The 12 Best Jobs for Extroverts
What jobs should you go out for when you’re outgoing?
Imagine it’s your first day of work at a new job. What do you do while you’re waiting for your manager to give you the office tour? If you’ve already introduced yourself to coworkers sitting near you and taken a stroll around your department by yourself, you’re probably an extrovert.
While your first day was a success, a job can lose its sparkle if it’s not a good fit for an extrovert like you. In this article, we’ll look at the most satisfying jobs for extroverts, and what careers will bring out your best.
But first, let’s find out if you’re an extrovert, the advantages and disadvantages of being an extrovert in the workplace, what work conditions extroverts thrive in, and the best jobs for “people persons.”
What Is an Extrovert?
Why are some of us extroverts and others are not? It boils down to a chemical reaction in your brain. A study by Cornell University found that when an extrovert engages with people, they get an extra boost of dopamine—a naturally occurring chemical our body produces that triggers the brain's reward center. To discover if you’re an extrovert, see if any of these statements are true.
1. You Like to Meet New People
You find introducing yourself to new people easy and often make the first move to welcome someone new in the workplace or at a social gathering.
2. New Social or Work Situations Are No Big Deal
You are comfortable walking into a meeting or party where you don’t know anyone.
3. You Get Tired When You’re Alone
You feel drained when you're alone for a long time, and your creativity dries up. What is an extrovert’s fuel? A roomful of people and lots of activity.
4. You Get the Ball Rolling
You take on the extracurricular jobs for extroverts. For example, you organize the company golf outing or bowling league. You’re the one who suggests after-work happy hours. You volunteer to organize Secret Santa activities around the holidays. You rarely RSVP “no” to parties or weddings.
5. You Like to Solve Problems or Get New Ideas in a Group Setting
An introvert works through a problem or new idea in the office by sitting alone in a quiet setting. The ideal jobs for extroverts involve brainstorming sessions with several people.
6. You Were the First to Raise Your Hand in Class
Even more likely, you shouted out the answer without being called on. You can easily express your opinion or preference.
7. You’re Optimistic and in a Good Mood Most of the Time
You find yourself trying to cheer up coworkers. You’re flexible, embrace change, and seek out jobs working with people.
8. You’re Not Afraid to Take Risks
While trying new things is good, you may run with an idea that is a little too far out of the box. You get a dopamine boost if the risk leads to something good. But your coworkers may be uneasy, and they often try to reel you back in and adjust your idea so it has a better chance for success.
What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Being an Extrovert in the Workplace?
You thrive at work when you're an extrovert who has found a great fit. Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a workplace that doesn’t lend itself to jobs for extroverts. But it’s not all black and white. Extroverts can bring positive and negative traits to the workplace. Let’s look at the pros and cons of being an extrovert in an average workplace. It may help you decide if you can reign in the cons, or if you should look at better careers for extroverts. How many of these pros and cons can you relate to?
Team and Group Work
Pro: If you’re an extrovert, you are often well-liked by coworkers, which makes you good at group work.
Con: You may lack the independence and grit to do things without group validation.
Workplace Alliances
Pro: You form quick and easy friendships and forge strong alliances with coworkers.
Con: You might depend on others to validate you, and you may tend to get lonely
Networking/Socializing
Pro: You exude confidence and optimism in group situations. You are the best at remembering names and faces, and will start up a conversation with anyone.
Con: People may find you too intense or lively.
Charisma/Influence
Pro: Your coworkers can count on you to be straightforward and candid. They find you charismatic and receive your ideas and comments well, especially in group settings.
Con: Sometimes you’re too charismatic and persuade coworkers to take on too much. That can result in unfinished projects and your coworkers feeling overworked.
Welcoming/Encouraging
Pro: You encourage others to participate in projects and activities when they might otherwise be inclined to hang back.
Con: Your relentless encouragement can make introverts uncomfortable. They may see you as inconsiderate or socially unaware.
Cooperative/Mentoring
Pro: You’re always willing to help coworkers who are having difficulties.
Con: Being too helpful can be seen as aggressive, controlling, or arrogant.
Likable/Upbeat
Pro: You enjoy team projects and social jobs, and you prefer to spend the majority of your time with others.
Con: Your desire to spend time in the company of others may affect everyone’s productivity.
Communication
Pro: You’re generally upbeat, chatty, and have no problem speaking in public.
Con: You can come across as aggressive or abrasive. You may struggle to concentrate on what others are saying while you’re composing the next thing to say.
Leadership
Pro: You are very determined and confident and are likely to take charge and become a leader.
Con: Your confidence may result in attempting to do more than can be realistically completed in a set time frame. You’re likely to stand in the spotlight rather than give recognition to others.
What to Look for in a Job if You’re an Extrovert
A job might seem desirable initially, but if you’re an extrovert, you need to look beyond salary and title. The best careers for extroverts will also be a good fit in terms of company culture, social interaction, and human connection. Remember to ask relevant questions during your job interview to help determine if it meets the criteria for a good job for extroverts.
