If you’re a naturally empathetic person who feels a deep connection to the people around you, and have a propensity to helping others, then chances are you’re an empath. And as an empath, career choices are much more likely to be dictated by a sense of vocation and purpose than anything else.
Choosing a position as an empath can be tricky, however, and while some positions might seem right for you at first glance, the emotional toll they could have on someone who’s naturally sensitive could be too much to bear. Let’s take a look at the careers types you should avoid and consider, as well as a few specific careers that would be more suited to you as an empath.
The Type of Careers You Should Consider
Most of the time, empaths tend to do better in positions with less stress and far away from “energy vampires”. They will also prefer working in a more intimate setting. Empaths that want to work in the medical field, for instance, will usually be more suited for small clinics than the ER. Empaths prefer to work in proximity to people, and not feel like just another cog in the machine.
A lot of empaths also do well working from home or in freelance positions. They often like the ability to set their own hours and disconnect when needed. If you’re an empath who still wants to work in the corporate world, you may prefer working with a company that will give you more flexibility and allow you to do more distance work, for instance. You also don’t want to work in a company that is heavily deadline based. And you want to work with a company with a real purpose and sense of ethics.
Empaths usually thrive in creative positions that allow them to work independently, like as a writer, musician, editor, artist or any other creative type of profession. Empaths also tend to do well as small practice lawyers, graphic designers, or independent contractors.
A lot of empaths also gravitate towards helping positions out of their strong desire to help others. This is why so many empaths end up working in healthcare. Many nurses, psychologists and therapists are empaths and feel a great sense of fulfillment from their positions. Similarly, others end up working as physical therapists, hospice workers, teachers, counselors, social workers or yoga instructors. Veterinary practice or work involving animals in general tends to be very popular with empaths as well.
However, for empaths to survive in any of these fields, they have to make sure that they keep their emotions in check and don’t take their clients’ stress and issues back home with them. They can do that by making sure that they don’t overwork themselves, learn how to take meditative breaks, and understand how to set boundaries and limits with the people they work with. They also have to understand the importance of me time and learn how to disconnect completely during their off time to recharge their batteries.
The Types of Careers You Should Avoid
The most important thing you should consider when picking a profession as an empath is to make sure that you go for one that speaks to your natural strengths, and avoid those that could be draining you.
One example of these kinds of jobs is anything in sales. Working as a salesperson can be a complete nightmare for any empath person, especially if they’re naturally introverted. Having to constantly deal with rejection or having to deal with angry customers all the time can make this job almost impossible for an empath. Any type of technical support or service should be avoided at all costs as well.
Working as a cashier could also be difficult for empaths since they have a tendency to soak up the stress and emotions of the people they come into contact with. So much so, that it can even make them physically sick. Dealing with crowds, constant noise, bright lights and aggressive people could be enough to trigger a panic attack in many.
Other positions empaths should avoid include anything in politics or PR, trial or executive positions where they’ll be called to manage large teams. These types of professions value things like aggressivity, extroversion, and assertiveness over thoughtfulness, sensitivity and introspection, which is a recipe for disaster for any empath.
The corporate world in general is not very welcoming to empaths. One of the things that makes it so difficult is the rigid structure. Things have to follow strict protocols when it comes to big corporations, and there’s not much space for individual needs. Having to put on a face can also take its toll on empaths who tend to value authenticity.
Empaths are often independent thinkers, and corporations are often not very fond of that. They’d much rather work with people who know how to take orders and follow through. Empaths also want to know the exact reasoning behind every decision, which could be problematic in the long run as well. Empaths aren’t big fans of regular meetings and the dog eat dog attitude of the business world. They’d much rather have more autonomy and be involved without having to deal with draining power-hungry team members.
Now that we’ve identified what you should and shouldn’t be looking for in a career as an empath, here are some positions that could be great for you.
Positions to definitely consider
Guidance Counselor
Guidance counselor is a great career choice for empaths. In this profession, you’ll have the chance to guide children or young adults and change their lives. You’ll also have the chance to help students deal with their day to day challenges, help them be organized and keep focused, as well as help them find their true calling.
What makes this job such a great option for empaths is that they’re naturally good at understanding the true desire and needs of others. This is an invaluable skill when trying to steer a student towards a proper direction.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Like we said earlier, a lot of people who are empaths naturally gravitate towards the medical field. However, some positions might be more suited for empaths than others. While you might want to help people who have suffered an emergency, the energy load and the situations you might encounter on a daily basis might be too much to you if you work in an emergency ward. And while helping deliver babies as a midwife nurse might seem like a fulfilling job, the stress associated with it might be difficult.
A good compromise would be to work as a family nurse practitioner. Family nurse practitioners often work in small clinics or family practices and have a much closer relationship with their patients. They don’t have to deal with the abandonment a lot of nurses feel when they get attached to a patient they never get to see again.
Also, you’ll be able to have a true educational role and work on more than simply doing treatment. You’ll also often be called to work in underserved communities, which will give you a sense of duty.
What’s great about this profession is that you can start working as a registered nurse first in a small clinic and work your way up by taking a course online. To work as a family practitioner, you will at least need to have a master’s degree, though a doctorate will open you up to better positions and better pay. If you want to know what an online DNP FNP program looks like, you can visit the following link: https://onlinenursing.baylor.edu/programs/dnp-fnp.
Lawyer
At first glance, law might seem like the absolute worst field for empaths, but there are many fields where being an empath can be a great attribute. Your attentiveness and passion as an empath to stand for what is right can actually be an advantage. Empaths can make great advocates and devote themselves to causes that are close to their heart as well. Others will enter the field to protect the rights of the most vulnerable people in our society. These are all things that could heat the fire under any empath who wants to make a change in the world around them.
Social Worker
Social work can be a great position for empaths, but it can also be a double-edged sword. This isn’t the best position if you can’t make the distinction between your work and personal life. If you’re the type of person that gets attached too easily, or have difficulty dealing with the worst in life, then this might be too much for you. But if you have thick skin and initiative, then you might have the qualities to be a great social worker.
Conclusion
Empaths can use their gifts in a variety of professions and can be highly valuable in many fields. That’s why it’s essential that you pick a profession that speaks to your temperament, skills, and attributes. Also, make sure to take the time to pick up the energy of the people and workplace you’re thinking of working in; if your gut tells you that it’s not the right place for you, then trust it.
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