First popularized by Carl Jung, Introversion and Extraversion are personality traits that can help understand common human behavior. Are you more prone toward solo activities, maybe have some social anxieties, feel completely drained after social obligations? You’re probably an Introvert. This list is helpful to find work that fits your personality type.
Introverts do well in calm environments and work spaces that tend to be more private. As an Introvert, you probably don’t want to go into an aggressive, outgoing position like sales or stock trading. Introverts are more analytical and observational and find their energies are heightened with moments of reflection and lessen with too much interaction. There are certain careers that align with the Introverted person more than others. Highlighted below are what we found to be the Top 10 Careers for Introverts. The featured occupations not only present an ideal work surrounding for Introverts, they are more in demand nationally and have annual salaries that are relatively high.
Keep in mind though that it was also Carl Jung who said,
“There is no such think as a pure introvert or extrovert. Such a person would be in the lunatic asylum.”
Of course, people’s behaviors can often fluctuate; if an Introverted job is not working out for you, maybe you’re more Extroverted than you think. In that case, check our Top 10 Careers for Extroverts!
1. Land Surveyor
Anytime new construction takes place, a surveyor is sent out to measure distances and angles. They research land records, previous survey records and land titles. They locate boundary lines and record their results. Precision is the name of the game. The data of a survey must be accurate as their findings indicate where a new building can or cannot be built.
All information is prepared in the form of a report or various maps and presented their clients. Clients might be private, public companies or government agencies.
Surveying includes fieldwork conducted outdoors with camera-like heavy duty equipment as well as indoor office work. You may work on a team; however, a lot of the job is a solo gig. You will have to travel to the project location and stand for long periods of time. Sometime work will be in remote areas with very little communication with anyone. You did say you were an Introvert, no?
Median Salary: $56,230
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 10% increase between 2012 and 2022
2. Librarian
The library – the only place where you can legitimately tell people to shut up without seeming like a nut. It’s a world made by introverts, for introverts, and it can be yours to rule.
That may be an overstatement. But Librarian is an ideal job for the more introverted among us. Sure, you work with the public some, checking in and checking out books, giving recommendations, and helping with research, but much of your time is spent shelving books, cataloguing and filing, repairing damaged volumes, and other good recharging tasks. And if you’re so introverted the mild public interaction is too much for you, you can always specialize in something like archival or digital media, where your only company is rare books or computers.
Median Salary: $55,000
Education Level: Master’s degree
Projected employment growth: 7% increase between 2012 and 2022
3. Animator
Bringing drawings to life has always been the domain of focused, even obsessive, introverts. Sure, it takes many animators to make something like an animated feature film, but even in those large teams, most of the work in done individually, with an editor and director bringing all of the pieces together into a finished film.
Of course, the internet has created a new world of animation, much of which can be managed by just one animator; think of the little Google Doodle animations that make obscure historical dates and holidays so much fun. Same goes for video games – someone had to animate the characters in your favorite time-killing app. And odds are, that person is an introvert.
Median Salary: $61,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 6% increase between 2012 and 2022
4. Forensics
So you’d like to work in law enforcement, helping keep citizens safe and earning a tidy pension and retirement, not to mention reliable benefits. But you’re an introvert – there’s no way you’re walking a beat or patrolling the streets where you’ll have to interact with all kinds of people (especially people who don’t like you). Maybe a desk job, but that still means a lot of demanding, very stressed people to work with. And forget about prison guard. Sheesh.
There’s still a way to put away criminals from a safe space: forensic science. Plus, there are many specializations you could follow so you’re doing something interesting to you, such as digital forensics analyst (if you like computers), forensic pathologist (if you like biology), and print examiners (if you like – well, fingerprints). You may work in the field collecting evidence, or in a lab examining evidence, but in either case, it’s mostly just you and the evidence. Just the way you want it.
Median Salary: $52,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 6% increase between 2012 and 2022
5. Food scientist
A food scientist studies food. Scientifically.
Well, there you go. Nothing more to see here.
