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Best career path for introverts?

Blue Skies

Blue Skies

Banned
Mar 27, 2019
9,224
What brought this up for me is that there was this presentation at school, I'm in the business program, and these student "leaders" or whatever, spoke to us, and there was this one girl, omg, if this girl is a CEO of something 15 years from now, then I can totally say I ducking called it.
She just had this ultimate confidence to herself and was able to command the room like a boss.
i feel like I'll never be able to do that. That's just not me.
and for context in 26 years old, was in the navy, and did some other jobs before that, so don't say "oh you're young, you'll get there"
Nah
I think it's important for me to accept myself and personality for what it is, and move forward with that in mind. The girl that spoke was at most like 22 years old, and she had "Executive" written all over her. I don't see that in me when I'm honest wirh myself.

So, how does one come to accept that, shit, there are certain roles im just not cut out for?

My current plan is to graduate with a degree in finance and get a financial analyst position and work that for a couple years before I decide what to do after that.

so, introverts, low confidence people, what's a good career goal?
 
Pwnz

Pwnz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,279
Places
Software development with flexible hours and work from home encouraged. Get to be introverted and interact in bursts, it is perfect.

Nice shift from everyone must dress up in office with open concept chattering. Half the day is wasted on vanity and chit chat.
 
WolfeTone

WolfeTone

Member
Oct 25, 2017
619
For your field of study OP, consider something like economics or finance research. These are areas that require a lot of independent study and tend to attract introverts. Typically you'll need an advanced graduate degree though, minimum of a Masters.
 
TrueSloth

TrueSloth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,070
You can learn how to be a leader and still be an introvert. It is tough, but it is possible to be both. I'm taking an Organizational behavior course right now and I'm learning about personality types like introverts and how they can thrive in work environments. It doesnt help that our society pushes people to be extroverts.

Otherwise, finance jobs are great if youre looking in that area.
 

Randomly Generated

Member
Oct 27, 2017
17,457
Can we just clarify something - are you introverted or shy/low confidence? Because an introverted person can probably do any job that doesn't require nonstop interacting with people every day. If you have confidence issues that's quite different.
 
Ra

Ra

Rap Genius
Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
12,294
Dark Space
Online poker pro.

"Accepting" that you can never gain confidence around people is just bleak yo.
 

ABIC

Banned
Nov 19, 2017
1,170
Yes American culture heavily favors people who display confidence. Introverts can still become leaders in the long run when performance matters.

As for field, engineer, analyst and such work are good fits and pay well.
 
samoscratch

samoscratch

Member
Nov 25, 2017
2,847
Luckily It's never been easier to work from home.
But don't isolate yourself from the world either its no bueno.
 
Hyper

Hyper

Member
Oct 27, 2017
112
You never know what you could achieve. My first job was a simple one where I didn't interact with many people and I would shit myself when I got into a meeting with new people or the management.

I left my comfort zone and went to a job where you constantly meet clients and present solutions for them. It was scary as hell for the first couple of months but then I got used to something I never thought I would do.
 
Servbot24

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,385
I'm very introverted and I work in customer support. When I'm talking to people about solving problems and don't have to worry about social stuff it's not bad at all.
 
ScribeofGeadhain

ScribeofGeadhain

Member
Oct 30, 2017
636
Canada
Writer. Cat sitter. Ninja. Or a combination of the three.

Edit: It's also worth noting that people are not just slottable into introvert or extrovert. There are people who are intensely private (me) but who can dazzle when put into social situations. Charisma is also somewhat of a learned skill: knowing when to smile, when to listen, when to compliment. You get better at it by practice, and the most suave people are those who study the reactions and interactions of themselves or others—whether or not it's something inherently of interest to them.
 
OP
OP
Blue Skies

Blue Skies

Banned
Mar 27, 2019
9,224
Servbot24 said:
I'm very introverted and I work in customer support. When I'm talking to people about solving problems and don't have to worry about social stuff it's not bad at all.
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Oh. I don't mind working with customers honestly, I was a cashier for two years and I loved the customers and they loved me.
It's my coworkers who I never got a long with.

group dynamics just have always been my weak point.

with a customer it's one on one, with coworkers it always felt like it was them vs me
 
thesoapster

thesoapster

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,919
MD, USA
I'm not super introverted, but finance and accounting wouldn't be bad. If you feel like IT, systems administration seems pretty quiet as well.
 
TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,250
Well first off it's important to realize what you described is not introverted (the word has been applied so liberally now). Speaking with confidence and power is something that can be learned. You may not do well in a class of peers but may be totally fine in an office.

I wouldn't pigeon hole yourself so soon
 
Mathieran

Mathieran

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,892
I'm a zookeeper and I spend about 70% of my day alone or with animals and the other 30 with people most days. The only really bad times are when I'm training new interns or if we have visiting keepers shadowing.
 

Coyote Zamora

alt account
Banned
Jul 19, 2019
766
Pwnz said:
Software development with flexible hours and work from home encouraged. Get to be introverted and interact in bursts, it is perfect.

Nice shift from everyone must dress up in office with open concept chattering. Half the day is wasted on vanity and chit chat.
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First guys to get fired, too.
 
samoscratch

samoscratch

Member
Nov 25, 2017
2,847
Diablos said:
Ehhh it depends. There's a lot of work from home fluff out there.
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Definitely, you can't really go on Craig's list there are so many scams out there.
I won't mention the link since I think that's against the rules but there are membership websites that have all legitimate listings and the databases are pretty huge.
I can PM anyone that is interested.
 

Deleted member 56580

User requested account closure
Banned
May 8, 2019
1,881
My hardcore introverted brother works in HR and is loving it

There's not a single wrong line of work aslong as you like it
 
Sayre

Sayre

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
728
First, you need to understand that leadership comes in many different shapes and sizes and you can most definitely be an introvert and a leader. Some famous introvert leaders are Bill Gates, Barrak Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Warren Buffet.

If you are lacking confidence, that is something that can be improved upon through practice. You don't have to be the charismatic type like the student leaders you've come across. You just got to play with your strengths. I bet you have great attention to detail, empathetic to people's needs. Just find what you excel at and see how it can be translated to the type of leader you want to be. Does being charismatic help in public speaking and to rally the team to a common goal? Of course. But charismatic leaders could also have faults where they ignore the details, or too stubborn, or rarely listen to others... etc.

Now you may have no desire to be a leader, and that's perfectly okay. There are plenty of career paths you can take, but I just wanted to dispel the notion that only outgoing, charismatic people can be leaders or are the best leaders. Often times, they're not.

The power of introverts:
 
TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,250
The conflation of introverts being anti social really needs to chill

Not conforming to office culture and societal norms around socialization doesn't make you introverted. You can be social and outgoing and still be introverted
 
OP
OP
Blue Skies

Blue Skies

Banned
Mar 27, 2019
9,224
thesoapster said:
You're still going to have to work with some people no matter what, but I've watched so many finance/accounting people bury themselves in Excel, banking software, etc. It's all separate from the accounts and work from their co-workers. I only interacted with them as an IT tech.
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I know the finance sector isn't strictly "wolf of wallstreet" but those type of people scare the shit out of me, and I don't have an """"alpha""""" cell in my body. I just don't like "dog eat dog" type of workplaces, and in scared that that's what I'm getting myself into going in finance
 
Yesterday

Yesterday

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,285
Become a super spy who works alone but opens up their heart when forced to work with someone
 
OP
OP
Blue Skies

Blue Skies

Banned
Mar 27, 2019
9,224
Sayre said:
First, you need to understand that leadership comes in many different shapes and sizes and you can most definitely be an introvert and a leader. Some famous introvert leaders are Bill Gates, Barrak Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Warren Buffet.

If you are lacking confidence, that is something that can be improved upon through practice. You don't have to be the charismatic type like the student leaders you've come across. You just got to play with your strengths. I bet you have great attention to detail, empathetic to people's needs. Just find what you excel at and see how it can be translated to the type of leader you want to be. Does being charismatic help in public speaking and to rally the team to a common goal? Of course. But charismatic leaders could also have faults where they ignore the details, or too stubborn, or rarely listen to others... etc.

Now you may have no desire to be a leader, and that's perfectly okay. There are plenty of career paths you can take, but I just wanted to dispel the notion that only outgoing, charismatic people can be leaders or are the best leaders. Often times, they're not.

The power of introverts:
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Thank you
Will watch later. I never finished it, but is that from the "Quiet" book? I really do need to finish that
 
Mona

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
dark_prinny said:
Corpse Make-up man.
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source.gif
 
AlexBasch

AlexBasch

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,348
I have terrible social anxiety, have no close friends or relationships other than my girlfriend and my family, and I'm terrified of using the phone.

Yet I studied communication science in my country, use the phone daily to make interviews and I'm forced to socialize. I have no fucking idea how I managed this shit.

So yeah, here's hoping you can achieve personal happiness and leadership skills OP, keep at it!
 
viciouskillersquirrel

viciouskillersquirrel

Cheering your loss
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,876
There are five sources of power:

- Legitimate power, which comes from social institutions like laws, governments, corporate hierarchies and custom. It's the kind of power conferred by your position
- The power to coerce / punish / compel
- The power to entice / reward / seduce
- The power that comes from the sacred / moral / reverent
- The power that comes from knowledge / being an expert

Getting ahead in life is a function of how well you're able to leverage each of the different kinds of power available to you.

Extroverted, confident CEO types are really good at projecting the legitimate, seductive and coercive kinds of power, because these types of power play to their strengths. Ancient kings and chieftains used this model of authority. This helps them gain legitimate power, which gets them money and prestige.

An introvert on the other hand might be better suited to the sacred and expert forms of power.

Sacred power is hard to explain, but it's wielded by older people, veterans, firefighters, charity workers as well as priests and religious ministers. Any line of work where society at large values what you do for moral reasons, really.

Expert power on the other hand is wielded by doctors, scientists, economists, judges and the like. Basically study hard and become good at what you do and you'll gain respect (and economic value) in the eyes of society.

This isn't to say that you can't gain confidence and get good at speaking to people as an introvert. These are essential skills that you need to develop for general quality of life and you can develop them through study and practice, even if others might come by these skills naturally. Being introverted is just a natural inclination, not a forgone outcome.
 
Razgriz417

Razgriz417

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,119
Blue Skies said:
What brought this up for me is that there was this presentation at school, I'm in the business program, and these student "leaders" or whatever, spoke to us, and there was this one girl, omg, if this girl is a CEO of something 15 years from now, then I can totally say I ducking called it.
She just had this ultimate confidence to herself and was able to command the room like a boss.
i feel like I'll never be able to do that. That's just not me.
and for context in 26 years old, was in the navy, and did some other jobs before that, so don't say "oh you're young, you'll get there"
Nah
I think it's important for me to accept myself and personality for what it is, and move forward with that in mind. The girl that spoke was at most like 22 years old, and she had "Executive" written all over her. I don't see that in me when I'm honest wirh myself.

So, how does one come to accept that, shit, there are certain roles im just not cut out for?

My current plan is to graduate with a degree in finance and get a financial analyst position and work that for a couple years before I decide what to do after that.

so, introverts, low confidence people, what's a good career goal?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
lots of introverts in finance. As you gain knowledge and expertise in your field you may rise up the ranks there.
 
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