Welcome to the Internet’s most comprehensive list of good jobs for people with social anxiety or those who feel socially awkward. As guide covers the 31 best jobs for someone with social anxiety, we’ve shortlisted the top 10 most popular ones:
Shortlist: The 10 best jobs for people with social anxiety
Moving on to the full list, we’ve divided the jobs into the following categories:
- Jobs you can learn on your own
- Jobs that don’t require experience or education
- Jobs that require formal education
Jobs you can learn on your own
Media and design
Graphic designer
As a graphic designer, you can work from home and would only need to contact your clients via email, skype or IM. Even if you work from an office, the majority of the time will be spent working on your own, with the exception of breaks and briefings. Because of this, it’s a popular job for people with social anxiety or introversion.
Average pay: $48 250 / $23 per hour. (Source)
Competition: The field competitive, because there’s no formal education needed and a lot of people offer their services. The secret to finding work is to a) make great content and b) focus on a niche.
My recommendation: First, try your wings by offering your work on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. That way, you can see if you can sell your services before quitting your day job.
- This article helps you decide whether to study graphics design yourself or get a formal education.
- Here’s an overview of free sites where you can learn graphic design.
- See where to get a formal education here.
Web designer
A web designer designs websites for clients. Often, they work together with a web developer who does the actual coding.
In some cases, the same person does both the design and the coding, but that’s rarer. In either case, you want to have a basic understanding of how the underlying code works.
Websites need to work both on desktop and on mobile devices, which means that web design is less straightforward than graphic design.
Average pay: $67,990 / $32 per hour. (Source)
Competition: Anyone can learn web design at home, so finding jobs regularly might be tough. However, while there are many web designers, there are fewer GREAT web designers. If you can provide better design than your competition, you’ll be able to carve out a niche.
My recommendation: Check out this great article from Hubspot on the principles of website design. As a designer, you want to read up on how to make a site convert, meaning how to turn visitors of the site into subscribers and customers.
This article helps you decide whether to study web design yourself or get a formal education and has an overview of more free sites where you can learn it at home.
Video editor
Video editing is something you can learn on your own, and there are plenty of freelancing opportunities. You can start editing Youtube videos after just a few hours of training, but editing for film and bigger projects takes a name and years of experience.
- Here’s an overview of a few sites where you can learn video editing
- See where to get a formal education here
Average pay: $60,401 / $29 per hour.
Competition: The level of competition varies drastically with video editors. Big budget productions are the most difficult jobs to get, as those are what most people strive for.
My recommendation: Download a free video editing program. Search on Youtube for starter guides to the program you choose, and you can start editing test footage. When you feel ready, you can start a profile on Fiverr, where you can offer your service.
Then, when you feel that you master the trade, you can apply for jobs and use the Fiverr works as your portfolio.
Creative
Musician / Artist
Though being an artist can mean many creative expressions, we’re mainly focusing on music here.
The type of music artist that suits best as a job for someone with social anxiety is producing music at home (Rather than standing on a stage). Few become famous musicians, but a lot of people can make their living producing jingles or music for ads or movies.
- Here’s an overview of a few sites that can help you get started playing an instrument
- See where to get a formal education here
Average pay: $41,217 / $19 per hour.
Competition: Becoming a leader of a famous live band doesn’t happen to many people. On the other hand, being a session player or a freelancer of some sort, you would be able to secure a fair amount of jobs. It’s common for artists to have a second job to secure their income.
My recommendation: Create a gig here to see if there’s a demand for your services as an artist. If you want to create your own music, do it as a side project before you know that it can pay the bills.
Writer
Being a writer, you could be doing anything from writing your own books to ad copywriting.
Writing is a solitary job which makes it popular for people with social anxiety.
- Here’s a list of a few sites that you can use to strengthen your english language and writing skills
- See where to get a formal education here
Average pay: $55,420 / $27 per hour.
Competition: While writing your own books often means very uncertain income, freelance writing can provide you with ongoing work with payment upfront.
My recommendation: Because the income is so uncertain, don’t quit your day job before you make money as a writer.
If you want stable writing income, offer your writing services to companies rather than writing your own books (You can still write your own book as a side project).
Upwork is a great place to offer writing services. You can use the reviews you get from there as references if you apply for a full-time writing job in the future.
Freelancer
Here, I include everything from writing, design, accounting, marketing, and administrative support. Those tasks all require different skills, but I put them in one category because you can use freelancing sites to look for jobs. You control your own hours and can work from anywhere.
Here’s an overview of different freelancing jobs.
