This is post is intended for those looking to get a general sense of the of job opportunities available with a degree in psychology. I’ll begin with a brief overview of what the field of psychology is, before moving on to some advice on how best to prepare for these roles and finally compiling some statistics and data into an overview of what jobs can a bachelors in psychology get you.
A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a great choice for those who are interested in pursuing a career as a psychologist. The average salary for a clinical psychologist is $83,000 per year, according to PayScale.com.
Clinical psychologists work with patients to help them manage their mental health issues and behavioral problems. They may also run clinical trials on medications that are used to treat mental health disorders.
Psychologists can also work in research, education and consulting positions with employers such as hospitals, universities and private companies that deal with mental health issues or other areas where psychological training would be beneficial.
What jobs can a bachelors in psychology get you
Introduction
If you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you may be wondering what your career options are. Having a bachelor’s degree will qualify you for many entry-level jobs and for some careers that don’t involve direct mental health services. Many other occupations require additional training, but having a bachelor’s degree is a good start.
Career Counselor
- Mentor people to help them find jobs
- Find out what their strengths are, and what skills they have that can be applied to a job.
- Find out what their weaknesses are, and whether these should be worked on or not.
- Determine if they have the right interests and goals for a career.
Case Manager
Case managers are professionals who help patients or clients with mental or physical illness and/or disabilities. They work with healthcare providers, agencies and organizations to coordinate treatment plans for individuals. These professionals also help patients find the right resources or services necessary to meet their individual needs. Case managers may provide counseling in addition to providing case management services. The job outlook for this position is expected to grow by 8% between 2016 and 2026.*
- Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics
Childcare worker
The field of early childhood education is not just for those with an education degree. With a Bachelor’s in Psychology, you can also work in childcare centers and schools as a teacher or caretaker. You’ll help children learn how to interact with others, grow up into productive adults, and develop positive self-esteem.
Along with working directly with children, you may have the opportunity to collaborate with parents on their development as well. If you’re interested in this line of work but don’t want to commit yourself exclusively to one career path yet, consider going back to school part-time while pursuing multiple careers at once!
Community Health Worker
A community health worker is a mental health professional who works in the community, advocating for and providing support to people with mental health issues in their area. Community health workers can be employed by various organizations, including schools or local governments, to help treat or prevent mental illnesses.
As a community health worker, you’ll be working directly with patients to address their needs. You may work in a hospital setting or as part of an outpatient program; it depends on your employer and what sort of needs are being met by the organization you’re working for. For example, if you were working in an outpatient program helping high school students deal with anxiety and depression as part of their recovery from addiction issues—you would likely be based at school during lunch hours where students could come get help from you. As an employee of this kind of organization (or any other), your primary job duties will include:
- Assessing each patient’s situation in order to determine what course of action is best suited for them
- Developing treatment plans that incorporate evidence-based practices for treating symptoms related to anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Correctional Officer
Getting a job as a correctional officer can be a challenging process, but it’s worth it if you’re interested in helping people. To get this position, you will need to be at least 21 years old and have a bachelor’s degree in psychology. You’ll also need to pass background checks and physical exams. Additionally, you’ll have to be able to pass several other requirements depending on what state or county you apply for the job with. In most cases, these include:
- US citizenship
- A clean driving record
Crisis Intervention Specialist
As a crisis intervention specialist, you might be called on to counsel someone who is suicidal or having a mental health crisis. You would also provide treatment, referrals and support for individuals experiencing substance abuse issues.
Direct Care Worker
If you want to work with people who have mental and physical disabilities, then becoming a direct care worker is the job for you. Direct care workers provide services and support to individuals with special needs. They must be able to work with people who have substance abuse problems, as well as those who have severe learning disabilities or mental illness, among other conditions.
Direct care workers usually work for an agency that serves at-risk populations such as children and adults with developmental disabilities (like autism) or physical handicaps such as cerebral palsy. They may also work for community mental health centers or even schools where they can help teach life skills to children who may not be able to function normally in society due to their special needs.
Health Educator/Promotion
As a health educator, you may work at a hospital or other healthcare facility. You could also be employed by government agencies that focus on public health, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health education involves educating people about any aspect of their health, from proper nutrition to managing chronic diseases. The main purpose of this type of work is to encourage healthy behaviors among the general population. Health educators may also help individuals develop strategies to achieve goals related to wellness and disease prevention.
In addition to working at hospitals and government agencies, many health educators are self-employed or employed in private practices as consultants or coaches who specialize in behavior change interventions. In these settings they will typically provide individualized coaching based on clients’ needs rather than teaching group classes like those seen at hospitals or schools; however there are some exceptions where both methods are used together eRnkz!
Human Resources Assistant/Specialist
A human resources assistant or specialist is someone who works with and helps employees at a company. This job can be an entry-level position, but it will typically require some experience in the field.
Human resources assistants handle all sorts of administrative tasks for the HR department, such as answering phones and scheduling interviews for new hires or current employees who are looking for other jobs. They’ll also work on payroll issues, manage benefits packages for employees, and assist with training programs (such as making sure everyone has access to proper safety gear). Human resources specialists take on more complex duties related to employee relations; they might interview candidates before hiring them or mediate conflicts between workers if there’s been some kind of conflict within their department.
Life Coach
If you’re interested in working as a life coach, you should know that the job is a lot like being a psychologist. A life coach helps people improve their lives by focusing on their personal growth and development. In other words, they help people make changes that will positively impact their lives.
What does a life coach do?
A good question! A lot of different things. For example:
- They may use psychological techniques and theories to help people identify what’s holding them back from achieving their goals or living up to their full potentials. Sometimes they might even use these techniques in order to teach clients how to cope with certain issues (like anxiety) without seeing them as “problems.” Other times, though more rarely than the first scenario above, they may also work with clients who want professional guidance while they sort out some of their problems on their own—in either case though it’s important that both parties agree on what kind of assistance should be given before any work begins so there aren’t any misunderstandings later down the line!
- They generally meet one-on-one with clients over long periods of time in order for everyone involved feels comfortable talking about things like emotions or relationships openly without fear about anything getting out into public where others could read about it—which means these sessions take place either at home after hours when no one else will be around (or perhaps during lunch breaks).
Mental Health Assistant/Technician
A mental health technician, or MHT, is someone who assists a licensed mental health professional with the assessment and treatment of clients. Mental health technicians are often master’s level mental health providers with special training in behavioral therapies. They may be trained to administer cognitive behavioral therapy or other types of talk therapy. A mental healthcare assistant, or HHA, is a person who provides support for clients receiving mental healthcare services from private practitioners or hospitals. Both HHA and MHT have job duties that include administering medication and keeping records on patients’ progress.
Psychology degree can get you a lot of jobs
Many people with psychology degrees choose to work in the field of mental health, where they can help those in need. A bachelor’s degree in psychology can get you into careers such as:
- Clinical psychologist
- Counselor
- Psychiatric nurse
If you’re interested in behavioral research, an advanced degree may be required. Employment opportunities include working as a social worker, researcher or statistician. You could also choose to teach at the college level if you like working with students.
Conclusion
You can see how your psychology degree can take you anywhere. From working with children or in the court system to helping individuals or organizations, there’s a career for every personality. You can also specialize by majoring in forensic psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, consulting psychology (human factors), or clinical psychology.
