Quiet: Introverts at Work

Q UIET: INTROVERTS AT WORK Not everyone is cut out to be an aggressive sales person or advertising executive. Certain jobs require certain personalities, often people who don't mind being in the limelight and speaking up. But introverts shouldn't be discouraged, as there are plenty of careers suited for them. Let's take a look at some interesting facts regarding introverts and the jobs in which they can thrive. WHAT IS INTROVERSION? First popularized by psychologist Carl Jung, Introversion and extraversion are key personality traits that can help explain behavior. Introverts tend to prefer solo activities, while extraverts prefer interacting with other people. This trait is not always constant--even introverts can behave in extraverted ways at times. INTROVERTS... ...make better Hi! ..are prone to social one-on-one connections. anxiety disorder. Hi! ...prefer quiet, calm working spaces. ..feel dralned when ...focus on detall and take time to around large groups of people for to0 long. make judgments due to a difference in information processing. ..sometimes experience anxiety when speaking to groups of people. It can start when you're young: in 8 About 50% XARKIRX Percentage of introverts 7% - 8% People in the U.S. who are estimated to have social anxiety disorder in the U.S. The number of shy teens who are estimated to have social phobia The symptoms of severe introversion vary, but these symptoms can lead to difficulty during the job-hunting process. The symptoms can include: SWEATING FEELINGS OF NAUSEA AND DIZZINESS NERVOUS BEHAVIORS AVERSION TO EYE CONTACT OR TICS TREMBLING LOW OR SHAKING SPEAKING VOICE WHAT INTROVERTS NEED What's it like to be an introvert in an office or at a job site? What do introverts require to thrive and be successful? A guarantee that The allowance Quiet, solitary Minimal necessary Few group of headphones for privacy most work can be workspaces human interaction projects/meetings completed alone 95.3% t Percentage of workers who say they'd like a quiet, private environment for concentrated work. WHERE THEY CAN FLOURISH Not many introverts feel up to doing interview after interview for an indeterminate amount of time. And many might settle for unsatisfying jobs or jobs that they're overqualified for just so they can stay away from working with people. ACCOUNTANT O GRAPHIC DESIGNER AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: $57,000 $60,000 PERKS: Another computer job, though this one offers more creative freedom and flexibility. Many companies hire graphic designers just for logo and pamphlet design. Many graphic designers work freelance or PERKS: Much of an accountant's work these days requires the use of a computer and nothing else. Though intermittent human interaction is involved, it is minimal. Accountants typically work alone in offices. 31 from home. JOB GROWTH: JOB GROWTH: 2010 2010 2020 16% 2020 13% #include io.h> COMPUTER PROGRAMMER Aa TECHNICAL WRITER AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: Int ma nt a int AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: $74,000 $57,000 PERKS: Though many technical writers work in teams, much PERKS: Writing computer code for pretty much any company in the world doesn't require much human interaction and can ter communication is done throu- ger scar gh the computer. As work goes through an editing process, sometimes even be done from most comments and feedback printf("l that you tered is % are given electronically. It also requires a lot of research, which one can do alone. home. It is a behind-the-scenes kind of job, especially when it is telecommute work. JOB GROWTH: retur JOB GROWTH: 2010 2010 2020 12% 2020 17% A DENTAL TECHNICIAN AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN $68,960 AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY: $38,000 PERKS: Dental technicians can PERKS: Being any kind of record keeper allows an individual to work by themselves. Medical records technician positions require little to not human make high salaries while remaining out of the limelight. Though minimal interaction with patients and dentists is a requirement, it is a small part of the job. Plus, they often wear surgical masks, and some introverts find this eases some of their anxieties. interaction at all. JOB GROWTH: JOB GROWTH: 2010 2010 2020 21% 2020 TIPS FOR JOB-SEEKING INTROVERTS The hardest part of the Job-finding process for Introverts is Interviewing. Here are some tips for how to overcome and even use their introversion to their advantage during an interview. Don't apologize for belng shy. Soft-spoken people are generally considered more Make sure to rehearse before an Intervlew, Practice meditative techniques that will calm you. These can be particularly helpful while you're waiting to be called in for an in a mirror or a webcam. You won't be able to know exactly trustworthy and showing a timid side won't put off what the interviewer interview. It doesn't benefit you to sit in the waiting room anxious and thinking negative thoughts. will ask, but it's per- fectly acceptable to an interviewer. search for common interview questions and practice your Focus on answers. successes during Always follow up If you're shy, chances an interview, in Hi! are you've mastered digital communication. If you feel better speaking from a computer keyboard, send your thank you note or any other an interview with your head and out loud. This will help a thank-you note to your interviewer. Not only is this polite, but it allows you to add any extra information you may have forgoten. Shy, anxious people generally forget certain facts they wanted to get across in an interview. boost your THANK-YOU self-confidence. necessary comments via email. This will show the interviewer that even if you're not particularly eloquent in person, you truly can express yourself in text. NOT A HANDICAP Many introverts view their shyness as a serious roadblock to success. Nothing can convince a person of their potential like hard evidence. Below is a list, historical and current, of insanely successful introverts who found a way to use their shyness to their advantage. BILL GATES EINSTEIN PARKS ALBERT J.K. ROWLING ROSA MAHATMA ABRAHAM LINCOLN WARREN BUFFETT GANDHI SOURCES www.myersbriggs.org • www.scientificamerican.com • www.livescience.com • www.thoughtful-self-improvement.com • http://sierratucson.crchealth.com • http://healthland.time.com • www.shyness.com • www.fastcompany.com • www.bls.gov • http://education.yahoo.net • www.indeed.com • www.psychologytoday.com • www.huffingtonpost.com bestmastersprograms.org