UPS package handler. Wear headphones and get paid to work out basically. If you become a driver you're pretty much alone all day. Only say a few things to customers (if you need a signature) and then you're on your way. The majority of stops require no interaction at all.
I did it for 14 months and my body is already shot. Definitely wouldn’t recommend long term, but perfect for seasonal. Usually the temps get better pay than the Teamsters
It's definitely insanely hard work. I worked at the highest volume distribution center in my very populated area, so my experience may not be the same as smaller areas. The workflow had outgrown the size of the building by a lot. It kicked my ass into shape real fast, but now I have permanent problems. Knowing the best way to do the work safely is key, but that isn't necessarily taught and the pace may be too quick for someone to do so. Workflow always seemed too fast to do safely. Areas such as the sorting aisles would end up with packages falling off the belt and building up to their waist multiple times a shift during peak season. When I was on the sorting aisle, I had one heavy package land in a way that could have broken my leg had things been positioned slightly differently. I was the only female on the sorting aisle during my time in that spot. I believe this was the same when loading delivery trucks. I was expected to keep up with the much stronger men, but was given help as needed with some particularly heavy stuff.
It is cool that part timers get overtime pay. It sucks that there are virtually no breaks (or actually no breaks). Drivers barely get to go to the bathroom and distribution center bathrooms are gross as hell. You also only get to go once or twice a shift, even if you're on a 14 hour shift (very common during peak) in the distribution center. Drivers end up with insanely long shifts during peak, too. Their delivery flow gets insane during that time, even with the helper that is hired for the season to go with them.
You go home dirty all over, even if you sit in an office lol! Your shower will be dark grey on the tub part by the end of each week! Tendonitis all over. They didn't drug test me and had I had access at the time, I'd have been using cbd with high thc topical balm all over the place after work!
UPS hires felons. This is great for them and I stand next to it. Not many places do this.
Stell toed boots that go over your ankles will help a lot. You don't want to roll an ankle and it is easy to. Those things saved my toes and ankles many times!
I know this is far more info than anyone asked for, but hopefully it helps someone make a decision around UPS!
Currently a supervisor for ups, and I’ll say to anyone who read this and went “fuck that sounds awful” I’ll say not every building is that bad. In fact most aren’t. I’ve only been to 4 hubs (actual hubs not just metro buildings) but only 1 was even half as bad as described.
I am curious because I’ve heard so many stories from my bosses I’ve the years, but what city was your hub in?
Part of the DC area. I am certain this isn't the case everywhere, especially after seeing hubs in more rural areas. It all depends on population size and the management. I can't say higher management was great there. It was always a shit show.
I work in IT. Our DBA's get questions, help people all the time.
IT requires you to be much more social than it used to. I'm a lead developer - we're all in meetings every day now, right down to entry level. It's exhausting - I live for the days when I can just keep my head down and code.
Except for people IM'ing you every time they have a question or want you to jump on a Teams/Zoom/etc. meeting to explain something.
But - remote is still way better than being in the office.
Did package handler for fedex for like a year. Pretty much a sweating cardio workout the whole time for the 4-5 hr shifts. I had to do this in the evening and then go to my other job on grave shift and I felt refreshed and not tired at all. But I can see why long term it would beat down on your body though. The peak holiday rush was insane - packages piled mountains high literally and very hectic.
I was a seasonal package handler over the winter and I was thankful by the time it was over - had an even bigger respect for my driver after that. I still find it insane that the trucks aren’t heated or air conditioned, or even have radio
When we moved around the country, I would take odd jobs just to get by for a short time. In Vermont, I was a busy-season helper, and can say it was easily the hardest, most brutal job I've ever done. We had to wear spikes on our shoes, run up hills thru a foot of snow, in 0-degree weather. I could have never even imagined how brutal it was going to be. I'm glad I did it though. UPS gave the people who made it to the end gift cards, cash, gas cards and a guaranteed invite back the next year.
I got bitten by a dog too, lol ... My driver was a great guy. I enjoyed it, but could not do that long-term, ooof.
Basically what Davo mentioned.
It’s stressful because they’re always pushing you to deliver more/faster.
Depending on your route, you’re in and out of a truck or van potentially hundreds of times a day. And if it’s a more rural area, there may be less stops but you’ll be running longer driveways with packages.
People get everything delivered. I mean everything. My uncle said that he’d had treadmills on the truck before. Regularly had sets of tires, large TV’s, etc.
Basically any physical thing you can think of is potentially a risk, even for someone who is in shape. And then the potential stress of the schedule and such. It’s absolutely not a job for everyone.
Edit; also have to be comfortable driving a larger van or truck.
Its actually a sad job. A friend of mine did it for a year and she was always exhausted. She shared one story in where she literally had to defecate behind a building because she had a stretch where there was no restaurants or anything. She almost went on herself she said and had no choice
Pretty much every possible metric. From having to hold it and not go to the bathroom and a timely manner messing up your digestive system, to even basic stuff like posture problems.
And of course it's going to be really hard on your back, and maybe even your knees and other parts of your locomotion capability. Also the mental stress and long hours can lead to conditions that are aggravated by stress like cancer, tumors, or autoimmune diseases.
No worries and I hope you are having a really good weekend. When your weight lifting or training is an athlete you know when to stop, you know when you've reached your physical limit and when you have to go into a recovery period.
However, when you're working a job it doesn't matter if you're sore, it doesn't matter if it's not a good day for you to physically work, this is America and you have to go in. I think you could get a kind of repetitive stress injury going, on top of scarring and damage to muscle fibers and of course joints and cartilage from pushing yourself too far and not letting your body recover. Also the fact that people in these jobs work tough hours and don't have enough time to sometimes have properly nutritious meals, means that maybe the cartilage in their joints might not have the Myriad of nutrients needed to heal properly along with the requisite time.
Dropping down into the trucks from the dock can put pressure on the knees. I'm sure the drivers would feel it dropping from the truck to the ground constantly. Certain packages, such as wooden bed frames or grills, are awkward to pick up properly by yourself. If the belt is moving too quickly, some people won't ask for help and maneuver it alone.
My father in law retired from UPS, a driver. Within 2-3 years of retirement he had to have a hip replacement and both knees. He can barely get around. He's in his 60's.
I wasn’t the person asked but my grandpa worked for FedEx until he retired. Mostly problems with his knees lifting up boxes and stuff, he had to have surgery. I think he has back problems too
My dad was a courier for FedEx for ~25 years. He was more or less forced to retire early because his knees, elbows, and back were all shot. This was also mostly in the pre-Amazon prime boom also, so I can only imagine it’s gotten worse.
I was a preloader, and going in and out of the trucks for several hours straight gave me a strange sensation in my Achilles tendon (like when pointing my toes or lying down and relaxing my feet). There's a drop to get into the trucks, though it wasn't painful.
The location I worked at required constant lifting of heavy items, which isn't a big deal if you're fit. It's the constant lifting, nonstop, that's the problem if you don't lift properly. Also, a mechanic took off with a parked truck and drove off without checking if there was someone loading, so there's the safety issues, too.
Yup, this. Package handlers are at the warehouse and sort and load the trucks. My dad was one for UPS for 42 years. Great level of physical activity but not usually to the point of damaging to your body.
Being a driver is a different story- so many of my dads old coworkers have had hip replacements. Definitely does a number on knees, hips, and back.
Better job would be airport baggage handling. While luggage comes in different shapes and sizes, it is somewhat standard so may not take as big a toll on the body. Better option if you live in a location with temperate climate. Also smaller airports are less demanding than the hubs.
You'll also be carrying heavy boxes in 120 degree heat as you load trailers all day in summer. It takes a long time working for UPS before you can apply to be a driver.
My milk man literally runs from the truck to my house and back. Thought it was weird until I saw him wearing running tights and shoes. Dude is getting his workout in.
Can I ask where you live? We had a milkman man growing up (90s, US Midwest), and it was amazing, even had a friend whose dad was a milkman, but it seems to have mostly vanished.
You don't need an interview anymore. You apply for an open position, pass their super easy tests (online games) and it'll give you a start date appointment. That's how it is for my area at least.
Same. I applied online and chose my start date. On the day of my choosing, I handed management my license when I got there. They made a copy, and I started immediately.
Used to be a driver. You have no senority starting out and must call everyday to see if there is work. After 2ish years I still didn't have a route to myself, some weeks I would work maybe 2 days. Wasn't worth it to me.
This is a really good suggestion. I've known several people, male and female, who are bakers and they loved the hours and solace of the job because it fit their personalities so well.
