Sometimes introverts feel like they’re all alone. I know I do!
Here you’ll find a link to a personality test for introversion, a brief description of introverted personality traits, and four ways to find a career that matches your low-key personality…
“You’ll find introverts in all walks of life,” says Shoya Zichy, co-author of Career Match. “However, you’ll find that more of them seek professions such as biologists, engineers, computer programmers, economists, and writers. These occupations require that people spend more time alone rather than working in teams.”
Since you spend 40 hours a week at work, finding a career that suits your introverted personality is crucial to your health, happiness, and well-being!
If you can’t think of a job you’d like, read 200 Best Jobs for Introverts.
And, check out these tips for introverts…
What Is an Introvert?
People with introverted personality traits:
- Get energy from “down time”
- Listen more than they speak
- Prefer to speak with one or two people at a time (instead of several people, or a big group)
- Are more detail oriented
- Need more personal space
- Are usually reserved
- Wait to be approached in social situations
- Are reflective and appear calm
- Think before speaking or acting
- Know a lot about a few topics
- Enjoy working alone or with one person
Source: Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead by Nancy Ancowitz.
Job Search Tips for Introverted Personality Types
1. Figure out how introverted you are. Most people have both introverted and extroverted personality traits. And, most people tend to be a little more one than the others…which is why taking a test for introverted personality traits is helpful!
For instance, if you’re highly introverted, then you might want to focus on a job or career that allows you to be alone most of the time, focus on details, and avoid groups or energetic social situations. If you’re only moderately or just slightly introverted, then a more social job might work well.
2. Get comfortable with your personality. Many shy, quiet people think they’re socially inept, weird, or antisocial! Introverts don’t always realize that they’re simply drained by groups of people and that they process their thoughts differently than extroverts.
The more you know about introverted personality traits – and the more comfortable you are with yourself – the easier it’ll be to settle into a career (and a life) you like. And, dealing with workplace stress and office politics will be easier if you have a little self-awareness and insight into how you tick.
3. Be persistent about finding a career that suits your shy, quiet personality. This may seem like an obvious tip, but so many introverts are stuck in jobs that don’t suit their personality types! Maybe they became discouraged during their initial career search and gave up too quickly, or they let a family member or friend railroad them into the wrong type of work. Maybe their supervisor or sheer luck kept giving them job promotions, or they couldn’t afford to quit and look for different work.
Whatever the reason, it’s smarter to stay focused on finding the best career that matches your personality traits – no matter how long it takes – than to give up before achieving your professional goals.
4. Research specific companies and occupations – don’t just look for a job. In the list of jobs for introverts at the beginning of this article, Zichy mentioned writing as a career. While it’s true that many writing jobs allow for independence, a quiet work space, and attention to detail, it depends on where you work!
For example, if you’re a reporter for a big city daily newspaper, you’re not likely to have your own office and lots of quiet time (at least not at the beginning of your writing career!). Finding a career for your personality isn’t just about deciding that writing is a good job for you as an introvert. You need to take it a step further, and research the actual company you’re thinking of working for, the work or office environment you’ll be in, and the specific job you’ll be doing.
“I hope that you’re doing what you love for a living,” writes Nancy Ancowitz in Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead. “If not, I encourage you to take steps in that direction – or at least find a way to include activities that you enjoy during your personal time.”
If you’re self-employed, read Tips from the Dragons’ Den – How to Attract Business Investors.
What do you think – does this help you figure out what type of career is best for your personality? Comments welcome below…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on being introverted, Lisa. I hope your life gets better soon!
Laurie,
You mentioned in your article that introverted people often feel weird or unable to communicate. Often times I have these same feelings and look for articles like this to remind me that it’s just how I am. Thank you for this.
It’s so important for introverts to find the job that suits them…that’s the first and most important tip for people with introverted personality traits!
Thanks for your comments; I really appreciate them.
Being an introvert can be hard sometimes, but it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. I’d definitely consider myself in the introvert category, and I’ve managed to make my own successful at home business. Things like freelancing writing from home are also a great supplement to my other income too. All those traits listed for introverts are ones that can definitely contribute to a great career, and it’s possible to make it work for you.
omggggg wow im ontrovent also…..and i haate it…..i dnt see a bright future for myself
i blame my bf for the 4 years weve been together he has put me down emotionally……………..
i feel for all you shy people out there………….
Thank you all for your comments! I’m so glad there are so many introverts out there, and that this article was helpful for many people.
And you’re welcome, Agnes
I’m a student Studying social work But since my childhood I’ve always admired to be a writer and i believe that is where I’m heading to. Thank you Laurie for this enlightenment. God bless you
Ok, I agree that we introverts should match our lives to our personalities.
But at times I have let my shyness (social anxiety) dictate and constrain my life rather than living the life that I really want.
