Written by:
Laura Handrick
Written by:
Laura Handrick
The best job for an individual struggling with social anxiety is one that allows the person to contribute their skills and pursue their dreams without being put into a situation that exacerbates their mental health issues. Many of these jobs allow someone to deal with people in small numbers. However, those wishing to challenge themselves may choose a career field that pushes them to work with and overcome their anxiety over time.
What Is Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety is an anxiety disorder that manifests as a fear of dealing with people in certain social environments, such as the workplace. As an employee, social anxiety may cause symptoms while thinking about work, when working with customers or employees, or after dealing with a stressful situation in the workplace.
Jared Heathman, Texas Online Psychiatrist MD, White Coat HQ says, “Social anxiety is a condition that is quite treatable through counseling and/or medication. It should not forever relegate you to a position that avoids social situations. The ideal job while suffering from symptoms is likely a position that currently has limited social engagement but the potential to expand into more and more social functions. As treatment progresses, those suffering from social anxiety could then actively participate in exposure based therapies.”
If you’d like to speak with a therapist about the ways Social Anxiety is affecting your life, click here. Find a Social Anxiety specialist who can connect with you online at a day and time that’s convenient for you. Develop healthy, effective strategies to cope with your feelings of anxiety and reclaim your life. Getting started is free, easy, and confidential.
1. Veterinarian or Vet Tech
“One of the best jobs for social anxiety sufferers is veterinarian, or veterinarian tech. Animals provide a comforting bridge between human interactions. You are also more likely to deal with people one on one with the overall focus on the pet.” – Emma Jane Watson, M.Ed., MSW, LICSW
Dr. Tonya Crombie agrees, saying:
“I have had several clients who were drawn to jobs such as veterinary tech, or even veterinarian. Many who struggle to interact with other humans find comfort and true success when working with animals. I’ve also had clients work in stables caring for horses.” – Dr. Tonya Crombie, Author: Stop Worrying About Your Anxious Child, Guidance for the Future
2. Gardener or Landscaper
“By trading cubicles, meetings, and awkward encounters by the water cooler for fresh air, sunshine, and hands in the earth, a person with social anxiety can find relaxation and fulfillment by working as a gardener or landscaper. This type of work offers freedom, flexibility, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment by appreciating the tangible results created each day.” – Eric Patterson, LPC
Matt Glowiak, Phd, LCPC, also thinks landscaping would be a great career choice:
“Landscapers may work independently or in small teams. There is a therapeutic element to being outside and making nature look beautiful.” – Matt Glowiak, PhD, LCPC
3. Tutor
“A tutor is a great option for an individual capable of having some interpersonal interaction with one or two people at a time. This provides an opportunity to practice social skills while working toward a job that requires more contact with others such as teaching, for example.
Tutors can work online, in their own homes, go to their client’s homes or work in businesses that provide tutoring to the public. These settings all provide varying degrees of social interaction depending upon where the person is in their recovery and treatment. A person can choose to work a few hours a week or several days a week depending upon their comfort level and financial needs.” – Kerry Heath, LPC-S, NCC, CEDS-S
4. Bookkeeper, Tax Preparer, or Accountant
“Accounting could be the ideal job for somebody with social anxiety. Managing bookkeeping and financial details for businesses or individuals can give you the opportunity to work independently a lot of the time, putting your focus in reaching goals through your work.
There will always be a need to interact with other people, but this role allows the opportunity to have your core focus and confidence be in your independent work, while being able to challenge your fears in a gradual way through meetings with employers, or clients.” – Dr. Giuseppe Aragon, General Practitioner, M.D. Prescription Doctor
5. Data Entry, Statistician or Researcher
“A job for someone with social anxiety would need to be remote and require very little social interaction. It would also need to be a job with strict guidelines, concrete instructions, and clear start and stop parameters.
