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What are the potential career paths within psychology, and how can I explore them to make an informed decision?

I know that I want to pursue and career in psychology and I would like to be open to all possible career paths within my field of choice. That way I know what’s fit for me as well.

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Daniel’s Answer

There are many career paths and opportunities in psychology, which is one reason it's such a popular major (the other being it's interesting!). A first step would be deciding whether or not you're interested in more clinical, research or industry type roles. Some of these overlap, but essentially, are you interested in treating patients, focusing on more experimental/academic-type work, or working in the corporate world? Along with that, what kind of degree are you willing / want to get? There aren't many opportunities available for psych graduates directly out of college unless you intern and/or have a lot of research experience.

That decision will help narrow your choices. If you're interested in clinical, you may want to focus on more therapy/medical/neuro coursework in prep for a PhD, PsyD or even Med school (again, this will depend on how you want to treat people/if you want to prescribe medication). If you want to do research, focus on the area(s) you're interested in, try to get as much research experience throughout college as possible (and any publications you can get will help), and go for your PhD. If you're more interested in corporate psychology, consider a grad program (Masters or PhD) in HR or Industrial/Organizational Psychology; research can help with these but consider internships in these areas too. Any analytics skills you can learn and bolster will help in the corporate world as well.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, this is really helpful. Aliyah
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Linda’s Answer

I echoed everyone here who have said Psychology offers a wealth of opportunity. I studied Psychology and interned in HR as an undergrad. A friend of mine with a PhD in Mathematical Psychology, now works as a Data Scientist for a big pharmaceutical company. I recommend going to your career center, finding what interests you, and learning how to use your Psychology major (with the help of the career counselors) to secure an internship!
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Gaurav’s Answer

Psychology, in my perspective, is like a tree with various branches to choose from when deciding where to build your nest. First, it's essential to identify what aspect of psychology appeals to you the most. If working with individuals and their emotions interests you, consider becoming a Mental Health Consultant. Alternatively, if you enjoy interacting with children, a Parenting Consultant role might be the right path. For those fascinated by the corporate world, a position in the human resources sector within industries could be a great fit.

To make an informed decision, select introductory courses based on your preferences and explore the different areas of psychology that resonate with you.
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Hadley’s Answer

Hi!

I see a lot of comments referring to the more straight forward career paths within psychology so I figured I would chime in on more of the non traditional paths. As someone who majored in a similar field in college (sociology) being in the social and mental sciences provides you with an amazing understanding of people in general. I thought I would end up in a more straight forward career path like social work or therapy but ended up switching directions. I've worked in sales, marketing, and HR because given my background of understanding people i've always gravitated towards roles that are people facing. I've settled my career down in recruitment and feel like I used my sociology and psychology background on a day to day basis. The opportunities are endless at the end of the day I suggest networking with individuals in different career paths and deciding what will be most fulfilling to you. What has always motivated me is using my understanding of people and the human mind to help people which is why I love recruitment and helping people find positions that make them happy.
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Theresa’s Answer

Hi Aliyah,

First, consider what you like about Psychology. What are you drawn to and what peaks your interests? For example, if you enjoy children and Child Psychology, you could become a school counselor. I enjoyed Industrial Organizational Psychology and went on to pursue a career in Human Resources. Identify your interests and go from there.
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Madeline’s Answer

Psychology is fantastic - that's awesome that you already have such a clear path of the topic you want to study - per your question, we can figure out function later!

Psychology can be applied in so many settings/contexts - in school, in business, in social work, etc. I think the broader question for you is - do you enjoy working with people, learning about people, or a combination of both?

If you want to apply your Psychology experience directly, you can work in schools, hospitals in a clinical or wraparound sense. (e.g., you can be a school counselor, you can work with grieving families, you can be a social worker, etc.). I think the takeaway for the applied Psychology work is you likely need a practitioner Masters degree.

If you want to do research, you'll probably need a PhD OR find some type of laboratory/research setting.

All so exciting! You can also totally pivot and work in business, in Human Capital, in consulting, in recruiting, etc.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, Madeline! Aliyah
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Laura’s Answer

Psychology offers a wealth of opportunities in various fields, including organizational growth, practical behavior analysis, and working as a psychologist with adults or children, in the business sector, hospitals, or private practice. I encourage you to delve into the fascinating world of psychology by taking a range of introductory courses. This will empower you to make an informed decision about the specific path you'd like to concentrate on.
Thank you comment icon This is very helpful thank you so much for the advice! Aliyah
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Kevin’s Answer

Hello Aliyah,

I'm thrilled to learn that you're excited about pursuing a career in psychology! When I was in college, I chose Applied Psychology as my major and later earned my Master's Degree in Social-Organizational Psychology. Now, I work as a Strategy Analyst at a commercial bank. Many of my classmates have also embarked on diverse career paths such as management consulting, HR specialist, organizational development consulting, talent management, and even becoming college professors.

