Jobs for highly sensitive people?

Hey y'all. I'm having some job issues related to being highly sensitive, so would y'all mind helping me brainstorm?

So, here's the deal. I'm 25, and I've run the gamut in entry-level jobs. I've had cashier, cash office, pharmacy tech, fast food, and admin experience. None of those were a good fit. I'm smart enough, but I get easily frazzled in fast-paced and high-pressure jobs. The admin job was quite the opposite, as I basically sat at a desk all day waiting for the phone to ring and maybe stuffing envelopes. I was bored stiff. My last job was at a library, as a shelver page. I loved the peaceful atmosphere, and I loved my coworkers, but again - bored. As a page, I wasn't really supposed to talk with patrons, which I like to do - just not in a high-pressure environment. So, I ended up taking a job at a coffee shop, as a barista. I've had some emotional growth in the last couple of years, and thought I was ready for this. It's been 2 months, and I still get frazzled easily. My manager had a talk with me the other day, asking what they're doing wrong that I'm not catching on. The worst part of all this is that I quit my job at the library 2 weeks ago, thinking I was ready to move on to something more challenging. I was going to re-certify for pharmacy, and try to work that and the coffee shop together. But now, I'm starting to rethink that.

To top it all off, I tend to be independent-minded, and hate being told what to do or micromanaged. Tend to be laid back. Take criticism very personally. Hate sales. Am soft-spoken, poker-faced, and very introverted. And am very sensitive - to the point that I have teared up in front of a couple of managers (despite my best attempts not to). I'm the type that would nearly faint if I saw someone else cut their finger. I recognize that I'm still pretty immature and have some more emotional growing to do.

All that said - any suggestions for entry-level jobs? I'm capable. I have some experience. I like working with people. And I have a bachelor's in business administration (which I'm pretty sure was the wrong major, in retrospect - I actually am not business-minded). I'm creative, and a really good writer - but don't have experience or a degree in a creative field. And I need a good job now.

Any ideas would be so appreciated!!!

P.S. - I thought about going back to the library, but I need a full-time job, which that was not. I'm having an awful time finding full-time work in an environment that's workable.

Hello truthnlove: I don't know as I have any particularly useful suggestions for you... particularly since I have no idea what types of jobs would even be available to you where you live. But I wanted to reply to your post because you sound a lot like me.

I'm retired at this point. But my career, such as it was, was pretty-much a disaster. I chose a career path for which I was fundamentally unsuited. It required a lot of public contact which is something I'm just not good at. I guess I thought that by exposing myself to what I feared, I'd gradually learn to do it. I didn't. But what it did do was to inflame my already serious levels of social anxiety. And by the time I realized what I was doing to myself, my career path was set to the point where making a significant change would have been too costly. So I just kept plodding along until the whole sorry edifice came crashing down.

So I simply want to encourage you to continue to take a serious look at what's going on with you vocationally & try to get onto some type of career path that is in keeping with your personality. The fact that you have the self-awareness you have is a good sign! This is so important. Perhaps one thing you might consider is to see if there is any type of vocational testing that might be available to you. Something of this sort might be offered by your state employment services office or perhaps a community college. If they don't offer it, they may know who does.

Lastly, I'd like to recommend a book. The title is: Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2000.

P.S. Take a look at this website & see if it would be of any interest. I just learned of it this afternoon.

http://www.seedyourfuture.org/

In all honesty, although I live in another country but am nearly twice your age, having had different careers over the years since leaving college, I would look at online testing. There are tests and advisors who would charge you money, but there's a lot of free stuff too. It's a combination of psychometric and personality testing matched against the top ten attributes in a job. In the old days (the 80s, when I was a kid), we had a person who did this with a crappy paper based system. I think I lost interest when she said florist. (WTH?!) I ended up wanting to be a doctor, freaking out at the sight of blood/ puke/ death and working in a lab. Then pharmacy and now healthcare. So the other message is don't make yourself think you'll only do one thing. Think of it as a journey. I would send you links to online tests but they're all British and I see you live in a state five times the size of my whole country! So Google a few or maybe go to a public library/ college and see what their careers department advises. But good luck!

