free to be yourself.
So, with that in mind, let's talk about the great job opportunities for introverts.
25 Best Jobs and Career Paths for Introverts
Working in a career better suited for introverts indeed makes life easier, so here is a list of jobs that are great for quiet, reflective people.
1. Writer
Basic Overview
Since introverts are usually better at expressing themselves with the written word, becoming a writer is ideal for an introvert. There’s a wide possibility of jobs for writers, from creative writing and technical guides to web content and copywriting. Both in-house and independent contractor writers need to liaise with their clients or bosses, so some social interaction is required, but for the most part, writers are independent. They can deeply think about their content creation process.
Average Salary
$42,502-$55,000/annum or more
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
2. Editor
Basic Overview
As an editor, you can specialize in copyediting, proofreading, developmental editing, structural editing, line editing, and content editing, where you work with books, web content, white papers, marketing material, and more.
Depending on the type of editing you do, you are responsible for checking everything from punctuation, grammar, and spelling to bigger elements like continuity, overall soundness, character development, and more.
You can work as an independent contractor or at a magazine, corporate company, or publishing house. When creating content, you typically work by yourself, but you need to interact with your boss or client.
Average Salary
$35,904-$133,000/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
3. Content Manager
Basic Overview
Content managers work with an agency or client(s) to decide on content for their website, social media platforms, etc. They are responsible for all aspects of content creation – topic and keyword research, SEO strategy, briefs, and style guides for writers and editors, and publishing or delivering content to clients.
Most of these responsibilities are done remotely and also call on an introvert’s preference for writing.
Average Salary
$63,314/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
4. Translator
Basic Overview
Fluent in more than one language? You can consider becoming a translator, whether you have general skills or technical expertise, and translate documents or conversations from one language to another.
Translating transcribed or written materials means you work mainly by yourself and on a flexible basis. You can also become a translator for diplomats or business officials, which means there’s more social interaction.
Average Salary
$52,330/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
5. Social Media Manager
Basic Overview
A social media manager works for an agency, content-producing company, or several clients to promote the company, services, and products on social media platforms like Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Working behind the scenes (perfect for an introvert, right?), these managers are responsible for reaching new leads or customers, engaging with the company's followers and fans, creating social media content and a content calendar, and more.
Average Salary
$55,314/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
6. Photographer
Basic Overview
A photographer is someone who captures images via a camera, and while this can sound boring, photographers can be creative with how shots are composed. Plus, there are various niches in photography you can specialize in: weddings, babies, family gatherings, fine art, portraits, commercials, modeling and fashion, sports, aerial, and even scientific photography.
You may interact with your subjects, clients, or helpers to set up the shots, but photographers generally work alone.
Average Salary
$69,000/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
7. Psychologist
Basic Overview
Psychology is quite a wide field of study. You can choose to become an aviation, consumer, forensic, military, school, bio, clinical, cognitive, community, comparative, counseling, cross-cultural, developmental, health, or personality psychologist.
These professionals study mental processes and human behavior to understand how people relate to others and their environment.
Average Salary
$95,438/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
8. Psychiatrist
Basic Overview
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in mental health. As a deep thinker and seeker of meaning, understanding the human mind could be interesting for an introvert, even though there is a lot of social interaction with patients.
When a psychiatrist seeks a patient, they diagnose, treat, and help prevent behavioral and emotional mental health issues using psychoanalysis, counseling, and medication.
Average Salary
$216,090/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
9. Accountant
Basic Overview
Becoming an accountant may have been your first thought when considering the best jobs for introverts. After all, accountants work with numbers all day, so there’s no time for social interaction, right? True, but these professionals do need to communicate with their clients – when required.
An accountant helps businesses and individuals understand their financials to make sound decisions. For a company, an accountant keeps track of transactions, monitors financial performance, and prepares financial statements.
Average Salary
$65,700/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
10. Park Ranger
Basic Overview
If being out in nature helps you recharge, then a park ranger job is ideal for the introvert in you. Park rangers work in visitor centers in state and national parks, give tours, patrol the park grounds, and participate in search-and-rescue missions. So yes, there’s social interaction with your colleagues and park visitors, but you are out in nature so that you can recharge!
Average Salary
$51,481/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
11. Software Engineer
Basic Overview
Software engineers combine programming know-how with their understanding of business to create a software application that will solve a company’s pain points. Becoming a software engineer is one of the best jobs for introverts because it appeals to their sense of planning, problem-solving, thinking about problems and solutions, and working independently or in small teams.
Average Salary
$121,366/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
12. Veterinarian
Basic Overview
Another good job for introverts is becoming a veterinarian. You get to work with animals more than people. A vet is an animal doctor who examines sick or injured dogs, cats, exotic animals, and more to diagnose and treat them. A vet may need to interact with the pet’s owners to advise them on care, administering meds, and so on.
Average Salary
$112,302/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
13. Data Analyst
Basic Overview
Becoming a data analyst is another excellent job suited for an introvert because you get to use data, solve problems, make predictions, and then help the company strategically decide on plans for product development and more. As such, data analysts turn data gathered from customers, the company’s performance, products, and costs into insights.
Average Salary
$90,000/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
14. Astronomer
Basic Overview
The quiet fascination with space, meteors, black holes, and more might sound really attractive to introverts who like to live in their own worlds. Astronomers study the universe to try and understand planetary and solar systems and the cosmos by developing hypotheses, writing research proposals, gathering and analyzing data, publishing papers, and presenting findings.
Astronomers usually work in teams with other scientists, but there’s space to work independently too.
Average Salary
$117,053/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
15. Financial Analyst
Basic Overview
In the financial analyst role, you can choose to work for:
This job is ideal for introverts who are independent, deep thinkers, and planners.