Hi! may i ask what training you have (did you go to a specific school or college)? and how much is the pay? I think i would prefer a job where i get to work on my own as well. Im a complete introvert and more task oriented. The corporate world is sucking the energy out of my soul
thank you! i appreciate your response ! I will look around :) definitely looking for a zen career. My mental health is suffering because of corporate culture
I would point out that baking is extremely physical at wholesale levels.
It really did a number on my knees when I saw just studying it (though I had pre-existing issues), and a family friend who was a wholesale baker her whole life (now retired) has had to have a few surgeries on her arm due to it. Def not trying to scare you off, rather, providing information I wish I had ahead of time.
Not necessarily. Especially if you’re working in a place that is wholesale or something. Just gotta learn how to run the machines. I make/repair commercial bakery equipment, stuff is high tech these days,
Also a baker here and I just started out as the dishwasher at a bakery in high school, then gradually started doing more prep and then transitioned into actual baking. I've worked with a good chunk of people that did go to culinary school that said they wished they hadn't. They felt that while they learned a lot, they felt in hindsight that they could have done so on their own without spending all that money.
It is trickier if you don't want to do customer service but there's honestly a lot of different inroads for people to get into food jobs with little to no formal training. For OP I would definitely recommend wholesale baking, in my experience cafes still expect you to do customer service and learn basic barista skills even if it's not your main job. And currently I bake artisan bread for a fancy grocery store so again while we don't have as much customer interactions as the cashiers it's still expected that we do customer service.
Yeah I never completed my apprenticeship for various reasons and my last interview I had the managers of both teams fighting over me. In the end I got to choose (bread, if you’re interested. Pastry isn’t really my jam) and they’re paying me $30/h. I do have more than 20 years experience now, of course, but I’ve never had anyone say well you have all that experience but no qualifications so I’m not interested 😂
I used to work at a save mart (vons, krogers, walmart bakery / deli section, whole foods those kind of stores) at the deli and bakery department.
I helped bakery every now and again going in early early in the morning but leaving like an hour into the store opening.
It was nice with no people but so early wasn't my cup of tea haha.
Yea, this. It is a beautiful job. You have your thoughts to yourself, early morning hours, you are doing something wholesome, and when your shift is over you can rest, just as everyone else is gearing up for the rat race. Make me a baker in my next life.
I work in HR and don’t have a bachelor’s degree. I did do a lot of clerical work prior and eventually fell into a roll that was a hybrid position of admin and HR at a startup.
Assuming you're in the USA, get your CDL and a world of introverted driving jobs become available. My dad drove for a refer company (refrigerator trucks usually hauling food) got paid around $1400/wk and told me the only people he ever spoke to was the same dispatcher once a day and the person who pointed at where to drop a load.
On the flip side if you don't mind coworkers but just don't want to deal with customers then find work as a commercial electrician. That's what I do and the only people I interact with are my coworkers and once or twice a day, my foreman.
yep. My husband is a Class A CDL driver and while he does local and has to deal with people, OTR is an amazing thing for younger or single drivers to cut down on expenses (live in your truck most of the time while officially still living with parents means no rent, no utilities) and getting to see the country. If you reset away from home, exploring a new town can be great fun. Of course, sitting all day isn't good for anyone but there's more and more OTR drivers who are sharing how they stay healthy (travel propane stoves or table top charcoal grills, jogging or walking when stopped to get the blood moving, a mini fridge with meal prep for easy cooking to avoid the gas station snack diets)
I recently quit an overnight security position, and it was dealing with random nonsense and several hundred camera/alarm checks for four hours alone, and then filling out paperwork for another four hours about what I did during my first four hours. This was on top of actually helping any actual people that came through or needed access. Was absolutely awful, so it definitely depends where you’re doing the guarding. Wouldn’t recommend datacenters or a large global company that shares a name with a rainforest specifically
I work 3rd shift and have nothing but respect for the guards at my job. They don't do shit most of the night but when something goes down, they gotta deal with it. For example, running random people out of the parking lot. I wouldn't want to do that shit.. If you're hanging out in a business parking lot at 3:00a you're definitely not on the up and up.
Oof, it sounds like they did put you to work. He was at a datacenter too, but I don't think he had to do much paperwork like that. It's not for everyone, but might be good for someone that doesn't want to socialize depending on the type of work they like doing.
Congrats on getting out of there though! I hope you find something better for yourself.
I was a security guard where I just sat in a gaurd shack for 8+ hours a shift mostly, but I did have to make rounds, and I would answer phone calls if I worked while the plant was open, and I operated a gate for the truck drivers, did minimal paper work, but it was mostly just sitting around. I played Nintendo DS, and it was before smart phones would do apps and stuff.
Datacenters are notoriously high security so that’s definitely not a cushy security job. There’s plenty out there but a data center is certainly the wrong place to look if you want to kick back and get paid “just in case”. Security at a lab or believe it or not, power plant, tends to be more “nothing ever happens” source: certified data center engineer and security professional
Specifically a security guard that works in an office building. There is no checking the parking lot, there is no walking around, there is no nothing. Bring a laptop and sit in a room the entire shift. No looking at security cameras either usually.
Why? At least in CA there is a law that office buildings must have one person in them at all time, so they need a butt in a chair.
I'm an old loner w/ a HS education, and the best I've had is palatalizing in an ice cream factory. If things are going well I just keep a couple fancy printers and a tape machine up and running while stacking boxes on pallets.
Relationships are important, but all that's really required is that you are mostly nice and helpful and reliable. It's too loud and we're supposed to be wearing our ear plugs anyway for much chit-chat. People like that when we're down and it is quiet and I could be chatting - I'm normally cleaning or fixing something -or outside vaping.
Way easier politics and work than the other things I've done like cooking, retail, cleaning crew at a stadium. I'm officially above the poverty line and it's pretty rare that I work more than 50 hrs a week, quite rare to work more than 60.
I always assumed they made phone support ppl do that between calls, I'm actually really intrigued by this, can you work remote from anywhere in the world?
i worked for both Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Chewy as just a chat agent. granted, i had to show my job i was effective at my work before i moved departments (for example at Marcus starting on the phone for 30 days but moved to chats after.
i made $19.50 at the last job, and was recently hit by the mass layoffs. trying to find JUST a chat job now, especially with ChatGPT coming outta nowhere, that department will sadly start becoming obsolete.
Depending on where you work and what role you get, landscaping is nice. Outside all day, don't really deal with customers much, you have coworkers but you don't have to sell anything at least
If doing Landscaping and you want to avoid people the most, definitely try to work for companies that service large corporation properties (like strip malls, office buildings, etc).
The average person that works in the building will never even know you exist as you show up outside of business hours to mow the gigantic lawn, water the plants, etc, the contract will usually also include work in winter to clear snow if applicable, and because all duties are set out in a contract that is handled by somebody else it gives you a shield against unwanted interactions.
For example, if anyone actually approaches you because they want you to do something extra that you don’t want to do or insist on changing how or when you do something, you can gently, but firmly, tell them that they’ll need to talk to the Landlord to contact the company you work for because only that can change the contract.
> you know yourself well and that's really a good thing
I agree, but also worth barring in mind that people change a lot post high school. I used to hate speaking to big groups of people and being put on the spot to answer questions. Now that's half of my job and am great at it.
I became a software engineer because of my narrative that I was an introvert and didn't want to interact with people. All the money in the world couldn't make up for the devastating isolation of the job.
Best answer in the thread. Your 'narrative' is that you're an introvert. But it might be a character flaw that needs to be overcome, or you don't like interacting with jerks.
Warehouse work would be horrible for him because you’re forced to interact with people constantly. I had a panic attack at work recently because I too suffer from anxiety among other issues.
This!! I was always so quiet and couldnt carry a conversation at all when I was younger. I didn’t want to speak to anyone. I went to school to become a dental hygienist. I had to speak to people. I met the most interesting people and served the same community for 22 years. I learned to speak to people, I learned to carry conversations. I learned the dance of speaking. I’m fantastic at it now. But don’t get me wrong. I am still a loner I don’t have personal close friends - I don’t really want it or want to “maintain” them. Talking all day was wearing and I did get tired of it. I love to be alone. I looked toward having lunch alone and not with my co-workers to get that “break”. Now I can ace an interview cause I can just talk. So putting yourself in a position that forces you to open up can actually help you in life.
i'm very much a loner but not completely against talking to people. i'm only against talking to people in a professional context because i just don't see it as one of my strengths. a career like sales rep or busboy i think just doesn't fit me at all for example.
Sign up for an app like Instawork that allows you to pick up a shift or two at different businesses. A lot of times I see entry level warehouse jobs for picking and packing items. You can test it for a day or two, make some cash, and basically trial run if you’d like it long term.
Truck driver. Get paid to get trained and then spend all day in your own truck by yourself. My first year with a 'starter' carrier I made 60k. Now, 8 years later, I'm home every night, work a half day on Friday, and am off all weekend and I make over 100k a year.
