16 Worst Jobs For Introverts and Best Careers For Shy People

Wondering “What are the worst jobs for introverts?” Check out this list and the best career alternatives to these jobs.

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Some people are confident to be on the front lines, greeting customers, doing sales pitches, and rubbing elbows with stakeholders. But others enjoy working behind the scenes, in the comfort of their own space, and are just plain averse to being in the limelight.

If you’re an introvert like me, then you probably identify more with the second statement.

You see, it took me long to realize this. For a few years, I worked jobs that weren’t right or best for me as an introvert, including teaching, journalism, and customer service.

I was very stressed and not happy, so I quit my previous jobs and wasted a lot of time in the process.

It’s why I think it is super important for introverts to be aware of the best jobs and, maybe, worst jobs for introverts.

So, if you are shy, aloof, and reserved, you should avoid the worst jobs for introverts and learn what you should do instead.

First, What is an Introvert?

Table of Contents

According to Simply Psychology, introverts are more confident and comfortable alone or as part of a small group. They find pleasure in less stimulating tasks such as reading and meditating.

Introvert personality types often feel the need for privacy, especially when they are in the company of a large crowd;having some time alone allows them to recharge.

Are Introverts Less Likely to Get Hired?

The truth is that there are many industries where introverts thrive.

According to Harvard Business Review, you don’t need a loud personality to make an impression on people. This study showed that introverts often exceed their employers’ expectations. Additionally, introverts often make better leaders.

In case you didn’t know, some of the most famous introverts are Albert Einstein, Mark Zuckerberg, Steven Spielberg, Warren Buffet, and JK Rowling.

This goes to show that introverts can often make a name for themselves in any field or niche they choose.

What Skills Do Introverts Lack?

It’s not fair to say that introverts are better than extroverts, or vice versa. They just respond to stimuli differently; both introverts and extroverts have their strengths and weaknesses.

But here are some characteristics that are common among introverts and shy people:

They process thoughts internally.

Instead of speaking up, introverts tend to keep things to themselves for some time. On the upside, introverts tend to think before they speak, giving them the time to consider their answers instead of just blurting things out spontaneously.

They tend to prefer working behind the scenes.

Introverts tend to work behind the scenes instead of being in the limelight. Large crowds, making small talk, and doing something in public (like speaking or presenting) are just some of the things that many introverts are not comfortable with.

But, place them within a smaller group of people or allow them one-on-one interaction, and these introverts are sure to shine.

They tend to work independently.

Introverts love to work independently. When placed in a role or project where they need to collaborate with others, introverts find it hard to delegate. And because they don’t speak up much, introverts may try to do all the work themselves which can send the wrong message to their colleagues.

What careers should introverts avoid?

If you are an introvert, some of the jobs you may want to avoid are:

Jobs that place you before a lot of people, such as receptionist, event planner, police officer, human resources staff, flight attendant, or public relations officer.
Jobs that require you to collaborate with others (instead of working on your own or independently).
Jobs that require you to speak up often, such as teaching and sales.

It is essential to find the right jobs that work for your introverted personality type.

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The Worst Jobs For Introverts Online and Best Alternatives

1. YouTube Content Creator

It takes a lot of guts and confidence to be seen on America’s most popular online platform – YouTube. I mean, more than 76% of US adults watch YouTube, so you should be confident to show your face, speak up, and do your thing if you are on YouTube.

Some types of YouTube content don’t require you to show your face, like cooking demos, crafting tutorials, and video compilations. But many people like to see the face behind the channel, so if you don’t feel comfortable about people seeing you, then YouTube is not the best platform for you.

Best career alternative: Blogging

Thankfully, you can still show your skills and passions through blogging. Unlike creating content on YouTube, blogging allows you to express yourself through written content (plus some media like photos and videos).

With blogging, you can spend your time alone brainstorming content and creating posts.

You can make money online through blogging in different ways, such as ads, sponsored posts, affiliate content, and the selling of digital products. Having a peaceful work environment and living the laptop lifestyle are a big plus, too.

