Introverts succeed in jobs where they can work uninterrupted, like truck driving, graphic design or web development.
Many introverts struggle in careers that demand lots of meetings, face-to-face interactions with clients and other social engagements that drain their energy.
Fortunately, there are many jobs that demand skills abundant in introverts, like analytic thinking and independence.
Find out what jobs are best for introverts. Plus how to succeed in the workplace with an introverted personality.
Introverts are people who focus inward, according to Carl Jung in his exploration of the category in the early 1900s. In his 1921 paper “Psychology Types,” Jung wrote that introverts:
Avoid large crowds
Feel calm and comfortable during self-reflection
Feel lonely in big groups of people
Work best on their own
Introverts are the opposite of extroverts, who thrive among other people.
Being an introvert is not the same as being shy. Introverts are perfectly capable in social situations, but they feel stressed and exhausted if they stay in those environments for very long.
Introverts do well in jobs that rely on analytic thinking, creativity, empathy and independence.
Here are some jobs matching that description. Salary data for these jobs appears as reported by workers themselves on Glassdoor.
Job requirements: A bachelor’s degree in accounting. Certification relevant to your specialty, like CPA, CFA or CFE.
Average salary: $66,000, according to Glassdoor.
Accountants deal with numbers more often than they deal with people. Their duties, keeping and evaluating financial records, fit well with sharp analytical skills.
Job requirements: A bachelor’s degree in actuarial science, math, statistics or a related field. Passing the required actuarial exams.
Average salary: $176,000, according to Glassdoor.
Actuaries use statistics to predict the likelihood and financial cost of future events for insurance purposes. They rely heavily on analytic skills and get to focus on numbers instead of people.
Job requirements: A medical degree, anesthesiology residency and license to practice in your state.
Average salary: $351,000, according to Glassdoor.
Anesthesiologists deliver and maintain drugs that keep patients asleep during surgery. They’re usually in the background, doing important work without interacting much with patients.
Job requirements: A bachelor’s degree in English, marketing, communications or a related field.
Average salary: $67,000, according to Glassdoor.
Copywriters create written material for marketing. They often work alone or in small teams and use their empathy and creativity to write impactful language.
Job requirements: A cybersecurity certification such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP or similar.
Average salary: $106,000, according to Glassdoor.
Cybersecurity specialists protect computer systems from intrusion. They usually work with computers and don’t experience many face-to-face interactions with customers and other employees.
Job requirements: A bachelor’s degree in computer science, math or statistics.
Average salary: $78,000, according to Glassdoor.
Data analysts explore data to help businesses make decisions. They work independently and rely heavily on their analytic minds.
Job requirements: An advanced degree in data science, mathematics or a related field.
Average salary: $144,000, according to Glassdoor.
Data scientists use advanced technologies and mathematical methods to parse Big Data—data sets too large and complex for data analysts. They work heavily with computers, creating machine learning models to draw insights from data.
Job requirements: A bachelor’s degree in English or a related field.
