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Debra sensed that she should be looking for jobs for highly sensitive persons.
She wasn’t sure why she felt this way or how to express her need.
You see Debra enjoys working with other people but somehow working from home alone felt more fulfilling.
There was a time she relished the hustle and bustle of the office environment.
The chit chat of colleagues, the casual meeting at the watercooler and the cosy discussions over a cup of tea or coffee.
However, Debra noticed that she enjoys being alone more and more over the last few years and has a need for space and the great outdoors.
Does this sound like you…
- You identify as a highly sensitive person or suspect that you could be a highly sensitive person.
- You feel like the business world was not made for people like you.
- You’re in a career that comes with an overwhelming work environment leaving you feeling exhausted and burned out.
- You want to finally find a job that supports your needs as an HSP.
If so, then finding the right job can be absolutely essential to your well-being as an HSP.
Many HSPs struggle in traditional work environments, where they are required to be around people and noise all day long.
The good news is that there are many jobs out there that are perfect for HSPs!
In this blog post, we will discuss the 31 best jobs for highly sensitive persons.
We’ll also offer tips on how to identify if a job is right for you and how to go about finding the best work opportunities for your unique needs.
7 Signs You Or Someone You Know Is a Highly Sensitive Person
If you’re not sure whether or not you’re an HSP, there are some common signs to look for. Here are 7 of them:
1. You tend to be highly sensitive to your environment.
If you find yourself highly sensitive to your surroundings, you may be an HSP.
HSPs are highly sensitive people who are easily overwhelmed by noise, bright lights, and strong smells. Too many stimuli can quickly lead to overwhelm and anxiety.
If you’re an HSP, it’s important to create a peaceful environment for yourself where you can relax and recharge.
This may mean avoiding crowded places, investing in noise-cancelling headphones, or spending time in nature.
Whatever works for you, make sure to give yourself the time and space you need to thrive.
2. You often feel overwhelmed in busy or chaotic situations.
If you’re highly sensitive, chances are you’ve felt overwhelmed in busy or chaotic settings.
Places with too many people or too many stimuli can be a hindrance. You might prefer areas with open space and few people.
As an HSP, it’s important to find environments that work for you.
Whether that means avoiding crowded places or taking breaks often, do what you need to do to stay sane.
3. You tend to be a deep thinker and have a rich inner life
Being highly sensitive can be both a blessing and a curse.
On the one hand, it allows you to be in tune with yourself and your emotions in a way that others may not be.
You’re able to pick up on subtleties and find meaning in things that others might miss. However, this same trait can also make it difficult to escape from your own thoughts.
You may find yourself overthinking things or ruminating on bad experiences. It can be easy to get stuck in your head and feel like you’re never really able to relax. But it’s important to remember that there are positives to being highly sensitive.
Your ability to think deeply and reflect on your experiences can be used to your advantage. If you learn to use your sensitivity as a strength, you can find yourself living a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
4. You tend to be highly empathetic and compassionate towards others
If you’re highly sensitive, you may find yourself feeling the emotions and energies of others very deeply.
This can be both a blessing and a curse, as it allows you to feel immense compassion for others but can also be quite draining.
You may carry the burdens of others with you, feeling as if it’s your responsibility to help them heal.
However, your ability to empathize with others is truly remarkable and unique. It’s one of the many things that make you who you are.
Embrace your sensitivity and use it to create positive change in the world. It’s a gift that not everyone has.
5. You have a strong connection to nature
If you are an HSP, you may find yourself naturally drawn to nature.
The wide-open outdoors feel like home, and you have an immense appreciation for animals.
Even when you’re in the city, you can’t help but notice the beauty of the trees and the way the sun glistens off the buildings.
You may find yourself wanting to spend more time outside, and feel happiest when you are surrounded by natural beauty.
For HSPs, nature can be a source of peace and solace. It is a reminder that there is more to life than what we see on the surface, and that we are connected to something much larger than ourselves.
6. You are highly creative and highly expressive
As a highly sensitive person, you may find that you have a love for creativity and self-expression in all forms.
HSPs love to express themselves using creative outlets as it brings a sense of peace and purpose to them.
Being able to express yourself gives you a simple escape and provides you with a way to recenter yourself.
For highly sensitive people, creativity is often like meditation; it allows you to focus on the present moment and find stillness in the midst of chaos.
It can be anything from painting and drawing to writing and dancing.
If you’re an HSP, don’t be afraid to explore your creativity and use it as a tool for self-care.
7. You have a strong sense of intuition and gut feelings
As an HSP, you may find that you have a great sense of intuition.