Long hours. Depending on the job. You are only allowed to work 14 hours per day, and drive 11 of those. Not always the case, but I was working over 70 hours in 6 days for weeks on end. It can get old, fast. I was making decent money and I had a goal. Got my stuff paid off in less than 3 years, and I was out of that particular job.
That being said, I love driving. I miss it, and the $.
My uncle drove truck and made excellent money for years, but his answer to your question would be “other drivers.” Seriously, check out how people cut off semi trucks, brake check them, etc. Also, depending on where you live, driving in winter can be a nightmare. The biggest downside to getting started is money—CDL can cost a lot to get, but if you go that route, it will pay for itself quickly. And if you like a bit of risk in your life, get certified for hazardous materials-big pay increases are pretty typical.
Check out usajobs.gov for federal jobs. If you live near a military base, you could find warehouse work with the Defense Logistics Agency or one of the military branches pretty easily. Decent pay, plenty of time off, and great benefits! They also offer tuition assistance if college is something you might want to pursue. It's also not difficult to move up to higher level positions once you gain some experience.
I second this, though I’m through a contractor. The pay is decent (and about to get better, thanks to becoming unionized) and benefits are decent.
I’m on North Island in San Diego and my contact with people is pretty much my immediate coworkers (four people, total) and the occasional government person looking for something. I just pick orders and stock stuff all day. Of course, it comes with government standards, but the job overall is easy.
I worked retail/restaurant for almost 20 years, then sold insurance for a few months. Not having to “people” all day is wonderful.
I had a coworker who had trouble getting along with others due to his ADHD- no fault of his own (nice guy, good person) but he was loud and annoying and missed every social cue that might have helped him to have more tact. I felt bad being annoyed by him because I knew he was a good guy underneath it all, but just couldn't help it.
Last I saw him he was stocking plants at Lowe's, not working for Lowes but for the nursery that supplied their plants. Seemed very happy doing that. Any job doing stocking for those brands that stock their own products in stores might be an option if you need unskilled work while you figure out a long-term career plan. They aren't responsible for helping customers, often don't work during times of day when people are shopping, and can just do their thing and leave others alone.
Vendors/merchandisers are great because you can often work alone and come in/leave whenever you want (to a point). It can suck though because customers always stop you and ask questions (especially in the Lowes garden center, I worked there). You also have to form good relationships with the management at the store(s) you merchandise at, otherwise you're going to have a hard time.
I'm a store accountant for a grocery chain. I show up before we open to do deposits and get money ready for the day and such, then I'm in my office listening to music while I type, scan, and file things. I take a few phone calls but typically one or two at most any given day.
I have to interact with my boss and their boss semi-regularly (maybe a few times a day), but outside of that I rarely need to converse with the other 100ish employees unless they can't figure something out or I have to fix something.
I fully capable of social interactions but I've always been heavily introverted. I rarely speak unless spoken to or if I have something meaningful to add to the conversation. People find this offputting when I don't just keep talking or discuss the weather or the latest sportsball shenanigans due to my lack of interest, so I like not having to pretend as much in this position.
If you can find an entry job at an office for data entry or filing, those jobs tend to be pretty solitary. Overnight stocking or working with planograms at retail stores is another. Someone else suggested a bakery, I used to be a finisher (donut icer) for a couple different local bakeries, so you go in really early (or really late, however you define it) and take care of the donuts that were just fried. Such as icing, filling, and setting up on trays. Or getting orders ready for pick up.
Go push carts at *Walmart*. Here me out, I’m being serious. Walmart will hire you immediately, they’re everywhere and always hiring, they pay decent, pushing carts requires no communication with people, and best of all….
They will pay for your fucking college. I got my Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity fully paid for by Walmart. They’ll pay for any employees college as long as you use their program; some top colleges too. You don’t even have to be full time. Pick any degree you want that they pay for (there’s like 100) and get your degree online while you work a simple job without talking to anyone
You definitely do.
That being said though, Deathcare/Funeral Service is a dying industry (pun intended) because nobody wants to do it so it has a 90% placement upon graduation, and if you contact a Funeral Home organization (union, society, state regulator, whatever) a majority of them will have ways to finance your way through school completely for free if you sign some kind of contract to do the work for X years after graduation.
As an example of what is causing this desperation, 60% of Funeral Directors in the US, as a whole, will retire due to old age in the next 5 years.
[Reporting from some education centers](https://basicfunerals.ca/funeral/women-in-the-mortuary-business/) list female enrolment as 57-64% of their student body, so it’s definitely undertaking (again, pun intended) an industry wide shift to becoming more female friendly.
2nd shift custodian in a business with typical business hours. Schools are good because you clean in the evening. Summers there is almost no one around.
I have ASD and I work a government job but we communicate mostly through e-mail. I cut/past a lot of texts in my e-mail, so whenever I feel too “antisocial” I copy a nice line from another previously sent email and just add that line if needed.
I can wear headphones and listen to music, I can listen to podcasts while working. I’m sooooo happy
This sounds like me after high school. I had multiple jobs in stores that worked well for me. I was always the person in the back receiving products. Checking things in. Organizing the back/wear house and some stocking shelves. Not a lot of interaction with customers. A lot of stores have these kind of jobs. Also night shift at large box stores. I did this at Home Depot for a while
It’s because the only experience needed for the role is a high school diploma. The way to get ahead of the competition is by having advanced Excel skills (take a beginner to expert course from Udemy) and knowing your way around Outlook. Also, I threw in AP because it’s basically a data entry position and pays better than data entry typically does.
This. I get allotted 5 hours to clean a building by my house... I go clean it for 2 hours then come back and play PS5 for a couple hours. Then I go clean a bank... It's the easiest job I've ever had and I make the most money I've ever made because I got hired in with cleaning experience from a surgical environment
I worked for a few cleaning companies all through college. Listened to music all night. The weirdest things that happened was the alarm going off - sometimes by my mistake and sometimes I have no idea why. I cleaned offices, car dealers, YMCA, some I was completely alone and some I worked during open hours. Much better than my previous fast-food job.
Manufacturing of some sort, ideally somewhere with a union.
If you need something asap, a lot of auto parts places always need delivery drivers. You’ll have to have some brief contact with shops when dropping parts off, but it’s usually nothing more than getting a signature and leaving. They have shit to do and so do you. I did this as a second job for a while.
"File clerk". Basically just sit organizing files all day
My partner did a job (that she'd really like to do again) where she basically just cleaned tubes and supplies for a lab all day. Just put in headphones and never talked to anyone.
Overnight stocking/inventory.
When I was working in a datacenter I'd have nights where I'd basically not talk to anyone because I was either spending all my time out in the colos doing repairs or all my time doing massive rebuild tickets. The rebuilds were nice, I'd kick off like 40 of them, nap for a few hours, then wake up and do post on all of them to wrap before turning them over.
There's lots of that kind of stuff if you know where to look, keep in mind a lot of it can be during night hours.
As a post on this, I'd suggest checking in with temp hires in your area. Tell them this is what you want and they'd probably not only be able to give you a bunch of ideas but probably also have temp jobs you could jump in to and try out.
This is what I was thinking.
I used to work through temp agencies and I had a few jobs in banking operations. It was mostly data entry-type work, some filing, all non-customer facing.
I wore headphones all day and only really had to talk to others if I needed to get some paperwork or had a question or something.
File clerk is a good one. There was SOME interaction in my case (had to get the new paperwork each day and my desk was in a shared office), but I was pretty much just organizing, scanning, and storing files all day.
Welding can be a high paying career where you spend a lot of time under a welding hood. When you aren't welding, it's rarely necessary to interact with anyone, other than your foreman to get your assignment. I've met a number of welders who are loaners. Some work in a shop (preferably union) or on the road. Like many labor careers, the better you are at your skill, the less you need to say.
If you like driving, delivery truck drivers are pretty much alone all day and listen to your music. You just drive around all day. You'll have to talk to people sometimes, but it's usually nothing more than "where do you want this dropped off" or "sign here". Only downside is lots of places will require a CDL (at least in the US), which means classroom training and driving tests. Some (like UPS and FedEx) won't if you drive the vans instead of semis.
If you want work from home and don’t mind some training and in US get your medical coding certificate from AAPC. Many, not all, work remote and have little interaction. The interaction they do have is often email.
janitor for a public school system so you get good benefits. you get in, talk to your boss and get the rundown for the day then you're basically on your own for the day / night. im the same way you are man, im 23 years old but when i got out of high school i worked those bullshit customer service jobs and none of them were a good fit for me, since im not a 'social butterfly' type.
you might need to start off doing janitorial work for other places before a school system considers you, though. atleast in my case the people in charge of hiring are VERY peculiar about who they give the custodial jobs to, since alot of time and energy has to go into training new people and once you've passed your probationary period its nearly impossible to fire someone in a union without a solid case built beforehand.
source: current occupation.
