An Overview Of Six Careers In The Psychology Field
If you’re interested in a career in the psychology field, there may be plenty of options to choose from. A few of these options may include becoming a school psychologist, clinical psychologist, health psychologist, cognitive psychologist, consumer psychologist, and industrial-organizational psychologist. These different careers may enable you to focus on psychology-related topics in a variety of industries. If you feel you’d benefit from speaking with a psychologist or licensed therapist about your career options or any mental health challenges, online therapy can be a simple way to connect with a professional and attend sessions from home.
School Psychologists
As the name suggests, school psychologists are generally responsible for working with children in educational settings and schools. In many cases, this type of psychologist is tasked with helping young people who are experiencing social, academic, and emotional issues. Many school psychologists work with these children by teaching them problem-solving skills, anger management, self-control tips, and communication strategies.
If you or someone you know is considering pursuing a school psychology career, the prospects may be very bright. Currently, children are thought to be facing a variety of issues that may not have existed twenty or even ten years ago. School psychologists may play an important role as we work to understand the issues that today's youth face.
Clinical Psychologists
Clinical psychologists usually specialize in working with individuals who are living with various psychological disorders. There tends to be an extensive amount of training and credentials required to become a clinical psychologist, but this line of work often makes a considerable difference in the lives of many people.
There are many tasks a clinical psychologist may perform throughout their career. Some examples of these tasks can include diagnosing existing disorders, conducting research, aiding patients in action plans, and facilitating goal development and achievement. The line of work can be very demanding and unpredictable, depending on the setting and extent of issues clinical psychologists work with.
Health Psychologists
Health psychologists are normally responsible for aiding patients in living healthier lifestyles and doing away with unhealthy habits. Individuals in this line of work may also study various factors and elements that can impact health. Health psychologists typically work in hospitals, health facilities, universities, and government agencies.
Cognitive Psychologists
Cognitive psychologists usually have the responsibility of studying the internal human mechanisms that can control and impact behaviors. These may include the development, retention, and storage of memories.
Cognitive psychologists can play a critical role in society. The findings from their studies often impact software, educational content, public policy, and more. As one might imagine, there tend to be a variety of credentials and boxes to tick before someone can begin practicing as a cognitive psychologist.
Consumer Psychologists
Although not as commonly addressed as other psychology career paths, consumer psychologists are usually very active and can play a critical role in society as we know it. Individuals who choose this line of work are frequently tasked with the responsibilities of constructing marketing and advertisement campaigns, determining the popularity of a product or service, and probing the behavioral patterns of shoppers and buyers. Consumer psychologists generally need to have ample knowledge about the ways media, culture, and interpersonal relationships can impact the decisions people make when buying goods and services.
Consumer psychologists typically work very closely with businesses, retailers, and economists. The knowledge they gather can be very critical for big corporations and businesses that need to know whether their products and services are likely to garner success from the public. The services of consumer psychologists can also be especially valued when the economy is in peril.
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Industrial-organizational psychologists typically specialize in conduct that occurs in the workplace and other professional settings. In many cases, the knowledge of these psychologists is used to ensure that the best prospects are hired into positions that are most suitable for them. One of the ultimate goals of industrial-organizational psychology can be to maximize productivity and efficiency in the workplace. Certain individuals in this line of work may train prospective and current employees.
Most commonly, industrial-organizational psychologists work in human resources management departments. Their services are often contracted by large companies that want to bring the best individuals on board. Sometimes, these types of specialists will have prospective workers complete certain screening tests to determine their aptitude for the job.
Could You Benefit From The Services Of A Psychologist?
Deciding on a career path can be challenging, and many people may benefit from a professional’s opinion. If this is the case for you, you might find that using an online therapy platform can make it easy to connect with a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional who may offer career counseling services. In addition, online therapy can provide the support you deserve for any mental health challenges or concerns you may be experiencing.
As this study explains, online therapy can be as effective as traditional in-person therapy for treating many different mental health disorders. Working with a therapist online may alleviate any symptoms of stress or anxiety you may feel about choosing the right career path.
