what's a good job/career idea for an introvert?

[SparklyUnicorn]

I thought about signing up for a tax prep course.  I like doing taxes.  Weird, I know, but I imagine this involves dealing with the public in a sale's or customer service type environment and blah.  I just don't want to. 

 

There must be something out there. 

 

I'm not in a hurry. 
 

 

 

[Arcadia]

My friend use a tax prep firm that does everything through mail and email. The firm has someone answering the phone but the tax accountant doesn't have to talk to her. She likes it because she rather have her queries answered through email.

 

Do you like tax or any backend job is okay? Other jobs that pay decently for part time is paralegal work and insurance paperwork. Basically clerical work but better paid because they prefer people with certifications and some experience. My former neighbor didn't have the experience but got her job through word of mouth. Her employer didn't mind as they have a few experienced staff and she has a supervisor to oversee and help.

[SamanthaCarter]

I think you are right if you are talking about a HR Block/Liberty tax type situation. Preparing taxes at a largish CPA firm you never see the clients though. The partners shield you from that. ;)

 

I'd look into bookkeeping if you are interested in a financial reporting type of thing. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

My friend use a tax prep firm that does everything through mail and email. The firm has someone answering the phone but the tax accountant doesn't have to talk to her. She likes it because she rather have her queries answered through email.

 

Do you like tax or any backend job is okay? Other jobs that pay decently for part time is paralegal work and insurance paperwork. Basically clerical work but better paid because they prefer people with certifications and some experience. My former neighbor didn't have the experience but got her job through word of mouth. Her employer didn't mind as they have a few experienced staff and she has a supervisor to oversee and help.

 

I'm intrigued by paralegal, but I don't want to spend too much on courses/training.

 

I like doing taxes, but I'm not hell bent on it so I would consider other things. 

 

I'm not into financial per se though.  I don't think book keeping would quite be my thing. 

[LucyStoner]

Accounting for small organizations can be fairly solitary work. Monthly A/P, payroll, reconciliation etc, quarterly tax filings, annual taxes and registrations. Very little of that involves interacting with other people. It's more like "here's your report, copies of paperwork and my bill, see you next month." The most extroverted part of the job is finding new clients.

[redsquirrel]

Medical data entry type work? I know people who do it. It is generally done after hours in the doctor's office..the info couldn't leave the building.

 

At least that was the way it was done when she did it. 

 

Are you looking for something to get a degree in, or work you can get with whatever education you have?

 

One job, if you can find it, might be perfect. It's being a shelver at a large library. You wear your headphones and you put the books on the shelves.  People either do it for a week and quit or they do it forever, lol. It's the sort of job that often attracts artists, writers, and other people who have a fulfilling career that doesn't pay much. So, they just want a job that will pay the bills and not have any drama.  The work needs to be done efficiently, but by someone who doesn't need a lot of oversite. You get to walk around the building putting books on the shelves and not talking to people. I mean, there is probably a bit of chatting with co-workers when you come in type of talking. But dh used to supervise them and he always said it was a good job for people who didn't want to talk to anyone, lol.

[MamaBearTeacher]

Editor, proofreader, statistical work, data entry, technical writer, medical writer, librarian, library work, a variety of jobs that might be labelled office work.

[Arcadia]

I'm intrigued by paralegal, but I don't want to spend too much on courses/training.

Here the paralegal certificate course is about $2~3k when I look, offered through university extensions. A year working part time would more than pay off course fees even for a friend who works for a small firm. She likes that her boss is flexi so she doesn't have rigid work hours but she does have a fixed minimum per day. She gets health and employee benefits, equivalent to a perm part-timer. She can't bring work home :)

 

  

 One job, if you can find it, might be perfect. It's being a shelver at a large library. You wear your headphones and you put the books on the shelves.  People either do it for a week and quit or they do it forever, lol. It's the sort of job that often attracts artists, writers, and other people who have a fulfilling career that doesn't pay much.

My city library pays the city's minimum wage for shelver. SAHMs work at my nearest one as the library's entrance is where the school bus stops for drop off in the afternoons.

[Katy]

If you like taxes, getting an AA in accounting and working for a small accounting firm could be awesome work for you.  The CPA meets with clients & checks your work, you just do the work of the bookkeeping.  Actually getting an accounting degree or CPA would pay a lot more, but takes much more work.

 

Depending on the type, programming can be similar, solitary, sit at your desk and work alone type high paying work.

[MomatHWTK]

I have to communicate with clients (mostly via email) to write for them, but it is limited enough that my introvert self can handle it. I don't respond to job posts that ask for phone interviews or Skype. (Yeah, I'm that introverted!) My editors who just do proofreading don't need much client interaction to get the job done either. 

