4 answers
1
Question
Asked
760 views
What are are some possible careers with a BS in Psychology?
I am currently in college and majoring in Psychology. A lot of people tell me I won't be able to find a job with my degree and it has made me a little bit anxious about what to expect after graduation. I want to know what are some possible careers for me that don't require a Masters degree. #psychology #college #career #career-path #career-choice
Login to comment
4 answers
Updated
Lyndsay’s Answer
Have you considered minoring in some form of teaching? I majored in psychology and minored in elementary education. There is an entire program at the college I went to to help people get teaching licenses after they have a Bachelors. Any major can minor in teaching and it could be a great "fall back" career. There are many opportunities for short term teachers.
Also, maybe look into becoming an actuary. I have a friend who did this in college and she has a really cool job. It's more on the mathematical side but it helps companies calculate risk usually for insurance reasons. She makes great money, she loves her job, and there aren't many people in the industry so there are plenty of opportunities for jobs.
https://www.soa.org/future-actuaries/career-paths/
Also, maybe look into becoming an actuary. I have a friend who did this in college and she has a really cool job. It's more on the mathematical side but it helps companies calculate risk usually for insurance reasons. She makes great money, she loves her job, and there aren't many people in the industry so there are plenty of opportunities for jobs.
https://www.soa.org/future-actuaries/career-paths/
Updated
Zoe’s Answer
Design Research might be an interesting field for you to add to your list! It allows us to study humans, much like one would in a psychology major, and a lot of us come from psychology or related fields. The big difference is that you're the one coming to conclusions about human behavior and preferences, and then deciding how that might change what the company should do with their product/service etc. A co-worker of mine compares it to being like an anthropologist, just employed by a company to study the users and potential users of their product.
Here's a cool overview of what that might look like at a company that specializes in doing design research as a service for other companies: https://www.ideo.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-design-researcher
Best of luck to you! Follow what brings you energy 😁
Here's a cool overview of what that might look like at a company that specializes in doing design research as a service for other companies: https://www.ideo.com/blog/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-design-researcher
Best of luck to you! Follow what brings you energy 😁
Updated
Matthew’s Answer
Nayeli - the first career that comes to my mind for major in psychology is behavioural finance, which is how psychological biases influence markets and economic behaviour. But that is a direct application of the degree. I have found that general degrees like psychology open the doors to many paths. I think that your challenge is more of too many paths not of too few. The issue here is how do you focus.
My mentor asked me this same question many years ago - "Of all the things that you could do, what are the few things that you should do? Which one or two will really make a difference?" These are called levers or leverage points.
How do we find them?
My suggestion is to identify a few careers in industries where you have some interest to narrow down the choices. Then identify a few careers in those industries that will pay you well enough in the short term so you can pay your living expenses (List A). Then identify careers in those industries of things that you are good at doing (List B). Then identify careers in those industries of the things that you love doing (List C).
Target those careers that intersect all 3 lists if you can but remember, all else being equal, List A overrides B and C when you are first starting out. After you gain experience and save some money, you can reverse the order.
The main thing is don't despair about the Psychology Degree. It's like having Type O+ blood, you are the universal employee. Cheers!
Identify a few careers in industries where you have some interest.
Then identify a few careers in those industries that will pay you well enough in the short term(List A).
Then identify careers in those industries of things that you are good at doing (List B).
Then identify careers in those industries of the things that you love doing (List C).
Target those careers that intersect all 3 lists if you can but remember, all else being equal, List A overrides B and C when you are first starting out.
My mentor asked me this same question many years ago - "Of all the things that you could do, what are the few things that you should do? Which one or two will really make a difference?" These are called levers or leverage points.
How do we find them?
My suggestion is to identify a few careers in industries where you have some interest to narrow down the choices. Then identify a few careers in those industries that will pay you well enough in the short term so you can pay your living expenses (List A). Then identify careers in those industries of things that you are good at doing (List B). Then identify careers in those industries of the things that you love doing (List C).
Target those careers that intersect all 3 lists if you can but remember, all else being equal, List A overrides B and C when you are first starting out. After you gain experience and save some money, you can reverse the order.
The main thing is don't despair about the Psychology Degree. It's like having Type O+ blood, you are the universal employee. Cheers!
Matthew recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Denece’s Answer
I would ask why you are drawn to a Psychology Degree. If you are interested in people's motivations and why they make decisions , you could explore a career in marketing and use your Psychology degree to understand consumer behaviors and then apply it to business goals. Consumer Psychology is the study of human behavior regarding their buying patterns, customs and preferences in relation to consumer products including their reactions and preferences to advertising, packaging and marketing of those products. Consumer behavior is being called as the psychology of marketing because Marketers use it to predict how consumers will act and to find ways to influence their decisions.
As suggested above, I think a Psychology Degree opens many doors since it is related to helping people.
As suggested above, I think a Psychology Degree opens many doors since it is related to helping people.