Best Jobs for Introverts: Why Quiet People Do Well in a Trade
Best jobs for introverts, from a window cleaner since 1999: who you really talk to in a day, what the quiet does for your head, and who should not do it.
I have cleaned windows for a living since 1999. First in Melbourne, and since 2010 in Vienna. I work on my own, and most days I talk to very few people. If you are looking for the best jobs for introverts, this is the one I know from the inside, so I will tell you what it is really like.
TL;DR
- A trade you run on your own suits quiet people. The talking is short and the rest of the day is yours.
- On a normal job day I talk to my family, maybe someone at the supermarket, and my customer for about as long as a coffee takes.
- You do not need a degree. I do not have one. After about three months full time, I felt professional.
- It is not for everyone. You have to motivate yourself, the work is physical, and your ego has to be fine with a dirty job.
Who I really talk to on a normal day
My day starts with my family. Breakfast, get ready, make myself presentable, put on my uniform. Then I send my customer a quick message to say I am on my way. I park and prepare my tools. With an existing customer, I already know which tools to take.
Up to this point I have only spoken to my family, and maybe someone at the supermarket. There are no shops around some of my customers, so I get my lunch before I start.
Then I meet my customer. 99% of the time the job is the same as last time, maybe with a few extra points. A lot of my customers invite me for a coffee at the start. We catch up on whatever we were talking about last time. Or I ask about the golf clubs, the vintage motorbike or the artwork I noticed on the way in. I call it strategic small talk, and it lasts about as long as the coffee.
After that, most customers say "please close the door behind you" and leave me to it. Some jobs take three hours. Some take all day. I work around the house on my own, normally with my headphones on. I always take a break in between to stop, eat, drink and get my energy back.
When I finish, I pack my tools and message or call the customer: "All done. Thanks for the dirty windows. Please expect an invoice and an appointment for next year."
That is all the talking there is.
What being alone with the glass does for your head
Being alone with the window, with the dirt, with the before, gives me time to ponder, to rethink and to reshape things. It is also where I listen. Audiobooks, podcasts, my mentors, friends who are close to me.
People ask me for one real memory from all that time on the glass. I cannot give you one. It is strung over one house, or one week, or one season. I can re-listen to the same book across several houses until I have digested it. I read slowly, and this is the way I learn.
Whether the topic is personal development or understanding my own emotions and other people's, it is time I spend growing. I spend it with my thoughts and with people who know more than I do. As I like to say about the job: "To be in a private wellness center. And get paid."
Introvert, ambivert or otrovert?
I never really felt like an introvert or an ambivert, though ambivert was my best guess. Then I took the test and came out as an otrovert, which some people spell outrovert. The word comes from psychiatrist Dr. Rami Kaminski and his book The Gift of Not Belonging. It means someone who is warm one to one but has no need to belong to a group.
What changed? I finally understood decisions I had made without knowing why. Being happy in the background. Being uncomfortable standing out in a crowd. Choosing to work as a sole trader, a one-man business, which suits me perfectly. I am happy to work with other people, but at the end of the day I do not want to motivate someone else. They should motivate themselves. It gave me a clearer view of who I am.
Being quiet does not mean being shy at work, though. When you walk into a multi-million-dollar house, the customer needs to know you are the right person for the job. You cannot come across as not confident or not knowing what you are doing. So I present myself with confidence for those few minutes. Then the door closes and the day is mine.
Jobs for introverts without a degree
I do not have a degree. I have dyslexia and I went through six primary schools. I started as an employee in Melbourne, and after about three months full time I felt professional.
No degree does not mean no skill. Running your own business, you wear many hats: marketing, invoicing, customer service, looking after your tools and your vehicle. And if money is the question, blue-collar work can pay the same as a white-collar job, or more. I wrote down how much window cleaners really make if you want the numbers.
I can only tell you about this one job from the inside. I also respect carpet cleaners, car detailers, house cleaners, plumbers and carpenters, because they all need real hand skills. If quiet is what you are after, ask one of them how much of their day they spend on their own.
Who should not do this job
I will be honest, because this job is not for everyone.
- If you are happy being told what to do. If you like following the rules of a scripted job, you may not enjoy working as a window cleaner or any kind of service provider.
- If you need someone to motivate you. Nobody will do it for you. You have to be self-motivated.
- If your ego gets in the way. It is a dirty job, but it is a rewarding job. If you cannot get past the dirty part, even when the money is there, this is not for you.
- If you want a day that is gentle on your body. You are moving all day and using your hands. The hardest part is the physical exertion after weeks and months of high season.
People with an academic background may also be better suited to white-collar jobs. With AI, that is becoming a more open topic, and more people can choose what they want to do.
Where to start
If this sounds like you, read my story and what the job has given me. Then start free with the Manifesto. You will understand why glass streaks, and which 5 tools you need, for $35 to $60. You can find out if you like the work before you spend anything more.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is window cleaning a good job for an introvert?
It has been for me since 1999. On a normal job day I talk to my family, maybe someone at the supermarket, and my customer for about as long as a coffee takes. The rest of the day I work on my own, normally with headphones on.
Do window cleaners have to talk to customers?
Yes, but not for long. You greet them, you check what they want done and you tell them when you are finished. You need to come across with confidence, because you are working in people's homes. After that, most customers leave you to it.
What is an otrovert?
Otrovert, also spelled outrovert, is a word from psychiatrist Dr. Rami Kaminski and his book The Gift of Not Belonging. It means someone who is warm one to one but has no need to belong to a group. I thought I was an ambivert until I took the test.
Do you need a degree to be a window cleaner?
No. I do not have one, and I have been doing this for 27 years. What you need is the skill, plus the many hats that come with running your own business.
How long does it take to learn window cleaning?
It takes 3 to 4 days of practice before the basics are solid. For me, it took about three months full time before I felt professional.
About the author
Justin Orloff is a professional window cleaner since 1999, based in Vienna, Austria. He created the world's first AR-powered window cleaning training program at orloffs.com.
Cleaning Since 1999, Digitally Made Accessible: My industry insights are 100% human-driven. Because I live with dyslexia, I use AI tools to ensure my master experience since 1999 is polished and readable. To my Editorial Policy
Was this article written by AI?
Yes. AI helps me polish and format my writing because I'm dyslexic. The experience, techniques, and opinions are entirely my own. Full details in my Editorial Policy.