[Ravin]

The most introvert-friendly job I ever had was as an overnight accounting clerk at Wal-mart. Just me, for 8 hours, processing deposits, counting money, entering the information into the computer, and resetting the register bags for the next day.

 

I had a CD player.

 

Bliss.

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Medical data entry type work? I know people who do it. It is generally done after hours in the doctor's office..the info couldn't leave the building.

 

At least that was the way it was done when she did it. 

 

Are you looking for something to get a degree in, or work you can get with whatever education you have?

 

One job, if you can find it, might be perfect. It's being a shelver at a large library. You wear your headphones and you put the books on the shelves.  People either do it for a week and quit or they do it forever, lol. It's the sort of job that often attracts artists, writers, and other people who have a fulfilling career that doesn't pay much. So, they just want a job that will pay the bills and not have any drama.  The work needs to be done efficiently, but by someone who doesn't need a lot of oversite. You get to walk around the building putting books on the shelves and not talking to people. I mean, there is probably a bit of chatting with co-workers when you come in type of talking. But dh used to supervise them and he always said it was a good job for people who didn't want to talk to anyone, lol.

 

I'm open to more education, but it has to be something REALLY worth my while. 

 

I wonder if medical data entry is really done much anymore.  I say that because last time I went to a doctor everyone input everything said into a computer, even during the exam stuff.  (which was odd) 

 

I am hoping for something a little bit more interesting than data entry though. 

[scbusf]

I am a huge introvert, like off the charts. But I LOVE teaching. It really does exhaust me, but teaching is my passion.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Here the paralegal certificate course is about $2~3k when I look, offered through university extensions. A year working part time would more than pay off course fees even for a friend who works for a small firm. She likes that her boss is flexi so she doesn't have rigid work hours but she does have a fixed minimum per day. She gets health and employee benefits, equivalent to a perm part-timer. She can't bring work home :)

 

  

My city library pays the city's minimum wage for shelver. SAHMs work at my nearest one as the library's entrance is where the school bus stops for drop off in the afternoons.

 

I bet someone has to die before a shelving job becomes available.

 

The local CC would cost over 10k for paralegal (not counting books).  Although that's a degree with other stuff that....zzzzzz I really do not need (literature...history...done enough of that).  Maybe there is another less expensive program.  I don't know. 

[Guest]

I wish I knew. Maybe I would earn something.

 

I wish I could make money posting on TWTM message boards. I'd be golden.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I am a huge introvert, like off the charts. But I LOVE teaching. It really does exhaust me, but teaching is my passion.

 

This is the one thing for sure I know I don't like.

 

LOL

 

In school it was always...oh you are done with your work..here teach your neighbor.  No thank you....

[SparklyUnicorn]

I wish I knew. Maybe I would earn something.

 

I wish I could make money posting on TWTM message boards. I'd be golden.

 

So true!!

 

I've thought about writing in general, but I don't think I'm all that good at it.  Probably no money in it either.  I don't need to make a ton, but I don't want to feel like the money doesn't match the effort even a little. 

[Guest]

The most introvert-friendly job I ever had was as an overnight accounting clerk at Wal-mart. Just me, for 8 hours, processing deposits, counting money, entering the information into the computer, and resetting the register bags for the next day.

 

I had a CD player.

 

Bliss.

Seriously. That sounds awesome.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Editor, proofreader, statistical work, data entry, technical writer, medical writer, librarian, library work, a variety of jobs that might be labelled office work.

 

I would love to get into statistical work, but I have no idea where to start with that. 

[Guest]

My DD is working as a newborn care nanny. Right now she has this gig three nights a week, overnight. I'm not a night owl, so that part wouldn't be good for me, but in other ways, I think she has such a great job.

 

Basically, I like any kind of work where I can manage my own work alone. If there are systems to develop myself and then the work repeats those systems, I'm happy as can be. Actually, the work I do as DH's secretary is like this; the only drawback is that I only make money when he is making money. So, when there is a downturn, neither of us makes money.

 

I also loved cleaning houses, which I did for a while after Legal Secretary but before having kids. It fit that criteria; I planned my own work, was usually by myself, formed my own systems, and got the payoff of a spotless house, which is very satisfying to me. There was salesmanship involved when I was meeting someone for the first time, but most clients were repeaters, so the salesmanship interaction was infrequent. Only two drawbacks to this: not so ething I can do daily while actively homeschooling; I don't have the energy I had when I was 26 and now some of those massive houses would possibly kill me.

