Careers/Jobs for the Highly Sensitive Person

As a specialist in the Highly Sensitive Person, and Founder of Sensitive Empowerment, I often get asked what types of careers/jobs may be suitable for the highly sensitive person (HSPs). 

I have found that the happiest HSPs are the ones with their own businesses that help people and if that is something you have dreamed of, you may be interested in my course, How to Grow Your Heart Centered Online Business. As a business owner, I love choosing my own schedule, not having an alarm clock, and not having a boss. I’ve also included how to grow multiple sources of income so you can still get paid on days off! I believe fully in empowering HSPs to believe in themselves because you really do have a lot of gifts to offer the world! Plus, most of you will be growing businesses that help people! Why it’s even more important to empower you to grow the business of your dreams!

What business ideas have you always dreamed of growing? I also offer free business events where I can support you directly. We cheer each other on in business in my Sensitive Empowerment Community, which is a very motivational place if that’s something that might help you. Have a question? I would love to hear from you!

Additionally, the following is a list compiled from polls given to HSPs that said they enjoyed their jobs:

• Psychotherapist!!! We are naturally empathic. It's a great fit for me!

• Graphic designer. Own a small agency with my husband, work from home. I love having a creative outlet, and if I don't get it through my work, I create things on the side.

• I'm a bookkeeper and I love it.

• I'm a massage therapist. I work one on one in a dark room with soft music all day. Also, it's very rewarding to know I help people feel better immediately.

• Art Teacher. I'm very creative, caring and empathetic. Also, I can control everything about my classroom environment; music, lighting, etc

• I am a remote transcriber for the hard of hearing. I work from home via Skype. LOVE IT

• Accounting.... numbers help keep me grounded.

• I was a nanny/household mgr. for 20 years, and I loved being home alone all week. Raising the 2 kids was great, cleaning and being trusted to manage the home worked well for me, and the parents loved it. Being trusted and left alone with a job was great!

• I'm in sales but I work from home, and that is the key for me. I get to control my environment 85% of the time when not traveling.

• Antiques dealer, I've always loved things from the past.

• I'm in HR but in more of a behind-the-scenes role. It's a good mix of working alone and working with a small number of people I'm really close with. My favorite part of my job is running a mentoring program for employees -- very rewarding!

• Fitness coach. Although I'm passionate about what I do, I'm still searching for balance with the loud music and many people and their emotions.

• I'm an engineer - doesn't seem like a good HSP career until you realize I interact with extremely introverted people in a daily basis. I made my way into management pretty fast. Also, part of my job involves inspecting bridges. It's good to be able to pick up on subtleties when inspecting pretty much anything.

• I look after intellectually disabled children. It can be very draining and challenging but overall very rewarding. Used to work in corporate IT. Corporate world didn't suit me. Too aggressive/competitive. Need to be in a healer/carer role!

• I think I should have picked working with animals or plants. But I'm told my HSP traits serve me to help people more than others.

• Im a lecturer, with a boss who understand my need to isolate myself sometimes.

• Forensic Bookkeeper. I run my own company and work from home.

• Elementary school counselor. I love helping others.

• I am a nanny and am transitioning into personal assistant for a creative/artsy type. Being able to work for myself helps a lot, as does not having to work in a harsh office environment.

• Work as a flight attendant at the moment. The flying is stressful on my body. But making cakes as a hobby. Would like to work from home doing that.

• I love being able to teach Chinese children one on one English lessons online from home! It’s such a sweet part time job because it fits my HSP high empathy but not-so-organized personality perfectly! I love being able to spend a 25 minute class one on one with a child ages 4-12 and use gifts like empathy and sensitivity to fit each different child. It’s a great fit for any HSP who loves kids (and you just need a 4 year degree in anything!) They are always hiring more teachers!

• Physical therapist. Helping people not to be in pain and helping them how to walk again after accidents etc.

• Writer, artist, musician

• I'm a Psychotherapist also! Beautifully enriching and powerful work but healing and helping comes with constant atunement to my needs and setting boundaries and limitations with what I take on.

• Occupational therapist

• Counseling psychologist - private practice.

• Graphic Designer. Photographer.

• Elementary school teacher! Love helping them learn. Although it is extremely draining. To gain my peace and serenity back I spend a tremendous amount of time with my horses.

• Currently a substitute teacher in an elementary school setting. I am working on my Masters in School Counseling! I feel that working in a therapeutic setting with children is rewarding, and the perfect fit for me, especially being an HSP.

• I'm a Licensed Massage Therapist. Love helping people, very fulfilling, and I make my own schedule.

• Healers! I'm an Acupuncturist

• I'm a medical doctor, and studying to become a surgeon. I think i can survive the job because I'm quite extroverted.