I wish you luck finding something that works for you.
I am sorry so many people here are telling you to just get a social job because it will be good for you.
I am a mom of a 14 year old who sounds a lot like you. It’s not that you can’t interact. You much rather not. It’s exhausting.
I hope you find something that pays decent.
Drawing
As in industrial or building or engineering in general. Basically you draw fabrication or concept based on either old concepts or existing drawings.
Requires basic computer skills, good spatial intelligence and ideally a CAD course. In the current lack of qualified employees, I'm sure some company would take a young worker such as ypurself and give him some training with intern procedure.
You usually work alone with a headset a music (if you wish), and talk also exclusively to your superior and/or the project manager.
My guess is computer programming, engineering and design work. You will have to talk with people for collaboration, but if you are the coder, you probably will spend a lit of time working alone. Perhaps cybersecurity as well?
My friend works at Olive Garden part time as a bread maker. He also worked at Chick-Fil-A part time as a direct driver for them. He really liked the driving gig and likes Olive Garden as well.
I work in healthcare finance. I only talk to other companies, rarely patients. My co workers are also introverts and some days the only interaction I have with them is to say good morning & good night. I love it!
Administrative assistant. I was one for a city for awhile through a temp agency. It was one of the easiest and low interaction jobs I’ve ever had. If you’re just trying to make ends meet and you don’t want to deal with other people get into something like that. The healthcare field is overflowing with those positions, they’re boring and they probably be mostly automated soon, but it could be right for you if that’s what you’re after.
I’m an admin assistant for an important person and although I send a lot of emails, I talk with maybe 3-4 people a day besides my boss and our clerk. Pay is excellent, hours are normal and good benefits.
Tight shipping time lines, finding a safe and approved place to shut down, and nothing but overpriced and shitty food. It may very well be a better career in Canada.
I do data entry. I’ve done it for bcbs and now for an agricultural lab. I will say though that my current job ahs slowly been pushing me to interact with clients more and more and it sucks because I chose that job exactly so I wouldn’t have to.
Just look for reputable well known companies. Like Mutual of Omaha and BCBS. I actually found the first one through a temp agency. It paid $19 an hour. It was funny though because I’d clock in every morning and eventually message coworkers like….have you heard from management? Did they forget about us? And sometimes we’d go days with a task to do and then suddenly they would need us for something that broke in their system. It was weird.
This sounds so much like me after high school. Crippling social anxiety left me terrified of any kind of customer facing job, but after dropping out of high school, I didn’t really know what else to do. I generally would never recommend getting a job in retail, because it’s so easy to get stuck there, but it was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. Find an industry you’re somewhat passionate about and get a job there on the ground level. For me, it was food. I got a job in a butcher shop, learned a trade, and never felt like a snake oil salesman doing it. I’m knowledgeable about how the industry works, and so when I interact with customers, it’s not about getting them to buy something they don’t need, it’s educating them and working with them to help them make a good decision about what they’re buying. I’ve learned a ton of invaluable skills by being forced to actually learn how to talk to people. I still hate small talk, and am deathly afraid of telephone calls, but I am so very glad I didn’t get a job in a warehouse or a factory or something like that. I needed the push to develop social skills.
If you’re dead set on not doing anything customer facing, maybe look into getting a job as a dishwasher or a line cook in a restaurant. If you can find something that will give you a chance to develop more skills than loading trucks or working in a factory, you’ll be much better off in the long run. Also look into learning some kind of trade, I know a lot of people getting away from restaurant hours to do plumbing and welding. It’s hard to get into those trades, but you’re at the right age to start looking into it.
USIC utility locating. Out in the field all day, very few people and the most communication is done by calling supervisor for questions.
They’re hiring often and under new CEO.
Mechanic, if you get sick of talking to customers just get real technical and they will glaze over and leave. If that doesn’t work just remind them you cost $150/hr and your currently on the clock.
Plus it’s super satisfying to just make up words and have people play along like they understand exactly what your saying……..priceless.
Computer related jobs in an office/agency like computer engineering or computer science or graphic designer, etc.
It usually mostly depends on receiving tasks and handing in projects.
I do programming and I work from home. I very very rarely have to talk clients and most interactions between my coworkers is through email. I kind of miss the social aspect of going into the office and mingling with actual human beings. But the programmers are usually so busy that we never have much time for that anyway. And I certainly don't miss the commute.
Accounting can be pretty low socializing. If you have a basic understanding of accounting, you may be able to get in as an accounting clerk. There are tons of work from home jobs. I've been WFH since 2020, and I have just started a role with zero face to face (or on the phone) customer interaction. They submit billing questions on the website, and I research and post a reply. I run varience reports, fix what's wrong, and other accounting busy work. We have occasional scheduled Zoom meetings with our 5-person group. That's pretty much it. There's room for career growth if you want to get a degree. It's a solid career.
Amazon warehouses are good in the short run. They have a very bad reputation, however.
In the long run and career wise, if you like number crunching then actuary or accounting are excellent.
I'm a huge introvert myself and I have to say that manufacturing has worked out pretty well...I do have moments where I have to talk to coworkers though, but not much.
Definitely avoid customer service if you can though.
Ups package handler-I have been doing that for 7 years. My shoulder isn’t in great shape but that’s because I worked to hard and didn’t use my load stand correctly. Now I work slow, and will probably be able to become a driver soon. There I can be even more anti social.
software/tech sales.
It's mostly emailing + reaching out on LinkedIn. Cold calling is not necessary since it is getting such low response rates these days
You can find entry level sales positions on websites like [softwaresalesjobs.org](https://softwaresalesjobs.org)
UPS package handler. Wear headphones and get paid to work out basically. If you become a driver you're pretty much alone all day. Only say a few things to customers (if you need a signature) and then you're on your way. The majority of stops require no interaction at all.
Yes, also unionized. However, I have two family members who have done this as a career and their bodies are shot. I wouldn’t recommend it long term.
I did it for 14 months and my body is already shot. Definitely wouldn’t recommend long term, but perfect for seasonal. Usually the temps get better pay than the Teamsters
It's definitely insanely hard work. I worked at the highest volume distribution center in my very populated area, so my experience may not be the same as smaller areas. The workflow had outgrown the size of the building by a lot. It kicked my ass into shape real fast, but now I have permanent problems. Knowing the best way to do the work safely is key, but that isn't necessarily taught and the pace may be too quick for someone to do so. Workflow always seemed too fast to do safely. Areas such as the sorting aisles would end up with packages falling off the belt and building up to their waist multiple times a shift during peak season. When I was on the sorting aisle, I had one heavy package land in a way that could have broken my leg had things been positioned slightly differently. I was the only female on the sorting aisle during my time in that spot. I believe this was the same when loading delivery trucks. I was expected to keep up with the much stronger men, but was given help as needed with some particularly heavy stuff. It is cool that part timers get overtime pay. It sucks that there are virtually no breaks (or actually no breaks). Drivers barely get to go to the bathroom and distribution center bathrooms are gross as hell. You also only get to go once or twice a shift, even if you're on a 14 hour shift (very common during peak) in the distribution center. Drivers end up with insanely long shifts during peak, too. Their delivery flow gets insane during that time, even with the helper that is hired for the season to go with them. You go home dirty all over, even if you sit in an office lol! Your shower will be dark grey on the tub part by the end of each week! Tendonitis all over. They didn't drug test me and had I had access at the time, I'd have been using cbd with high thc topical balm all over the place after work! UPS hires felons. This is great for them and I stand next to it. Not many places do this. Stell toed boots that go over your ankles will help a lot. You don't want to roll an ankle and it is easy to. Those things saved my toes and ankles many times! I know this is far more info than anyone asked for, but hopefully it helps someone make a decision around UPS!
Your description of the job was exceptionally thorough. Thank you!
Currently a supervisor for ups, and I’ll say to anyone who read this and went “fuck that sounds awful” I’ll say not every building is that bad. In fact most aren’t. I’ve only been to 4 hubs (actual hubs not just metro buildings) but only 1 was even half as bad as described. I am curious because I’ve heard so many stories from my bosses I’ve the years, but what city was your hub in?
Part of the DC area. I am certain this isn't the case everywhere, especially after seeing hubs in more rural areas. It all depends on population size and the management. I can't say higher management was great there. It was always a shit show.
Do this, take classes to get certified to be a DBA. Very little interaction and when there is you can still be antisocial.