Shyness made me give up on dreaming of the life I really wanted. And conversly, learning to dream again of the life I really wanted really helped my social anxiety.
Well I think I’ve always known that I was an introvert but growing up, going to school, being an introvert was seen as negative, as antisocial and of course I didn’t want to be that so I really pushed myself to be more extroverted but it was very hard, I realize now that it was because I was letting go of my true self. I remember watching a video, it was 7th grade I believe, the video was about introvert vs. extrovert, there was a girl who was the introvert, she was at a party of all places! all the other kids were laughing and having a good time and they had the introverted girl alone, head down, and looking very insecure, all the while the narrator explaining that this girl represented what an introvert was. And there I was watching this video thinking “oh my gosh, is that who I am? insecure? I don’t want to be that!” I knew I didn’t like to be in large groups, I was quiet and reserved, exactly what the girl was doing in the video only that they were making it seem like something negative and I was only 12 or 13, the age when you’re just beginning to know yourself. So this video really marked me and throughout school and throughout some of my adult life (I am 31) I put too much energy in trying to be extroverted, I didn’t want to accept that I was an introvert, I always associated it with something negative. So recently I took out a book from the library called “Introvert Power” when I saw it, I thought “how can the word ‘Power’ be associated with the word ‘Introvert’?” so out of curiosity I checked it out (not without a fight with my own mind, still correlating introversion with negativity). OMG! the first pages! WOW! it was like she was talking about in that book! and it wasn’t negative at all! everything was positive! I really recommend this book to all of you, even if you already know you’re an introvert, you’ll realize you’re not alone and we’re not a small group, we’re almost half of the population only that many of us act extroverted (exactly what I was doing years ago) so it makes it seem like there’s more extroverts than there are introverts. So I really recommend this book to every introvert out there and for those of you who have kids, especially teens or preteens who show signs of being an introvert because school can be very hard for introverts. The book is called “introvert Power” by Laurie Helgoe.
There is a difference between simply being introverted and being shy. I define shyness as being uncomfortable in social situations. The actual psychological term is social anxiety. Someone can be introverted but not have anxiety in social situations. From my own experience, and now with 20/20 hindsight, I highly encourage anyone who has social anxiety (shyness) to see a physician (a psychiatrist is probably the best option) ASAP. There are anxiety drugs that can help with the feelings of anxiety (fight or flight feelings, heart palpitations, voice quavering, etc.). Once the physical manifestations are minimized, it will be easier to put yourself in more social situations, including job interviews, dating, etc.
Ive made it through the entire work day without saying a word. Im a plumber who works on giant commercial projects. I get so damn lonely I have to go out after work for interaction when I want it. You want solitude? get a career that you can work with your hands and mind so that what comes out of peoples mouths is less important than the production accomplished by the bodys’ efforts. Sometimes I envy my buddies gift of gab but in the end i realize my job is extremely needed and fulfilling whereas running your mouth is sorely overrated.
i’m not sure how introvert am I. But if according to this articles, most of the qualities match with my behavior. I’m facing difficulties at work because probably I am too ‘shy’. like to spend time alone rather than have a discussion or meeting with staffs. I work as a manager of a park,which this job need to be with staff to discuss operational matters in the park. I feel very stress before, but now I try to learn to be more socialize. but still have difficulties to mix with staff. I am very young manager, 25 yrs old, but my staff mostly aged from 35 to 50 yrs old. How to solve this?
Unfortunately, writing is a job that doesn’t pay unless you’ve graduated with an English degree and work for a magazine or newspaper. I’ve always struggled with jobs because I despise “working in teams” (was always the first kid in school to ask “can I work alone” when the class was asked to group into 3s and 4s) and everywhere I’ve worked is a “team based” environment. I despise depending on others to do their job so that I can do mine because they never get their jobs done properly or in a timely fashion and I’m always held back by the team, then get the blame despite being the only person whose job was completed properly and on time. The list above fits me to a T. I don’t like being around people and I’m fine and comfortable with that, but unfortunately the working world insists on the strength of the team and scoffs the work of the individual.
Being an introvert does NOT mean you are a quiet person (although you may be an introvert AND a quiet person, but they are two different traits). The difference between an introvert and an extrovert, to put it simply, is where one get’s their energy. Extroverts get their energy from being around other people, whereas introverts reboot/gain energy from being alone (introverts expend all their energy when around others, and then need the time to go and “hide” to regenerate). Introverts can be VERY extroverted, but it is NOT where the energy is coming from. Anything else that might be going on is something other than introvert vs. extrovert. Again, the difference is simply a matter of where one get’s their energy from (internally vs. externally).
When I saw the title of this article, I was expecting something simple about how quiet people can get along at work. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find a more in-depth analysis of what defines an introvert. I’ve always known I was introverted, but I never realized that my other personality traits would be found in the definition. Every single thing in the “people with introverted personality traits” list above fits me. Especially, “prefer to speak with one or two people at a time” and “need more personal space” and “appear calm” (although I usually never am!). I graduated at the top of my class, but I tend to blank out in situations where I’m required to speak in front of others (especially if I don’t have time to prepare).
