10 Careers that Offer Independence

We all want something different out of our careers. Some of us want to make sure we spend their days with people. For others, they’d rather have some space. For others, the number of coworkers isn’t a big deal, but the number of bosses is.

If you have a hard time dealing with incompetent managers, or having to do whatever a boss tells you, you might be anxious to find an independent career. Not every career offers you the chance to be your own boss, but these ten careers do. Each one offers a unique spin on a career path, and each one would allow you to work for yourself, or on your own. If you’re craving the chance to get away from someone else’s rules and regulations, one of these careers might be right for you.

Owning a Shop

Anyone who owns a shop works long hours, but for many, the independence of running their own business is worth it. You could start a boutique, an antique store, a liquor store in Woodbridge, NJ, or a specialty store, like yarn or paper supplies. You’d have to face all the complications of starting your own business, but as long as you are willing to tackle the problems, you could enjoy total independence in your work.

Creating Jewelry

If you’ve got an artistic eye, you might try your hand at making jewelry. Becoming an independent jeweler is a lot of work, and it involves heading to comic conventions, festivals, starting an online store, and lots of networking. With any jewelry business, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a space to work at home, since your sales won’t come from a single boutique you run. Instead, you’ll sell online, through other stores, and at events.

Working as a Mechanic

If you went to an automotive & diesel technology college in NY, you’d have several options. You could work for an auto repair shop, a business (like a landscaping company) that owned dozens of its own vehicles, or you could start your own business. Skills as a mechanic could get you started with your own company. If you hate the idea of having a boss, you could run your own auto repair shop. You’d probably need to hire employees to handle the workload, but you’d work in independence and call all the shots.

Running a Truck Repair Shop

Speaking of owning your own repair shop, you could also specialize in truck repair. With all of the many truckers working across the country, the chances of breakdowns, repairs, and general maintenance is high. With a product like FleetPal’s truck parts and truck repair directory it’s even easier to schedule repairs in advance, improve your efficiency, and even get tips for best management practices.

Selling a Unique Product

Occasionally, you’ve had someone come to your door selling a coupon book, or you’ve had a friend try to sell you expensive kitchen knives. While some “sell this” jobs can be a scam, there are plenty of opportunities to make a living selling a unique product. It takes good connections, friends who don’t already have the product, and a keen eye for business, but dedicated individuals make a good salary selling makeup, jewelry, essential oils, and more.

Growing Marijuana

For a long time, marijuana was completely illegal, and growing any could get you arrested. Now, however, marijuana is legal in select US states, and if you live in one of them, you could make a living growing marijuana. As long as you don’t object to marijuana use, and you’ve got a good eye for gardening, it could be a relaxing, independent career. You wouldn’t want to start this business without the help of medical marijuana lawyers, since even where it’s legal to grow, marijuana can still be a tricky subject, and it’s still technically illegal on the federal level.

Freelancing

If you love the idea of working in your pajamas until noon, you could try to freelance for a living. Freelancing may very well be the future of business, and if you already have a skill like web design, graphic design, writing, editing, or accounting, you could freelance your skills to companies across the country. Some freelancers make great salaries, but you do need experience and skill to make it in any field. With freelancing, you set your own hours, work where you want, and work when you want.

Running a Farm

If you love the idea of working outdoors, maintaining your privacy, and enjoying a simpler profession, then farming might be right for you. Depending on the area of farming that you choose, you should be prepared for long hours and lots of hard work. Starting a farm is a major investment, and farmers don’t make a great salary, but they get to work with their hands, run their own lives, and choose what they do. You could raise alpacas, grow corn, or raise dairy cows.

Designing Websites

Web designers are pretty happy with their jobs. At least 88% report job satisfaction, and it makes sense: their projects are constantly changing, they get to use some creativity, and they get a good wage. As a web designer, you could work for a business, or you could start your own. You can take the freelancing route or start an in-location business with a few team members. Either way, you could take the jobs you wanted to and keep your work life an independent one.

Running a Bakery

With most independent businesses, you have to rely on the products of other people. You won’t make the products yourself: unless, of course, you’re running a bakery (or maybe designing your own jewelry). A bakery has its own space, a single location where you get to go to work. You can set your own hours, and while you might have to wake up super early and stay open until six or seven, and have weekend hours, you can still work a more regular routine. As long as you’re in the right location, with some good recipes, you could bake all day and stay in business.