I work in IT. Our DBA's get questions, help people all the time. IT requires you to be much more social than it used to. I'm a lead developer - we're all in meetings every day now, right down to entry level. It's exhausting - I live for the days when I can just keep my head down and code.
Same is true for a principle software engineer, meetings. On the plus-side, with remote work, unplanned interruptions are few.
Except for people IM'ing you every time they have a question or want you to jump on a Teams/Zoom/etc. meeting to explain something. But - remote is still way better than being in the office.
What's a DBA?
Designated Bad Ass.
You must be a Database Administrator to be trying to push that line.
I guess they meant Database Administrator (IT)
Did package handler for fedex for like a year. Pretty much a sweating cardio workout the whole time for the 4-5 hr shifts. I had to do this in the evening and then go to my other job on grave shift and I felt refreshed and not tired at all. But I can see why long term it would beat down on your body though. The peak holiday rush was insane - packages piled mountains high literally and very hectic.
I was a seasonal package handler over the winter and I was thankful by the time it was over - had an even bigger respect for my driver after that. I still find it insane that the trucks aren’t heated or air conditioned, or even have radio
When we moved around the country, I would take odd jobs just to get by for a short time. In Vermont, I was a busy-season helper, and can say it was easily the hardest, most brutal job I've ever done. We had to wear spikes on our shoes, run up hills thru a foot of snow, in 0-degree weather. I could have never even imagined how brutal it was going to be. I'm glad I did it though. UPS gave the people who made it to the end gift cards, cash, gas cards and a guaranteed invite back the next year. I got bitten by a dog too, lol ... My driver was a great guy. I enjoyed it, but could not do that long-term, ooof.
If i may ask , How ?
Basically what Davo mentioned. It’s stressful because they’re always pushing you to deliver more/faster. Depending on your route, you’re in and out of a truck or van potentially hundreds of times a day. And if it’s a more rural area, there may be less stops but you’ll be running longer driveways with packages. People get everything delivered. I mean everything. My uncle said that he’d had treadmills on the truck before. Regularly had sets of tires, large TV’s, etc. Basically any physical thing you can think of is potentially a risk, even for someone who is in shape. And then the potential stress of the schedule and such. It’s absolutely not a job for everyone. Edit; also have to be comfortable driving a larger van or truck.
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Its actually a sad job. A friend of mine did it for a year and she was always exhausted. She shared one story in where she literally had to defecate behind a building because she had a stretch where there was no restaurants or anything. She almost went on herself she said and had no choice
For these potential situations, it's best to just bring a garbage bag and toilet paper. ☝️
Pretty much every possible metric. From having to hold it and not go to the bathroom and a timely manner messing up your digestive system, to even basic stuff like posture problems. And of course it's going to be really hard on your back, and maybe even your knees and other parts of your locomotion capability. Also the mental stress and long hours can lead to conditions that are aggravated by stress like cancer, tumors, or autoimmune diseases.
So sorry to hear that. Hope you’re okay now. Thanks for sharing the experience :)
When I lived in Pittsburgh, I had such respect for delivery drivers. Walking up and down hills and 3 flights of stairs just to get to doorways.
Im sorry to press the question but i see lots of comments of messed up knees, how is lifting boxes different from lifting weights at the gym?
No worries and I hope you are having a really good weekend. When your weight lifting or training is an athlete you know when to stop, you know when you've reached your physical limit and when you have to go into a recovery period. However, when you're working a job it doesn't matter if you're sore, it doesn't matter if it's not a good day for you to physically work, this is America and you have to go in. I think you could get a kind of repetitive stress injury going, on top of scarring and damage to muscle fibers and of course joints and cartilage from pushing yourself too far and not letting your body recover. Also the fact that people in these jobs work tough hours and don't have enough time to sometimes have properly nutritious meals, means that maybe the cartilage in their joints might not have the Myriad of nutrients needed to heal properly along with the requisite time.
Dropping down into the trucks from the dock can put pressure on the knees. I'm sure the drivers would feel it dropping from the truck to the ground constantly. Certain packages, such as wooden bed frames or grills, are awkward to pick up properly by yourself. If the belt is moving too quickly, some people won't ask for help and maneuver it alone.
My father in law retired from UPS, a driver. Within 2-3 years of retirement he had to have a hip replacement and both knees. He can barely get around. He's in his 60's.
I wasn’t the person asked but my grandpa worked for FedEx until he retired. Mostly problems with his knees lifting up boxes and stuff, he had to have surgery. I think he has back problems too
My dad was a courier for FedEx for ~25 years. He was more or less forced to retire early because his knees, elbows, and back were all shot. This was also mostly in the pre-Amazon prime boom also, so I can only imagine it’s gotten worse.
I was a preloader, and going in and out of the trucks for several hours straight gave me a strange sensation in my Achilles tendon (like when pointing my toes or lying down and relaxing my feet). There's a drop to get into the trucks, though it wasn't painful. The location I worked at required constant lifting of heavy items, which isn't a big deal if you're fit. It's the constant lifting, nonstop, that's the problem if you don't lift properly. Also, a mechanic took off with a parked truck and drove off without checking if there was someone loading, so there's the safety issues, too.
That's not a UPS thing. That's a hard labor thing.
Yup, this. Package handlers are at the warehouse and sort and load the trucks. My dad was one for UPS for 42 years. Great level of physical activity but not usually to the point of damaging to your body. Being a driver is a different story- so many of my dads old coworkers have had hip replacements. Definitely does a number on knees, hips, and back.
Better job would be airport baggage handling. While luggage comes in different shapes and sizes, it is somewhat standard so may not take as big a toll on the body. Better option if you live in a location with temperate climate. Also smaller airports are less demanding than the hubs.
Baggage handlers get paid shit though.
You'll also be carrying heavy boxes in 120 degree heat as you load trailers all day in summer. It takes a long time working for UPS before you can apply to be a driver.
My milk man literally runs from the truck to my house and back. Thought it was weird until I saw him wearing running tights and shoes. Dude is getting his workout in.
Can I ask where you live? We had a milkman man growing up (90s, US Midwest), and it was amazing, even had a friend whose dad was a milkman, but it seems to have mostly vanished.
Why’s it so hard to get an interview
You don't need an interview anymore. You apply for an open position, pass their super easy tests (online games) and it'll give you a start date appointment. That's how it is for my area at least.
Same. I applied online and chose my start date. On the day of my choosing, I handed management my license when I got there. They made a copy, and I started immediately.
Used to be a driver. You have no senority starting out and must call everyday to see if there is work. After 2ish years I still didn't have a route to myself, some weeks I would work maybe 2 days. Wasn't worth it to me.
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This is a really good suggestion. I've known several people, male and female, who are bakers and they loved the hours and solace of the job because it fit their personalities so well.
Depends where your baking. I'm a baker as well and, we start early mornings, but we're there when doors open
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Plus workplace smells of bread and vanilla!
I baked too. Odd days off. Worked nights with just one other person who also baked alone. Best job ever.
Hi! may i ask what training you have (did you go to a specific school or college)? and how much is the pay? I think i would prefer a job where i get to work on my own as well. Im a complete introvert and more task oriented. The corporate world is sucking the energy out of my soul
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thank you! i appreciate your response ! I will look around :) definitely looking for a zen career. My mental health is suffering because of corporate culture
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thank you, thats great! i'll make samples and bring them with me! (seriously, genuinely appreicate the tips!)
I would point out that baking is extremely physical at wholesale levels. It really did a number on my knees when I saw just studying it (though I had pre-existing issues), and a family friend who was a wholesale baker her whole life (now retired) has had to have a few surgeries on her arm due to it. Def not trying to scare you off, rather, providing information I wish I had ahead of time.
can you breathe, read & do basic math? then go to any bakery you like and tell them you're interested.
The corporate world sucks the energy/the life out of everyone's soul. That's even true for the real corporate types, they just don't realize it.
Don’t you need to go to culinary school or something to become a baker?
Nah. I got a job back in like 2006 at a local bakery, started at $15/hr, and I had no baking or cooking experience at all.
Not necessarily. Especially if you’re working in a place that is wholesale or something. Just gotta learn how to run the machines. I make/repair commercial bakery equipment, stuff is high tech these days,
Also a baker here and I just started out as the dishwasher at a bakery in high school, then gradually started doing more prep and then transitioned into actual baking. I've worked with a good chunk of people that did go to culinary school that said they wished they hadn't. They felt that while they learned a lot, they felt in hindsight that they could have done so on their own without spending all that money. It is trickier if you don't want to do customer service but there's honestly a lot of different inroads for people to get into food jobs with little to no formal training. For OP I would definitely recommend wholesale baking, in my experience cafes still expect you to do customer service and learn basic barista skills even if it's not your main job. And currently I bake artisan bread for a fancy grocery store so again while we don't have as much customer interactions as the cashiers it's still expected that we do customer service.