Takeaway
There may be many potential careers in the field of psychology. For instance, you may choose to become a consumer psychologist, industrial-organizational psychologist, health psychologist, school psychologist, cognitive psychologist, or clinical psychologist. In some of these careers, you’ll work directly with individuals seeking help for their mental health. In others, you may work with corporations to help them with human resources, marketing, and other tasks that may benefit from the knowledge of psychology. It can be easy to speak with a psychologist or other mental health professional about career options or mental health concerns through online therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Psychology a good career?
A career in psychology can be an amazing career for the right person, but it may not be a job for everyone. It usually requires a lot of study, time spent in higher education, and a capacity for empathy and understanding.
There are many fields of psychology that psychology majors can go into, but nearly all career paths require a degree in psychology. If you are fascinated with the study of mental health conditions, want to help people overcome substance use disorder, or dream of helping law enforcement catch criminals without being in the field, then psychology may be for you.
What are the highest paying jobs in psychology?
There may be many career options for people with a degree in psychology. Psychology careers often range from paying extremely well to paying a fairly small salary. Per the American Psychological Association, the jobs that tend to have the highest salaries typically also require the most schooling. Some of the highest-paying jobs in psychology may be:
Psychiatrist: $216,000 per year
Industrial and organizational psychologist: $102,530 per year
Neuropsychologist: $93,440 per year
Engineering psychologist: $90,340 per year
Psychology teacher: $85,050 per year
Clinical psychology: $81,330 per year
Counseling psychology: $81,330 per year
School psychology: $77,430 per year
Forensic psychologist: $61,220 per year
Sports psychologist: $60,000 per year
Please note that the numbers above are averages and may not reflect the salary of every individual with these careers.
What are the best jobs in psychology?
If your primary goal is to help people through a job in psychology, you might consider these psychology career options:
Social work
Counseling psychology
Health psychology
Clinical psychology
Industrial-organizational psychology
Can psychologists be rich?
There may be no guarantee that you can become rich by having a psychology-related career. While most psychologists can expect to earn a good living, there can be many, such as social workers and health psychologists, that do not make a huge income.
Is Psychology hard to get a job?
Certain psychology careers, such as clinical psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and psychiatry, can be very hard to get into. These psychology careers often require years of college education and credentials.
Is Psychology hard to study?
A degree in psychology generally requires a lot of science, math, and time. Most psychology-related fields require a master’s degree, but the majority may require a doctorate degree.
Is Psychology a useless degree?
Although it can be challenging to get a psychology career even with a degree, there may be many psychology-related fields for which a psychology degree can be useful.
Psychology is generally defined as the study of the human mind, motivations, and mental health. Even if you don’t pursue a career in psychology, you may learn more about yourself and others and may be better equipped to take care of your own mental health. In addition, you may gain a better understanding of the human condition, and that may help your interactions with others.
What do psychologists make annually?
Psychiatrists and industrial-organizational psychologists tend to make between $100,00 and $216,000 per year. Others in the industry can make significantly less. Pay is often reliant on the type of psychologist a person is.
Which country is best for psychology jobs?
Psychology has become a globally recognized profession. Nearly every country may need more psychologists and could be willing to pay exceptionally well for them. Depending on your specialty, you may be more in demand in some countries versus others.
How long is a psychology degree?
A psychology degree often takes a minimum of six years for a master’s degree or eight to 12 years for a doctorate.
Who makes more a psychologist or psychiatrist?
A psychologist is typically not required to have a doctorate and is generally not a medical doctor, whereas a psychiatrist usually is. This is one of the main reasons that psychiatrists can make significantly more money than psychologists.
Is Psychology a stressful career?
Psychology-related jobs can be stressful. When your job is to help others manage their mental health, you generally must learn to separate your job from your personal life. If you don’t, then your own mental health may be affected. In addition, when listening to the things that have impacted another person’s mental health, it can be difficult to stay neutral and unbiased.
You may also work long hours, depending on your specialty, and the types of people you interact with may affect your stress levels as well.
What are the top 5 careers?
It can be challenging to define the top five careers. Often, the best career for you may be the one that feels fulfilling and comfortably covers your expenses.
What fields of psychology are in demand?
The most in-demand psychology fields may be:
School psychology
Forensic psychology
Marriage counselor
Genetics counselor
Engineering counselor
However, needs tend to vary by location.
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