You can usually tell when something is going to work out well or when it’s going to go wrong.
You’re also highly sensitive to your surroundings and the people in them.
This allows you to get a sense of what they’re thinking and feeling. Intuition is a powerful tool that can help you navigate through life.
As an HSP, you have the ability to tap into this power more easily than most people. Use your intuition to your advantage and trust your gut instinct when it comes to making decisions. It’s usually right!
If you identify with several of these signs, it’s likely that you are an HSP. Being highly sensitive is nothing to be ashamed of – in fact, it’s something to be celebrated!
HSPs are often deeply compassionate, creative, and intuitive people who add a lot of value to the world. Embrace your sensitivity and let it shine!
What Do Highly Sensitive People Want From Their Careers
As a highly sensitive person (HSP), you often feel like you’re swimming against the current when it comes to your career.
In a world that values extroversion, multitasking, and constant hustle, it can be hard to find work that feels like a good fit for your personality.
You crave quiet, deep work that allows you to connect with others on a meaningful level. You need time to process information and make decisions, and you prefer to avoid excessive noise and stimulation.
When it comes to your career, here are a few things that you long for:
- A workplace that values introverts and highly sensitive people. A place where your natural strengths are appreciated and celebrated, rather than seen as deficiencies.
- Opportunities for deep, meaningful work. Work that is challenging and engaging, but also allows you to use your strong intuition and emotional intelligence.
- Flexibility and autonomy. You need some level of control over your schedule and environment in order to thrive.
- A supportive community. A group of colleagues who understand your needs as an HSP and who are willing to accommodate them.
In any case, it is important for HSPs to find an occupation that allows them to use their strengths and that provides opportunities for growth and development.
With the right career in place, HSPs can thrive both personally and professionally.
Job Satisfaction Statistics for Highly Sensitive Persons
If you’re highly sensitive, you may have always felt like the corporate world was not made for you.
One study found that extroverted people had a 25% higher chance of scoring higher-earning jobs than introverts. If this sounds like a disadvantage, you’re wrong.
Many top-level executive jobs are in environments that can be very overstimulating for HSPs.
HSPs can be highly successful if they find the right environment and job roles.
As Harvey Deutschendorf, emotional intelligence expert, states in his article for Fast Company, “Heightened perception, insight, and intuition allow the Highly Sensitive Person to notice nonverbal cues and pick up subtle nuances.
Due to a higher level of sensitivity, when HSPs are in the right environment, they tend to thrive and exhibit many valuable workplace traits such as enhanced perception, empathy, creativity, and detail-orientation.”
If working in job roles and environments that are not suitable to support your needs, you may find yourself unsatisfied with your employment.
One study found that introverted teachers have a low level of job satisfaction but extroverted teachers have a significant and positive correlation with job satisfaction.
This is likely due to their work environments as well as introverts having a higher make up of HSPs than extroverts.
Some more interesting statistics surrounding job satisfaction are:
- 60% of employees consider their colleagues to be the biggest contributors to job happiness.
- Organizations with high employee happiness outperform low employee satisfaction companies by 202%.
- In the US, approximately 65% of employees are fully satisfied with their jobs.
- 57% of remote workers are satisfied with their job, while 50% of in-house employees say the same.
- Only 20% of Americans are very passionate about their occupation.
31 Best Jobs for Highly Sensitive Persons
If you identify as a highly sensitive person, here is a list of 31 meaningful jobs to consider as a career on a daily basis:
Editors Choice
A. Web Designer
A career in website design is about creativity and problem-solving. As a web designer, you will be responsible for creating the look and feel of a website, as well as developing the underlying structure.
B. Illustrator
A career as an illustrator allows you to use your creativity to bring stories and characters to life for others. I’m a firm believer that being an illustrator is such a meaningful job plus you create your own schedule.
C. Photographer
A career in photography is both creative and rewarding. As a photographer, you’ll get to capture special moments and create lasting memories for others. You don’t have to do long hours and you can avoid high sensitivity scenarios.
D. Graphic Designer
A career in graphic design is perfect for people who are creative and have a strong interest in art and technology. Graphic designers use their skills to create visual concepts, by hand or using computer software, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers.
E. Child Development Specialist
Child development specialists work with children of all ages, from infancy through adolescence. They help children to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills. They also work with families to promote positive parenting practices. You also get to go into private practice making it the perfect job.
F. Business Manager
Business managers are the ones in charge of making sure that a business is running smoothly. They oversee all of the different departments in a company and make sure that they are working together efficiently.
