English Masterclass: How to Succeed in a Startup with Sam Altman from OpenAI

If you're having trouble finding a career path that suits your introverted personality, I am here to help. Today's episode on my channel is devoted to my very special introvert friends. Introvert Friends Hello, friends! I'm Ashley Stahl, career coach, host of the U-Turn podcast, and best-selling author of the book also named U-Turn. Get unstuck, discover your direction, and design your dream career. Nowadays, it may seem like we live in an extroverted world, and it's often said that leaders have confident body language, speak quickly and strongly, having huge personalities. Workplaces are increasingly valuing team players, and sometimes they seem obsessed with big meetings. And yet, the loud voices in the workplace can often drown out the unique and valuable skills that introverts bring to the table. In fact, a study from researchers at the University of Chicago, Harvard University, and Stanford University found that introverted chief executives actually make better leaders than their extroverted counterparts. They found that introverted CEOs outperform companies led by extroverted CEOs. In a world that favors those who are extroverted, this is huge. When an employer hires an introvert, they're hiring a completely different perspective. So first off, how do you clarify whether you're an introvert or an extrovert? Let's say words are your core skillset. Well, there's a big difference between someone who's using their words as a speaker on stage, most likely an extrovert, versus someone who is a writer, loving life solo behind their laptop with no one in sight, very introverted, perhaps. Plus, gotta note that there's plenty of research out there on ambiverts, the people who walk the line between the two. But I do firmly believe as a career expert I personally love taking the free Myers-Briggs test to see if you can get an I for introvert or an E for extrovert, and we'll put the link below. All that said, ask yourself, do other people give you energy, or do you need to be alone to recharge and get your energy back up? In my book, U-Turn, I talk a lot about how important it is to know your core skillset. But what I also emphasize is the importance of knowing your energy levels and how you recharge. Here are seven career paths that are perfect right now for introverts. Number one is a writer or an editor. Fun fact, I'm more of an introvert than you realize, and this is why I was at my happiest when I was writing my book U-Turn. If your core skillset is words and you're an introvert, this could be a perfect career path for you, and there are many versions of it. You can be an author, a content writer, who freelances, an editor, a copywriter, a blogger, a technical writer, so much more. The great thing about this path is that it's extremely versatile, and in the future of the workforce, good content will remain incredibly needed. In a world of viral TikTok videos, YouTube channels, and social media as a whole, writers are up to their literal eyeballs in writing scripts for content creators, helping write wording for websites, and more. Some fields in this industry might require a degree in English or even advertising, but many also don't require a degree at all. For some of them, all that matters is that you are a good writer. Living in the digital age, there are more opportunities than ever to write for a living. More people than ever are even leaving corporate life to set out and become a freelancer. Average national salary of a writer-editor is approximately $52,107, and I think that it's probably even more. Number two, graphic designer. Another great job for introverts is a graphic designer, and this is another career that is super adaptable with so many work environments. If you're an artistic person, this is perfect, because it combines art and technology. If you want to work alone, that's totally doable. Just like a writer, you can set out as a freelancer or a remote work position. Consider websites like Upwork.com or Fiverr.com as great places to put up a profile. You can even put yourself on Craigslist or make a Yelp profile as a graphic designer, available for more work. Most bigger companies hire full-time graphic designers, so if you want some other people around you, that's a good option too. And of course, there's an agency setting where you'd be surrounded by other creative people. In most settings, you'll need a bachelor degree in graphic design, but it's possible to make a living without one, so it'll just take some more work possibly. For example, you'll need to invest some time in creating a great portfolio. This is the most important thing, because this is where you show off your knowledge and your talent. Showing is always better than just telling, am I right? The average national salary of a graphic designer is approximately $46,900, but you're not average because you're watching this video, so let's expect something even higher for you. Number three is accountants or bookkeepers. One pretty obvious career field for people who tend to be more introverted is accounting. This is definitely not a job where you'll need a ton of social skills or a bubbly personality. In fact, I'm a little scared of my accountant. It's almost as though I'm an elementary school kid and she's a strict teacher. You definitely don't need to be outgoing because most of your days would be spent with numbers and not people. This is a good job for a detail-oriented person who has very strong math skills. Accountants spend a lot of time