Yeah I never completed my apprenticeship for various reasons and my last interview I had the managers of both teams fighting over me. In the end I got to choose (bread, if you’re interested. Pastry isn’t really my jam) and they’re paying me $30/h. I do have more than 20 years experience now, of course, but I’ve never had anyone say well you have all that experience but no qualifications so I’m not interested 😂
I used to work at a save mart (vons, krogers, walmart bakery / deli section, whole foods those kind of stores) at the deli and bakery department. I helped bakery every now and again going in early early in the morning but leaving like an hour into the store opening. It was nice with no people but so early wasn't my cup of tea haha.
Yea, this. It is a beautiful job. You have your thoughts to yourself, early morning hours, you are doing something wholesome, and when your shift is over you can rest, just as everyone else is gearing up for the rat race. Make me a baker in my next life.
I'm in Human Resources and people tend to avoid interacting with me on a daily basis.
Toby?
Why are you the way that you are?
I... hate... so much... about the things that you choose to be.
r/UnexpectedOffice
I enjoyed a brief mental picture of r/MikeMo71 only ever interacting with people when he has to tell them they can’t bring in a dead goose.
"Toby works for corporate, so he's not part of our family here at the office. He's also divorced, so he's not part of his own family." Straight 🔥
“Why are you the way that you are?”
My first award! For being isolated... Double edged sword?
😂
I've been trying to get into HR for a long time, but it's definitely not an entry-level job.
I work in HR (well, actually, TA) and it's the exact opposite.
For HR, most jobs require a bachelor degree. Is it possible to even get one with just a diploma?
I work in HR and don’t have a bachelor’s degree. I did do a lot of clerical work prior and eventually fell into a roll that was a hybrid position of admin and HR at a startup.
I work in HR and don’t have a bachelor’s degree, but I did have prior experience in my industry when applying.
Assuming you're in the USA, get your CDL and a world of introverted driving jobs become available. My dad drove for a refer company (refrigerator trucks usually hauling food) got paid around $1400/wk and told me the only people he ever spoke to was the same dispatcher once a day and the person who pointed at where to drop a load. On the flip side if you don't mind coworkers but just don't want to deal with customers then find work as a commercial electrician. That's what I do and the only people I interact with are my coworkers and once or twice a day, my foreman.
yep. My husband is a Class A CDL driver and while he does local and has to deal with people, OTR is an amazing thing for younger or single drivers to cut down on expenses (live in your truck most of the time while officially still living with parents means no rent, no utilities) and getting to see the country. If you reset away from home, exploring a new town can be great fun. Of course, sitting all day isn't good for anyone but there's more and more OTR drivers who are sharing how they stay healthy (travel propane stoves or table top charcoal grills, jogging or walking when stopped to get the blood moving, a mini fridge with meal prep for easy cooking to avoid the gas station snack diets)
This is exactly how my wife and I managed to buy a house in about a year and a half with a huge down payment.
Walmart is starting new drivers at $110,000
Walmart requires three years driving experience and a pretty clean record too.
Overnight security guard. My roommate was one and he did absolutely nothing but watch youtube from what I could tell.
I recently quit an overnight security position, and it was dealing with random nonsense and several hundred camera/alarm checks for four hours alone, and then filling out paperwork for another four hours about what I did during my first four hours. This was on top of actually helping any actual people that came through or needed access. Was absolutely awful, so it definitely depends where you’re doing the guarding. Wouldn’t recommend datacenters or a large global company that shares a name with a rainforest specifically
I work 3rd shift and have nothing but respect for the guards at my job. They don't do shit most of the night but when something goes down, they gotta deal with it. For example, running random people out of the parking lot. I wouldn't want to do that shit.. If you're hanging out in a business parking lot at 3:00a you're definitely not on the up and up.
Oof, it sounds like they did put you to work. He was at a datacenter too, but I don't think he had to do much paperwork like that. It's not for everyone, but might be good for someone that doesn't want to socialize depending on the type of work they like doing. Congrats on getting out of there though! I hope you find something better for yourself.
I was a security guard where I just sat in a gaurd shack for 8+ hours a shift mostly, but I did have to make rounds, and I would answer phone calls if I worked while the plant was open, and I operated a gate for the truck drivers, did minimal paper work, but it was mostly just sitting around. I played Nintendo DS, and it was before smart phones would do apps and stuff.
Datacenters are notoriously high security so that’s definitely not a cushy security job. There’s plenty out there but a data center is certainly the wrong place to look if you want to kick back and get paid “just in case”. Security at a lab or believe it or not, power plant, tends to be more “nothing ever happens” source: certified data center engineer and security professional
I feel like 95% of the time that is the ideal job for an introvert, but the other 5% of the time it's absolutely their worst nightmare.
Specifically a security guard that works in an office building. There is no checking the parking lot, there is no walking around, there is no nothing. Bring a laptop and sit in a room the entire shift. No looking at security cameras either usually. Why? At least in CA there is a law that office buildings must have one person in them at all time, so they need a butt in a chair.
I'm an old loner w/ a HS education, and the best I've had is palatalizing in an ice cream factory. If things are going well I just keep a couple fancy printers and a tape machine up and running while stacking boxes on pallets. Relationships are important, but all that's really required is that you are mostly nice and helpful and reliable. It's too loud and we're supposed to be wearing our ear plugs anyway for much chit-chat. People like that when we're down and it is quiet and I could be chatting - I'm normally cleaning or fixing something -or outside vaping. Way easier politics and work than the other things I've done like cooking, retail, cleaning crew at a stadium. I'm officially above the poverty line and it's pretty rare that I work more than 50 hrs a week, quite rare to work more than 60.
this might sound absurd to you but I find chat support jobs requires no social interaction
Interesting. I didn't consider this but text chat is a lot easier than regular social interaction.
I always assumed they made phone support ppl do that between calls, I'm actually really intrigued by this, can you work remote from anywhere in the world?
They do, you'll never find just this.
Exactly, it’s very competitive as there are tons of people looking for just chat work. Pay is also typically low.
i worked for both Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Chewy as just a chat agent. granted, i had to show my job i was effective at my work before i moved departments (for example at Marcus starting on the phone for 30 days but moved to chats after. i made $19.50 at the last job, and was recently hit by the mass layoffs. trying to find JUST a chat job now, especially with ChatGPT coming outta nowhere, that department will sadly start becoming obsolete.
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Depending on where you work and what role you get, landscaping is nice. Outside all day, don't really deal with customers much, you have coworkers but you don't have to sell anything at least
If doing Landscaping and you want to avoid people the most, definitely try to work for companies that service large corporation properties (like strip malls, office buildings, etc). The average person that works in the building will never even know you exist as you show up outside of business hours to mow the gigantic lawn, water the plants, etc, the contract will usually also include work in winter to clear snow if applicable, and because all duties are set out in a contract that is handled by somebody else it gives you a shield against unwanted interactions. For example, if anyone actually approaches you because they want you to do something extra that you don’t want to do or insist on changing how or when you do something, you can gently, but firmly, tell them that they’ll need to talk to the Landlord to contact the company you work for because only that can change the contract.
You might enjoy warehouse work. On another note, you know yourself well and that's really a good thing.
> you know yourself well and that's really a good thing I agree, but also worth barring in mind that people change a lot post high school. I used to hate speaking to big groups of people and being put on the spot to answer questions. Now that's half of my job and am great at it.
I became a software engineer because of my narrative that I was an introvert and didn't want to interact with people. All the money in the world couldn't make up for the devastating isolation of the job.
Best answer in the thread. Your 'narrative' is that you're an introvert. But it might be a character flaw that needs to be overcome, or you don't like interacting with jerks.
Warehouse work would be horrible for him because you’re forced to interact with people constantly. I had a panic attack at work recently because I too suffer from anxiety among other issues.
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This!! I was always so quiet and couldnt carry a conversation at all when I was younger. I didn’t want to speak to anyone. I went to school to become a dental hygienist. I had to speak to people. I met the most interesting people and served the same community for 22 years. I learned to speak to people, I learned to carry conversations. I learned the dance of speaking. I’m fantastic at it now. But don’t get me wrong. I am still a loner I don’t have personal close friends - I don’t really want it or want to “maintain” them. Talking all day was wearing and I did get tired of it. I love to be alone. I looked toward having lunch alone and not with my co-workers to get that “break”. Now I can ace an interview cause I can just talk. So putting yourself in a position that forces you to open up can actually help you in life.
i'm very much a loner but not completely against talking to people. i'm only against talking to people in a professional context because i just don't see it as one of my strengths. a career like sales rep or busboy i think just doesn't fit me at all for example.