Both a statistician and a data entry clerk meet those requirements. Even better would be to work for a supervisor who served as a wall between others and the employee. This supervisor would provide tasks and feedback.” – Leann Poston M.D., M.B.A., M.Ed., Invigor Medical
6. Medical Billing & Coding
“A medical biller or someone in the remote data entry department of an organization is likely to be able to work from home with little to no direct interpersonal interaction required. Some individuals in this position will also be expected to communicate with insurance companies and patients over the phone regarding their bills. This position is good for those able to conduct phone conversations, but who may still have difficulty with in-person communication and interaction.” – Kerry Heath, LPC-S, NCC, CEDS-S
7. Librarian
“For those who prefer a quiet work environment, librarian may be a great career choice. Many hours may be spent alone cataloguing books and restocking shelves. A librarian is expected to communicate one-on-one to answer questions and check out books, and may have to take phone calls as well, so this may be a choice for those with more mild to moderate levels of anxiety.” – Melissa Boudin, PsyD
8. Mental Health Therapist
“Sometimes, the best way to address social anxiety is to increase social interactions in safe and controlled environments, Being a therapist allows frequent social interaction in ways that can add comfort and confidence in relationships outside of the workplace.” – Eric Patterson, LPC Private Practice
9. Contractor, tradesperson or construction worker
“As an independent contractor one may work solo, continuing to learn new skills and trades with experience.” – Matt Glowiak, PhD, LCPC
10. Dog Groomer or Walker
“Working with animals generally provides opportunities to avoid anxiety provoking interactions for those with social anxiety. Working as a groomer or dog walker may limit interpersonal interaction more than training, as most dog owners will be asked to participate in the training process at some point.
These services can be provided at various locations including pet stores, private homes, and veterinary clinics. Each setting will offer different levels of comfort for the person dealing with social anxiety.” – Kerry Heath, LPC-S, NCC, CEDS-S
11. Internet-Based Recruiter
“A recruiter is one example [of a job for people with social anxiety], but there are many. Some recruiters are all internet based and merely try to bring in as many potential hires as possible. They collect resumes and personal information through email. They post job information on various sites.
Many work from home. They pass the information on to companies doing the hiring. Recruiters can transition to working at job fairs or live events. Some will even give public speeches. The range in social behavior can be quite broad. Some that I’ve spoken to enjoy talking and others want only specifics answered as quickly as possible.” – Jared Heathman, Texas Online Psychiatrist MD, White Coat HQ
12. Customer Service Support
“Now is the greatest time for those who suffer with moderate to severe social anxiety to seek out work from home opportunities such as customer service support (entry to corporate level) to online sales. The idea in finding the perfect job for someone suffering from social anxiety is to look for opportunities with fewer connections to large groups of people.” – Richale R Reed MA, LCMHCS, LCAS, Founder & CEO, INpower Consulting
13. Florist
“A florist position may offer varied degrees of exposure to others. Florists may be responsible for creating bouquets and designing arrangements, ordering products, and managing other aspects of the business. They might also be asked to take orders from customers, whether in-person or over the phone, though there may be the option of conducting much of the business online.” – Melissa Boudin, PsyD
14. Writer or Editor
“A career as a writer or editor is an option for those requiring a position that can be conducted from a home office with little to no interpersonal interaction. Most communication can be conducted via email rather than telephone reducing the overall level of anxiety experienced.
There are many types of writing positions available which can be tailored to the level of public interaction a person is ready to face based upon their condition. A freelance writer can take jobs at their leisure and may be subject to fewer deadlines than a person working for an organization with specific projects and demands that may increase a person’s anxiety.” – Kerry Heath, LPC-S, NCC, CEDS-S
15. Any Job, Really
Many of the therapists and medical professionals providing examples above pointed out that a person with social anxiety could work in and should consider any job that interests them.
Here’s what they offered as insights:
Social Anxiety Is Treatable
“Social anxiety is quite treatable with thorough counseling and/or medication. It should not forever relegate you to a position that avoids social situations. The ideal job while suffering from symptoms is likely a position that currently has limited social engagement but the potential to expand into more and more social functions. As treatment progresses, those suffering from social anxiety could then actively participate in exposure based therapies.” – Jared Healthman, MD, Texas Online Psychiatrist, White Coat HQ
Social Anxiety Is Different for Each Person
“Social anxiety and its triggers can look very different from person to person. Additionally, I’d say that anxiety does not get to dictate what jobs are good for us and it should not limit our possibilities for ourselves.
If there’s a job or career that seems appealing, but you find yourself hesitating to pursue it because of social anxiety, then I believe that is an indicator that you might benefit from some help navigating the anxiety—but it’s absolutely not an indicator that you can’t or shouldn’t pursue the job that appeals to you.