Jobs that don’t require experience or education
Dog-walker
With apps like Wag and Rover, you can get started with dog walking without any prerequisites (Except for a basic quality check by them). I actually applied for Wag (Because I like dogs so much) and you need to visit them for a initial training. Except for that, everything is controlled through the app. You get access to a key box and will almost never meet the dog owners.
Average pay: $13 per hour.
Fruit picker
Picking fruits or other plants can be done part time or full time. While you’d be working around others, the actual job is quite independent and doesn’t require more interaction than during the daily breaks.
Average pay: $13 per hour.
Go here for current jobs as a fruit picker
Tree planter
Planting trees requires no experience, and you get to spend a lot of time in nature. A few decades ago, this used to be a physically demanding job. Today, you are helped by tools.
People I know who have worked as tree planters say that it’s very rewarding to see direct results from your work.
Average pay: $20 per hour.
Here are current jobs as a tree planter
Delivery driver
Unlike traditional truck driving, local city deliveries for, say, Amazon, don’t require formal education. You only need a car and a driver’s license.
Average pay: $18 per hour.
Cleaner
You can work part time or full time, depending on where you’d be employed.
Here’s a Reddit thread with advice for someone starting a cleaning job.
Average pay: $12 per hour.
Janitor
Janitors are basically cleaners, but with a few more responsibilities and generally a higher pay. Some of those additional responsibilities include maintenance of the facility. You are more likely to be employed full time as a janitor than as a cleaner.
Average pay: $14 per hour.
Housekeeper
Working as a housekeeper, your duties would mainly include cooking and cleaning. The amount of human interaction could vary, depending on your schedule of working and your client’s personality. However, most people choose to schedule housekeeping for when they’re at work which means minimal interaction.
Average pay: $13 per hour.
Jobs for someone with social anxiety that require formal education
The jobs below require a formal education, which means that you need to study for it. However, you don’t always need to go to the university, as some edu
Firefighter
While firefighting is a social job, you meet the same people daily instead of having to meet new people all the time. 70% of firefighter calls are for medical emergencies and accidents rather than fires. Therefore, the job can be traumatizing for some.
Average pay: $43,488 / $21 per hour.
Competition: Because each fire station only have a set number of firefighters, new jobs are created only when a firefighter retires. Here are more details on job competition as a firefighter.
Counselor
Counseling does mean meeting new people, but despite that, it’s a popular job for people with social anxiety: It’s rewarding to help others who might have similar struggles.
Average pay: $41,500 / $20 per hour.
Competition: While the field is relatively competitive, the demand for counselors is expected to grow in the following years. Therefore, it’s likely that you’ll get a job as a counselor.
(Source)
Animal-related jobs
Veterinarian
Being a veterinary still means meeting people, so it might not be for those with severe social anxiety. But if your social anxiety is moderate, it can be the perfect job.
Average pay: $91,250 / $44 per hour.
Competition: The admission percentages are around 10% for veterinary schools.
My recommendation: A friend of mine works as a veterinary. She says that sadly, most of her job is to euthanize animals. If you want to be a veterinary, you have to prepared to put a lot of animals down for each animal you can save.
Zookeeper
You’re not required to have a degree in biology as a zookeeper, but if you do, it’ll help you get a job. At a zoo, you’ll have people around you all the time, but you seldom need to interact with others than your work colleagues.
Average pay: $28,000 / $14 per hour.
Competition: The field can be fairly competitive if you’re fresh out of school, so it might be a good idea to intern and volunteer in a few places before applying for a job. However, zookeeper jobs are expected to grow the coming years.
(Source)
Nature-related jobs
Gardener / Landscaper
A gardener works specifically in a garden while a landscaper also takes care of an entire landscape, like a park or a private estate. Working as a landscaper or gardener often means minimal contact with others, with a clear set of rules for what to do.
An education is not required, but it will help you find a job if you have a degree in horticulture or botany. However, if you can show experience, that can work instead of a formal education.
Average pay: $25,500 / $13 per hour.
Competition: Jobs for gardeners grow slowly, and to be sure to get a job, you want both experience and an education.
(Source)
Geologist
As a geologist, you often work in a team, but you don’t need to meet new people on a regular basis. Most geology job are in mining. Be prepared to study: You’ll be expected to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s in geoscience and have experience from the lab and field. Most commonly, you’ll get the experience through an internship.
Average pay: $92,000 / $44 per hour.
Competition: Good news for geologists! Their job market is growing, and there’s more jobs than there are geologists.
(Source)
Wildlife biologist
The job of a wildlife biologist can look many different ways. Some work in teams, others by themselves. However, you’re likely to be working in small teams and with the same people over a long time.
Average pay: $60,520 / $29 per hour.
Competition: There is a lot of competition, so landing a job in wildlife biology takes time and dedication.
