Careers in Psychology
Welcome psychology students and recent graduates!
You are a part of a field that offers countless career opportunities. This is both a strength of the field of psychology, as well as a weakness, because many students feel overwhelmed navigating the possibilities. My hope is that this site will help you discover your path to success with the resources provided, including career exploration tools, networking tips, LinkedIn profile guidance, and inspiring student success stories. Capitalize on the potential of your psychology degree by exploring career options and planning how you can harness the knowledge, skills, and abilities you have gained as a student to join an exciting field full of endless opportunities.
Let's get started! Do you know how skilled you are?
A team of professors with the American Psychological Association created a list of transferable skills students majoring in psychology gain throughout their training. Your current skill set may include...
Cognitive Skills
Analytical thinking: Solve complex problems, attend to details, plan proactively, and display comfort with ambiguity.
Critical thinking: Display proficiency with statistics, program evaluation, and research design necessary for the study of social and technical systems.
Creativity: Use innovative and resourceful approaches to problem solving and new tasks.
Information management: Be adept at locating, organizing, evaluating, and distributing information from multiple sources.
Judgment and decision making: Engage in logical and systematic thinking and ethical decision making when considering the possible outcomes of a particular action.
Communication Skills
Oral communication: Demonstrate strong active listening and conversational abilities in both informal and professional environments, as well as aptitude for public speaking and communicating scientific information to diverse audiences.
Written communication: Comprehend relevant reading materials to produce professional documents that are grammatically correct, such as technical or training materials and business correspondence.
Personal Skills
Adaptability: Adjust successfully to change by responding in a flexible, proactive, and civil manner when changes occur.
Integrity: Perform work in an honest, reliable, and accountable manner that reflects the ethical values and standards of an organization.
Self-regulation: Manage time and stress by completing assigned tasks with little or no supervision; display initiative and persistence by accepting and completing additional duties in a careful, thorough, and dependable manner.
Social Skills
Collaboration: Work effectively in a team by cooperating, sharing responsibilities, and listening and responding appropriately to the ideas of others.
Inclusivity: Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and individual differences and similarities by working effectively with diverse people, respecting and considering divergent opinions, and showing respect for others.
Leadership: Establish a vision for individuals and for the group, creating long-term plans and guiding and inspiring others to accomplish tasks in a successful manner.
Management: Manage individuals and/or teams, coordinate projects, and prioritize individual and team tasks.
Service orientation: Seek ways to help people by displaying empathy; maintaining a customer, patient, or client focus; and engaging in the community.
Technological Skills
Flexibility/adaptability to new systems: Be willing and able to learn and/or adapt to new computer platforms, operating systems, and software programs.
Familiarity with hardware and software: Demonstrate competency in using various operating systems, programs, and/or coding protocols; troubleshoot technical errors; and use software applications to build and maintain websites, create web-based applications, and perform statistical analyses.
What transferable skills should you highlight on your resume, LinkedIn, or other professional sites?
As an undergraduate psychology major, there are several skills you can list on your LinkedIn profile to showcase your abilities and attract potential employers or connections within the field. Here's a list of skills that may be relevant to you as a psychology major, depending on the coursework and experiences you had:
Research Methods: Demonstrating proficiency in various research methodologies, including experimental design, data collection, and statistical analysis.
Writing: Proficient in crafting clear and compelling written content for various purposes.
Data Analysis: Proficiency in using statistical software (e.g., SPSS, JASP, Excel, R, Python) to analyze and interpret data.
Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze and evaluate complex information, draw logical conclusions, and think critically about psychological concepts and theories.
Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively.
Empathy and Active Listening: The capacity to understand and empathize with others' perspectives, coupled with excellent active listening skills.
Problem-Solving: The ability to identify and address psychological challenges and develop effective solutions.
Information Synthesis: Experience in conducting literature reviews and synthesizing information from scholarly sources.
Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work effectively with diverse populations, collaborate with colleagues, and build strong professional relationships.
Time Management: Strong organizational skills to manage academic and professional responsibilities effectively.
Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to adapt to new situations, learn quickly, and stay current with advancements in psychology.
Teamwork: Proven capability to work collaboratively with others on group projects and tasks.
Ethics and Professionalism: Understanding of ethical principles in psychology and the importance of maintaining professionalism in all interactions.
Mental Health Awareness: Knowledge of mental health issues and an understanding of how to support individuals in distress.
Multicultural Competence: Awareness of cultural diversity and the ability to navigate cultural differences in various psychological settings.
Conflict Resolution: Skill in resolving conflicts and mediating disagreements in professional and academic settings.
Teaching and Training: Experience in assisting with teaching or training activities, such as tutoring or leading workshops.
Digital Literacy: Skilled in using digital tools and technologies to navigate the online landscape effectively and adapt to technological advancements.
Public Speaking: Confidence in presenting ideas or research findings in front of an audience.
Leadership: Demonstrated leadership abilities, whether through academic projects, extracurricular activities, or volunteering.
Self-Awareness: Demonstrates a strong understanding of personal strengths, weaknesses, and emotions, leading to effective self-management and growth.
Remember to tailor your skills section to highlight the ones most relevant to the specific opportunities you are seeking. You can also include any additional skills or certifications you may have gained outside of your academic curriculum. As you progress in your career, your skillset will continue to evolve, so keep your LinkedIn profile updated regularly.