Best Tech Careers for Introverted IT Pros

While they can seem challenging to find, there are careers that are suited towards your reserved personality. “Careers focus on combinations of data, people and things. The strategy for avoiding constant workplace interaction with people is to pursue a career that centers more on data and things,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality. Shatkin identifies IT roles that fall within that sweet spot- jobs do require human interaction and teamwork but they also offer plenty of solitary work to help you recharge your ‘social’ batteries.

“The name information technology indicates that it’s primarily about data. And it’s to the advantage of introverts that this field is expected to offer many job opportunities for the foreseeable future,”  says Shatkin.

Computer Systems Analysts

By 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor projects that the workforce of computer systems analysts will grow by 22 percent. Workers in this field typically deal with data and computing processes. “They analyze the content and flow of data—finding ways to turn the various inputs into outputs that will be useful to decision makers. Because the workers have to understand the needs of data producers and information consumers, this occupation is more collaborative than some others in high tech, meaning fewer opportunities for solitary work, says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality. However, when compared to other careers, it is still a good fit for introverts.

Computer systems analysts can expect to earn on average $68,000 annually.

Database Administrators

Database administrator positions are projected to grow by 31 percent and their primary focus is on data, not human interaction. “They determine the architecture of the systems that will store and retrieve the data and deal with problems such as buggy programs and data security issues,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Some of the driving factors in this field include the migration of data and systems to the cloud and big data, which is seeing more adoption than ever by businesses from all sectors.

Database administrators can expect to earn on average $95,000 annually.

Information Security Analysts

You’ve seen or heard the reports in the news: Cyberwarfare and hacking is rampant and employers need workers to safeguard their data and find security holes before they become breaches. “As the nation and its businesses increasingly rely on computers for maintaining our way of life, computer security has implications for both national defense and industrial competition. This career is so focused on data and, to a lesser extent, on hardware that it offers many opportunities for solitary work,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Information security analysts can expect to earn on average $90,000 annually.

Web Developers

The Web developers category is expected to experience 22 percent growth in demand by 2020, according to BLS stats. “Web Developers may work in a team alongside graphic artists, writers, marketers and others, but it’s still often possible to fill workdays with coding, debugging and monitoring Website traffic, thus suffering minimal interruptions,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Web developers can expect to earn on average $82,000 annually.

Computer Network Architects

“Computer network architects also spend much of their time dealing with code, in this case whatever creates the structure of a LAN, WAN, or intranet,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality. Additional responsibilities may include making decisions on how to use hardware, such as routers and cables, in the network. These IT pros are not entirely able to work in isolation, because they must keep informed about the organization’s business plan so they can design systems that will serve it.

Computer network architects can expect to earn on average $131,000 annually.

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

“Network and computer systems administrators deal with networks and systems at a level that subsumes the work of the specialists in information systems, databases, security, Websites and network architecture,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Demand for workers to fill this role is projected to grow by as much as 28 percent by the year 2020. IT workers in this role include a greater amount of supervisory work with those with other specializations, which means more interaction with IT specialists, hardware technicians and data consumers such as accountants.

Network and Computer Systems Administrators can expect to earn on average $85,000 annually.

Software Developers

Software developers can either specialize in systems or applications and they focus on more than just coding. Their work involves a business plan, the needs of end users, and the writing of specifications for programmers as well as documentation for future maintenance and upgrades of said software.

“These tasks often involve collaboration with other workers, and graphic designers may also need to be consulted, especially for development of apps. As tablets and smartphones proliferate, demand for developers is expected to remain strong, with a 32 percent increase in the workforce projected for 2020,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Software developers can expect to earn on average $94,000 annually.

Computer and Information Research Scientists

“Computer and information research scientists work at an abstract level, solving complex computing problems and exploring fundamental issues in computation. It offers some opportunities for solitary investigation and experimentation, but it may require collaboration with people who have problems to solve, such as robotics manufacturers, and specialists in fields such as database management or telecommunications,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

Other career opportunities are academia, where there are classes to teach and committees to serve on. This demographic is smaller than most high-tech careers and is also growing more slowly, although the rate of 19 percent is faster than the average.

Computer and information research scientists can expect to earn on average $124,000 annually.

Computer Programmers

The role of computer programmer is expected to grow by 12 percent. The reason, says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality, is that this role is easier to outsource than others.

“Computer programmers may have more opportunities for solitary, uninterrupted work than many of the other workers in high technology. However, the “just give me the specifications and go away so I can write the code” work style defines a job that can easily be taken over by a worker in a low-wage foreign country,” says Shatkin.

Computer Programmers can expect to earn on average $53,000 annually.

Computer Hardware Engineers

According to BLS stats, this role is going to see only a 9 percent growth, largely due to offshoring. “Compared to more data-focused high-tech workers, computer hardware engineers deal more with things like designing and testing new equipment. However, the equipment they work on is intended to process data, and, like all engineers, they also must gather and analyze data about the hardware in order to optimize it. This affords many opportunities for solitary work,” says Laurence Shatkin, author of 50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.

However, he says, hardware engineers may need to collaborate with other engineers as well as other kinds of workers, such as software developers and technicians.

Computer Programmers can expect to earn on average $89,000 annually.