What jobs don't require you to deal with people?

[Mama Soltera]

I have realized that, while I can mostly play it off and get along with people and even be "good with people," it requires a lot of energy that I don't have and don't want to waste. I cannot deal with gossipy women at all. I have no interest in talking shit about people or being judged. I have way too much stress in my life to ever want to create any kind of drama (I honestly don't understand how anyone would want to do this). So, I'm realizing that, to reduce stress in my life, I really need a job where I deal very little with people. Where I can do my work on my on. I do like getting outside to and not being stuck in one place all day every day. I really do need some fresh air and sunshine, but I'd be okay indoorsfor a while. I have a four year degree (English), but I am just so confused now about what I actually can do (both in what I'm actually qualified for and what I actually want to do). Okay, my kids are just not letting me do this so I have to cut it short, but I hopefuly I explained enough for some kind of response. Thanks for any help.

[marinak1977]

how about technical writing? Or, translation if you speak any other languages...

[Lizbiz]

I think it will be hard to find a job without much people interaction.  But maybe try to find a quiet environment to work in - maybe something you can do from home to minimize contact with others.  Graphic design?  But really, even then - you have to deal with your customers.  If you just want to avoid an annoying office atmosphere, then maybe working at home is for you. 

Good luck!

[Bellabaz]

technical writing or freelance writing that you could do from home, working in a greenhouse or landscaping center, working on a local farm doing harvesting, research. My dh is involved in research and while there are som politics involved with the organization, his actual day to day job can be fairly solitary. And not lots of gossiping women-or women at all for that matter =P. BTW I totally hear you on that issue. I have no more patience for workplace drama after my last job =).

[Daffodil]

If you want a part-time job, you could be a Lionbridge internet assessor.  (Leapforce offers similar jobs, and I think I've heard you can work as many hours as you want with them - with Lionbridge 20 hrs/week is the max.)  Here is a thread about it.  I work for Lionbridge, and I've never spoken to another person as part of the job or the hiring process, not even by phone.  All communication is by email.  It's somewhat enjoyable work, too, or at least not unpleasant.

[Mama Soltera]

Thank you for your responses and ideas. I really appreciate it. I've never heard of Leapforce. I don't have home internet access though. :(

[savannah smiles]

Originally Posted by Mama Soltera 

Thank you for your responses and ideas. I really appreciate it. I've never heard of Leapforce. I don't have home internet access though. :(

I work for Lionbridge, too, but you do need home internet for the job.

Like you, I'd prefer to work as alone as possible so I've been looking into this as well. My BA is in English and I've considered going to grad school to enter a field where I'd mainly be doing research. Lingusitics, maybe?  Good luck
 

[samy23]

On a farm? Plant nursery? Jobs with animals? Teacher at elementry school? ..ok some adults you would be in meetings with or at lunch time in the teacher room, but most of the day is spent with the children (who imo much better company! lol same with animals) Um what else....postal worker would be pretty solitary delivering mail to houses on your own, I've seen a few women doing this job lately. That's all I can think of right now. Any help?

[MsFortune]

Not all office stuff is that full of drama.  There are some corporate or desk jobs where you can minimize your interactions with people.

For example, the woman who does our budgets rarely interacts with people.  She comes in, keeps her head down, does her job, and goes home.  She obviously has to interact with people but she is all business, gets the info she needs, and goes back to her desk to do stuff.  

I also think that office drama gets exaggerated.  I don't like my corporate desk job for a lot of reasons, but the people is not one of those reasons.  I actually like the people I work with.  Maybe not people I would choose as friends but we have enough in common that we get along pretty well.  We don't have a lot of petty backstabbing stuff.  We talk about our kids a lot.  

I think you can find your niche in a lot of situations.  

[Annie Mac]

The most solitary job I ever held was a back room cash job for a big department store. I got to the store at 5 am, and locked myself into the big vault. I opened the safe, counted the money & balanced the tills, then, just before the store opened I replaced all the cash drawers with new floats. I left the store by 9 am. I kind of liked it. I could play whatever music I wanted and, given the absolute 9 am deadline to finish, the pace was fast, which I enjoyed. I have an English degree too. In my experience, English majors often do administrative type jobs. 

The second most solitary job I had was, ironically, working in a large office doing admin work for a bank. I was surrounded by hundreds of people, but there was so much work to get done, everyone was just kind of nose-to-computer all day with very little chance for interaction. 

As far as disliking work drama, I hear you. I personally think the best way to handle it is simply never engage. Be assertive of your own rights when required, but never get involved in bashing someone else, no matter how much they might annoy you and how much the venting might feel great at the time. Save that for your family. Just kidding. Kind of ;)

Hope you find an awesome job!

[Qestia]

I've had a couple jobs unpacking books for bookstores. You are in the back room, opening boxes, making sure the books on the invoice are there, checking them into the computer inventory if you have one. Paid minimum wage though.