Average Salary
$71,453/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
16. Marine Engineer
Basic Overview
A marine engineer is one of the best jobs for an introvert because they mainly work on designs in front of a PC, have limited social interaction, and need to use their deep thinking and planning skills. A marine or ship engineer works with naval architects to design, build, test, and repair boats, underwater craft, ships, and more.
Average Salary
$92,400/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
17. Medical Transcriptionist
Basic Overview
Working with various health care providers, medical transcriptionists (or medical language specialists) transcribe (listen to and accurately record) each provider’s dictated notes according to the practice’s template so every patient’s medical history and treatment is recorded.
Apart from reaching out to the provider to get clarification if there’s conflicting information, a medical transcriptionist works independently and uses their medical knowledge to ensure there are no mistakes.
Average Salary
$57,786/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
18. Application Developer
Basic Overview
An application developer, or app developer, creates, tests, and programs apps for smart devices (phones, tablets, smartwatches, and more) and computers. You may work solo as an app developer (which is perfect if you are an introvert) or as part of a team (some social interaction isn’t bad, right?) – data scientists, graphic artists, and other software experts.
You need to know the appropriate coding language to code the app for the platform: MacOS, iOS, Google Android, Windows, or something else. You can also specialize in a niche to create social networking tools, maps, navigation tools, weather apps, games, and more.
Average Salary
$84,615-$97,691/annum (or more!)
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
19. Artist
Basic Overview
An artist creates art that is beautiful, functional, unique, interesting, and/or thought-provoking. They strive to communicate and express their thoughts and feelings through various mediums, from textiles and wood to ceramics, metal, and paper.
As an artist, there are many niches you can specialize in: fine arts, visual arts, painting, animation, sculpting, special effects, illustration, glassblowing, weaving, and so many, many more.
While you can create art, you can also move into other art-related jobs, such as becoming an art director, fashion designer, digital designer, art teacher, interior designer, museum curator, or art conservator.
Being an artist is ideal for introverts because you can put a paintbrush to artwork (so to speak), work solo, think deeply, plan and be creative, and use observation to create art.
Average Salary
$67,531/annum on average
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
20. Architect
Basic Overview
Most architects work independently and spend time on their own, coming up with concepts, being creative, problem-solving, and designing buildings and other projects. You may need to occasionally communicate with your boss, team, and clients, and there’ll be the occasional meeting to attend.
An architect designs new construction projects, like houses, apartment buildings, and commercial spaces, and they also work on alterations and redevelopments. In essence, architects design buildings that are safe, sustainable, functional, and visually pleasing or interesting.
Average Salary
$88,825-$132,000/annum on average
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
21. Pilot
Basic Overview
A pilot is a good job choice for fellow introverts. While a pilot may have a co-pilot, there’s plenty of time for introspection, problem-solving, independence, and quiet while in the air.
A pilot must also plan their flights, keep all the passengers, crew, and cargo safe, and more.
Various jobs are available in the flight industry—you can work on charter flights, fly commercial planes, perform rescue operations, air firefighting, crop dusting, aerial photography, private flights, aerial tours, and more.
Average Salary
$144,900/annum on average
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
22. Paralegal
Basic Overview
Legal assistants and paralegals help lawyers prepare for meetings, hearings, and trials. They also help manage and organize all the documents and data collected during a case and use various tech and software programs to do so.
A paralegal may also need to summarize testimonies, interrogations, and depositions, do legal research, locate and interview witnesses, and draft legal documents, pleadings, and correspondences.
While a paralegal works closely in a team, with clients and others, you also get to work independently, problem-solve, think analytically, plan, and write. Thus, introverts make great paralegals.
Average Salary
$53,640-$105,620/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
23. UX Designer
Basic Overview
A UX designer, or a user experience designer, makes services and products more accessible, usable, and enjoyable for customers and clients. In essence, a UX designer focuses on all aspects of the development of a product or service – from design and usability to function, branding, marketing, competitor analysis, and more.
A UX designer usually works as a freelancer, in a company as part of their in-house design team, or a design agency.
While these designers work as part of a larger team, so there’s communication and planning with others involved, you’ll have plenty of time to work independently, test, research, and write, observe, and think. These aspects make this job fit for an introvert.
Average Salary
$95,700/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
24. Truck Driver
Basic Overview
Truck drivers are responsible for driving commercial vehicles—various kinds of trucks—to transport goods and materials from one place to another. They also need to perform preventative maintenance on their vehicles, inspect their vehicles to ensure they’re in working order, and plan routes.
They also need to load freight onto the truck, know their truck’s capacity, and offload the goods at their destination.
The life of a trucker suits introverts – you have peace on the road, and you can plan and think. You’ll just need to learn the trucker lingo to fit right in!
Average Salary
$77,900/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
25. Graphic Designer
Basic Overview
A graphic designer uses computer software or their hands to create visual concepts to share ideas. They combine art and technology to do this.
Graphic designers can specialize or work on all kinds of projects – from print and digital ads and websites to branding material, magazines, reports, brochures, and more.
While these designers are usually part of a team if they work in-house, they can also strike it out on their own. They work independently, plan their creations, attend some meetings with their team and/or clients, write or create art, and think.
Average Salary
$55,000/annum
Education Requirements
How to Get Started
Final Thoughts on the Best Jobs for Introverts
Being an introvert is a wonderful thing despite being so thoroughly misunderstood by extroverts. If you are stuck in a job that’s more suited for extroverts, accept who you are, turn your introversion into your greatest strengths, and shine!
If you are looking for a new career path, there are plenty of jobs for introverts out there that are better suited for you—even more than what I have on my list here. Are you seriously allergic to people? Then check out our list of 15 jobs if you like working alone.
