Diverse Careers in the Field of Psychology
A career in psychology takes a lot of consideration and careful planning. An individual must consider training, finances, and preference when attempting to choose a field. Often, it is the decision to choose a specialization that becomes the deterrent for individuals. Our passions can be so vast that a specialized career in psychology seems too limiting to feed them.
When we think of the field, we think of providing psychotherapy, conducting research, testing, or becoming a professor. Though these are the more traditional fields to go into, there are actually a variety of unexpected places in which you will find individuals with psychology degrees employed.
Below are 10 unique careers and subfields in psychology that you may want to consider as a career path:
Therapists who choose to specialize in Intuitive Therapy utilize alternative forms of healing and facilitation. They may incorporate tools such as crystals and pendulums along with their evidence-based psychotherapy training. If you wish to integrate alternative, spiritual healing practices with modern methods of therapy, this maybe a subfield in which to specialize. The goal of Intuitive Therapy is to help the client tap into their own intuition and wisdom in order to resolve their current struggles. These individuals work in holistic mental health, approaching the connection between mind, body, and spirit.
Psychologists who study the controversial psi phenomenon are Parapsychologists. They study mind reading, psychokinesis, and ESP. Individuals in this field can be found studying the subject at universities or think-tanks. They aim to uncover the truth behind a variety of paranormal phenomena and anomalistic experiences. Though, if your goal is to publish in academic journals this may not be the career for you, as more parapsychologists’ findings are released in small niche papers.
Forensic psychologists utilize their understanding of human behavior to assist with legal issues. They help in custody cases, evaluate the mental competence of defendants on trial, or conduct research on jury behavior. There are even some who work in threat assessment, in hopes of predicting the types of individuals at risk for committing violent crimes. They can be found in a variety of settings including prisons, psychiatric facilities, and government agencies. If you’re interested in the justice system and human behavior, take a look into Forensic Psychology.
Sports teams may hire a Sport Psychologist to help their athletes refine their focus on competition goals, maintain motivation, and address anxiety around failure. This is a fast growing field of psychology with subfields of its own . If you have an interest in sports science and psychology, this may be right up your alley. Even athletic performers in Cirque du Soleil have their own sport psychologist, who assist them with recovering from injuries and fatigue, stress management, and stage fright.
If you love crime dramas, psycho-thrillers, or any form of entertainment that highlights human behavior, you may want to look into a consulting job as a Media Psychologist. These individuals utilize their expertise in psychology to help actors, screenplay writers, and producers depict accurate portrayals of human behavior. Media Psychologists may also advise on the changes necessary for an audience to respond more favorably to the work. Or, they may use their knowledge to assist in the marketing of films and other media, as they are better able to predict marketing trends.
Engineering psychologists develop research on the best ways that humans can work with machines. They may explore the question of preventing fatigue when working with a computer, or the best way to organize an assembly line. These individuals are often employed in an industrial setting, though many have been known to work for the government. In the Department of Defense they are known as “human factor specialists.” For NASA, they strategize on the best ways that astronauts can occupy and utilize human space capsules. If you’ve got a knack for engineering science and behavioral science, this maybe a career path worth researching.
Traffic can be such a pain. Traffic Psychologists, well aware of this, study ways to make traffic a more manageable experience. This subfield of human factors and engineering psychology focuses on understanding human behavior in the context of travel. Common topics they research are transportation logistics, accidents, and road rage. They hope to increase self-awareness when driving, reaction time with regard to accidents, and traffic mobility on the whole through the understanding of human behavior.
8. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist
Workplace behavior can be a fascinating subject. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists aim to learn the behaviors of workers and productivity. They may be utilized to evaluate job candidates, assess current employees, or assist human resources. They often work on a consulting basis, and help to provide strategies that address inter and intra departmental communication, worker dissatisfaction, or work-life balance. This specialty area of psychology also has a variety of subfields of interest such as product design or leadership skills. It continues to address the needs of corporations and their employees.
Vocational Counselors aim to assist people in making career decisions. They may utilize personality tests, interest inventories, and evaluation measures as part of the decision making process. These individuals can be found in schools and employment agencies. If you’re interested in providing guidance to those who’ve experienced job loss or suffer employment-related stress, a Vocational Counseling position might be a good choice.
Professionals in the genetics counseling field work with couples and families to educate them about genetic disorders. Their training includes both genetics and counseling, and they work closely with a team of medical professionals. They provide guidance to families with a family member who has a genetic disorder, addressing the risk of passing down genetic disorders or providing referrals and adjunctive care.These individuals work in hospital settings and advocacy agencies for a variety of genetic disorders.
From this list alone, you can see that psychology careers provide diverse opportunities for employment. Some professions require a bachelor’s degree, others may need a master’s or doctoral. Depending on your interests, learning the amount of training needed may be the deciding factor. Analyze the commitment and resources you currently possess in order to pursue the education needed to work in the field that interests you.
This list is not the most comprehensive list of careers in psychology. Take a look at “80+ Psychology Related Careers to Consider” and the American Psychological Association's “Careers in Psychology.”
Were any of these careers a surprise to you? Let me know in the comments section below!
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