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Best Careers For Extroverts

By U.S.News
Posted Oct 2nd 2012 @ 8:49AM
Filed under: Career Paths

By Jada A. Graves

Every office has one. The Chatty Cathy who will not stop running her yap. She talks about her morning breakfast, her afternoon doctor's appointment, her evening dinner reservations ... well, you get the point.

It's time for a little perspective. Some careers are best filled by Cathys with outgoing, talkative personalities. Of course salespeople, teachers and broadcast reporters need to have the gift of gab, but those aren't the only three careers that call on professionals who love talking. Learn about these other seven occupations that are ideal for the most verbal and extroverted employees.

Sports Coach

There are some quiet moments in the workday of a sports coach, but not many. Much of the time they're more than just talking -- they're shouting encouragement or crying plays to athletes on a field or court. And the most prominent coaches earn handsome salaries to compensate for nursing so many sore throats: A recent Forbes article named New England Patriots' Bill Belichick as the highest-paid coach, with an annual salary of $7.5 million. Most in the profession, however, earn somewhere between $17,110 and $65,060 a year.

Event Planner

Event planners have a love for logistics. And the scale on which they organize weddings, business meetings, concerts, and more means they often have a love for talking, too. You'll spend plenty of time yapping as you convince a caterer to have an entire wedding banquet ready three weeks earlier for $300 cheaper, for instance. In 2011, meeting, convention and event planners had a salary range between $27,410 and $78,530, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Interpreter

More than any profession on this list, interpreters are dependent on their speech skills. You'll have to be comfortable speaking and writing in English, and at least one other language to land a job. Pay and demand varies by fluency and specialization in particular tongues: Although plenty of interpreters are needed to translate Romance languages, there is also increasing demand for those who understand Arabic, Middle Eastern and East Asian languages. The BLS predicts this profession will grow at a breakneck rate for the next eight years, with the most opportunity in large urban areas. The highest-paid make close to six-figures, but the average pay for an interpreter was $44,160 in 2011.

More: Best Jobs For Introverts And Extroverts

Human Resources Specialist

The name says it all -- this is a job that requires a people person. Human resources specialists recruit job candidates, conduct interviews, train personnel, offer guidance on policies and procedures, and manage employee relations. In 2011, an HR specialist's salary range was $29,850 to $94,700.

Corporate Fundraiser

Asking people to part with their money is a delicate business, even if you're requesting deep-pocketed organizations donate to worthwhile causes. That's why corporate fundraising doesn't just call to talented salespeople, but rather those who can finesse, motivate and inspire with their words. Job duties might also include a little event planning, and will definitely include a lot of paperwork. Salary.com reports that the current median salary for a fundraising manager is $85,381.

Hairdresser

Walk into a salon and you'll find that the most loquacious hairdresser is also the busiest. Learning to talk on the job helps a stylist build rapport with people, establish the types of styles they prefer and dislike, earn more tips, and ultimately, establish a larger client base. Having a way with words also helps the hairdresser who might have to advise against certain colors and cuts. Top earners made around $41,620 in 2011 and were based around the metropolitan area of Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Admissions Consultant

This position combines an outgoing personality with having a soft spot for young learners. Admissions consultants are in high demand these days, as the quest to enter coveted programs is no longer reserved for those on the undergraduate and graduate school level-even preschools have become selective with the students they admit. Consultants are hired based on their inside connections with school administrators; they liaise on behalf of well-paying parents and students to help with scheduling school tours and interviews. They also help parents and students understand and navigate the red tape of the application process. Salary.com reports average salaries around $38,000 per year, but a recent Businessweek article suggests that top consultants charge as much as $4,000 per MBA program, and that many applicants apply to at least five schools.