Careers for people who love to work alone
Want a career where you can work autonomously? If you want a job where you can call the shots and have minimal supervision, there are jobs out there that exist if you have a strong preference for working on your own.
You may be an introvert who gets energised by being alone, or you may want the freedom to choose your own schedule and realise that you prefer working on passion projects as a freelancer.
Whatever you decide, there is a job out there for you if you love to work alone. Depending on your strengths and skills, it can be easy to recognise what best aligns your interests. However, there may be a skills gap you need to fill and this can be solved by gaining more work experience or developing your knowledge through an online course.
There are roles that provide autonomy in each industry. You just need to find one that you’ll enjoy and aligns with your career goals.
Signs that you’re an introvert
You may be naturally shy, or perhaps you don’t do well at an event where crowds are involved. This may indicate that you’re an introvert. There is nothing wrong in identifying as an introvert at all. In fact, introverts can make great leaders if given the opportunity.
Here are some other signs that make it clear that you’re an introvert, according to Huffington Post:
- You’re not a fan of networking: while many people believe that networking is vital for career success, introverts do not work well at events where there are large mixers. However, the idea of networking shouldn’t be written off for all introverts - networking in small, intimate groups can make it easier.
- You would rather be an expert in one thing than be a “jack of all trades”: introverts are likely to focus on one thing at a time, so sparing themselves across different tasks can make them feel stressed and overwhelmed. They work well if they are working towards a particular goal, especially when it’s regarding an expertise.
- You can be easily distracted: introverts can easily get distracted, especially if they are overwhelmed in environments that provides an excess of stimulation. They prefer unstimulating environments as opposed to extroverts who get easily bored, according to a research paper by Clark University.
- You notice the details more than anyone else: introverts are very detail-oriented, so they may notice things others don’t. Research has also shown that they are likely to experience an increase of brain activity when processing visual information in comparison to extroverts.
Whether you’re an introvert deciding on a course, or simply want a career that plays to both your strengths and talents, here are careers that are worthwhile exploring if you value autonomy in your work.
Financial services
People who value autonomy will enjoy working in the finance industry for a number of reasons. Since financial service roles require you to be detail-oriented, a good problem-solver, have excellent analytical thinking skills and be reliable when it comes to getting the job done, these skills are the main traits introverts already have.
Finance jobs to consider if you’re an introvert
With good salary and great benefits, introverts working in the finance industry can do the following roles that will work great to their strengths when it comes to honing budget spreadsheets, or providing financial advice to businesses wanting to meet their target goals for the year.
These are some jobs worthy for introverts, according to Chron:
- Accountant: working in the accounting field requires you to have strong analytical thinking abilities as well as having the attention-to-detail to work with numbers. This role has limited social interactions. While accountants do have clients to work with, most of the time accountants work independently and fill their days organising and analysing financial data.
- Budget analyst: budget analysts normally work in either private or public organisations and they are the ones responsible for keeping their finances on track. They monitor spending and prepare financial reports. This role requires limited social interaction as the bulk of their tasks involve analysing and preparing financial data on current and future spending, making it a great role for an introvert.
- Market research analyst: market research analysts work with organisations, reviewing and analysing current trends to help organisations increase their sales depending on the conditions within the company. Most of their tasks involve working with financial spreadsheets and data, meaning that they work alone for most of the time. However, interacting with others may be required, especially when trying to gather data from surveys.
Information technology
With advances in technology and a growing demand for IT specialists, introverts are likely to thrive in this industry. Learn To Code With Me writes, “tech is still one of the best careers for introverts due to the simple fact that introverts are good at teaching themselves deep tech skills”.
They then add, “it's easier for introverts to get into engineering because at the start, it's just you and your computer.” Jobs in the IT industry require a lot of focus and creative problem-solving, making it a great career path for introverts looking for an industry that provides growth and plenty of opportunities to specialise.
IT jobs to consider if you’re an introvert
IT jobs generally pay well, and while this role may require collaboration with others, most IT specialist jobs require a lot of autonomy, especially when it comes to problem-solving computer or network connectivity issues.
Skills required for IT roles include creative problem-solving, technical knowledge, and excellent communication skills. IT specialists generally work autonomously, making it a great career path for introverts.
Here are some roles worth considering if you’re interested in IT and want to undertake work in the industry, according to Computer World:
- Database administrator: if you love fixing up buggy programs and data security issues, working as a database administrator could be just the role for you. This role has a lot of autonomy as you’ll be working on the architecture of systems and collaborating with organisations needing assistance in migrating to cloud-based systems.
- Information security analyst: cyber security is a priority when navigating the internet, ensuring that hackers do not have access to confidential information. An information security analyst ensures that an organisation’s computer network and system is well-protected and analyses and implements the best security measures that will protect data from malicious attacks by hackers. This role involves problem-solving and autonomy, making it a suitable role for introverts.
- Web developer: while the role of web developer can often involve working and collaborating with graphic designers, marketers and writers, this role has a lot of autonomy since responsibilities can include debugging and monitoring website traffic, and coding. Skills required for a web developer include website maintenance, creativity in design and having a strong knowledge in coding elements within web.
Marketing
If you’re results-oriented and love being creative, then working in marketing may be the career path for you. From content to digital marketing, there are a lot of jobs in the industry that allow you to be autonomous, which is a definite plus if you’re an introvert. With the internet existing, there is also a growth in social media marketing and these jobs require minimal supervision and can be done remotely (making it great for those who prefer the freelance route!).
Marketing jobs to consider if you’re an introvert
Marketing is a dynamic industry and offers many opportunities for growth and development. If you have a strong interest in online and digital, or have the desire to further develop your content writing skills, this industry has plenty of roles that offer autonomy.
To be successful as a marketing professional, having strong interpersonal skills, creativity and being adaptable to change can help you flourish in a marketing role. While collaboration is key in marketing, tasks such as writing, designing and implementing campaigns can be done autonomously.
According to Hubspot, these are some marketing jobs that will help you thrive as an introvert:
- Social media manager: from creating social media campaigns to managing budgets for ads, the role of social media manager is one that offers great autonomy. It is also a role that requires lots of creativity and high-level organisation skills. This role is very fitting for an introvert since most of the work can be done remotely.
- SEO analyst: the position of SEO analyst is becoming a widely sought-after position for organisations wanting to be at the forefront of search engines. Their daily responsibilities include performing keyword research and providing recommendations for websites and web pages, as well as developing content that ensures the business is meeting SEO goals. While there is still some collaboration involved in this role, this usually can be done online as opposed to being face-to-face.
- Web copywriter: if you prefer technical writing and enjoy adapting to various voices and tones, you may enjoy the work of a web copywriter. Not only does this role need you to be adaptable, you also have to be prepared for any writing task needed by a client. You can either be writing web content for an Architecture firm or writing an About Us page for a non-profit organisation. Web copywriters can work on a freelance basis, which is perfect for introverts who prefer to work from home and want that flexibility when it comes to their schedule.
Looking for more autonomy in your career?
Whether you’re looking for a career change, or find that you’re in a job that does not play to your strengths as an introvert, Upskilled offers an extensive range of courses in finance, IT, marketing and more.
Most courses can be completed within 12 months and are delivered online, meaning there are no face-to-face classes, making online study work for you when it comes to your schedule. Explore your career options, start your course search and find that dream career which highlights your introverted characteristics.
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