Also, a job that feels ‘safe’ in terms of social anxiety may actually assist in making the anxiety worse.” – Kellie “Casey” Cook, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor, Casey Cook LPC
Exposure Is Better Than Avoidance
“People with social anxiety can do any number of jobs, so it would be easier to say what types of jobs they might want to avoid. A job in marketing, communications or sales requires a lot of networking and social interaction, whereas a job in accounting, legal, IT or operations tends to be more contained. It really depends on how the anxiety presents itself.
You have to know if you are someone who gets more anxious around strangers or around people you know well. Are you more anxious in large groups or in small groups? Anxiety manifests differently for different people and there are many ways to manage it, so I don’t like to limit people with mental health issues in any way.
The bottom line is that people can do amazing things when they want and I don’t believe in putting limitations on someone’s abilities because of a diagnosis.” – Dr. Joanna Massey, Doctor of Psychology, JDMA Inc
What Makes a Job “Good” for Someone With Social Anxiety?
There’s no one size fits all. The exact job that’s best for a person with social anxiety may depend on what triggers the social anxiety for that person. A person who doesn’t deal well with crowds may find a role as a forest ranger appealing, whereas one who feels they are being judged by clients, may prefer a job behind the scenes, such as a researcher.
Some individuals may feel social anxiety in any kind of office setting. For those, a work-from home role may be best. Others may prefer to work non-traditional hours, like the graveyard shift, so they don’t have to travel to and from work in heavy traffic, or don’t have to interact with large numbers of staff in a busy corporate environment.
Work-from-home jobs also appeal to those with social anxiety as they allow the person to step away from the job when they are feeling overly anxious. Many firms offer remote work that’s also flexible, meaning the employee can set their own schedule and work around other stressors in their life such as getting kids to school.
Tips for Navigating Any Job With Social Anxiety
Several therapists cautioned us against limiting the kinds of jobs one might choose when struggling to overcome social anxiety. Instead, they offered tips for dealing with social anxiety on the job.
Ask Who to Ask
“When doing the initial HR / training process, establish a point person that will be ready, willing, and able to answer any questions you might have as you begin your employment. Knowing that there is someone you can go to if/when you’re not sure about something and then setting the expectation with them that you may need to do so will be an initial relief.” – Linda Kudla, PsyD
Leave Your Door Open
“In many workplaces, it is easy to walk into your office or cubicle and isolate by shutting your door or putting on headphones. These actions may reduce the short-term anxiety, but they only make the long-term anxiety worsen. Spend time each day with the intention of being social, talking to more people, and increasing your accessibility to challenge and overcome your anxiety, rather than succumbing to it.” – Eric Patterson, LPC
Work with a Therapist
“There are different types and sub-categories of anxiety, that’s why seeking a licensed professional mental health expert is important in this job seeking process. Avoid self-diagnosing at all costs to lessen the overwhelming frustration that is often a natural part of the job seeker’s journey. Not only can [a therapist] help you understand your type of anxiety and how to manage it, [they] can also provide ongoing support until you land and successfully transition into the job that leans to your strengths.” – Richale R Reed MA, LCMHCS, LCAS, Founder & CEO, INpower Consulting
Jill Weinstein, LPC, RRT-P agrees that working with a therapist is crucial:
“It’s imperative that the individual work with a therapist to discover the root of the anxiety. Exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and even dialectical behavioral therapy are all beneficial modalities that can help someone overcome social anxiety.
An individual needs to find their passion and figure out their purpose first. Once that is determined, together with a therapist, he/she can work through the anxiety and become successful in any environment.” – Jill Weinstein, LPC, RRT-P, child mental health expert and the Berman Center Clinical Director of Evolve
Change Your Anxiety, Not Your Dreams
“I have seen so many clients who have been able to pursue jobs, hobbies, and activities they thought were not for them because of their social anxiety. Thankfully, they decided the anxiety was what needed to change—not their dreams or desires.” – Kellie “Casey” Cook, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor, Casey Cook LPC
Additional Resources for Social Anxiety
If you or someone you know is struggling with social anxiety, check out the following resources for education and support:
