Can you survive in this world with poor people skills?

[bentstrider]

Originally Posted by statisticsnerd

long-haul truck driving

You still have to communicate with dispatch, deal with shipping/receiving clerks, and of course state-troopers/weigh station cops.
Unless you could find a trucking job where you're just dropping and hooking in a local area, or just shuttling trailers between adjacent yards, I'd stay away from the long-haul thing.

Last thing you need to do is catch yourself stuttering and stammering with a belligerent, commercial vehicle enforcement officer just waiting to write up some violations.

I honestly don't have the best of social skills and just get by with the conversation habits I've witnessed from other people.
I honestly tend to do better when I feel I'm not being interrogated.
Just try to know enough to get by to the next level and keep yourself fed.

[arleigh]

I was an under achiever in school .
What I did on my own was to start a journal and begin recording my thoughts and deciding on the things I liked and didn't like and the things I believed and didn't believe, and why.
And If I didn't have a legitimate answer for the why, it was time to figure that out .
if you don't know your self , you will be stuck .
If your accepting second hand information for things ,you really don't know what your getting, because the guy telling you, got it from some one else second hand, and that guy was probably guessing himself.
One of the reasons I hated school, was the lack of purpose . "Because I said so" was not a legitimate reason enough to swallow.
I didn't challenge my dad's authority ,he actually didn't mind telling the why and where fore of things he understood.
But I was free to draw my own conclusions.
But I made a point to note them, so that I have something to contribute in conversation, if requested.
You must choose to broaden your own horizons as well, and be open to learn things beyond your little world . Not stupid unnecessary risks , leave that to macho morons.
But things that have a future and challenge your mind in practical ways .
Choosing makes a difference, sticking with your choices and accepting their responsibility, builds character.

[smisk]

Honestly, there are very few jobs where you won't have to work and be communicative with others. I'm an engineer and have to be social and work with others quite a bit. I'm generally a pretty quiet person but I'm fine working with people when I have to.
The good news is that you can get better at being social, you just have to practice it.

[tassity22]

Many teens today don't talk face to face. They text only. This is not a way to develop good communication or people skills.

[War Beagle]

Social skills are more important than hard skills in most cases. I'm not a very social person so I have spent a lot of time over the years learning how to fake it. I've gotten to the point where the persona I have at work is completely different than who I really am. I can turn it on and off at will, though keeping it on for a long period of time is tiring.

It's a somewhat unfortunate reality as there are a lot of people with poor social skills who otherwise have a lot to offer. Extroverts are predominant in our society and they hold the rest of us to their standards.

[G-fused]

I didn't read all the replies.

Don't cover up the problem, move towards resolving it. Read some self help books on confidence, developing social skills, resolving anxiety, etc. Consider joining organizations and clubs that address the issue (e.g. toastmasters). Get some short term therapy (Cognitive Behavioral therapy can help a lot).

Best of luck.