Jobs without colleagues?

[Deleted User]

I like working in offices / sales / meeting new people however I don't really like colleagues so looking for some inspiration on jobs where I would have limited contact with colleagues however I could work with lots of customers.

I have nearly completed my degree and then hope to do a masters in either HR or Business Admin.

My job experience is in targeted sales and also customer service.

Madbags

It depends on the company.


I work in payroll and do lots of small company payrolls where there's say 2-3 people running the whole place, jobs that would fit your criteria.


So in terms of specific jobs I have no idea but you could perhaps try looking for new start-ups or companies that may outsource a lot of their work and don't require so many 'colleagues' to work alongside you.


On a personal note, I used to work as a commercial cleaner for a few years, I would be on my own pretty much 99% of the time as most of it was out of office hours etc.


EDIT: Also, I just remembered as it is kind of relevant. I am leaving where I work now in a couple months time to work for another payroll company where the only employee at the moment is the director. It's been established for over 10 years but he's managed it on his own all this time. I will effectively be working on my own most of the time.


So there are places out there, it's just as case of finding them.

[Deleted User]

The right type of busy service desk/help desk, preferably a 7 day operation. I would look for words like reactive to be on the phone all the time and being busy.

Looking at my rota I'm sitting in our side of the bank (another word for desk setup) mostly on my own cos I'll work when others have their days off, due to the 7 day thingy. Though I over heard someone say we get sat due to voice loudness :cool: it's a bit of a finicky dept though when on expected quiet phone down days we can stick music on so probably also another convo killer.

Roles purely of data entry may be good as everyone could be so busy hitting targets not to talk. (But you will miss customers if anything like me.)

IAmWales

If you want to work in HR you're going to need to work with colleagues. That's part and parcel of the role. The only exception is consultancy but you'll need a fair few years experience before anyone would take you seriously.

What is it that you don't like about colleagues? They're only new people that you've known a while. Sounds like you need to work on this issue, you're not going to get far if you can't deal with people.

bugslet

I run a haulage company and quite a few of the reps for the various ferry/eurotunnel companies work primarily from home.

So my suggestion would be to find a company whose base is at the opposite end of the country to you, but who still need a rep in your area.

bugslet

IAmWales wrote: »

If you want to work in HR you're going to need to work with colleagues. That's part and parcel of the role. The only exception is consultancy but you'll need a fair few years experience before anyone would take you seriously.

What is it that you don't like about colleagues? They're only new people that you've known a while. Sounds like you need to work on this issue, you're not going to get far if you can't deal with people.

To be honest I am Wales, I prefer working on my own. It doesn't necessarily denote a problem, just a preference.

Unless I really am battier than I think I am:rotfl:

ReadingTim

Aren't both colleagues and customers simply people? You say you want to work with people, but then say you don't like them...

bugslet

ReadingTim wrote: »

Aren't both colleagues and customers simply people? You say you want to work with people, but then say you don't like them...

Totally different. I like seeing people on a fairly superficial level, even those I get on with. Boxed in an office and it gets trying, even if you like people. Or it is to me, and presumably the OP. I actually find it draining being around people a lot of the time, despite being a very sociable person in short bursts.

Madbags

bugslet wrote: »

Totally different. I like seeing people on a fairly superficial level, even those I get on with. Boxed in an office and it gets trying, even if you like people. Or it is to me, and presumably the OP. I actually find it draining being around people a lot of the time, despite being a very sociable person in short bursts.

I agree it's totally different. I've worked in customer services for about 90% of my working life and how I feel about customers / clients etc. is nowhere near the same as working with colleagues. I love doing my job and dealing with clients but I'd choose to work alone if I could.

agrinnall

Sounds to me like escort would be the ideal job, no colleagues unless you want them, lots of clients/customers :cool:.

ReadingTim

bugslet wrote: »

Totally different. I like seeing people on a fairly superficial level, even those I get on with. Boxed in an office and it gets trying, even if you like people. Or it is to me, and presumably the OP. I actually find it draining being around people a lot of the time, despite being a very sociable person in short bursts.

Not totally different, no. If the OP simply has an aversion to place, ie "office life" then they need to find something which permits, even promotes, remote working.

However, unless they're doing a role which only involves speaking to customers once - which is usually limited to pretty low-level stuff, then the aim of having or creating a good customer/supplier relationship is to engender the same feelings you have towards each other as if you were colleagues. The problem then occurs when the 'customer' has the same foibles or displays the same irritating behaviour as the 'colleagues'.

It's not an impossible ask to have a problem with place, but if you have a problem with people more generally, I would suggest the OP is fundamentally not very well suited to working with customers...