G. Massage Therapist
A career as a massage therapist offers the opportunity to help people feel better both physically and emotionally. Massage therapists often develop strong relationships with their clients, and many find the work to be both personally and professionally fulfilling.
H. Esthetician
Estheticians are skin care professionals who provide treatments to improve the appearance and health of their client’s skin. They may work in a variety of settings, including spas, salons, and medical spas. Being an Esthetician has to be one of the best career choices.
I. Health Coach
A career as a health coach is an opportunity to help people live their best lives. Health coaches work with clients to set and achieve health-related goals. This may include helping them to eat better, exercise more, manage stress, and quit smoking.
J. Personal Trainer
A career as a personal trainer comes with a great deal of satisfaction from helping others improve their health and wellbeing. As a personal trainer, you will need to be able to motivate and support your clients and have a good knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Best of all you get to choose your own time and develop a good work-life balance.
Creative Careers
- Interior Designer
- Web Designer
- Illustrator
- Journalist
- Advertising Manager
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Video and Film Editor
- Copywriter
- Graphic Designer
- Art Director
Careers Helping Others
- Counsellor
- Case Manager
- Child Development Specialist
- Community Outreach Worker
- Public Health Advisor
- Business Manager
- Financial Advisor
- Patient Advocate
- Psychologist
- Consultant
- Life Coach
Wellness Careers
- Therapist
- Massage Therapist
- Rehabilitation Specialist
- Physical Therapist
- Social Worker
- Esthetician
- Cosmetologist
- Health Coach
- Nutritionist
- Dental Hygienist
- Acupuncturist
7 Careers Not Recommended for Highly Sensitive People
HSPs understand that their environment plays a major role in how they feel and function. Here are 7 careers to avoid as an HSP:
- Nursing
- Lawyer
- Customer Service Representative
- Sales and Marketing
- Public Relations
- Executive positions
- Construction
I believe that being a nurse or a doctor can be one of the worst jobs for HSPs. You’ll need to retain large amounts of information and work long hours.
You’ll be exposed to extreme situations that impact your own emotions since you’ll need to look after the needs of others.
While it is one of the types of careers with a heavy load at an emotional level. It is a better fit for someone who has a less sensitive nature.
Careers like the ones listed above come with fast-paced working environments that can be heavily noise polluted and have a lot of external stimuli that can cause overwhelm and anxiety.
How to Tell Your Boss or Clients That You’re an HSP
If you’re a highly sensitive person, you might be wondering how to tell your boss, client or others about your condition.
It’s important to remember that there is no “right” way to do this – the most important thing is, to be honest, and authentic.
With that said, here are a few tips that may help you have a productive conversation about being a highly sensitive person.
- Consider your audience. If you’re talking to someone who is familiar with the term “highly sensitive person,” they may already have an understanding of what it means. However, if you’re talking to someone who is not familiar with the term, it might be helpful to provide a brief explanation of what it means.
- Share how you found out that you’re a highly sensitive person. If you feel comfortable enough, explain how you found out you are an HSP.
- Talk about how it affects your life. Be honest about the challenges you face and how you deal with them. For example, you might say that work can be challenging because loud noises and intense work environments can be overwhelming. However, you’ve found that by taking breaks throughout the day and using noise-cancelling headphones, you’re much more productive during your workday.
Things to Consider
If you’re a highly sensitive person, you may have experienced feeling overwhelmed in work or social or stressful situations.
You might feel like you’re always on the verge of tears or get easily frazzled by noise and commotion.
You might also be very attuned to the emotions of others and need time alone to recharge after interacting with people.
If any of this sounds familiar, you might be a highly sensitive person.
While being a highly sensitive person can be challenging at times, it also comes with some unique strengths.
Highly sensitive people are often very creative, compassionate, and intuitive. They might also be excellent at paying attention to detail and taking care of others.
If you’re an HSP, you have many qualities that would make you an excellent employee so remember to keep your options open and choose a career path that supports you the way you are.
Summary
Isn’t it great that the world you live in is become more aware of different personality types and catering to their needs?
Leading a ‘normal’ lifestyle as a highly sensitive person can be challenging.
This way of life is doable with some introspection, awareness and tweaking your lifestyle to suit your needs as a person.
There’s one role in society that highly sensitive people can embrace.
This is becoming a virtual assistant which allows you to create a flexible lifestyle and is one of the best careers ever.
You can learn how to start a virtual assistant business here. It means you’ll be a business owner so you get to create the environment of your dreams.
A few examples mentioned above can be done as a virtual assistant.
These include web design, graphic design and copywriting.
So, over to you, what is your experience when it comes to HSPs.
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