Okay, there’s a lot more to it. Some Food Scientists perform basic research learning about the biology and chemistry of the plants and animals we eat, to try and better understand how food affects our bodies, how to preserve and process foods effectively, and how to make food more sustainable. Others work in applied research, using the insights gained by basic researchers to make the products we see in our grocery stores.
As a laboratory-based profession, Food Scientist can be appealing to introverts who work better in small groups or with partners, but not with a lot of social interaction.
Median Salary: $65,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 9% increase between 2012 and 2022
6. Marine Biologist
Do you get along better with dolphins than with people? Is that a weird question? If you think it’s a weird question, move on. But if it struck a nerve, you may want to consider becoming a Marine Biologist.
As a Marine Biologist, you won’t be completely on your own; Jane Goodall might have gone to live with the apes, but going to live with the fish is another thing entirely. Most Marine Biologists will have to work in teams, since studying marine life requires a lot of equipment and specialized knowledge that no one person could be expected to have. But they will usually be small groups of trusted colleagues, not the general public, and much of your work will be with creatures who don’t expect you to make small talk. You don’t even have to be interviewed by National Geographic, if you don’t want to.
Median Salary: $57,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 5% increase between 2012 and 2022
7. Information Security Analyst
You really don’t need an explanation about why a computer career is good for introverts. You’re here already, on your computer. What you may not realize is that security is one of the fastest-growing, highest-paying careers that only requires a bachelor’s degree, and that doesn’t require you to sweet-talk or sell anyone anything. Security is its own selling point.
An Information Security Analyst keeps hackers out of networks, makes sure sensitive information is encrypted and protected, looks for weaknesses in security, and creates standards for others in an organization. They will periodically report to administrators, but for the most part, they’re at the computer, building and using tools to make sure no one steals your PIN number or SSN.
Median Salary: $87,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 37% increase between 2012 and 2022
8. Organic Farmer
If you’re happiest with a little dirt under your nails and a little sunburn on your arms, you know where you belong. And if you love the earth and distrust all the unnatural processes of industrial-scale farming, you may find yourself happiest as an Organic Farmer.
Let’s not mince words – there is nothing easy or lucrative about being a farmer. Organic farms are mostly small, family farms, and even if you’re doing well enough to hire workers, you’re going to be doing most of that work yourself. And farming is sun-up to sun-down, year-round hard labor. You have to do it for love. But, if you’re in the right market, where organic produce is appreciated, and you find a clientele who is willing to pay the extra price for quality, you might just make it. And you’ll do it on your own terms.
Median Salary: $31,000
Education Level: n/a
Projected employment growth: n/a
9. Technical Writer
You like to write, and you’re good at it, but moving to New York and living the Rent lifestyle doesn’t appeal to you. Way too many parties for you. There’s a way to write, make a solid income, and never, ever have to sing a show tune. Technical writing.
The Technical Writer writes all the things that no one thinks about someone writing – instruction manuals, FAQs, and data reports. To be a good technical writer, you need to be skilled in taking complex or confusing information and making it clear and accessible to the intended audience. Some skill with drawing or computer graphics is helpful too, as you will often make your own diagrams and charts to help readers visualize your instructions. It’s not romantic, but it pays better than slam poetry.
Median Salary: $65,000
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree
Projected employment growth: 15% increase between 2012 and 2022
10. Astrobiologist
Many an introvert has looked up at the stars, wondering how we got here and whether there’s anyone else out there wondering the same thing. Introverts are often dreamers like that. But there’s a job where dream meets reality, and that job is Astrobiologist.
No, it’s not just a career that exists on Star Trek. Astrobiologists combine astronomy, biology, and other scientific fields in a search for the origins of life on Earth and the possibility of life elsewhere. It’s a research field, largely in universities or NASA facilities, and while there may be some teaching involved, most of your career will be spent in books, at computers, at telescopes, and in laboratories. You can be just as social or antisocial as you want; if you want to be a conference star or the next Neil Degrasse Tyson, you can do it, but if you want to be alone with the secrets of the universe, go for it. They’re yours.
Median Salary: $106,000
Education Level: Doctorate degree
Projected employment growth: 10% increase between 2012 and 2022
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