Income potential: varies, but many bloggers consider blogging an online business that earns them a lucrative income.

Interested? Check out my guide on how to start a blog and make money ($10,000 per month) as a beginner!

2. Teacher

Teachers work in a busy environment. This is a high-stress job that requires them to deliver lesson plans and monitor student progress regularly. They spend a great deal of time working at school, setting up school meetings with pare after they get home.

Teaching is a noble profession, but not everyone can work in such a position. The job requires strong interpersonal skills. So if you are shy or aloof, it’s easy to see why teaching is one of the worst jobs for introverts.

Best career alternative: Course creator

You can avoid the large crowds and have a lot of time alone (while making money) creating online courses.

If you are an expert on a subject or niche, you can create courses and sell them for a profit. Selling online courses allows you to focus on your work and avoid dealing with multiple tasks simultaneously, making it one of the best jobs for introverts.

Income potential: varies; however, this m ath teacher has earned millions in passive income from the courses he created.

If you want to learn how to sell courses, here are some resources you may want to check out for free by signing up for Skillshare’s free trial:

3. Remote Salesperson

Sales may not be the best profession for introverts and shy people.

A sales representative typically has a friendly and outgoing personality and feels confident about meeting new people.

A remote sales representative can expertly get into a conversation with a potential customer, and convince the latter to make a purchase. Such a job MAY NOT be an introvert’s turf, even if the selling process takes place over the phone or on a video call.

Best career alternative: Online affiliate marketer

If you’re into selling but don’t want to do sales pitches or communicate directly with customers, then consider affiliate marketing.

A lot of people consider affiliate marketing as one of the best jobs for introverts because it’s a business you can work on your own. You don’t need the approval of anybody, so you get to call all the shots.

You need good written communication skills in affiliate marketing, but that’s a skill many introverts have.

Also, strong research skills would come in handy. Blogging is an excellent stepping stone in affiliate marketing, but you can promote affiliate products and earn commissions on other platforms such as social media.

Income potential: varies, but according to ZipRecruiter, an average of $74/hour.

4. Customer Service Representative

Working as a customer service representative can be draining for anyone, but most especially for shy people.

Customer service is an industry that requires customer interaction, so a CS agent or representative must be friendly, articulate, and possess strong communication skills.

This may not be the best job for you, especially if you don’t like to deal with customers.

Customer service can be a high-stress job for shy people, making it easily one of the worst jobs for introverts.

Best career alternative: Chat operator

If talking to existing and potential customers isn’t your strongest suit, then chatting with them might be your next best bet. You can still work in customer service, minus the phone calls, as a chat operator.

The primary job of chat operators is to communicate with customers via a chat platform. You will answer their questions, help them troubleshoot, place orders, and more. Many companies offer online chat operator jobs, so you can work peacefully in the comfort of your home.

Income potential: average base pay of $$45,194 /year

5. Modeling

If you like being in the center of attention, attending huge parties, and having your photos taken constantly by the paparazzi, then modeling sounds about right.

But be warned: working as a model exposes you to a lot of people, you are constantly posing before the camera, and your work environment can change from one moment to the next.

You’ll also deal with many different people, related to the brands you represent, the media, fans, and more.

Models are expected to carry on conversations smoothly with different types of people. So if you’re an introvert, you might want to give modeling a hard pass and look at the best career alternative.

Career alternative: sell feet pics

You can still be a model and an introvert if you’re more comfortable showing your feet and not your face. You can sell feet pics online through platforms like OnlyFans and Instafeet, and make money from the comfort of your home. Nobody has to ever know that you own that pair of pretty feet!

Don’t worry about your identity because you can hide behind an alias or a fake name. You can also create a dedicated email and PayPal account so you won’t have to give away your bank details to your buyers.

Also, the trade happens purely online and you wouldn’t have to meet customers face to face.

Income potential: you can sell a single photo of feet for as low as $5 or set a tiered subscription plan on platforms like OnlyFans.

