The Five Best Careers for People with Anxiety

If you struggle with anxiety and it’s affecting your daily life, you’re not alone. Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 6 Australians. That’s 3.3 million people. Having an anxiety disorder can severely impact a person’s ability to work. Whether you suffer from panic attacks, phobias, or generalised anxiety disorder, they can make it very difficult to concentrate on any task. 

Long term anxiety in the workplace can even cause physical symptoms, such as an upset stomach, sweating, poor sleep, irritability and depression. 

If you feel anxious about going to work every day, consider talking to your GP and manager. You might also consider starting a new career more suited to you. 

Here are the 5 best jobs for people with anxiety.  

Cyber Security Specialist 

Looking for an exciting job with limited social interaction AND an enviable pay rate? Consider a career as a Cyber Security Specialist. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. The cyber security industry is facing a massive skills shortage, with a cyber crime being reported every ten minutes in Australia. Plus, the national average salary for a Cyber Security Specialist is $105,000.  

There is also the opportunity to be self-employed as many cybersecurity tasks can be done anywhere with an internet connection. You'll continually be learning new skills, and you’ll rarely be bored.  

Check out our Certified Cybersecurity Professional course. You will learn hands-on skills while competing with your classmates in real-world hacking simulations. How cool is that? Plus, no prior IT experience is required!

Gardener 

Gardening is one of the best jobs for people with social anxiety because it involves fairly limited human interaction. Gardeners enjoy the freedom to spend their day alone and outdoors. You might not need any qualifications for an entry-level position, as long as you have a willingness to learn on the job.  

But, if you want to earn a much higher pay rate, check out our nationally recognised Horticulture courses. Spend your days in nature in this fascinating and fast-growing industry.  

Designer 

If you love finding beauty in things and have a passion for art and creativity, a career in design could be your calling. At Open Colleges, we offer a range of nationally recognised online design courses across the following specialist areas: 

Photography 

Interior Decoration 

Interior Design 

Graphic Design 

You can work for yourself and from home and avoid spending your day surrounded by people. Whether it’s Graphic Design, Photography, or Interior design, you’ll enjoy limited contact with people and get to flex your artistic skills each day.  

Animal Groomer 

If you enjoy working with animals, consider becoming a professional groomer. This career requires some social interaction, but you’ll spend most of your day surrounded by, and interacting, with animals. Plus, you’ll have the space to work quietly and independently. And – groomers are in very high demand!  

Check out our Day in the Life interview with two dog groomers, Kelsey and Anna, and get an inside look into the industry.   

We offer the nationally recognised ACM20117 Certificate II in Animal Studies.  This popular course has been developed in consultation with industry experts to teach you the skills and knowledge you need to begin working in the animal care industry! Upon completion, you’re qualified to work as an Assistant Pet Groomer. 

Accounting and Bookkeeping  

Bookkeepers and accountants work with numbers and provide valuable services to businesses and individuals. 

If you enjoy working with numbers, a career as an accountant can give you the opportunity to work independently. It can also be a good way to gradually challenge some of your social fears by interacting with clients.

Whether you’re looking to start your own business, take the next step in your accounting or bookkeeping career, or register as a Business Activity Statement (BAS) Agent, check out our FNS40217 Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping.