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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there must be a job out there suitable for my shy personality?

29 replies

nonononononoooo · 26/04/2022 21:17

I work as a technical writer, whenever you look up 'jobs for shy people', it's always listed. But it involves presenting to clients and lots of contact with clients and I hate it.

I'm intelligent, detail orientated, meticulous, a hard worker but SHY. I'll always be shy and I'm sick of having go fight it all the time. I feel so burnt out from work, and having to try and act confident.

AIBU to think there must be a career out there somewhere that would suit me :(

OP posts:
JollyWilloughby · 26/04/2022 21:18

Working from home?

Original poster
nonononononoooo · 26/04/2022 21:19

I do work from home, but find Teams/Zoom calls even more nerve wracking than face-to-face meetings!

OP posts:
Hawkins001 · 26/04/2022 21:19

Intelligence analyst for military or intelligence services

Gettissuesgotissues · 26/04/2022 21:22

Data analyst

LaMagdalena · 26/04/2022 21:22

I'm similar and I'd love to know the answer to this!

DeskInUse · 26/04/2022 21:23

I see others have data analyst too

mudgetastic · 26/04/2022 21:28

Data analysts usually need to communicate results

Pure coding might be les sociable

RedDiamond · 26/04/2022 21:29

Accountant.

usingitall · 26/04/2022 21:35

My husband was a technical writer. His job is still along the same lines. I would never think it's a suitable job for a shy person. He spends his days on zoom calls, asking for information and providing it. I'd hate this job I'm quite a shy person myself.

Data analyst sounds like an option, an accountant another good option or a role in HMRC? You never have to speak or deal with anyone in there as far as I can see!

Rememberall · 26/04/2022 21:43

How about a role where you do need to interact, but only with a small group of familiar people, not public facing at all?
Maybe finance / accounts / IT in a small company or organisation? If that's within your skill set?

ComtesseDeSpair · 27/04/2022 02:22

In what sense are you shy? You say you don’t like giving presentations to clients etc, but are you comfortable developing relationships with key people and engaging with them one on one or in small groups?

I’m a Company Secretary. It’s very detail oriented and I need to be meticulous in the legal position and advice I give, and I’m ultimately critical friend and advisor to our Board and senior executive with whom I develop excellent and close relationships based on trust and confidence. I liaise with colleagues throughout the business and with counsel and external stakeholders, but mostly on a one-one basis.

At my level in the sort of organisation I work for you need to have accounting or law as your background, but you can start off in governance and junior company secretarial roles from pretty much any background.

LegMeChicken · 27/04/2022 03:31

mudgetastic · 26/04/2022 21:28

Data analysts usually need to communicate results

Pure coding might be les sociable

Programming actually requires better communication than average. Which is why companies are hiring ‘career changers’, for their soft skills.

You spend a lot of time writing code, but you also need confidence in your skills defending your technical choices / solving issues. Programming is problem solving and often done collaboratively.

Are you OK with talking to a few people Op?

workworkworkugh · 27/04/2022 03:35

I wouldn't suggest accounting as you frequently have to meet with clients.

Nahnanananahna · 27/04/2022 03:41

What about online selling in some way on Amazon or similar? Depending on how you source your products you may be able to deal with suppliers almost entirely electronically.

It's not a 9-5 desk job though.

OutlookStalking · 27/04/2022 03:45

What companies are looking for career changers...

crisscrossa · 27/04/2022 03:57

I work in admin and super shy! My current job is perfect for me because I hardly interact face to face to colleagues or anyone else. Lots of email interaction which I like. However my job is low paid and I don't think you could find something as well paid as a technical writer.

It has taken me over 20 years to find this job as all my other jobs were very much customer / stakeholder facing which I found extremely exhausting. I have a degree in a HCP profession which I gave up due to my shyness. It's held me back career wise tremendously and feel quite sad about it really.

Eggshelly · 27/04/2022 05:48

Actuary

WalkerWalking · 27/04/2022 06:10

I'm very introverted, I struggle with social anxiety.... I'm a teacher and I love it! The bits I find hard are the staffroom and the canteen (and navigating social adult interactions in general) but in my own classroom, teaching my favourite subject, I've never found my natural shyness to be a problem at all. Fair enough, I will never be a pastoral deputy head (with responsibility for safeguarding and student well being etc) but i hope I might at some point become an academic deputy head (with responsibility for teaching and learning, timetabling etc)

I'm not saying become a teacher! But I guess what I am saying is that I would find almost any office based job much more socially difficult, being stuck at the same desk, with the same people, all day, and definitely anything zoom/Teams based brings me out in a cold sweat (remote teaching was hideous). Maybe think outside the box a bit more?

melcalfe · 27/04/2022 06:12

mudgetastic · 26/04/2022 21:28

Data analysts usually need to communicate results

Pure coding might be les sociable

Not necessarily.

I have data analysts do the initial work for me, then I (a consultant) put it into a presentation and present to clients. I also deal with clients and go on site.
Analysts are known to hate dealing with clients and we keep them 'in the background' where they feel content and calm. They just sit on their headphones and code in peace.Smile

urrrgh46 · 27/04/2022 06:22

My eldest DD is about to graduate in Pharmacology and has a job as trainee accountant lined up. She sounds very like you. She'd have applied for actuarial training if she had had A level Maths.

ImplementingTheDennisSystem · 27/04/2022 06:34

If you're a technical writer, then what about freelance copywriting and proofreading? I imagine you wouldn't earn as much as you do now though.

spotcheck · 27/04/2022 06:39

Web editor?

Have you thought about hypnosis to help you with the areas of your job you find problematic?

Haus1234 · 27/04/2022 06:53

As others have said there are some actuary jobs that might work, but also lots that require presenting to clients or at the very least presenting internally. You also need to go through the exams so not necessarily an easy option!

Duettino · 27/04/2022 06:59

Power BI architect? The problem with this and senior data positions is that you will always need to present what you have done or have meetings to understand what is required, unless you had someone who did this for you.

mistermagpie · 27/04/2022 07:04

I'm a business analyst. There is a bit of presenting and monthly meetings etc but generally I'm pootling away on the computer with a podcast on! It's lots of report writing and things so I'd say it's 80-90% of working bu myself and 10% interacting with other people face to face or on teams. Pretty much everyone in my team is an introvert!