I forgot to mention - I just started as a paid childcare worker in my church. Only a couple hours a week, but I love it. Also, I'm very interested in psychology, sociology, philosophy - people in general. I actually considered a career as a counselor - I've been told by a couple of people that I'd make a good one. I think that side of me is more evident in my writing, though.

Any entry-level, no-experience-required jobs along humanistic lines?

How about being a residential aide at a substance abuse facility for juveniles? Or a teacher's aide?

These jobs offer interaction with young people. On the other hand, you could find saying no to the clients to be challenging. It would be an opportunity for growth. The environment would not typically be frazzling. You could be micromanaged, but not necessarily. I don't see micromanagement as inherent in those jobs.

I think that you should not rule jobs out simply because they involve sales or criticism. Lots of jobs involve these in one way or another. I know such jobs will challenge you, and I trust that you are addressing these issues in therapy. You can grow into better dealing with these things.

What do you think of counseling as a career? I also think that you would be good.

Thank you all for your encouragement! I just may take advantage of the library's job assistance services...not the one I worked for, though, lol!

Those do sound like good job ideas. A friend of mine suggested nannying, too, which also sounds interesting.

I am learning how to deal with criticism - although in small amounts. Even a little can send me into depression really quickly - I'm an intensely emotional person and have had issues with low self esteem. And fear of failure. But learning!

As far as sales - I've actually considered that. The thing is...I want a job that I can believe in. Somewhere that I feel like I'm making a difference somehow. And not feel like a cog in a machine. For financial reasons, I may well end up having to work some positions for a while that aren't that fulfilling. If there is some way I could make money while doing something I'm passionate about now, though, that would be awesome.

And yes - I love the counselor idea. I've been wondering if I can somehow have a writing career from that angle.

Again - thanks for all your help and encouragement! Much appreciated.

Have you considered academia? Professors of counseling or counselor education often have private counseling practices. In that arrangement you could write and teach and counsel.

Keep exploring and reflecting and discussing. You will be able to figure out a short-term plan and a longer-term plan.

You're welcome again!

I have considered academia, but to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I could cut it, writing in an academic setting. And I'm not sure I'd be happy either. I prefer to appeal to the heart, more so than the mind.

I guess I should mention - I now have a potential sitting position in talks. Looks very good, and pays well. May be an answer to my prayers.

I will pray for you.

Well, that position turned out to be a scam. Thankfully, I didn't lose any money on it, but apparently others have. Next!

I am sorry you're running into scammy job ads. I have, too. People who try to catch people at their moments of absolute despair...ugh!!!! The nerve!!

It is really hard to find work doing ANYTHING right now, so I don't know what to tell you.

Myers-Briggs test (or one like it) did absolutely nothing for me... "Meat packager or seafood cultivator." I am a vegetarian. Don't waste your time. Seriously.

Lol!!! Yeah, I wouldn't want that job either. I find it hard to kill a mosquito!

Thank you for your input. Really appreciated. Actually, a new idea has popped up on my radar - live-in nannying. I'm starting to look into that, put in for positions in my area. We'll see what happens!

Oh, and on Meyers-Briggs - I totally know what you mean. I've taken some of the free online versions, and tested as 4 or 5 different types. Lol. I thought that taking several of the free ones would give me a better chance of determining my true type, but apparently not. Hmm....

Have u thought about working with animals? rescues/humane society? grooming or the like?

Live-in nannying sounds intriguing for you. I hope that you will keep us posted!

Alot of us have had our livelihoods robbed due to this thing called mental illness. Seems a bit selfish, unless you finding/found yourself, aka could be known as DID and have remarkable improved skills and want to now use them I think you should be satisfied at what you got as far as work......Take care of the anxiety/sensitivity

Thank you for your concern. I wish I had the luxury of working through the anxiety issues and not worrying about a job...but I don't. I'm in a position of really needing to find full-time employment. But that in and of itself would be a huge help.

Thought about it. And it is an interesting idea, since I love animals. Really intrigued by the live-in nanny option right now though. With the right family, that would be a really good living scenario for me. And give me more experience working with children. If that doesn't work out though, I will look into animal rescue jobs. Animal rights is something near and dear to my heart!

Absolutely!

---be sure to observe someone in the job setting and interview,them and volunteer if you can to get a real feel for the job and its career ladder