Some Career Choices for the Psychology Student

• an extensive understanding of human behavior that can be applied in many different settings
• well developed listening and communication skills
• an ability to collaborate with a wide variety of people
• an openness to learn new knowledge and skills
• an ability to gather, organize, critique, synthesize, and evaluate information
• an ability to analyze and solve problems
• a knowledge of basic statistics
• excellent computer skills in word processing, graphics, and statistics
• and an ability to write and speak effectively.

• Business and Industry
• College and University Administration and Services
• Education
• Human Resources and Training
• Law Enforcement
• Residential Work and Day Care
• Probation and Correctional Treatment
• Science and Research
  

CAREERS WITH AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE

Admissions Counselor - Admissions Counselors' careers might include conducting interviews, answering correspondence and telephone inquiries, advising prospective students and their parents on admissions policies and academic requirements, providing high school and community college counselors, prospective students and parents, faculty and staff with information on admissions policies, procedures and decisions. Other duties include: assisting in on-campus recruiting activities, reviewing applications, writing letters and reports to area high schools, and working with other admissions staff.

Compensation/Benefits Administrator - Develops and designs compensation and benefit programs that help organizations attract and motivate employees. Within these programs, some activities performed are: setting up pay structures, reviewing other benefit programs, setting up and administering wage/salary and benefit programs.

Criminal Justice/Probation and Corrections - Individuals who work in probation supervise offenders who have been released from prison on parole or probation. They also conduct pretrial investigations, arrange for substance abuse treatment and job training, write presenting reports for the court, make sentencing recommendations and testify in court for their clients.

Individuals who work in corrections works in either jails and prisons or in parole and probation agencies. They write and evaluate treatment plans, write case reports, and plan educational and training programs.

Education - One of the most obvious career fields for a recent college graduate is education. Education is a broad field itself, ranging from traditional classroom teaching at the secondary and collegiate levels to more creative teaching formats.

Employee Relations Specialist - Interviews employees to gather information on their attitudes towards work environments and supervision received in order to have solutions to any problems that they may mention.

Event Planner - Event planners arrange, implement and negotiate all of the logistical arrangements for conventions, parties, conferences, concerts, or any other kind of social, recreational, educational, cultural, political or governmental event.

Guidance Counselor - Vocational, personal, and educational counselors generally work with individual students and families to provide career, personal, and educational counseling -- including college admissions, entrance testing, and financial aid. Counseling usually requires a masters' degree in counseling and state certification. Often subject teachers will become counselors.

Human Resources - Human Resource personnel are the mediators between employers and employees. They have to be organized, analytical, business-minded, and interested in serving people's needs.

Insurance Agent - Contacts new prospects to sell insurance and explains features and merits of policies offered. Suggests changes that should be made in client's existing insurance program.

Loan Officer - Examines, evaluates, and authorizes approval of customer application for lines of credit (credit cards, households, commercial, or real estate). May also buy or sell contracts and supervise loan approvals.

Management - Entry-level management jobs often appeal to a variety of students who are unsure of the direction they want their careers to take. They may oversee contracts, schedules, budgets, inventory, research data, and Human Resource requests. They are often the focal point for customer communications and interface.

Marketing, Sales and Advertising - People working in marketing, sales and advertising are involved with the most important activity of any business or institution--the effective and profitable delivery of a service or product. Managers in these areas supervise the various departments, devise the marketing strategy, and oversee promotions and sales. They must be organized and enthusiastic about the product and company. While employers value business courses, internships, and experience, many seek personnel who also have a strong liberal arts background.

Public Relations - Public relations specialists establish, maintain, and promote the image and reputation of a business or institution. They insure good communication between the business and the consumer, the community, and government. They must be tactful and able to balance the interests of various groups. They provide information about the company and, depending on size and the nature of the business, they handle all areas of publicity connected with the business. An internship is a good way to gain experience and learn the responsibilities of this job.

Researcher - Straight out of college, students may find employment opportunities doing research for documentary films, brochures and exhibits at historic sites and museums, and documents to help business or government agencies understand their past when making decisions that will shape the future. Graduate study may also be required for certain research positions.

Student Services - Working in the field of student services usually implies a job on a college campus in the area of campus life. Student services departments develop, direct and supervise the programs for student life within the college or residential community.

Technical Writer - Technical writers must understand the field they are writing about and be able to translate that information into language that is easy to understand. They write manuals, instructions and proposals, and promotion materials. They also research, write, and edit technical material, illustrations, catalogs, and charts. Additionally, technically writers must have the ability to handle multiple projects, and couple with that a "get the job done" attitude.

CAREERS WITH A GRADUATE DEGREE

Academic Psychologist - To become an academic psychologist, you need to earn a doctorate in one of the major subfields in psychology. These subfields include clinical psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, community psychology, health and biological psychology, personality, cognition, learning and research.

As an academic psychologist, you will work, most likely, in a college or university, teaching students and doing research. With additional experience, you can also move into academic administration.

Experimental or Research Psychologist - To become an experimental or research psychologist, you need to earn either a masters or doctoral degree in experimental or research psychology. You can then apply your knowledge and skills in research design and analysis in a wide range of settings: colleges and universities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and the government.

Forensic Psychologist - To become a forensic psychologist, you need to earn either a masters or doctoral degree in forensic psychology or receive special training after obtaining a graduate degree in another area of psychology.

As a forensic psychologist, you can apply psychology to the law, the legal system, and law enforcement. You can do assessments and evaluations of offenders, screen personnel, consult, do research, serve as an expert witness in court, profile criminals, and provide clinical services to offenders. You can work with the courts, attorneys, the police and other institutions involved with security, correctional facilities, prisons, and organizations that make public policy.

Industrial-Organizational or Applied Psychologist - To become an Industrial-Organizational (I-O) or Applied Psychologist, you need to earn either a masters or a doctoral degree in I-O or applied psychology.

As an I-O or applied psychologist, you can help businesses recruit, hire, retain, manage, and promote their employees; improve productivity; increase employee satisfaction, commitment, and motivation; perform research; and plan management policy.

Licensed Psychologist - To become a licensed psychologist, you need to earn a doctoral degree in either clinical psychology or counseling psychology.

As a licensed psychologist, you can provide psychotherapy, do psychological testing, teach in a college or university, do research, administrate a wide variety of programs, and serve as a consultant to schools, businesses, the courts, and non-profit organizations.

Professional Counselor - Generally, to become a professional counselor, you will need to earn at least a master's degree in one of the many different types of counseling programs.

As a counselor, you can provide counseling and psychotherapy to help a wide variety of people better manage a wide variety of problems.

There are many different types of counselors. Some of these types are:

• Marriage & Family Therapists
• School & Educational Counselors
• Mental Health Counselors
• Rehabilitation Counselors
• Career, Employment & Vocational Counselors
• Gerontological Counselors
• Substance Abuse Counselors
  

School Psychologist - To become a school psychologist, you need to earn either a masters or a doctoral degree in school psychology.

As a school psychologist, you can help children and adolescents succeed in school by addressing their academic, social, and emotional needs. You will spend most of your time assessing students and consulting with parents, teachers, and school administrators. You may also do some individual counseling, group and organizational interventions, research, and public presentations. Most likely, you will work in the public schools.

Social Worker - To become a social worker, you need to earn a MSW (Masters of Social Work) degree.

As a social worker, you can assist children, adults, and families better manage a wide variety of issues and problems. In addition, you can administrate programs, develop policy, write grants, do research, and even set up your own private practice in counseling.