I truly came to know myself after graduating from college. It was only then that I had to start dealing with my introverted personality in job interviews and more uncomfortable social situations. I’ve slowly realized that I process my thoughts differently from other people, but that it’s okay. Most notably, I always wonder what is wrong with me when my co-workers invite me to happy hour, and I zone out as soon as we sit down at the bar or in the crowded restaurant. I try to follow the conversation, but I always find that I can’t concentrate and that I never know what’s going on (and I don’t drink, so that was never the issue…). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to combat this problem? I want to be social, but it’s very difficult at times.
Being detail-oriented has nothing to do with being an introvert. There are introverts who are detail-oriented and there are extroverts who are detail-oriented. The two are unrelated. Also the assertion that introverts are people who “know a lot about a few topics” is also inaccurate. There is no such correlation between being an introvert and knowing a lot about a small number of things. I am an introvert, have known for a long time and know a lot of trivia as well as a large amount about a broad range of subjects. Again, this has nothing to do with being an introvert and makes the list misleading. Other than that the list may be helpful for helping people identify themselves as introverts but there are plenty of good personality tests that can determine that with a greater degree of accuracy along a spectrum as everyone has at least some traits that are both introverted and extroverted. I don’t mean to knock this article but as an introvert myself I do not like untrue generalizations or misinformation about what an introvert is all over the place. A lot of people already think that quiet people are weird just because 75% of the population is extroverted and being talkative is the norm. Don’t need any more reasons to discriminate.
This introvert\extrovert article is great and all that, but it doesn’t begin to describe the company I work for. There’s no way to compensate for Management stupidity. For example: We just spent 19 months changing our entire e-commerce website around. So what happens? Management waits until 2 days before the launch to explain to customer service all the changes and don’t give us time to test the site ourselves and look at it before we have to answer and resolve customer technical issues about it. I worked Sunday night and the entire time the beta site was down for maintenance because they were working feverishly to have it up by 8 am Tuesday. I couldn’t look at a thing. Originally we were told it would live today. It went live yesterday. Now we’re finding out from complaining customers that some parts of the site don’t work AT ALL.
I don’t remember ever being asked to test any beta in the 19 months they were working on it. So what did they test it with?! LOL The other great thing we did recently was publish a promo email and mailed it to mass customer base saying “For filling out our survey you get 10% off your order with X company *plus* if you buy any items from ABC designer you get and additional 20% off.” What we really meant was you get 10% off survey discount and 20% off ONLY the ABC items. NOT 30% off the ENTIRE order. If that’s the case then we never should have used the word “plus” in the advertisement. So guess what? Every single person that noticed that said “I want 30% off my order or I”m canceling the entire thing” we had to give it to them. We lost a ton of money because we can’t proof read before send anything out!!!
Being an introvert is not a life sentence of solitude and dead-end jobs. Socializing is a skill that like any other, some people are naturally better at, but anyone can learn the basics with practice. I am naturally a very shy and introverted person, and if I’d continued to go with my natural instincts and avoid interacting with people through my adult years like as I did when I was younger, then I’d still be the same unhappy person I was then. The best thing introverts can do is force themselves to face their fears and engage people. You may be pleasantly surprised how well people respond when you say what you think and are brave enough to show your own personality to more than just a few trusted friends and family members. I think many introverts, like Lisa here, suffer from automatic negative thoughts. They’re so critical of everything that they shoot down their own thoughts and ideas before they can verbalize them. And when they do actually open their mouth, it’s often something negative which gets a negative reaction discouraging them from interacting more. It’s not easy to change, but you can break yourself of these bad habits by making the effort to engage people, taking an interest in others, trying to be outwardly focused rather than concentrating on your own thoughts, pay more attention to nonverbal cues and emmulate what socially successful people do, maintain a sense of humor and just smile every now and then for god sakes!
Somehow a disappointing article. I thought this article will give a list of possible careers for an introvert.
I know exactly how you feel, Lisa. Something this nation sorely lacks is a government grant program for working artists. So many of us are required to work terrible jobs we hate just to make ends meet. Some of us manage to find the time and energy after work to produce our crafts. A rare few can actually make a career out of their talent.
Many, many people have a hobby they call art. But only some of us are cursed with a serious muse calling. I make no illusions about my talent. I’m not Stephen King. But I understand my personality, and if I don’t spend time actually writing, I totally lose my marbles. It’s not a hobby, it’s what I was born to do. And if society meshed better with the reality of human nature, I’d be getting paid right now to write all the time, not squeeze in fragments here and there between hours and hours of banal retail or factory work.
