Are there any jobs that don't require you to be social?

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I strongly suspect that I have aspergers. As a result, I have an extremely hard time socializing and having my own personality/sense of humor when I talk to be people. I'm usually straight to the point kind of person. I can do physical straightforward tasks though, so are there any jobs where I don't have to interact with people that much?

Coding software can be solitary work. You can do it from your home, and connect with clients through websites like guru.com.

If you're more artistic, I know a couple who create jewelry in a home studio and sell it online.

I'm having a huge problem of figuring out what I want to do with my life right now. I've taken 3 semesters of college so far and haven't gotten anywhere. I have NO IDEA what to do because I don't have any interests other than having fun playing video games or hanging out with people I'm comfortable around.

How the hell do I find out what I'm interested in? I need a way of breaking it down into what jobs I like based on my interests.

Cashier, usher, ticket-taker at a cinema or theatre where all interactive communication can be accomplished with "hello" and "you're welcome." And, because of the quiet theatre surroundings, simply pointing out the payphone or restroom is sufficient.

Also, technical writing is largely an individualized job. Not much interaction. Lots of keyboard time.

Ok but how do I find out what I like in school so that I can actually focus in class? I haven't learned crap in school, all i did everyday was daydream there. Or do you think school just isn't for me?

I worked as a radio disc jockey for 30 years, that was mostly solitary work in a closed booth, where I could stim and play music and talk to myself. OTOH, it did require me to go out to public events on occasion to "shake hands and kiss babies" and I hated that (although if I had been diagnosed at time, I probably could have gotten out of it). Sadly, unfettered corporate greed and desktop PC automation has dramatically decreased the available job market in local radio.

I've also worked as a tattooist, which isn't entirely solitary, but the amount of social interaction is generally minimal and up front, as you meet a client, find out what they want, and prepare the design. Once they're in the chair, the procedure is very step-by-step routine (so routine it's regulated by the health dept and you cannot legally deviate from it) and conversation becomes optional. However, there are a lot of curmudgeonly and anti-social old timers in the tattooing business that you have to deal with, especially as you're training, and they can be real monsters.

But yes, there are jobs that don't require a great deal of socializing. You just have to keep an eye out, nobody advertises them that way in their ads. It would be great if they did.

Apart from certain professions (architecture, dentistry, law and medicine), I believe that college today is treated largely as a commodity meant to be packaged, promoted and sold to students. The current education economic bubble supports this. But, there is a way to use college to your advantage: Take some basic general-education classes like English, writing, mathematics and business.

Almost nobody ever asks for a copy of your degree, so you can truthfully add to your resume that you are "attending the University of the North Pole; studying English, writing, mathematics or business" (whatever fits best for the job you hope to get). After you have completed the classes you choose to take, you can change your resume that you "attended the University of the North Pole; studying English, writing, mathematics or business." I did this my entire career without ever earning a degree even though everyone presumed I had earned one. I don't believe that it is lying. I told co-workers the details of my claims if they asked. Then, I asked them if they would prefer me to continue working or hire a new graduate with a degree but no workplace experience to take over for me. They all said they would prefer me.

So, a degree isn't always the goal. Study what you wish to study for as long as you wish to study it, and many jobs will open up for you. At least, you will be prepared for most jobs out there.

DJ Tat-2? Seriously, DJs are cool.

You may be able to handle the good communication skills required for a noisy product distribution facility, even though you would fail miserably in the typical office environment. I know someone who handles that sort of work even though she is deaf and needs to read lips.

I'm having this same issue. I want a new job, but every job advertisement I find always wants a person with ''excellent'' communication skills. I don't want to have a job where they rely on the social skills. I know there are jobs out there where social skills are not essential, but they seem to be few and far between. I'm OK with interacting with colleagues, in fact I like it. But with the general public, it's a different story. I've worked in retail before and I kept on clamming up when the shop got busy, and I kept getting tongue-tied from nerves and shyness when I had to speak up to sell stuff. I just want a job where I have not got the stress of dealing with the public.

What about data entry, or filing, or library science?

I was reading the NAS's guidance for employers the other day.

The long and short of it is that many of the jobs that say they wanted excellent communication skills are exaggerating. Communication skills aren't important for the job, but employers feel they should put them down anyway. This naturally deters a lot of autistic people from applying.

You could become a mop man at McDonalds

Have you been assessed for anhedonia or avolition? If you have either or both of those, making a career choice can be a beastly task.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anhedonia
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/avolition

Cleaning around people is just as daunting as talking to people. Working with colleagues or others who are also working isn't so bad, but just being the only worker around people who are sitting about just makes me anxious. I keep thinking they are watching me work and judging the way I do it.

I feel at the moment that cleaning jobs are only what I'm limited to, which makes me feel depressed. I'm caught in a trap really, because I'm too capable to not work, but I'm too anxious to work. I guess anxiety is too misunderstood in this world full of people who are supposed to have ''empathy''...

Lots of them.

Animal-based careers.
Archivist/librarian.
Artist.
Close Captioning Typist.
Clothing/shoe creation/repair.
Computer programming/networking.
Courier/Deliveries.
Custodian/maid.
Data Analysis.
Data Entry/Retrieval.
Equipment Operator.
Factory Work.
Farming/Ranching.
Firespotting.
Garage/Tollbooth Attendant.
Gardening/Landscaping/Nursery Work/Forestry.
Graphic Design.
Internet/Online Careers.
Lifeguard.
Long-Haul Truck Driver.
Mathematics-Based Careers.
Mechanic.
Movie Projectionist.
Night Shift Employee.
Park ranger.
Philosopher/Theologist.
Pilot.
Reader.
Researcher.
Restoration.
Scanning books into digital libraries.
Scientist.
Seafaring Jobs
Security work.
Surveyor.
Technician.
Trade career.
Transcriptionist.
Translator.
Umpire/referee.
Undertaker/coroner/mortician.
Writing/journalism.

There was a WP member who said he was a night shift security guard. He seemed to love the job because he didn't have to interact with people. Also he usually didn't have to do much because nothing really happened. I believe the pay also must be better as you are working during the night.