The characteristics of good jobs for extroverts include:
- an open work environment for interaction and external stimuli.
- social jobs where you have direct contact with the public.
- opportunities for social interaction like a lunchroom and after-work activities.
- online communication platforms like Slack if you’re working remotely.
- spontaneous, exciting, and stimulating projects.
- non-repetitive tasks.
- the opportunity to contribute your ideas.
- getting encouragement and recognition, especially verbally and in front of coworkers.
- team lunches and team-building activities.
12 of the Best Jobs for Extroverts
Looking for jobs that work with people? Or maybe you want a leadership role where you can mentor and support junior staff. Either way, there are tons of jobs for social people who are energized by teamwork, collaboration, and connection.
Here are 12 ideal jobs for extroverts.
1. Coach
What you’ll do: Coaches work with individual athletes or with sports teams to develop skills and improve teamwork and competitive performance—the perfect job for someone who loves to lead and motivate people. Beyond athletic coaches, you can find jobs for extroverts working as business, lifestyle, and health coaches.
What it pays: $18.38 per hour
Find all coach jobs on Monster.
2. Business Consultant
What you’ll do: A business consultant gives strategic management advice to companies and businesses. This includes improving operations, increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing revenues. You’ll spend your time hobnobbing with industry leaders across companies, expanding your business—and social—network along the way.
What it pays: $88,319 per year
Find all consulting jobs on Monster.
3. Hair Stylist
What you’ll do: Hair stylists and barbers have ideal jobs for extroverts since they work up-close-and-personal with chatty customers to shampoo, cut, and style hair. Some may offer other beauty services like waxing, manicures, and pedicures as well. Hair stylists typically work in a salon, spa, or barber shop.
What it pays: $15.84 per hour plus tips
Find all hair stylist jobs on Monster.
4. Help Desk Technician
What you’ll do: Help desk technicians are the source of excellent fix-it advice that goes well beyond, “Did you reboot yet?” In this job, you’ll work with co-workers, by phone or in person, depending on the role to help users troubleshoot all manner of tech issues.
What it pays: $44,060 per year
Find all help desk technician jobs on Monster.
5. Customer Service Rep
What you’ll do: Customer service reps hold some of the best jobs for extroverts. They answer questions about products and services, take orders, and process returns in person, over the phone, or online. Sure, not all customer service reps are extroverts, but it certainly can’t hurt given how much of the job involves talking—to real people!—about problems until you find a solution.
What it pays: $31,425 per year
Find all customer service jobs on Monster.
6. Digital Marketing Specialist
What you’ll do: Digital marketers use a variety of online channels to promote products and services in a way that makes the best use of everyone’s time and effort, including yours. Digital marketing involves the same positive, outgoing mindset that traditional marketing relies on, but also tech skills like gathering and sorting through online analytics data.
What it pays: $56,232 per year
Find all digital marketing specialist jobs on Monster.
7. Flight Attendant
What you’ll do: Flight attendants work on commercial airplanes, attending to passengers and assisting with seat location, luggage, safety procedures, drinks, and food. It definitely helps to be an extrovert when you’re helping customers with complicated flight connections or comforting nervous flyers.
What it pays: $18.79 per hour
Find all flight attendant jobs on Monster.
8. Attorney
What you’ll do: Attorneys have the ultimate job for extroverts—they get to display their acumen for working with people when they represent clients in legal matters or court proceedings, provide legal advice, and draw up legal documents.
What it pays: $86,547 per year
Find all attorney jobs on Monster.
9. Registered Nurse
What you’ll do: Nurses provide medical care and treatment to patients in hospitals and other healthcare settings, schools, and community health centers. The best nurses are compassionate and love talking to people. Your bedside manner can make or break your career as a nurse.
What it pays: $34.89 per hour
Find all registered nurse jobs on Monster.
10. Sales Representative
What you’ll do: A sales rep works in retail settings, inside businesses, or travels to customers to sell products and services. Extroverts are usually masters of the art of persuasion. If you’re good at talking to people from all walks of life, you might want to look into a career in sales.
What it pays: $51,180 per year
Find all sales representative jobs on Monster.
11. User Experience (UX) Designer
What you’ll do: UX designers ensure that digital products do what they’re supposed to do once in the hands of users. As a UX designer, you’ll be involved in the technical side of production—so, yes, you’ll look at screens a lot—but you’ll also do a ton of face-to-face collaborating. You’ll do research with potential users to figure out what’s on target and what’s not, and you’ll communicate with internal stakeholders on how to get those missing elements back on track.
What it pays: $96,783 per year
Find all UX designer jobs on Monster.
12. Tech Recruiter
What you’ll do: Tech recruiters find the best and brightest for the countless jobs in the tech market. At this job, you’ll need the same skills as other recruiters, including being outgoing and ready to jump into any conversation, but you’ll also need tech knowledge—not coder-level, but certainly a comfort level with tech discussions and the ability to discern between the contenders and the pretenders.
What it pays: $69,597 per year
Find all tech recruiter jobs on Monster.
Connect With Monster for the Best People Person Jobs
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