10 Fulfilling Jobs Best Suited To People With Social Anxiety

Social anxiety introduces a layer of complexity in a person’s ability to interact well with other people.

The fear and trepidation that social anxiety creates can keep a person from taking solid steps forward in pursuit of a career and the lifestyle that they want.

The good news is that there are plenty of careers out there that are suitable for a person who has a challenging time interacting with other people.

You generally can’t achieve complete and total avoidance of human interaction, nor should you want to, but you can focus on process or item driven careers that give you plenty of break time away from other people.

Jobs that give you regular time away from social interaction can also help to lighten the overall load.

The following ten jobs may be a good place for a person with social anxiety to start looking for their career.

1. Accountant

Accounting is an essential occupation that serves a wide variety of commercial, industrial, and private interests.

Though personal interactions are to be expected, the accountant is going to spend more of their time buried in numbers, income, and expenses of their respective clients.

Communication skills are necessary to appropriately serve one’s role, whether it’s serving on a team for a major corporate interest or relaying information to an individual about their taxes.

But conversations will generally be limited and focused on job functions as opposed to worrying about personal communication.

2. Marketing And Advertising Analysts

Marketing and advertising are prevalent in our everyday lives, and there are a number of people in the teams who help bring those campaigns to life.

A significant part of marketing is analyzing statistics, trends, and finding ways to help one’s employer or client to capitalize on them.

The close-knit nature of teams allows a person with social anxiety to get comfortable with the people around them, as well as limiting their overall interaction with the general public in a personal way.

And there are several opportunities for freelancing and independent work once you’ve built a solid skill-set.

3. Web Developer

The growth of technology and the internet puts the web developer in a prime position to exercise their technical skills, apply problem solving techniques, and improve the way we interact online.

Web developers focus their talents and energies on the screen, working to find solutions or improve the overall experience when end users open an app or visit a website.

They may work freelance, individually, or in teams. They typically do not require a great deal of social interaction other than with a handful of people, depending on who is employing them.

4. Computer Programmer

Different than a web developer, the computer programmer writes, troubleshoots, and debugs the programs that help drive industry and society forward.

They may be writing anything from the software your bank uses to the video games you play to upkeeping older systems that are still in use.

Programmers spend a significant amount of their time buried in their work, other than meeting with other people on their team or employers.

Programming is an excellent vocation for people who want to focus more on process and procedure than socialization, though the ability to get along well with others and function in a team is often necessary.

5. Chef

A chef is a detail-oriented organizer who devotes the majority of their time to running their kitchen and cooking up various dishes for their customers.

The job suits a person with social anxiety because they will not have much public interaction. Most of their interpersonal interaction is with other kitchen staff or management of the location.

It’s a fast-paced job where a person can focus largely on the job at hand and grind away at making sure their customers are fed and happy.

6. Tradesperson

Vocational trades cover a wide area of careers and specialties. Different trades have limited social and public interactions.

Plumbers, electricians, welders, truck drivers, and builders are all essential parts of the overall economy. They may work individually or in teams in residential, commercial, or industrial ventures.

Everyone with a car is going to need a good mechanic to help maintain their vehicle and keep it on the road, yet they won’t expect huge amounts of small talk or chat.

The trades are a great vocation for being able to lose oneself in their work.

7. Nursing

Nursing as a vocation definitely requires a lot of interpersonal interactions. However, it does make for a good fit with social anxiety because a lot of that interaction is methodical and focused more on the practical and technical knowledge the nurse builds in training.

There is a reinforced mental barrier that allows the person with social anxiety to focus more on the technical aspects of their job and providing the care that their patients need rather than the need to socialize like a salesman would.

This can also be a great vocation to help further develop one’s interpersonal skills at their own pace as they work with clients and their fellow employees.

8. Social Work

The world is always in need of good social workers. The field regularly attracts people with mental illness or who have experienced other difficulties in their life who want to make a difference in the lives of others.

A person with social anxiety can use their own challenges as a benefit in this field, as they can more easily relate to clients and other people struggling with particular problems.

Though the emotional load can be heavy at times, a social worker will also spend a significant portion of their time on paperwork and processes rather than total social interaction.

9. Writer

What better place for a person with social anxiety to withdraw to than the written word?

Though writing can be a difficult industry to break into, there are as many paths to success as there are types of writing.

Freelancing is an excellent option for the writer who doesn’t necessarily want to be tied down to a static employer. However, there are various websites, publications, and corporations that need writers to produce relevant content for their projects on a full-time basis.

Social interaction is fairly limited, but one does need to be comfortable discussing their perspectives and work with other people, including handling negative criticism that will come their way.

10. Artist

Artist can cover a lot of territory, from tattoo artists to graphic designer to product designers to the freelancer who produces on their own whim.

The ability to express oneself artistically does not require any social interaction. In fact, it can be a better way for a person with social anxiety to express themselves because they don’t necessarily need to find the appropriate words or have a difficult conversation about themselves personally.

And the internet makes it easier than ever to reach a large amount of people with one’s own unique brand of art and personality.

You should not let your social anxiety hold you back from pursuing the ideal career that you desire.

Social anxiety can be overcome through hard work, pushing into one’s discomfort, and working toward progress.

There are people with social anxiety in different careers, in different industries all over the world. Don’t let yourself feel limited on what you can and can’t accomplish because of your social anxiety.

One thing you can do once you have found employment is to be honest with your direct superior and explain to them that while you are good at what you do, social situations make you anxious.

You don’t need to go into lots of detail, but by being honest, they might be able to help minimize the interaction you have with certain types of people (the public or clients for instance) and support you when it is inevitable. You don’t have to face it alone and hide your condition away.

And if you are having a hard time, you may want to consider working with a certified mental health therapist that can help you learn coping techniques, defuse problematic thinking, and achieve the goals you are striving for.

You do not have to settle for less just because you have social anxiety.