6. Podcaster

Podcasting can be so much fun for extroverts. They get to talk on their own show, interview guests, and make money online through affiliate marketing and sponsored content.

But podcasting can be one of the worst jobs for introverts. The job responsibilities of a podcaster involve a lot of interpersonal skills, whether online or offline.

First, you would need to have something to say at all times because dead air on podcasts can drive your listeners away. You also need to develop marketing campaigns to strike deals with brands and make money from your podcast.

Introverts can easily see podcasting as a daunting and exhausting job, so it’s best to find an alternate that demands less use of verbal communication skills.

Best career alternative: Freelance writer

One of the best jobs for introverts is freelance writing. You can offer writing services to bloggers, authors, and digital and print publications. You can specialize in a niche, whether it’s copywriting, blog and article writing, or SEO-quality writing. The options are many!

And what’s even more rewarding is that you can usually set your own rates or pick projects that work best for you. You can also work on your own schedule (as long as you meet the deadlines), and change your work environment as you please.

With freelance writing, you’ll have limited human communication (perhaps with your editor or client), so it’s less stressful as well. With that in mind, freelance writing is indeed an excellent career option for a person with an introverted personality.

Income potential: average salary of $23.49 per hour

Want to learn how to become a freelance writer with no experience? Check out my freelance writing guide here!

7. Social Media Influencer

Social media influencers effectively promote brands, products, and services to their followers, aiming to sway their purchasing decisions. It may seem like Influencers live a glamorous life, but they have a lot of work to do.

For instance, they need to keep client relationships healthy and give their audience quality, valuable content. That means lots of communication happening between different people.

Since influencers typically work with a crowd, including the marketing management team, introverts are less likely to be cut out for this kind of work.

Best career alternative: Social media manager

Thankfully, you can still work behind the scenes as a social media manager. Unlike influencers who need to be in front of people, you can be working on the backend as a social media manager. The main responsibilities of a social media manager include establishing social media strategies to achieve the brand’s goals.

Income potential: around $55,000 a year

To learn how to become a social media manager, check out this bestseller Udemy course for only $15.99!

8. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistance has boomed as a much-needed industry during the last few years. Virtual assistants perform a range of tasks such as arranging meetings, setting up appointments, and even answering phone calls on behalf of their clients. Executive VAs also communicate often with their employers and team members through phone or video calls.

Virtual assistants are great at multi-tasking and typically have excellent communication skills. This job comes with a lot of pressure, too, especially if you report directly to the boss or CEO. Sadly, some introverts may not thrive well in this role.

Best career alternative: Non-voice VA jobs

If you still want to work as a VA but want to limit the amount of interaction you have with the team or bosses, you can opt for non-voice VA jobs instead such as graphic design, data entry, virtual bookkeeping, and product research.

These jobs don’t require micro-management, so you’re more likely to have the opportunity to work independently and not have to report to various people in the company.

Income potential: varies depending on the role

Want to learn how to become a VA? Check out this free workshop that will teach you how to get clients in 3 days!

9. Online Consultant/Coach

Online consultants or coaches provide guidance to their clients. Depending on the niche or your field of expertise, you could be a business consultant, life coach, marriage coach, personality development coach, etc.

This job entails having close contact with the client through sessions performed online. Suffice to say, you need strong interpersonal skills to communicate with clients effectively to help them achieve their goals.

Best career alternative: Self-published author

Instead of working with a client, you could just very well work with yourself. Banking on your expertise, you can write a book or books and make a career out of being a self-published author. You are basically your own boss, you get to decide on the contents of your book, and you can work whenever you please. Once the book is ready, you can self-publish it on Amazon.

Income potential: You can make around 40% to 60% in royalties per book

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10. Voiceover Jobs

Voiceover artists or voice actors give life to written material by reading it aloud and employing the right tone, accent, volume, and emotion.

Voice actors are often hired to do commercials, audiobooks, movie trailers, live events, and more. Such a job requires one to proactively seek new opportunities by networking with the key people in the industry as well as by submitting demos during application.

