Top Careers for Graduates of a Psychology Degree Saloni Sakaria November 16, 2019 Inspiration, Lifestyle 3019 Psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior. The field gives you a deeper understanding of how the brain works in terms of behavior, stress, learning, and even mental illness. When you’ve finished your studies, the good news is that there are a lot of job opportunities waiting for you. A psychology degree is an excellent starting point for a variety of career options.That said, here are some of the top career options for psychology graduates: Psychotherapist A psychotherapist is a professional who works with individuals to solve and overcome problems relating to psychological issues, relationship-related issues, emotional concerns, and addiction. Your patients can either be individuals or families that need your help as a whole unit. In contrast to a psychologist, a psychotherapist is a professional who has undergone further training on different forms of therapy to help patients solve their various problems. A psychologist is not necessarily a psychotherapist unless they undergo the necessary training in this specific field. There are numerous approaches that you can apply as a psychotherapist. These approaches include the following: Experiential therapy Cognitive and behavioral treatment Hypno-psychotherapy Art therapy Drama therapy Social Worker Social workers are individuals who work with people in difficult or marginalized situations. A social worker’s clients could include abused men and women, abandoned children, abandoned and sick elderly, and even the homeless. Social workers work to improve these individuals’ lives through adequate protection. For instance, a part of your job as a social worker would include finding foster homes and permanent adoptive parents for abandoned children. You’ll be assisting your client throughout the whole process, including legal procedures to ensure that the family adopting the child is capable to do so. Child Care Worker As a childcare worker, you’ll be employed in childcare centers. These centers aren’t children’s orphanages; instead, these places provide childcare services for a few hours up to a whole day. When parents have to go to work, a childcare center is where they bring their infant, toddler, or preschooler. As a childcare worker, your job will involve taking care of kids for the day. It can be challenging to care for kids in a professional setting when you don’t have in-depth knowledge of their usual needs, emotions, and behavioral patterns. Thus, a degree in psychology is highly encouraged in professional childcare centers. This is to ensure that you have a clear understanding of kids’ behavior. Counselor Your job as a counselor is different from that of a psychotherapist. While a psychotherapist can help a patient improve their health and happiness through various forms of therapy, a counselor doesn’t treat patients. Instead, a counselor listens and works to understand a client’s emotions that they may not be fully aware of. Your level of listening as a counselor is different from that of a friend. This is why not everyone has what it takes to be a counselor. The skills and knowledge you’ve learned in your degree is crucial to effectively listening and guiding your client. Advertising Agent If you want to work as an advertising agent, your background in psychology will help you thrive in this career path. Advertising entails studying and analyzing the motivations and buying behaviors of your target market. For instance, psychology principles can guide your everyday decisions so you can create a persuasive copy. When you understand how specific individuals behave, you’ll be able to craft your advertising campaigns to fit your target market needs. Market Researcher As a market researcher, your job will focus on analyzing various market trends, so your company can succeed. Through market research, you’ll be conducting interviews and market surveys, as well as studying consumer data and statistics. Your degree in psychology can help you be an effective market researcher. Probation And Parole Officer Your background in psychology will also come in handy if you wish to pursue criminal justice. In this job, you’ll be working with individuals who are convicted of crimes. While some of your clients may be guilty, others may be wrongly accused. Therefore, it’s likely that many of these inmates will be under a lot of mental and emotional distress. Your psychology background can help you effectively counsel criminals and their families. Other job functions of a parole officer include: Ensuring peace and order in prison cells, by working closely with inmates who are suffering from mental difficulties or destructive tendencies Monitoring prisoner behavior and making recommendations for court hearings Preparing convicts emotionally and mentally for their release Conclusion Psychology careers revolve around human or social services. Graduating with a degree in psychology benefits these careers, not only because of the knowledge that you gain but also because of the character that you’ll be able to develop. Your acquire knowledge and soft skills will work together for the best interests of the clients you’ll come across in your future job. SHARE THIS POST