Jobs for people with Anxiety

Trying to find a job that fits can be tough. For those with neurodiversity, the challenges of finding work and keeping it are even harder. Thankfully it is getting easier as awareness and understanding in society improves and stronger support networks grow. Employers are also embracing the benefits a diverse workforce can provide.

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia with one in seven Australians currently managing the condition. That’s over 2.7 million people. While everyone deals with anxious feelings from time to time, when anxiety doesn’t go away it can be crippling.

Understandably, roles within high-pressure and high-stress environments may not be the best job for people with anxiety. This doesn’t mean people with anxiety can only work in low-stress environments. Jobs that have a level of responsibility and are mentally stimulating can create an environment with “good stress” that will keep the mind engaged and not allow time for worrying.

Jobs that have an emphasis on tasks that require investigation, analysis, and research might be a great fit. A job that can be done independently might also work better for someone that has some social anxieties.

Some fields that might be better for people with anxiety: 

IT – The IT industry continues to grow in importance in society and with it plenty of opportunities. While many jobs in this field are collaborative a large part of your day-to-day tasks are done independently. There are also many entry points in this industry from cert III to a degree.

Creative - Working as a creative is varied and every day is different. A job in this field would keep your mind engaged and many entry-level roles don’t require degrees however you may want to make sure there are clear objectives as this could become a stressor. 

Financial Services – Jobs in this field deal with numbers and processes all day. While you may interact with customers it will be one-to-one and much of your time will be dealing with administrative tasks and processing. Many roles in this industry don’t require degrees to start with and many companies are quite flexible with working from home.

Social assistance – You will work one-on-one or in pairs to assist people that need medical and social assistance. This type of job will keep your mind focused and can be very rewarding. Another reason to work in this industry is the opportunities. Its importance in the future will only grow with Australia’s aging population. We offer study in options that may help you get started.

Construction and trades – A career in the trades sector can take you anywhere. There are so many different roles to pursue that you are sure to find something that will align with your interests. Many jobs work in a largely independent manner so you can focus on the task at hand and get on with the job.

It is important to keep in mind that the skills and abilities of every person are unique and these suggestions above are in no way definitive. In many situations the jobs for people with anxiety are limited not by the individuals’ lack of ability but by the attitudes and perceptions of those in the workplace and the availability of appropriate supports.

If you are looking for assistance with making your team more inclusive or talk about how a neurodiverse employee can benefit your team, get in touch with our team

If you are looking for a job and live with a disability you can learn more about our services below.

What is “Neurodiversity”

[1].https://www.and.org.au/pages/disability-statistics.html