Botanist
As botany is a rather large field, you may end up working in a laboratory environment, outdoors, or even at home. Either way, you’re more likely to work in a smaller group, rather than meet new people all the time.
Average pay: $66,560 / $32 per hour.
Competition: The demand for botanists is expected to increase, and keep increasing in the future.
Park ranger
You would get to spend a lot of time in nature. You’re likely to encounter more animals than humans in this line of work.
Average pay: $39,520 / $19 per hour.
Competition: National parks applicants face stronger competition than other places, but the demand for park rangers is generally expected to grow.
Archaeologist
While archaeologists work in groups, the work itself doesn’t require constant communication with others.
Average pay: $58,000 / $28 per hour.
Competition: There is a lot of competition in the field, which makes it a good choice only for people who are passionate about it, or those who have connections that could get them in easier.
Business and Administration
Accountant
Being an accountant, you would mainly work alone, but have to come in contact with a limited number of people on a regular basis.
Average pay: $77,920 / $37 per hour.
Competition: While the field is fairly competitive, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a job if you’re good at what you do.
Statistician
A statistician helps companies and organizations make decisions based on data. Statisticians can work both in private and public sector, and sometimes as a consultant.
Average pay: $80,110 / $38.51 per hour.
Competition: It’s expected that the demand for statisticians will continue to grow. Thus, job outlooks are good.
Computers / IT
Software engineer
Coding lets you start off working alone, but gives you an option to gradually branch out into working in a team, once you’re ready for it.
Average pay: $106,710 / $51 per hour.
Competition: Depending on what kind of jobs you would go after, the competition can range from being moderate to very strong. In addition to that, the required skill set is changing constantly, so you have to keep up with the latest developments to stay relevant and employable.
Network engineer
You’d be required to communicate with your employers for the sake of briefing, troubleshooting and any such things, but the actual work would mostly be done by you alone.
Average pay: $85,000 / $40 per hour.
Competition: As with software engineering, the competition can vary, depending on what scale of operation you’d like to be employed by. WIth that said, network specialists are in demand, which is expected to grow further.
Web developer
Doing web-related work, you could be employed by a company, freelance, or even work on your own projects that bring in profit. Whether you work in a team or alone would be up to you.
Average pay: $63,000 / $30 per hour.
Competition: There are a lot of people getting into web development, but if you are fairly able, you should have no trouble getting employed.
Driving jobs
Truck driver
Truck drivers can keep mostly to themselves. The most used form of communication for them is not face to face, but rather through a CB radio.
Average pay: $44,500 / $21 per hour.
Competition: Truck drivers are always in demand, and the competition in the field is pretty much average.
Train driver
The particulars would depend on whether you’d be driving short or long distances. But generally, being a train driver, you’d get to have plenty of alone time on the job. Their contact with other people is rather minimal, and there’s usually options for night shifts.
Average pay: $55,660 / $27 per hour.
Competition: Sometimes there are hundreds of applications per job listing, and with the position requiring no formal education, it can be tough to secure a job.
School bus driver
While you’ll have people around, you won’t need to interact with them very much at all, if you don’t want to. You would most likely be working pretty short days, so it would be a good idea to have another source of income.
Average pay: $29,220 / $14 per hour.
Competition: The demand for school bus drivers is high, and is expected to increase with time.
Industry jobs
Electrician
In most cases, you would have to come in contact with your clients, but other than that, the work itself would be mostly solitary.
Average pay: $52,910 / $25 per hour.
Competition: While electricians are in demand, it can take quite a bit of time to start earning a stable salary in the field.
Carpenter
Depending on the particular project, you could be working completely alone, or in a group.
Average pay: $36,700 / $18 per hour.
Competition: The field is fairly competitive, and you’re likely to be expected to gain some experience before applying for a full-time job.
Plumber
If you chose to do mainly housecalls, your human interactions would be rather limited. If you chose to do city-scale plumbing, you’d be working in a team.
Average pay: $50,000 / $24 per hour.
Competition: There is a high demand for plumbers, which is only expected to grow in the future.
Other guides that can help you with social anxiety:
Do you have a job to recommend that suits people with social anxiety? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll add it to the guide!
This is the only list with actual good ideas
I’ve read so many articles in this subject, but this is by far the most thoughtful and helpful one I’ve seen. I’m impressed. Thank you!
I’m a massage therapist, which can be good for anxiety, but I started feeling stuck. Plus it’s not a good job for a high risk person during the pandemic.
You can tell this article was written with care. As a person with social anxiety it was extremely helpful. Other articles on this topic list things like “Stay at home parent” which makes me question how much thought they actually put into writing it. I will be bookmarking this article. Thanks for it.
I totally just bookmarked it too haha