I’ve worked 24 years at my first job and did not realize that personality could play a part in handicapping a worker’s abilities. Only now during my current job search do I keep that in mind, and this article confirms my thoughts. Being introverted is even harder for a man because we are expected to be aggresive, whereas quiet women tend to do relatively well in society. I’ll continue seeking a job appropriate for my introverted personality and not settle for any job, hoping I’ll fit in. And to Lisa, relax, start small, maybe a blog’s a good start to get your work noticed; good luck.
This a good article. It helps me recognize my true self being an introvert person which all the personality traits applies to me. But being an introvert does not mean that you can’t land a job that you really like most. Yes, its true its very disappointing sometimes when it comes to interviews. However, there’s one solution for that, its called “MIND SETTING” as a first step of getting a job that you like. If you THINK that you can do the job and most importantly, the DETERMINATION and BELIEVE you can have it, then it will be yours. But if you THINK otherwise, then its your SELF that has a problems, not the interviewer.
I thought this was a great article. Out of the 29 traits I agree with 28. I was recently let go by my employer because I “wasn’t a good fit.” “We are all pretty social here and you’re not so I’m letting you go.” I would rather be home working on my art alone but that dose’nt pay the bills. Reading this article made me feel better though. Atleast I know I’m not alone, or crazy.
I’m so glad you have figured out who the few introverts are. I honestly believed that there weren’t alot of people like me. I like spending time with people, but not as much as others. I know alot of needy people who would much rather be with others than by themselves. They always puzzled me. I thought it was a self-esteem issue, but I never really knew. I enjoy my “me” time, and feel suffocated by people who mess up that flow. Their negativity drains me literally. I used to write short stories and poems, but now I write and sing songs. I’m into the arts like dancing, singing, writing. It’s the only way I can express myself without feeling judged. Thanks Laurie, please make more articles like these!
Are you kidding. It’s practically impossible to get a job if you are an introvert. People who are quiet are socially stigmatized from grade school on. If introverts think they are socially inept, weird or antisocial it is because this idea has been repeatedly pounded into them by society. The quiet children are an easy target, and extroverts have no qualms about announcing their obnoxious opinions. By the time everyone is adults, the mantra has been repeated so often that people believe if you exhibit a little reserve you are somehow freaky and subhuman. I’ll graduate next year with a business degree in accounting and economics. Despite the fact that I have worked twice as hard in school as most students, and will graduate near the top of my class, I have no illusions that I will land some great job.
Lisa, maybe portraying a more positive/less bitter attitude will help you find a better job and start making connections? Just a thought. (I know you think it’s probably a dumb one.)
Lisa,
This is a good article. Not everyone is lucky enough to know what you already know about yourself and may find the article interesting or even find that it backs up what they already were thinking. If you gave up on finding a job that you love, that is your own fault. There are ways to find your dream job without all the horrible probing, prying, nerve-wracking interviews. I have had more luck in going to temp agencies and proving my abilities while in the job and working my way where I want to be within the company once I am there. I understand about the interviews. I hate them too. No one wants to hire a shy introvert who is crazy nervous about the interview itself. Good Luck and keep trying.
I think this was a great article because of the checklist! I never put two and two together when it comes to my own personality. I am a pretty friendly person…but I do require larger amounts of “individual” time than the average person. I spend alot of time in meetings at work…and I like to be alone on the weekends to “recharge”. Working in larger groups is draining for me. I have known what the word introvert means for some time, but just never associated it with myself. I guess because “not working well in groups” is considered negative, and no one wants to associate something negative with themselves.
Oh my gosh! I am 57 years old and have never understood why I have never fit the mold. Though I have heard the terms extrovert and introvert, I have not given it much thought until I read this article today. In general, I resist categorizing people, but this article is so enlightening!
Thank you Laurie! I have a feeling that my future may hold more true happiness than my past, simply because I now understand myself better. I have never really been successful in any job, although my employers generally approve of my performance. However, I do have a book that I just completed last month. Writing is where my true passion lives.
Again, Thank You! Thank You, Laurie! Great article. Keep up the good work!
This article couldn’t have been anymore useless. I have known I was introverted my whole life so I don’t need some dumb check list to determine if I am or not. In addition to that I know what kind of career I want. I have a degree in English so obviously my dream job would be to become a writer. So now where do I stand? I know my personality is best fit to become a writer but those jobs are very few and far between. Now do you have any help? Want to trade jobs? I work retail so I doubt it. Want to find me a publisher? Yeah, I doubt that as well. I don’t care what anyone says… finding a good job is simply about having connections and luck. I could apply at jobs until the sun goes down but that doesn’t mean any of these places are going to hire me. Being shy has been a huge disadvantage when it comes to job interviews and picking a terrible major in college hasn’t helped me at all either.
I must have been kidding myself to think I would ever find a job I actually liked after graduating from college.