[Mosaicmind]

I'm a total introvert and yet I chose to get my degree in counseling/psychology. Since my disability I've not been able to do anything and really didn't even have a chance to start a job since I had finished my master's July 2013 and became bedridden January 2014. Now, I have had people call me because my counselor or others, who know my background have pointed them my way and I've done some informal counseling over the phone.

 

I've found out since being pretty much house bound with zero friends here the last almost 3 years that I've got a very good shot at writing. It's been a passion of mine and many of my professors told me that I should pursue this. In my mind, this is the ultimate introvert's career because you really don't have to interact with people much at all. I like spending time with friends every so often but I'm a better friend and person if I keep those times to a minimum. I'm now doing something I love and someday it may make me some money but if it doesn't then I'm ok with that too.

 

Another career I've looked at is medical transcription, which is growing in popularity. I'm not sure how much it would cost to be trained but that can all be done at home too. I know someone who does it part time and makes about $28k a year. If I really needed to help us out financially, this is one career I would get trained to do.

[MomatHWTK]

This company can use writers who can research and understand how to gather information and report it without plagiarism:

https://www.workplacetesting.com/about/contributors

[kiwik]

[quote name="Arcadia" post="7117314" timestamp="1469221

 

 

My city library pays the city's minimum wage for shelver. SAHMs work at my nearest one as the library's entrance is where the school bus stops for drop off in the afternoons.

Here too or it is done by volunteers. You would have to interact with people though - headphones wouldn't be acceptable.

Edited July 23, 2016 by kiwik

[MamaBearTeacher]

I would love to get into statistical work, but I have no idea where to start with that.

I'm not sure but you could try organizations/companies that do research.

[sunflowerlady]

I work from home as an internet assessor for Lionbridge.  Pay is decent, and I can work when I feel like it, for the most part. 

 

 

[DawnM]

I think you are right if you are talking about a HR Block/Liberty tax type situation. Preparing taxes at a largish CPA firm you never see the clients though. The partners shield you from that. ;)

 

I'd look into bookkeeping if you are interested in a financial reporting type of thing. 

 

 

My husband works for a large CPA firm and has to meet with clients and talk to them all the time.  We know someone who didn't get a job in a CPA firm because they didn't feel he was personable enough.

 

Part of the job, at least at DH's level, is to bring in more clients.  You can't do that if you don't talk to people.

[mellifera33]

I bet someone has to die before a shelving job becomes available.

 

 

When I was in college I worked in the behind-the-scenes areas of the school library, doing things like shelving, assigning lc numbers to books and applying shelf tags, binding periodicals together by years, etc. I have often thought I would like to do that again. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I don't know if they still do it this way, but I used to work in a hotel.  We had a bookkeeper who came in at 11pm, and worked all night balancing all the reports from the previous day, then set all the cash drawers for the following morning.  He loved his job!  

[Janeway]

I thought about signing up for a tax prep course.  I like doing taxes.  Weird, I know, but I imagine this involves dealing with the public in a sale's or customer service type environment and blah.  I just don't want to. 

 

There must be something out there. 

 

I'm not in a hurry. 

 

I am the same way! And I also like doing taxes, LOL...seriously. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

My husband works for a large CPA firm and has to meet with clients and talk to them all the time.  We know someone who didn't get a job in a CPA firm because they didn't feel he was personable enough.

 

Part of the job, at least at DH's level, is to bring in more clients.  You can't do that if you don't talk to people.

 

That and I am pretty lousy at accounting stuff.  It really is not like doing lower level tax returns AT ALL.

[lewber]

I started out as an accountant at a small public CPA firm. It was perfect. I got to be alone in my office for hours at a time, solving problems, making things balance, figuring things out. But then I got "promoted" and eventually ended up in a small business as a controller - basically a real management position. Pretty much the exact opposite of what an introvert is comfortable doing.

I'd love to go back to the old job responsibilities but the pay and benefits now keep me where I am. But there are some really rough days. Thank goodness most people will communicate by email. If I had to do it all by phone or in person, I'd be nuts!

[Tita Gidge]

I know these aren't what you're looking for, but -

 

I always thought I'd like to be the UPS guy. I don't look so great in brown, but lots of driving by myself and dropping off packages at the doorway ... ringing the bell and then bolting back to the truck before they can answer ... Sure you'd have the occasional package that required a signature, but mostly it'd be alone time - right?

 

Or the person who waters plants at Lowe's and Home Depot. Me, plants, water ... the occasional blank stare when someone asks me for help but I just point them to the nearest cashier ... I dream.