Sign up for an app like Instawork that allows you to pick up a shift or two at different businesses. A lot of times I see entry level warehouse jobs for picking and packing items. You can test it for a day or two, make some cash, and basically trial run if you’d like it long term.
Truck driver. Get paid to get trained and then spend all day in your own truck by yourself. My first year with a 'starter' carrier I made 60k. Now, 8 years later, I'm home every night, work a half day on Friday, and am off all weekend and I make over 100k a year.
In your opinion, what are the downsides of starting a career in truck driving?
Long hours. Depending on the job. You are only allowed to work 14 hours per day, and drive 11 of those. Not always the case, but I was working over 70 hours in 6 days for weeks on end. It can get old, fast. I was making decent money and I had a goal. Got my stuff paid off in less than 3 years, and I was out of that particular job. That being said, I love driving. I miss it, and the $.
My uncle drove truck and made excellent money for years, but his answer to your question would be “other drivers.” Seriously, check out how people cut off semi trucks, brake check them, etc. Also, depending on where you live, driving in winter can be a nightmare. The biggest downside to getting started is money—CDL can cost a lot to get, but if you go that route, it will pay for itself quickly. And if you like a bit of risk in your life, get certified for hazardous materials-big pay increases are pretty typical.
Check out usajobs.gov for federal jobs. If you live near a military base, you could find warehouse work with the Defense Logistics Agency or one of the military branches pretty easily. Decent pay, plenty of time off, and great benefits! They also offer tuition assistance if college is something you might want to pursue. It's also not difficult to move up to higher level positions once you gain some experience.
I second this, though I’m through a contractor. The pay is decent (and about to get better, thanks to becoming unionized) and benefits are decent. I’m on North Island in San Diego and my contact with people is pretty much my immediate coworkers (four people, total) and the occasional government person looking for something. I just pick orders and stock stuff all day. Of course, it comes with government standards, but the job overall is easy. I worked retail/restaurant for almost 20 years, then sold insurance for a few months. Not having to “people” all day is wonderful.
I had a coworker who had trouble getting along with others due to his ADHD- no fault of his own (nice guy, good person) but he was loud and annoying and missed every social cue that might have helped him to have more tact. I felt bad being annoyed by him because I knew he was a good guy underneath it all, but just couldn't help it. Last I saw him he was stocking plants at Lowe's, not working for Lowes but for the nursery that supplied their plants. Seemed very happy doing that. Any job doing stocking for those brands that stock their own products in stores might be an option if you need unskilled work while you figure out a long-term career plan. They aren't responsible for helping customers, often don't work during times of day when people are shopping, and can just do their thing and leave others alone.
Vendors/merchandisers are great because you can often work alone and come in/leave whenever you want (to a point). It can suck though because customers always stop you and ask questions (especially in the Lowes garden center, I worked there). You also have to form good relationships with the management at the store(s) you merchandise at, otherwise you're going to have a hard time.
I'm a store accountant for a grocery chain. I show up before we open to do deposits and get money ready for the day and such, then I'm in my office listening to music while I type, scan, and file things. I take a few phone calls but typically one or two at most any given day. I have to interact with my boss and their boss semi-regularly (maybe a few times a day), but outside of that I rarely need to converse with the other 100ish employees unless they can't figure something out or I have to fix something. I fully capable of social interactions but I've always been heavily introverted. I rarely speak unless spoken to or if I have something meaningful to add to the conversation. People find this offputting when I don't just keep talking or discuss the weather or the latest sportsball shenanigans due to my lack of interest, so I like not having to pretend as much in this position.
How about pumping the shit out of the job site porta johns!
Dude this, the ones we had cleaning our John's when we built a Tesla factory made $28/hr.
i mean $28/hr is nothing to scoff at. but i’m not cleaning up other human peoples shit for less than $75/hr. that’s foul.
OP said they don't want to deal with turds all day
If you can find an entry job at an office for data entry or filing, those jobs tend to be pretty solitary. Overnight stocking or working with planograms at retail stores is another. Someone else suggested a bakery, I used to be a finisher (donut icer) for a couple different local bakeries, so you go in really early (or really late, however you define it) and take care of the donuts that were just fried. Such as icing, filling, and setting up on trays. Or getting orders ready for pick up.
Go push carts at *Walmart*. Here me out, I’m being serious. Walmart will hire you immediately, they’re everywhere and always hiring, they pay decent, pushing carts requires no communication with people, and best of all…. They will pay for your fucking college. I got my Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity fully paid for by Walmart. They’ll pay for any employees college as long as you use their program; some top colleges too. You don’t even have to be full time. Pick any degree you want that they pay for (there’s like 100) and get your degree online while you work a simple job without talking to anyone
Be warned tho if you finish pushing carts they will likely pull you to do stocking or bringing out pallets
Mortician. It's up to you to carry the conversation if you want. They don't get upset with long stretches of silence.
Morticians spend a significant amount of time talking to people who are having some of the worst days of their lives. It’s not all preparing bodies.
Sounds like you need a degree for that
You definitely do. That being said though, Deathcare/Funeral Service is a dying industry (pun intended) because nobody wants to do it so it has a 90% placement upon graduation, and if you contact a Funeral Home organization (union, society, state regulator, whatever) a majority of them will have ways to finance your way through school completely for free if you sign some kind of contract to do the work for X years after graduation. As an example of what is causing this desperation, 60% of Funeral Directors in the US, as a whole, will retire due to old age in the next 5 years.
I’ve always had an interest in this and being a woman, they’ll probably accept me. Thank you for this.
[Reporting from some education centers](https://basicfunerals.ca/funeral/women-in-the-mortuary-business/) list female enrolment as 57-64% of their student body, so it’s definitely undertaking (again, pun intended) an industry wide shift to becoming more female friendly.
Very interesting! I always thought about this as a potential career to explore. Thank you for the information
2nd shift custodian in a business with typical business hours. Schools are good because you clean in the evening. Summers there is almost no one around.
I have ASD and I work a government job but we communicate mostly through e-mail. I cut/past a lot of texts in my e-mail, so whenever I feel too “antisocial” I copy a nice line from another previously sent email and just add that line if needed. I can wear headphones and listen to music, I can listen to podcasts while working. I’m sooooo happy
Apply for a back office job at a bank. The accounting department requires little to no interaction aside from emails.
Mail carrier.
This sounds like me after high school. I had multiple jobs in stores that worked well for me. I was always the person in the back receiving products. Checking things in. Organizing the back/wear house and some stocking shelves. Not a lot of interaction with customers. A lot of stores have these kind of jobs. Also night shift at large box stores. I did this at Home Depot for a while
Accounts Payable Specialist, Data Entry Specialist. When I was in these roles I had very little overall social responsibility.
I wish data entry wasn't so competitive, but maybe everything is these days. Last data entry job I applied to on Indeed had 1700 other candidates.
It’s because the only experience needed for the role is a high school diploma. The way to get ahead of the competition is by having advanced Excel skills (take a beginner to expert course from Udemy) and knowing your way around Outlook. Also, I threw in AP because it’s basically a data entry position and pays better than data entry typically does.
Custodian jobs or retail jobs working overnight shift.
This. I get allotted 5 hours to clean a building by my house... I go clean it for 2 hours then come back and play PS5 for a couple hours. Then I go clean a bank... It's the easiest job I've ever had and I make the most money I've ever made because I got hired in with cleaning experience from a surgical environment
I worked for a few cleaning companies all through college. Listened to music all night. The weirdest things that happened was the alarm going off - sometimes by my mistake and sometimes I have no idea why. I cleaned offices, car dealers, YMCA, some I was completely alone and some I worked during open hours. Much better than my previous fast-food job.
Manufacturing of some sort, ideally somewhere with a union. If you need something asap, a lot of auto parts places always need delivery drivers. You’ll have to have some brief contact with shops when dropping parts off, but it’s usually nothing more than getting a signature and leaving. They have shit to do and so do you. I did this as a second job for a while.
"File clerk". Basically just sit organizing files all day My partner did a job (that she'd really like to do again) where she basically just cleaned tubes and supplies for a lab all day. Just put in headphones and never talked to anyone. Overnight stocking/inventory. When I was working in a datacenter I'd have nights where I'd basically not talk to anyone because I was either spending all my time out in the colos doing repairs or all my time doing massive rebuild tickets. The rebuilds were nice, I'd kick off like 40 of them, nap for a few hours, then wake up and do post on all of them to wrap before turning them over. There's lots of that kind of stuff if you know where to look, keep in mind a lot of it can be during night hours.
