# What jobs involve virtually no contact with others? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225 "2003-01-17T14:27:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/21 "2003-01-17T17:10:12Z")
Monkey washer. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/22 "2003-01-17T18:05:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by UncleBeer \* > \*\*Monkey washer. \*\* the job is filled, thank you very much. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TeleTronOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4af34b/32.png) [@TeleTronOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeleTronOne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/23 "2003-01-17T18:19:01Z")
I’m a software developer, and most times, I say a total of about 3 words to any given person throughout the day, and it’s usually something like ‘bye’, ‘thanks’, or ‘ok’. Everything else is email. Face-to-face contact with others is possible, but not mandatory. Technically, I could do all my work from home, but my employer isn’t that open-minded. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/24 "2003-01-17T18:55:33Z")
All good suggestions. Keep in mind though, that’s it’s not necessarily _face to face_ contact I want to avoid. It’s interaction of _any_ kind that I’d like to keep to a minimum. I don’t want faxes and emails saying “Where’s my WENUS? I need my WENUS yesterday!” Maybe I’ll get back into short fiction and make a living as a writer. I hear that’s real easy to get into…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/25 "2003-01-17T21:11:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*conduct Antartic penguin research. \*\* Better yet, _Arctic_ penguin research! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/26 "2003-01-17T21:22:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > \*\*the job is filled, thank you very much. > > 🙂 \*\* Judging from the smell outside you missed a few. Go into scientific research. You deal with a VERY small number of people ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/27 "2003-01-17T21:31:21Z")
I’m a Web producer at the newspaper. I go in at 4:30 p.m., and everyone else in my department leaves at about 6, unless they’re staying late working on something. From 6 p.m. until 1:30 in the morning (with an hour for “lunch,” during which I go home and let the dog out) I sit in a room by myself with a computer (actually two computers) and prepare the site. During that time I’ll say “Hey… thanks” to the guy who brings me the first edition, and “Hey… thanks” to the guy who brings me the final, and that’s usually it. I do e-mail/IM with others, but not much of that, either. And I almost never talk to any readers; just coworkers. When I get off work I usually go out and have a beer somewhere, because by then I’m feeling weird and desperate to hear human voices and bars are the only places open. So there you go; be a Web producer at the newspaper! ---
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/28 "2003-01-17T21:40:14Z")
Gold Prospector.You don’t even need to shave,or bathe,unless your mule kicks up a fuss. On a real lifenote,possibly a toll booth attendant at those drivethru/ exact change/ coin tossing game lanes. Check with the Port Authority or turnpike commissions.In a long ago burnout situation,I considered it after a friend,who was involved with the PA,told me he could swing the job for me if I was serious about my intent. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/29 "2003-01-17T21:46:10Z")
Francesca wrote: > [@](#): > > Shepherd? Yep, that’s the ticket. In Wyoming, where I lived for 20 years, sheep herders are in demand. You can go weeks without seeing another soul. Until the sheep owner shows up on his rounds to check on the herd and bring you food, whisky, and a hooker. Just you, your horse, a few dogs, and 8-900 sheep. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/30 "2003-01-17T22:55:13Z")
My job is very much like that- I rarely say more then “good morning” to anyone all day. I work as a packager for this company: [http://www.robot-rx.com](http://www.robot-rx.com) I go in, do my work, and go home. End of story, no public relations at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/31 "2003-01-17T22:57:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CRorex \* > \*\*Judging from the smell outside you missed a few. > > Go into scientific research. You deal with a VERY small number of people \*\* hey now! surely you can’t smell me from there! oh. wait… Where in Texas are you?! ---
**Author:** ![bluetrust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@bluetrust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluetrust)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/32 "2003-01-17T23:54:20Z")
Try technical consultant. I started a business last year programming online surveys for Market Research companies. I never even meet my clients! They just call every few days and say, “Mike. I have an online survey for you.” Then the proposal, the work, it’s all through email from my house. I don’t even have to pick up the phone. It was a good idea to start my own company. I recommend the experience highly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/33 "2003-01-18T00:16:19Z")
What about a pap smear testing person (heck I don’t know what that’s called.) You test gynecological swabs…I don’t think that would involve too much people contact. At least you aren’t doing the swabbing. hehe ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/34 "2003-01-18T00:48:55Z")
Throwing newspapers out of a car at 4 AM can feel pretty lonely. But in a good way. You can sneak up on clueless joggers and give 'em a good scare. And you can drive on the wrong side of the road every now and then, without fear of injury or police intervention. I had this job many years ago, and I actually do remember it fondly. Except, the money sucked and I worked one full year without a day off before I quit. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/35 "2003-01-18T06:24:34Z")
> [@](#): > > sheep herders are in demand. I’m sorry, but this instantly made me think of a Sheperd’s Techincal Center (or something). “Sheep herders are in demand. Sheperd’s Technical Center can prepare you for a job in the fast-paced world of sheep herding…” etc ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/36 "2003-01-18T06:32:09Z")
Learn to index books. Publishers send you a manuscript, tell you what the pagination of the index should be and give you a deadline. There are indexers who hire others or teach others how to do it. You have to like to read and be able to do it quickly. And you must have a lot of self-discipline. Meanwhile, you will be educating yourself about things you didn’t study in college. Don’t expect fascinating reading all the time though. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/37 "2003-01-18T06:57:27Z")
I work the grave shift in a small print center. I come in at 10pm, get the turn over and the swings shift is out by 10:15pm. Technically I have a co-worker and a supervisor, but on a normal day I only have to talk to my supervisor once on the phone. At 6am, the dayshift guy comes in and I tell him what’s printing (if anything) and then leave. If you don’t open your mouth for 8 hours and don’t eat, you end up with morning breath, even if you’re awake. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/38 "2003-01-18T07:08:32Z")
I work the night shift in a medical lab. I’m the only one there for about half my shift. It fits the bill quite nicely. Who needs people when you have a 20 gig MP3 player? Of course, the one lady that works the graveyard shift after me has it even better. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/39 "2003-01-18T07:38:52Z")
Telecommuting programmer. I can go days without talking to anyone except my husband. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225/40 "2003-01-18T15:32:26Z")
Same as DeadlyAccurate… my hubby is a programmer, I’m a programmer/tech writer. We both work at home. I talk to my coworkers pretty much exclusively via e-mail. He has to do conference calls and such. But neither of us have face to face contact with anyone but each other. Plus, we get to work in our pajamas. I love it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-involve-virtually-no-contact-with-others/149225.md?page=3)