If you aren’t confident about projecting your voice or modifying it to fit the needs of the character, then VoiceOver jobs aren’t the perfect choice for you.

15 Real Sites that Offer Phone Actress Jobs for Women

16 Audiobook Narrator Jobs from Home

Best career alternative: Transcriptionist

If you’re more of a listener, then you can work as a transcriptionist. All you have to do is listen to the audio material and type the words you hear. You have to be careful, though, because some speakers have thick and inaudible accents. On the upside, you are able to work independently and communicate with your client when you’re ready to submit and take on new projects.

Income potential: around $28 per hour

Check out this free mini-course on transcription!

Other Worst Jobs for Introverts Outside the Home

Now that we’ve covered the worst for jobs for introverts online, let’s discuss the worst outside-the-home jobs for introverts.

11. Real Estate Agent

Most people would consider working as a real estate agent one of the worst jobs for introverts because of the amount of communication involved in succeeding in this role. Not only does a real estate agent need to prepare exceptional sales pitches, but they also need to sit through small talk with their clients.

Also, you need excellent negotiation skills between the seller and buyer and have to try to appease both parties in order to make money. Considering all that, being a real estate agent is not exactly an excellent option for introverts.

Salary: $94,658 per year

12. Taxi Driver

Having a clean driving record is not the only requirement to become a taxi driver. You also need to be communicative with your passengers as well. Imagine talking to tourists and answering their questions about the local destinations or the best restaurants in the area.

If you hate such small talk, then being a taxi driver is certainly one of the worst jobs for you.

Salary: $36,751 per year

13. Healthcare Worker

Healthcare workers often work in a fast-paced and busy environment, and they must be alert all the time. On top of that, a healthcare worker needs to communicate, not only with patients but with colleagues and the management as well to ensure the proper delivery of patient care. With that said, working in a healthcare setting might be a bad idea for introverts.

Salary: $69,870 per year

14. Event Planner

Event planners lead busy lives as they are the go-to person when pulling off huge parties, trade shows, bazaars, and corporate events under pressure. Also, event planners need to build key relationships not just with their clients, but also with vendors and suppliers.

The amount of social interaction event planners go through day by day can easily intimidate an introvert, so shy people should just steer clear of this role.

Salary: $51,892 per year

15. Salesperson

Retail jobs are also some of the worst jobs for introverts. Retail jobs can be exhausting, especially for someone who is shy or aloof. Not only do salespeople need to reach their quarterly sales targets, but they also need to converse with customers daily, just one of the things that introverts hate.

Salary: $25,250 per year

16. Police Officer

Working in the police department isn’t what you’d consider a calm environment. Police officers interact with various people daily, and they need to use conflict resolution skills when required. Police officers are expected to investigate crimes and appear in hearings and trials. The role comes with a lot of stress and challenges, making it one of the worst jobs for introverts.

Worst Jobs for Introverts FAQs

What jobs do most introverts have?

Most introverts prefer working in jobs that they can do solo or with limited interaction, so online and freelance jobs often come to mind. Introverts love peace and quiet, so jobs with less noise and distraction are perfect for them.

What are the top 5 worst jobs for introverts?

The top 5 worst jobs for introverts are jobs that involve small talk, a lot of social interaction, and heavy communication, such as event planning, sales, real estate, teaching, and public relations.

What are some high-paying jobs for introverts?

Some of the best jobs for introverts that pay well are social media management, virtual assistance, freelance writing, blogging, and affiliate marketing.

Final Thoughts

Selecting jobs based on your personality type is one of the best ways to ensure success in your chosen career path. You devote so many hours a day to working at your job, so it must be something that you are most passionate about, enjoy immensely, and can earn a reasonable income for you. This is the best way for you to attain a healthy work-life balance.

Remember: Introversion does not limit your professional options and earning potential. If you know what the worst jobs for introverts are (and which ones are the best for you), then you’ll find joy and job satisfaction in the career you chose!

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