I sold vegetables at a farm stand one summer in college, read books 90% of the time, besides a few transactions. Was paid only commission, in cash. Best summer job ever!

But I agree not all offices are filled with gossipy women. I've definitely been in some that are--and I've left and gotten a different job. I work in an office with 12 people now (college administration) I can talk to people if I want, or close my office door and just work if I don't want.

[Mama Soltera]

Thank you so much for all your replies. I forgot to mention I am a completely solo mom so the hours have to be school/daycare hours. With that situation, the earliest I can start is 8 and the latest I can go is 5:30. I also do not want to have to dress super nice every day. Maybe I'm just way too picky and have some serious social issues. :/

[nextcommercial]

Originally Posted by Mama Soltera 

Thank you so much for all your replies. I forgot to mention I am a completely solo mom so the hours have to be school/daycare hours. With that situation, the earliest I can start is 8 and the latest I can go is 5:30. I also do not want to have to dress super nice every day. Maybe I'm just way too picky and have some serious social issues. :/

One of my daycare moms works in a children's hospital that cares for kids who have drown, but survived.  None of them are aware of their surroundings at all...most of them never really wake up.  She has to take care of some of their needs, but doesn't interact with them at all, and the parents are rarely there.  The nurses are busy and she rarely talks to them either.    

She works 8:00-3:30.  

[journeymom]

The most solitary job I ever held was a back room cash job for a big department store. I got to the store at 5 am, and locked myself into the big vault. I opened the safe, counted the money & balanced the tills, then, just before the store opened I replaced all the cash drawers with new floats. I left the store by 9 am. I kind of liked it. I could play whatever music I wanted and, given the absolute 9 am deadline to finish, the pace was fast, which I enjoyed. I have an English degree too. In my experience, English majors often do administrative type jobs. 

My sister has this job at a Sears. She has a bachelor's in Political Science.    Similar experience.

[shayinme]

I am the Executive Director of a small non profit and I actually don't have any office gossip stuff to deal with since I have learned the staff really isn't eager to socialize with the boss (me) and that's fine. Granted I deal with funders, community folks, etc but most of my day to day work unless I am in meetings is spent by myself. It's got its ups and downs but management in a smaller non profit is fairly solitary.

[Ellien C]

I kind of agree that it sounds like a bigger problem with your organization than with you personally than people. Keep looking for a job with more substantial and less petty people. I will also add that if you want to avoid pettiness and gossip, my mother (a former elem. school social worker) would advise you to stay out of elem. school - contrary to pp's advice. Nothing against teachers, and as the SW they were probably drawn to my mom, but she found them to be gossipy, shallow and petty at her school. She couldn't STAND the teachers lounge.

[Mama Soltera]

I'm sure you won't be suprised to learn that I work at a school then. lol 

Can anyone tell me what the best way to look for a job is? I try the city/county, even state pages (I'm in CA), and other job websites, even Craigslist. It's pretty frustrating.

[Ragana]

Originally Posted by marinak1977 

how about technical writing? Or, translation if you speak any other languages...

I am a translator & this is just FYI, since others may come to this thread looking for the info. Translation might be a good choice given the requirements posted by the OP, but you do need reliable, at-home Internet access (pretty much impossible to do this job anymore without it), good computer skills (ability to learn and keep up with new software), and you do have minimal contact with people - I e-mail people every day and have the occasional business phone call, but rarely meet clients in person. It's tough to get your foot in the door, so it's not a path I would choose casually. However, it's great for people who want to have their own WAH business & have the requisite skills.

PS Mama Soltera - I hear your pain. I worked in a very dysfunctional office before starting this freelance gig & for the first EIGHT YEARS of working by myself at home, I did not miss people/the office environment AT ALL. LOL

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by Mama Soltera 

I'm sure you won't be suprised to learn that I work at a school then. lol 

Can anyone tell me what the best way to look for a job is? I try the city/county, even state pages (I'm in CA), and other job websites, even Craigslist. It's pretty frustrating.

The best way to look for a job is through networking. Let everyone reasonable know that you are looking to expand your horizons - try to keep this secret from your school. Do you have resume or 1-page document describing your skill set? It's good to get that out there. Do you have a degree? You might check the career center from your school if you do. Keep your eyes and ears out at places YOU do business and places you pass. Start to chat up people. another story from my mom - this was  years ago. She went to an office building near her house and started at the top floor and asked everyone there if they needed any help. She finally found someone on the bottom floor who thought God had sent an angel in my mom. Mom wishes she had started at the bottom first. Anyway, jobs aren't really applied for in-person anymore, but you can sure network for the contact. then you will likely need to go to a job site and apply.
 

[MomTo2inCA]

My sister has the same issues, where she doesn't like working with people.  She's OK with co-workers and bosses, but can't stand dealing with clients and customers.   She does Data Entry, which simply requires sitting at a computer and entering numbers.  It's not the most exciting work in the world, but she makes a good living and can keep to herself.