-By Timothy Lyons
So maybe you want to change your major or are thinking of getting jobs with a psychology degree. One of the most versatile degrees is one in psychology. Knowing that so many people got to college and do not go into their intended field, getting jobs with a psychology degree is quite valuable. The degree can help you in so many areas.
First thing to remember is that having a degree in psychology translates to work in so may different industries. You can get work in counseling, social services, sales and marketing and even human service positions. The end result will be a job that is of interest to you and that pays well. When you earn a degree in psychology you gain a foundation in the understanding of behavior and motivation, you learn how to read and understand statistics and you have an edge in being able to create excellent written material.
Jobs with a psychology degree
According to the bureau of labor statistics, mental health field employment will grow by an unprecedented 26 percent by 2022. In the next years and beyond, getting jobs with a psychology degree will be even easier.
So what are some Jobs with a psychology degree?
Post Release community corrections mental health and substance abuse
The growing field of substance abuse and community corrections will need future workers. There are so many persons who suffer from substance abuse disorder. Many of these persons have been through prison or jail and are in need of help transitioning back into the community. This can be a rewarding career. This is the land of second chances and with this work you have that ability to help.
Law Enforcement
One of the biggest pushes today in law enforcement is training in dealing with mental health issues. There have been countless stories about interactions gone wrong when someone with a mental health issue has interactions with police who are not properly trained in dealing with the situation. This is an awesome use of training in psychology.
Social Workers
There are entry level social work positions that can lead to really great careers. These types of jobs with a psychology degree can be very lucrative and fulfilling. A social worker is a person who helps others with case management, counseling and referrals. This can be in government settings, private facilities and community outreach organizations. The social worker is a person whose job it is to truly care for another human being.
Human Resources
So many of today’s human resource specialist have backgrounds in psychology. This is a great fit for a person with a psychology degree. In many cases the person who works in human resources assists companies in hiring and retention. This could mean anything from the interview process to administering testing to see how well a prospective employee will fit within an organization. This can also be in the area of training. The Human resource personnel handle tasks of training and team building exercises.
Public Relations
Public relations is an area with growing influence at the corporate level. These jobs tend to focus on how customers see a brand of product. The public relations employee typically will analyze this interaction to see how and why this happens while designing ways in which this relationship can be enhanced. The public relations job is facilitate relations between a company and the media for public appearance.
The area of marketing and sales
Market Research
This fascinating career is one the deals with why of human product consumption. Using psychology to understand techniques for data gathering and mining can be a huge asset to market research. In order to perform better a company can use the information gained from market research to change products, make better adds and increase sales. This is a great field within the domain of jobs with a psychology degree.
Sales
This is an easy sell when you have a degree in psychology. The ability to understand motivation with a degree is essential to any sales position. The sales persons can use psychology to understand consumers, prepare presentations and bring about enhanced sales growth through targeted marketing. Sales can be anything from assets to widgets and the person who understands the how’s and why’s of purchasing has a greater chance of success in this field.
Teachers and Advocates
Teaching
Many of today’s teachers can use their background I psychology to help students become their best. Whether the specialization is in children or just general psychology, a teacher is both a rewarding career and one that can pay well and have great benefits.
Advocates
An advocate is a person who works to dispel social injustice and help others when they can’t speak for themselves. This career is one that is certainly a part of the growing field of mental health as well as public health. The advocate can do everything from represent clients who are in need of medical services to dealing with mental health settings an patients’ rights. The advocate can help to ensure proper medical and mental health care. They can also provide clients with the assurance that they receive proper medication. These jobs with a psychology degree are improved in that the worker can understand the interaction between patient and doctor or therapist.
There really are so many careers that can be entered when one has a degree. It just takes a little imagination and ingenuity to see how the pieces fit together and the psychology degree can pay great dividends