Job ideas for those with SA

[Moksha]

My SA is better now I'm in my 40s, and I feel I could maybe cope with something full-time. However, I still dread being trapped in an office, shop, warehouse or school, with colleagues and a boss. For example, I could handle selling burgers from the side of the road, chatting and joking with lorry drivers from all over the world, etc, yet if you made me go and get a job in McDonalds, doing exactly the same thing (selling burgers for a profit), I'd have a breakdown. I wonder if that's common? I've been trying to work out what it is I really dread. I think it's feeling out of control - feeling like I'm at the mercy of new colleagues/managers, especially when they already know one another. My ultimate nightmare would be a sales office or estate agents, full of loud, confident young guys in their Burton suits who think they are on Dragon's Den or something.

Anyway, I've been doing a bit of research and these are some of the jobs I am considering, plus a few ideas for other people. Most require re-training, but at least you can do a lot of them from home (and yes, I'm aware that hiding away isn't the answer, but forcing yourself into an office or shop isn't either. Plus, you don't need a job in order to socialize).

- Social media manager/marketer/consultant or specialist
- Therapist or counsellor
- Blogger
- Private tutor (you'd need a degree for this, if not an MA or Msc)
- Freelance writer
- Graphic designer
- Copywriter and/or proofreader
- Freelance editor
- Web or software developer or designer
- Grant writer
- Speech and language therapist
- Sports therapist or physio
- Private trainer (you'd need to be young and fit)
- Nutritionist
- Digital marketing manager
- Life coach
- Beautician (I know two women who've set up beauty salons in their own home)
- Freelance mortgage broker
- Translator
- Plumber
- Recruitment consultant
- Locksmith
- Taxi driver
- Driving instructor

The best kind of job would involve social interaction, but on my terms. I could drive a cab, for example, or repair washing machines, yet I couldn't work in an office or shop.

[Dougella]

If you think that you would be best suited to a certain kind of job then go for that kind of job! There certainly are opportunities for working on markets stalls or in roadside food vans or bootsales, lots of people do that. There's also the option of selling on eBay or if you are someone who creates their own crafts or artwork there are sites like Etsy that can be used to sell it.

[Ronnie_Pickering]

My ultimate nightmare would be a sales office or estate agents, full of loud, confident young guys in their Burton suits who think they are on Dragon's Den or something.

The problem is reality can differ from perceptions. Could easily have a bunch of introvert estate agents or in a sales office. Problem is finding them. I really do think the future is meshing compatible types of people. It's the way to get the most worker moral, and therefore productivity.

The list you got is quite random.

[Mr. Nobody]

I liked the 'life coach' option, that gave me a laugh,

I have toyed with the notion of driving instructor but it's such a tiny confined environment to work in,
And you'd need seriously good interpersonal communication skills and to basically be relaxed and confidant around random strangers, so I guess that's a no really,

I did change my girlfriend's locks for her not long ago when she got her keys stolen,
Managed to change them within minutes, so I'm half way there to being a locksmith lol

[Moksha]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nobody

I liked the 'life coach' option, that gave me a laugh,

It is a bit ridiculous. Then again, a lot of therapists are damaged and dysfunctional themselves.

I have toyed with the notion of driving instructor but it's such a tiny confined environment to work in,
And you'd need seriously good interpersonal communication skills and to basically be relaxed and confidant around random strangers, so I guess that's a no really,

Weirdly, I'd be OK with that. One to one I'm fine. I'd also be OK as a taxi driver. I could chat to hundreds of customers day in day out and it wouldn't bother me (though there are other reasons for not wanting to be a cabbie - the UK's horrendous traffic for a start). I once ran a few car boot sales and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet, like I said, put me in a shop or office or even a warehouse and I'd fall apart. It's the sense of being on display I guess - of being trapped, of having no control, of being part of a 'team' and of being judged by a third party.

[Dougella]

^ How about Uber?!