• Librarian

• I am also a massage therapist. It's amazing one on one work. I also practice Reiki along with that.

• Massage therapist and Reiki practitioner I've also just started doing paid book reviews online from home

• Speech and language therapist. I get to give emotional support to others and being highly sensitive I'm aware of the feelings of other people. I'd love to combine it with psychotherapy too one day.

• I work as a clerk in civil service (pension insurance) and that's definitely the right place for me to be. No pressure, no stress. Very caring and supportive coworkers and bosses.

• I did a nighttime newspaper route a long time ago. I loved it because I drove alone in the middle of the night in the country.

• I am an academic advisor for university students...i love helping them...most of them are very good people.

• Graphic Designer

• HEALING industries! I'm in social work

• I coordinate a specialist pediatric service for a hospital.

• I'm a graphic designer and work from home. I used to work in corporate, but this is much less stressful and I prefer my quiet life.

• Working independently as a repair tech in my own business allows me to control my environment and lets me avoid the issues of being around others too much.

• Psychotherapist, yoga instructor, book editor- all on my terms!

• I am currently a nanny and enjoy that because I have the ability to control my environment. If something is too loud or bright, I can change the lighting or change where I'm working.

• Therapist/Counselor

• I run my own repair tech business.

• Artist/stay at home mom. I've been much less stressed since I left the work force and created my own creative and nurturing environment at home.

• Public health educator/HIV counselor/Disease Intervention specialist

• Working with special needs kids.

• Special ed teacher also

• Massage Therapist- work alone for myself/client.

• Life coach! Ticks all the boxes. And as an empath I get to help people a lot, I just have to constantly watch myself not to get too emotionally invested, which drains me completely and wipes me out for the rest of the day!

• Counselor/therapist

• I have left primary school teaching and am now teaching yoga. A much better balance and I control the environment the majority of the time.

• I was also a special ed teacher, now tutor and meditation teacher, energy healer and soon to be coach. Combining my love for helping people, spirituality, and empathy without being drained has been a challenge. Being able to control my own work is a major shift.

• I have recently left primary school teaching (not so good for an hsp) to teach children's yoga. It's early days but so far, so good.

• I am a retired nurse of 40+ years. I can truthfully say I know how my patients feel, and I will go 100% to help them feel better.

• A self employed counselor, hypnotherapist, Reiki practitioner and medium (always been mediumistic and a normal part of my sensitivity)

• Currently a recruiter (HR) I'm looking for changing to be a teacher

• Healthcare Chaplain - after receiving my graduate degree and completing a Chaplain Residency (one year in a clinical setting). A great answer for me, as long as I'm not in a noisy setting. hospital/nursing home setting.

• Freelance writer

• Psychotherapist

• Title examiner...love solving complex problems and working from home helps me so much.

• Arts Librarian :)

• I work at a lady's house looking after her horses every day. I find it really therapeutic and a lot of the time I am there by myself so it's quite peaceful :)

• I became a personal care giver at the age of 51. I sometimes work nights which gives me alone time but I find it a very rewarding career as I get to touch many lives & care for so many awesome seniors. I find it comes very natural for me to do this. I love it!

• Product Coordinator, Special Projects involving creativity, Research, Concept Developer, Designing, Fixer, Psychology.

• Office Manager for small companies, Customer Service

• Creative ones, cake decorator, graphic designer, care-giver, illustrator

• Stay at home homeschooling mom. Previously a speech therapist.

• Not an office job. One where I can be fairy autonomous. I like a job where I can use my high empathy to help others. The job needs a great deal of variety and I must have daily access to nature during the work day. So far what has worked is Community Support worker for people with disabilities, autism and with seniors.

• Writing, Teaching, Artist, Social Work

• Accounting clerk

• Financial/Accounting, Library, Working with people with mental disabilities

• Teaching

• Tech entrepreneur and trader. Both are incredibly creative jobs and needs to be able to think outside the box and think deeply about the actual data to solve problems

Many HSPs prefer having their own business. Explore my course How to Grow a Heart-Centered Online Business to learn how to build a business as an HSP. 

The following are so many important resources for you that I invite you to check out:

1. Take the Sensitivity Quiz

2. Highly Recommended: Don’t miss out! Subscribe to my HSP blog for tools, tips, and support.

3. Learn to thrive in my online HSP courses

4. Read the recommended HSP books

5. Listen to these HSP podcasts

6. Join Julie and your HSP tribe in our new Sensitive-Empowerment Community!

~Julie Bjelland is the Founder of Sensitive Empowerment, a psychotherapist, global HSP consultant, and leader in the field of high sensitivity and has helped thousands of highly sensitive people around the world. As an HSP herself, Julie understands what it is like to live with high sensitivity and strong emotions. Julie teaches an online course for HSPs and is the author of several books.  www.juliebjelland.com.