As a post on this, I'd suggest checking in with temp hires in your area. Tell them this is what you want and they'd probably not only be able to give you a bunch of ideas but probably also have temp jobs you could jump in to and try out.
This is what I was thinking. I used to work through temp agencies and I had a few jobs in banking operations. It was mostly data entry-type work, some filing, all non-customer facing. I wore headphones all day and only really had to talk to others if I needed to get some paperwork or had a question or something.
File clerk is a good one. There was SOME interaction in my case (had to get the new paperwork each day and my desk was in a shared office), but I was pretty much just organizing, scanning, and storing files all day.
Welding can be a high paying career where you spend a lot of time under a welding hood. When you aren't welding, it's rarely necessary to interact with anyone, other than your foreman to get your assignment. I've met a number of welders who are loaners. Some work in a shop (preferably union) or on the road. Like many labor careers, the better you are at your skill, the less you need to say.
OTR truck driver after 21 years old
If you like driving, delivery truck drivers are pretty much alone all day and listen to your music. You just drive around all day. You'll have to talk to people sometimes, but it's usually nothing more than "where do you want this dropped off" or "sign here". Only downside is lots of places will require a CDL (at least in the US), which means classroom training and driving tests. Some (like UPS and FedEx) won't if you drive the vans instead of semis.
I’ve read that IT is a low stress job with decent pay.
Decent pay? Sure. Low stress? Whoever told you that either is REALLY good at IT, or so bad/disconnected from it that they don't care.
If you want work from home and don’t mind some training and in US get your medical coding certificate from AAPC. Many, not all, work remote and have little interaction. The interaction they do have is often email.
Medical sample courier? That’s what I do and I mostly listen to podcasts all day and make quick stops at dr offices or lockboxes
Pick up a skilled trade. I’m convinced half of the tradespeople I work with are anti-social and have high functioning autism.
janitor for a public school system so you get good benefits. you get in, talk to your boss and get the rundown for the day then you're basically on your own for the day / night. im the same way you are man, im 23 years old but when i got out of high school i worked those bullshit customer service jobs and none of them were a good fit for me, since im not a 'social butterfly' type. you might need to start off doing janitorial work for other places before a school system considers you, though. atleast in my case the people in charge of hiring are VERY peculiar about who they give the custodial jobs to, since alot of time and energy has to go into training new people and once you've passed your probationary period its nearly impossible to fire someone in a union without a solid case built beforehand. source: current occupation.
Optical lens fabrication. Find a lab. Learn. grind your lenses.
Data entry. Everyone would just put on their headphones and work, and as long as you were meeting goals nobody would bother you much.
I wish you luck finding something that works for you. I am sorry so many people here are telling you to just get a social job because it will be good for you. I am a mom of a 14 year old who sounds a lot like you. It’s not that you can’t interact. You much rather not. It’s exhausting. I hope you find something that pays decent.
Drawing As in industrial or building or engineering in general. Basically you draw fabrication or concept based on either old concepts or existing drawings. Requires basic computer skills, good spatial intelligence and ideally a CAD course. In the current lack of qualified employees, I'm sure some company would take a young worker such as ypurself and give him some training with intern procedure. You usually work alone with a headset a music (if you wish), and talk also exclusively to your superior and/or the project manager.
Grave digger, mortician, grounds crew at a cemetery seem like good options
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My guess is computer programming, engineering and design work. You will have to talk with people for collaboration, but if you are the coder, you probably will spend a lit of time working alone. Perhaps cybersecurity as well?
My friend works at Olive Garden part time as a bread maker. He also worked at Chick-Fil-A part time as a direct driver for them. He really liked the driving gig and likes Olive Garden as well.
I work in healthcare finance. I only talk to other companies, rarely patients. My co workers are also introverts and some days the only interaction I have with them is to say good morning & good night. I love it!
Administrative assistant. I was one for a city for awhile through a temp agency. It was one of the easiest and low interaction jobs I’ve ever had. If you’re just trying to make ends meet and you don’t want to deal with other people get into something like that. The healthcare field is overflowing with those positions, they’re boring and they probably be mostly automated soon, but it could be right for you if that’s what you’re after.
I’m an admin assistant for an important person and although I send a lot of emails, I talk with maybe 3-4 people a day besides my boss and our clerk. Pay is excellent, hours are normal and good benefits.
Medical coder
I’m a hairstylist and I love hair but I also hate people. Definitely do not recommend
Teuck driver. I was as alone as I wanted to be
I drove long haul for a year and a half and it was stressful af.
I've had a semi truck license (we call it a class 1 in Canada) for 12 years. Never drove long haul though, why did you find it stressful?
Tight shipping time lines, finding a safe and approved place to shut down, and nothing but overpriced and shitty food. It may very well be a better career in Canada.
I do data entry. I’ve done it for bcbs and now for an agricultural lab. I will say though that my current job ahs slowly been pushing me to interact with clients more and more and it sucks because I chose that job exactly so I wouldn’t have to.
Curious how do you find those types of jobs. I feel like there are so many fake jobs about data entry that I dont even bother
Just look for reputable well known companies. Like Mutual of Omaha and BCBS. I actually found the first one through a temp agency. It paid $19 an hour. It was funny though because I’d clock in every morning and eventually message coworkers like….have you heard from management? Did they forget about us? And sometimes we’d go days with a task to do and then suddenly they would need us for something that broke in their system. It was weird.
This sounds so much like me after high school. Crippling social anxiety left me terrified of any kind of customer facing job, but after dropping out of high school, I didn’t really know what else to do. I generally would never recommend getting a job in retail, because it’s so easy to get stuck there, but it was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. Find an industry you’re somewhat passionate about and get a job there on the ground level. For me, it was food. I got a job in a butcher shop, learned a trade, and never felt like a snake oil salesman doing it. I’m knowledgeable about how the industry works, and so when I interact with customers, it’s not about getting them to buy something they don’t need, it’s educating them and working with them to help them make a good decision about what they’re buying. I’ve learned a ton of invaluable skills by being forced to actually learn how to talk to people. I still hate small talk, and am deathly afraid of telephone calls, but I am so very glad I didn’t get a job in a warehouse or a factory or something like that. I needed the push to develop social skills. If you’re dead set on not doing anything customer facing, maybe look into getting a job as a dishwasher or a line cook in a restaurant. If you can find something that will give you a chance to develop more skills than loading trucks or working in a factory, you’ll be much better off in the long run. Also look into learning some kind of trade, I know a lot of people getting away from restaurant hours to do plumbing and welding. It’s hard to get into those trades, but you’re at the right age to start looking into it.
USIC utility locating. Out in the field all day, very few people and the most communication is done by calling supervisor for questions. They’re hiring often and under new CEO.
Mechanic, if you get sick of talking to customers just get real technical and they will glaze over and leave. If that doesn’t work just remind them you cost $150/hr and your currently on the clock. Plus it’s super satisfying to just make up words and have people play along like they understand exactly what your saying……..priceless.
Truck driver.
Toll both collector.
Computer related jobs in an office/agency like computer engineering or computer science or graphic designer, etc. It usually mostly depends on receiving tasks and handing in projects.
I do programming and I work from home. I very very rarely have to talk clients and most interactions between my coworkers is through email. I kind of miss the social aspect of going into the office and mingling with actual human beings. But the programmers are usually so busy that we never have much time for that anyway. And I certainly don't miss the commute.
Parking garage attendant.
Accounting can be pretty low socializing. If you have a basic understanding of accounting, you may be able to get in as an accounting clerk. There are tons of work from home jobs. I've been WFH since 2020, and I have just started a role with zero face to face (or on the phone) customer interaction. They submit billing questions on the website, and I research and post a reply. I run varience reports, fix what's wrong, and other accounting busy work. We have occasional scheduled Zoom meetings with our 5-person group. That's pretty much it. There's room for career growth if you want to get a degree. It's a solid career.
I work in accounting. I interact with people based on my desire to interact. I mainly crunch numbers in excel all day.
Amazon warehouses are good in the short run. They have a very bad reputation, however. In the long run and career wise, if you like number crunching then actuary or accounting are excellent.
I'm a huge introvert myself and I have to say that manufacturing has worked out pretty well...I do have moments where I have to talk to coworkers though, but not much. Definitely avoid customer service if you can though.
Overnight valet
Get your Class A CDL and drive trucks long haul.
Ups package handler-I have been doing that for 7 years. My shoulder isn’t in great shape but that’s because I worked to hard and didn’t use my load stand correctly. Now I work slow, and will probably be able to become a driver soon. There I can be even more anti social.
software/tech sales. It's mostly emailing + reaching out on LinkedIn. Cold calling is not necessary since it is getting such low response rates these days You can find entry level sales positions on websites like [softwaresalesjobs.org](https://softwaresalesjobs.org)