[Hackpen]

I could handle selling burgers from the side of the road, chatting and joking with lorry drivers from all over the world, etc,

Its funny how individual our sa is. I drive a truck and avoid truck stops except to refuel when necessary. I'm hopeless at small talk, so avoid it at all costs! I'm out all week in the truck, sleeping in it too, i have to deal with ppl of course but it's fairly minimal and I like it that way. I miss home but I'm back at weekends. I'm also trying my hand at sports trading, i was making a steady profit but had a poor night last night so won't be giving up the day job just yet ! Have a good un y'all

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[Hackpen]

I couldn't put the opening paragraph as a quote but that's moksha for the record

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[Moksha]

Originally Posted by Hackpen

Its funny how individual our sa is. I drive a truck and avoid truck stops except to refuel when necessary. I'm hopeless at small talk, so avoid it at all costs! I'm out all week in the truck, sleeping in it too, i have to deal with ppl of course but it's fairly minimal and I like it that way. I miss home but I'm back at weekends.

Interesting post Hackpen. Truck driving, especially long distance, is something I've vaguely considered. Did you go into the job because of your SA? I've always imagined such a job has its share of stress though - I mean getting lost, getting the truck jammed down narrow roads, being caught up in road rage incidents, etc.

I know what you mean about SA varying from person to person. Sticking with the burger van example, why could I run a burger van but not work in McDonalds (I'm thinking out loud here). I suspect the following have something to do with it:

- Lack of control.
- Feeling watched/judged/scrutinized by a manager and by colleagues, all of whom already know one another.
- Feeling exposed or vulnerable to shame/humiliation.
- Having to cope with crowds and noise in a confined space.
- Having to cope with people en mass (in a burger van it would generally be one to one and on my terms).
- Having to learn new skills. When people teach me things in an environment like that my mind goes blank and can't absorb it.
- Having people I don't know swirling around me in a space that is both open and confined.

[Hackpen]

I get all that too, probably a large reason why I drive a truck. The hardest part of this latest job was a 2 day induction in a classroom, that'd be the easy part for most I reckon ! It can be stressful on the roads but I'm fairly confident in my ability and I know my social skills are not gonna improve anytime soon so it'll do for now. I could do with a burger and a mug of tea right now, shame u ain't got your van in this lay by

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[Formershyguy]

I do Data Entry! I recently quit my weekend cleaning job as it was stressing me out! And also a couple of weeks ago starting doing MatchedBetting! People have made a fortune from it and some even do it full time!

[limey123]

Originally Posted by Moksha

- Freelance mortgage broker
- Translator
- Plumber

That's me! But I'm currently doing my best to change career.

It's hard to get established as a translator, and machine translation is slowly but surely eating into the market. You preferably need certain quals or at least certain experience, or most will not take you seriously. And of course you need a very strong language facility, in particular in your native tongue.

I've done it for coming up to 20 years, both in-house and freelance, but frankly I don't overall recommend it. There are also many large egos and prima donna dickheads in the industry. Besides, if you freelance from home you can exercise avoidance, which is convenient, but bad for your SA and personal growth in the long run!

[Mountainstream]

Translating. I have done this, but not any more.

[Moksha]

Originally Posted by limey123

It's hard to get established as a translator, and machine translation is slowly but surely eating into the market.

****!! I just knew it would be. Why can't the machines take away the really s***ty jobs, like serving in McDonalds or working in an office instead.

[Mountainstream]

How come some people know all the answers? I’ve never wanted to be one of those people who think they know all the answers.

[limey123]

Originally Posted by biscuits

^^ how cool! Which language/s do you translate?

Have done Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German in the past, but these days do nearly all Danish.

[sillypenguin]

I studied IT with an emphasis on web development as I thought it would be cool to be a developer who could work flexible hours and in different locations/from home. Instead I went back to admin (although I have my flexible hours, albeit still full time) but confined to an office doing the same thing constantly and wishing I actually tried to stick in at the development stuff

I doubt I'll be able to stick it out as a long term job, I have never lasted that long in an office environment. Over two years in my longest job and thats because I had a mental breakdown