preparing, examining, and analyzing financial records and statements. These might not be the only responsibilities, but they will take up a good amount of each day. Many accountants are also really passionate about business operations and development, and accountant jobs regularly do require a bachelor's degree in accounting, and advanced positions may require a master's. The highest earner is a certified professional accountant, a CPA, and it's possible to land an accounting job without a degree, but it would take a lot of hard work and probably an entry-level position, and you cannot become a CPA without at least a four-year degree. Bookkeepers are able to establish themselves without their degree, however. The average national salary of an accountant is approximately $71,550. Number four, a therapist. Despite popular belief, an introvert can thrive in a job working with people. Every introvert has different wants, needs, and comfort levels. Because introverted people are excellent listeners, a good job for them might actually be a therapist, especially if they're good with words. In this position, you usually work with one-on-one clients, or with small groups of patients and their families. Typically, introverted people are wonderful at empathizing and analyzing other people, which makes them particularly well-suited for these types of roles. And again, this job is adaptable with many settings to work in, such as a private practice, a hospital, or even schools. So for this job, you need to do both a bachelor's and a master's degree, so it's quite an educational investment. And some therapists also choose to earn a doctorate as well. The average national salary of a therapist is approximately $78,242. Number five is the social media manager. Okay, friends, now hear me out on this one. The job of a social media manager may have the word social in it, but I think it's really perfect for some introverts. A social media manager is responsible for planning and developing and implementing social media marketing campaigns and strategies. They also create social media content and analyze the analytics. And oftentimes, social media managers are the people who respond to followers' questions and concerns. This means that you're detail-oriented, you're good with words, and you're analytical. But all of this happens behind a screen and not in person. So although you might have to periodically meet with a co-worker or two, or even manage others as your career grows, you will spend most of your time solo-dolo. And a lot of the time, a bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, or journalism is required, but a degree is not always required. In this job, it's sometimes easy to start in an entry-level position and climb your way up. The average national salary of a social media manager is approximately $50,088. Number six is an engineer. Okay, math and science friends, come up to the front because we are going to talk about engineers. Engineers are in crazy demand right now, and the job usually comes with a pretty significant paycheck. And within the field of engineering, there are so many other fields to choose from. Engineers are responsible for creating most of the technology we use today to power the whole world, and this work is great for introverted people because they typically work in very small teams. A lot of time is spent thinking and problem-solving, which introverts are typically great at. This position always requires a bachelor's degree and an analytical mind, but the investment is so worth it if it's a fit for you. Depending on the type of engineer, the average national salary ranges from approximately $61,000 to $117,000. And number seven, an IT specialist. IT is another field that doesn't involve a ton of people skills or a bubbly personality. However, obviously, you must love working with computers and information systems. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs are expected to grow a lot faster between 2018 and 2028. So IT specialists work to maintain networks and troubleshoot computer problems. So whether they work for an IT company or a larger company that employs IT specialists, there are so many places they can work. So although there's interaction with many people, they are typically one-on-one and not a whole lot of talking. At a minimum, IT specialists require a bachelor's degree usually in computer science or information science or perhaps another related field. The average national salary of an IT specialist is approximately $54,000, and I've seen a lot more. Look, these are only seven of a multitude of jobs that are perfect for you if you're an introvert. So if you identify as an introvert, definitely check these out as career paths because one of them might be for you. And I must highlight when I reference the average salary that there are many salaries above that amount and many salaries below. Be the exception and not the rule. There is room on top of every field and there is no reason that you can't be that top earner who is thriving as an introvert. And as always, if you're feeling stuck in your career, head on over to Ashleystall.com for some more resources like free courses, downloads, and quizzes on your career. In fact, I have a free quiz on how to discover the best career path for you. All you need to do is head on over to Ashleystall.com slash clarityquiz and I'll be here for you on email letting you know about your best skill set, your weaknesses, your strengths, and how to really carve your career right. In the meantime, I'll see you next week.