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Advice for Introverted Job Seekers

by Linnea Kirgan

The job hunt can be a stressful experience for anyone. But for the 35-40% of the population that are introverts - people with a natural aversion to tooting their own horn and who aren't always comfortable speaking off the cuff - the experience can be even more of a nail biter.

If you're not sure where you fall on the introvert/extrovert scale, one key point to consider is where you draw your energy. If you're motivated by your inner world of ideas and thoughts and need to have a lot of alone time to recharge, then you're likely an introvert. On the other hand, if you crave external stimulation and love to fill your time with non-stop social events and activities, you're probably an extrovert.

According to The Introvert Advantage by Dr. Marti Olsen Laney, there are certain preferences introverts have in the workplace. They prefer quiet for concentration, dislike interruptions, need to think and reflect before speaking and acting, work alone contentedly, and don't like to draw attention to themselves, among other things.

But experts say you don't have to shout your greatness from the mountaintops in order to find a new job. In fact, introverts have a number of assets that can give them a leg up during the job search.

Here are some tips to help get you started:

Finding the Right Path

Laurence Shatkin, author of the 200 Best Jobs for Introverts, says introversion is a sliding scale. Some people may realize they fall into that category all along, while others may first try a career that doesn't quite fit before finding a more comfortable one.

Shatkin's book ranks the best professions for introverts by weighing a variety of factors including level of solitude, interaction with the public, and pay. Some of the best paid positions that also have the highest ranking on the introvert scale are computer jobs, such as network systems analysts and computer software engineers.

Business consultant Michael Laney said the introverted tend to be ashamed because of the stigma attached to the word.

"It's not a dysfunction," Laney says. "It's understanding how you're built." He says that the brains of introverts and extroverts are built differently, which explains why they process information in such different ways.

Career and personality type expert Donna Dunning says introverts' work styles can be broken down into four main categories.

*Assimilators: They enjoy following procedures, processing and categorizing detailed information, and having a stable structure. People with these tendencies are often successful administrators, supervisors, librarians, health care workers, and veterinarians.

*Visionaries: They work well integrating ideas, creating mental models to interpret experiences, and big picture planning. Those who fall into this category include architects, designers, consultants, strategic planners, attorneys, physicians, and researchers.

*Analyzers: They like to collect and analyze information, solve problems and work independently. These folks include your computer techs, programmers, economists, engineers, and investigators.

*Enhancer: They work behind the scenes making things work for a group, create personal relationships to situations, and are reluctant to promote themselves. People who work this way may end up as nutritionists, personal coaches, therapists, social workers, and administrative assistants.

Dunning, who wrote the book What's Your Type of Career, says it is important to recognize and understand introvert tendencies, but urges against the tendency to stereotype people based on type. She says she has met introverts who have been successful and happy in careers more traditionally considered extroverted, such as sales and teaching.

Networking for the Introvert

While it may seem that introverts are at a disadvantage next to the naturally bubblier extroverts, Laney says the sheer number of people you meet isn't the true measure of success.

"It's not just the socializing and working a room," he says.

Introverts have advantages when it comes to networking because of their long-term thinking and memory. They may just connect with one or two people at a function, but then they will take the necessary steps to make it a useful contact, Laney says. They will follow up with an e-mail or phone call, research that person's company, offer ways that they could help, and continue the connection.

If you feel you're weak when it comes to small talk or introducing yourself, the answer is preparation. Practice simple conversation openers and then use your listening skills to keep the conversation going. Realize that sometimes you'll click with someone immediately, and other times it won't happen, and either is just fine.

Acing the Interview

Introverts do an exceedingly good job at the initial part of the job search, according to Laney, who co-authored a book with his wife, Marti, called The Introvert and Extrovert in Love: Making It Work When Opposites Attract. He says their inclinations to deep thinking and affinity for research can help introverts determine which workplaces are best to target.

Introverts should realize that their interviewer may be an extrovert and plan accordingly.

Sometimes introverts can have a bit of a blank expression when listening to others, and extroverts can feel like they are talking to a wall. Laney recommends giving more non-verbal cues such as good eye contact and nodding your head to signal to them that you are actively listening.

Since introverts generally like to give a lot of thought to answering a question and can often come up blank if asked for an answer on the spot, practice is vital to feeling comfortable and succeeding in an interview situation. Anticipate the interviewer's questions, write down your answers, and practice them out loud by yourself or role play with a friend.

Laney says many introverts don't have the drive for public recognition that extroverts do, so they fail to promote themselves effectively. Make sure you prepare ahead of time how you want to convey your accomplishments during the interview.

Another way to showcase your strengths is to bring a portfolio to the interview, says Shatkin. For example, the portfolio can include testimonial letters from bosses, co-workers, or clients or charts that show the improvements you've made to the workplace.

"These can speak loudly in an interview, even if you don't feel like chattering on and on," Shatkin says.

Don't declare yourself as an introvert, until you really know your work environment and have a good sense that it will be welcomed.

"The term just doesn't have good connotations," Shatkin says. "People take it to mean, 'I'm stand-offish,' or, 'I'm too private.'" Instead, he recommends voicing your working preferences more indirectly and in a more positive way, such as explaining your "working style," and seeing if it fits in with the company culture.