Careers in Psychology

Direct Care

• Counseling
• Psychotherapy
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Art Therapy
• Music Therapy
• Case Management
• Mental Health Services
• Physical Health and Wellness
• Crisis Work
• Rehabilitation Services
• Performance Enhancement
• Testing/Assessment
• Law Enforcement

Administration

•  Advocacy
• Programming
• Community Relations
• Management
• Development/Fund Raising
• Grant Writing

Federal government including Departments of:

• Health and Human Services
• Justice
• Veterans Affairs

State government including:

• Departments of Human Services
• Departments of Mental Health
• Departments of Justice
• Community mental health centers
• State psychiatric hospitals
• Facilities for individuals with intellectual impairments
• Boards of probation and parole
• Local government
• Senior citizens' centers
• Nursing homes
• Social service/nonprofit organizations
• Religiously-affiliated service organizations
• Hospitals/healthcare providers
• Private psychiatric facilities
• Outpatient clinics
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• College and university counseling centers and career centers
• Pain clinics
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Testing centers
• Private practice 

•  Obtain essential practical experience through part- time or summer jobs such as camp counselor, tutor, or resident hall advisor.
• Complete an internship for academic credit.
• Gain experience through volunteering with organiza- tions such as crisis hotlines, Big Brother or Sis- ter, Special Olympics, service groups, etc.
• Many entry-level helping positions require one year of related experience. Volunteer experience and internships can typically fulfill this requirement.
• Learn to work well with different types of people.
• Develop strong communication skills.
• Cultivate the desire to help others.
• Earn a minor in a specialized field of interest (e.g., child & family studies, sociology, or political science).
• Take courses to build valuable counseling-related skills (e.g., techniques of counseling).
• Become fluent in a foreign language to serve clients who may not speak English.
• Acquire knowledge of government and community resources available for those in need.
• Obtain a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, or social work for positions involving substantive counseling or psychotherapy or for advancement into administrative/supervisory positions.
• Many specialties exist at the graduate level, for example school counseling, mental health coun- seling, counseling psychology, etc. Pursue par- ticular degrees depending upon interests and career goals. See General Information on the last page for more details on this topic.
• Pursue graduate training or certification programs to establish test administration and interpretation qualification.
• Maintain an excellent academic record

• Social Research
• Market Research
• Data Analysis
• Testing/Test Development
• Experimental Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology

• Federal, state, and local government agencies (e.g., National Institute of Health)
• National headquarters of non-profit organizations
• Universities and colleges
• Market research firms
• Market research departments of consumer goods and manufacturing firms
• Private research organizations
• Consulting Firms

• Pursue research experience by working on faculty projects through independent study classes, as a student employee, as a volunteer in their lab, or through other departmental programs.
• Take additional math and statistics courses to
• develop strong quantitative and statistical skills.
• Take additional science courses or consider a minor in Neuroscience.
• Obtain related experience through part-time or
• summer jobs or internships with a market research firm.
• Get involved in the American Marketing Association.
• Earn a graduate degree in experimental psychology, educational psychology, I/O psychology, statistics, or marketing. 

• Teaching
• Adult Learning/Community Instruction (e.g., GED classes, life skills, parenting, etc.)
• Information/Library Science
• Higher Education Administration and Student Support Services including:
  • Admissions
  • Financial Aid
  • Academic Advising
  • Development
  • Alumni Affairs
  • International Education and Study Abroad
  • Career Services
  • Residence Life
  • Student Activities and Greek Life
  • Orientation
  • Leadership
  • Multicultural Affairs
  • Recreational Sports

• Public and private K-12 schools
• Colleges and universities
• Government agencies
• Federal Trio programs (e.g., Upward Bound, Talent Search)
• Nonprofit organizations (e.g., Project Grad
• College prep programs) 

• Obtain a teaching certificate for public school positions. Multiple certification will increase market- ability. Seek guidance from the education
• department of your college.
• Earn a doctoral degree in psychology for post-secondary teaching.
• Pursue graduate training in information science for library positions.
• Earn a master’s in Counseling with a specialty in career development if interested in career services.
• Seek a master's degree in college student person nel, higher education administration for student affairs or administrative positions.
• Maintain a high GPA and secure strong personal recommendations.
• Gain experience working with children, adolescents, or college students through tutoring or other volunteer positions.
• Acquire related experience on campus as a resident hall advisor, orientation leader, admissions tour guide, or peer mentor.
• Develop strong communication skills and learn to speak well in front of a group.

• Employment and Recruitment
• Selection
• Labor Relations
• Compensation and Benefits
• Organizational Development
• Training 

• Large companies
• Government agencies
• Staffing and employment services
• Large non-profit organizations
• Hospitals
• Educational institutions

• Gain relevant experience in human resources by completing an internship.
• Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with business courses.
• Seek leadership positions in student organizations.
• Develop strong computer skills.
• Earn an MBA or a graduate degree in human
• resources to attain higher level positions.

• Sales
• Customer Service
• Public Relations
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Product Design
• Management
• Insurance:
  • Claims Management
  • Underwriting
• Real Estate:
  • Sales
  • Property Management

• Service providers
• Wholesalers
• Manufacturers

Retail stores including:

• Department stores
• Specialty stores
• Discount stores
• Super retailers
• Online retailers
• Call centers
• Financial institutions
• Insurance companies
• Real estate companies
• Property management firms
• Apartment complexes
• Public relations departments of large companies or nonprofit organizations

• Develop career goals and seek relevant experiences to prepare for those goals.
• Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with business or communication courses.
• Obtain relevant experience through part-time jobs or internships.
• Work a part-time or summer job in a retail store.
• Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional responsibilities such as "assistant manager."
• Participate in student organizations and seek
• leadership roles.
• Learn to work well with different types of people. Develop a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
• For sales, develop the ability to work well under pressure and be comfortable in a competitive environment.
• Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level positions.
• When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring "any major."
• Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership and teamwork, etc.