Let’s face it. Not everyone is comfortable speaking in front of crowds. Not everyone can feel at ease with people they don’t know well. Some people are just naturally shy, and that’s okay. When considering career opportunities, there are actually a number of options available to shy people. They can range from creative, physical, or intellectual pursuits. It all depends on what you’re passionate about and where your strengths lay.
- Writer/Blogger– This is a common occupation for shy people as the entire job can be done from home or an office. Some find they can communicate better through writing than by speaking, so writing e-mails and cover letters to publishers or other business professionals works very well for them.
- Artist/Photographer– Similar to writing, being an artist or photographer allows a person to utilize her creative side and choose to work in either a group or solitary setting. The process of creating is a personal one, so it’s often one done alone, anyway. Even if you choose to work with others, you’re not the focus of the project. You’re the one trying to capture a moment or express a feeling.
- Graphic Designer– This is an excellent career opportunity for shy people as it allows you to pursue jobs in a variety of industries. Businesses need graphic designers for advertising or websites. You can play a major role in branding or re-branding a company. You can also take part in creating films, TV shows or video games, whether it’s in animation, backgrounds, or special effects.
- Computer Programmer- If your creative side isn’t that strong, but you consider yourself to be more of an IT person, being a computer programmer may be the choice for you. Work on developing software or apps that businesses can use to make new advances or to provide a new service to the public. Once it’s developed, another team will be in charge of the big publicity push, leaving you to work on the next project behind the scenes.
- Engineer- Engineers are needed to create, but also to incorporate math and science into their creations. This is another occupation that doesn’t require a lot of interaction with the public. There’s actually a need for engineers with options to specialize in a particular kind of engineering like chemical or mechanical.
- Lab Technician- If a career in the science or healthcare field is what you’re after, but you dread the thought of being a doctor or nurse, there are other options, such as being a lab technician. You still have the opportunity to help people without interacting with them and can work in a clinical setting to diagnose patients or help further medical advances.
- Veterinarian- Perhaps you’re more of an animal person. A career as a veterinarian is great for shy people who absolutely adore animals. You still get the chance to help others and get to deal with the owners of the pets you examine on a one-on-one basis. There are also veterinarians who do house calls and help care for larger animals like horses. There are all kinds of needs.
- Gardener/Landscaper/Construction Worker/Carpenter/Plumber/Mechanic– These careers are grouped together because they involve manual labor of some kind. These jobs do involve interacting with the public, but then once the terms of the job are settled, the majority of your time will be used completing the assigned task. Filling positions within all these career paths is always needed so you can feel secure in knowing there will be a job for you once your training is completed.
- Librarian– Some shy people aren’t attracted to the idea of teaching, but they may still want to work with children. Having a career as a librarian allows you to still interact with kids, but without the added pressure of teaching in front of a class. There are also positions for librarians who work in archiving who actually have very little interaction with the public.
- Financial Analyst– Being great with numbers isn’t something everyone is blessed with. If you are, being a financial analyst would put you in a position to help both individuals and businesses to better understand their finances, keep everything in order, and perhaps save some money.
These selected careers won’t automatically be a good fit for you just because you are shy. You have to be passionate about what you’re doing and be willing to step outside of your comfort zone once in a while. Avoiding people altogether won’t work and in most cases, these career options let you interact with individuals on a less intense level. Consider what your strengths are and what the needs around you are. You can take it from there.
