Career Options for Psychology Undergraduates
Careers Options for Psychology Undergraduates
As a psychology major at Texas A&M, you might be wondering, “What kind of job can I get with a bachelor’s in psychology?” Luckily, you have come to the right place to find answers!
Many people who complete a bachelor’s in psychology enter fields like human resources, insurance, marketing, or social services. However, psychology is one of the most flexible degrees to obtain and can be applied in almost any field of work! Perhaps you would like to be involved with law enforcement, or maybe you want to be a coach, or even an animal trainer. All of these options, and more, are available to you.
With this flexibility, however, comes competition. Remember that you are not the only person who is good at communication, expressing empathy, organization, etc. It is important, then, to really focus on your unique skills and passions so that you can use them to be the best candidate for a position. In other words, if you are not passionate about human resources, it is probably not a good idea to join that field!
Important skills to focus on when applying for psychology-related careers include:
- Critical thinking
- Communication (one-on-one and group)
- Written communication
- Analysis
- Creative thinking
- Understanding behavior
All of these skills can be enhanced and molded to the career that you ultimately choose. Some specific jobs where these skills are particularly important include:
College Admissions Officer
College admissions officers work with students, usually at high school level, to convince them that their college will be the most rewarding place for that individual to attend. Recruitment requires exceptional communication and persuasion skills, as well as the ability to understand the student’s academic needs.
Probation and Parole Officers
Probation and parole officers work directly with individuals who have been convicted of crime. The officers track the offenders and their behavior at school, home, work, etc. to best determine the treatment or rehabilitation necessary. The position requires detail-oriented observation skills and professional communication skills and when interacting with the offender, their family, and other legal officials that are involved with the case.
Lab Assistants
Lab assistants can be employed by universities, government agencies, and businesses that study human behavior. This role involves having great organization skills, the ability to read, analyze, and code research results, and professional communication with research participants as well as the rest of the laboratory faculty/staff.
For more information regarding careers for psychology majors, visit the APA and Career Profiles websites:
https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2018/01/bachelors-degree.aspx
http://www.careerprofiles.info/psychology-bachelors-degree-career-options.html
Unsure about what you want to do? Try this 12 Question Career Quiz:
http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl-psychologycareerquiz.htm