As you might be aware, psychology is an incredibly vast and ever-changing field of study. For instance, organizational psychology can be quite distinct from clinical psychology. I found it beneficial to start with some introductory psychology courses to gain a comprehensive understanding of the wide-ranging world of psychology and to identify which specific areas piqued my interest the most. Additionally, don't hesitate to seek advice from your teachers and professionals in your areas of interest.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for giving me advice. Aliyah
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Adrianna’s Answer

The sky is the limit with psychology! Here are some ideas below:

- Mental Health Consulting - you could either individually consult and work for an internal department within a large or small company to help provide services to employees OR you could start your own mental health consulting company where other companies hire your company and you can start your own department where you provide ongoing mental health services for employees (same ideas, the latter is just at a larger scale)

- You could start your own clinic providing services in the following areas: Holistic Health (reiki, yoga nidra, etc.), Counseling Services (school level, individual, at a hospital), Drug and Alcohol Advocacy work

- Social Worker

- Truly any job out there involves psychology where you are having human interaction - knowing how to navigate humans, their emotions, and actions can be essential to an effective and healthy work environment
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much Aliyah
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Rose’s Answer

Hats off to you for thinking about psychology – it's a super popular field! In my view, we need psychologists more than ever to help us all understand mental well-being. With a psychology degree, you can kick off your career as a counselor, case manager, or therapist. You'll find psychologists are needed in loads of places, like hospitals, schools, mental health centers, private companies, the military, and social services. Take some time to explore psychology and the different career paths to see which one clicks with you. Once you've got a few options, chat with family, friends, and people working in the field. Doing all this will help you figure out where you'll shine and grow!
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Alexis’s Answer

An excellent method for discovering various career paths in psychology involves investigating university websites and examining the typical careers students pursue. When I was considering my options as a potential student, I delved into my university's main web pages and gained a wealth of inspiration. Many people mistakenly believe that graduating with a degree in psychology automatically leads to becoming a psychologist. However, the psychology field is incredibly diverse, offering numerous directions to explore.
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Jhanvi’s Answer

I didn't discover the connection between psychology and marketing until later in college! As a psychology major, I used to think my career options would only involve traditional psychology roles. But when I took a marketing class, I realized how well my degree fit into this field. Now, in my current job and internships in marketing, I always use my psychology knowledge to understand consumer behavior, decision-making, and even to create appealing brand materials for different audiences.
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Tony’s Answer

The responses here on your inquiry are already fantastic, focusing primarily on the choice between clinical and research paths. Here are some additional insights:

1) Opting for a clinical route with a Ph.D. is absolutely acceptable, but there is a relatively new doctorate degree known as Psy.D. designed specifically for those interested in clinical work. Both degrees involve research, but the subject matter varies. Additionally, the Psy.D. might be pricier than the Ph.D.

2) In general, the clinical path tends to generate higher income compared to research.

This information isn't meant to influence your decision, as it's essential to follow your passions and let the income come naturally. The more passionate you are, the better your work will be, which will likely lead to reaching your income potential. Consider these points as you continue your journey towards your desired career.
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Jennifer’s Answer

I love this question because like everyone has said there are so many routes. I can offer my experience - I thought I wanted to go into medicine, but as I studied more, I found myself much more interested in the human side of science. I landed in the marketing space -- you can apply psycology to marketing or business strategy, organizational strategy - any part of the space where you are applying what you know about human behavior to business.
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Alexandra’s Answer

Hey Aliyah! Great question! Speaking from experience, I was a psychology major and originally wanted to go into being a child psychologist. After college, I completely switched paths and I am now a Resource Management Specialist and absolutely love it! With Psychology, I have found that you can use that knowledge in a large variety of professional fields. Therefore, unless you have a strong desire for a certain path, dont hesitate to entertain careers that are not the typical psychology professions. For example, as a Resource Manager, I deal with people all day. Having my psychology background is extremely beneficial when I come across all the different types of professionals situations I must manage.

I truly believe you can take your psychology knowledge to any industry and make a big impact!
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