Psychology is defined as the scientific study of the human mind and its related functions, especially those that affect human behavior in each context or scenario. It is often broken down into consumer psychology, health psychology, cognitive psychology, educational psychology, abnormal psychology, social psychology, etc.
Psychology is one of the most popular majors at the undergraduate level. It is well-known in every part of the world, be it the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Middle East, etc. Wherever you go, you will find a large bunch of people aspiring to go way ahead with their qualifications in this particular discipline. People often choose to achieve a double major in psychology and economics, or maybe take minors such as child development, public health, etc. in order to broaden their spectrum of knowledge and soft skills.
These soft skills then translate into their resume and job interview and help them get a highly paid job at a reputable firm. While some psychology majors chose to work for someone else as their career, there are other career opportunities available for them which also include setting up their own clinic or workspace.
While classes are usually been taken in-person, usually in an educational institution, some students may choose to take advantage of globalization. Now, what do we mean by that? We mean that some students take advantage of technology and obtain their degree online. Some many online websites and institutions will provide you well-known psychology degrees after which you can join a job in the formal sector. One such kind of degree is an online forensic psychology degree. Forensic Psychology is the practice of psychology and law together, and people can do that on an online forum through websites, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
While there is a world full of career opportunities available for a psychology graduate, some of the most highly paid ones can be found below:
1. SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR
This is one of the most demanding jobs one can entail. One works with clients who are addicted to certain substances, including but not limited to, alcohol, cocaine, or any other illegal drugs. Usually, laws will not only require you to have a strong academic background, but you should also have a strong personality that could sway away patients from their addiction slowly and gradually. You should also be a good listener and hence a good speaker, both. Most laws require certification or licensure to be a substance abuse counselor and hence practice it. Your salary will depend upon your expertise and mostly your years of experience.
2. HUMAN RESOURCE PERSONNEL
The position of human resource personnel basically fits the people who like organizational setting, like a workplace instead of a clinic or business setting. Your main task will be to assist the Chief Human Resource Officer or the Human Resource Manager in the implementation of policies and unique strategies to uplift the performance of a company or an organization. People who have concentrated on consumer psychology may be a good fit for this kind of position because one of the main aims could be to boost sales and improve the morale of the clients associated with the company. The human resource personnel will also be involved in the screening and recruiting process of new employees and will also be expected to undertake the crucial task of improving the behavior and performance of its employees.
3. CORRECTIONAL OFFICER
These officers have the prime responsibility to safeguard populations of a prison inmate. Due to the nature of the job, it is most suitable for psychologists who have a psychology degree as they perform activities like rehabilitation, counseling, etc. There is an increase in demand for correctional officers who have studied psychology which means their salary is also increasing subsequently.
4. PSYCHIATRISTS
A psychiatrist is someone who is a medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and mainly the treatment of mental illnesses. In most countries, a person can only hold a license for a psychiatrist if he has completed medical school or has done a master’s or Ph.D. in the field. Hence, a doctor of psychiatry is a very reputable position and could earn a person up to $228,000 annually.
5. FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS
As discussed earlier, forensic psychology is a branch of psychology that is a partnership between psychology and the justice system. Forensic psychologists are treated as credible witnesses during court hearings, and the psychologist is expected to evaluate that if the defendant is competent in standing the trial. The main job of the forensic psychologist is to make sure that the accused’s mental condition is confirmed if he is sane, mentally ill, etc. Forensic psychologists do this through a procedure of questioning and testing. They also recommend months or years of sentencing depending upon the mental stability of the defendant. Salaries of forensic psychologists can go up to $75,000 annually but mainly depend on the years of experience acquired by the psychologist.
6. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Psychologists who basically are involved in the development of learning materials and can understand the aspects of human learning are usually classified as educational psychologists. They could perhaps enhance one’s reading skills through a technique that is newly developed. They are mostly present in educational settings such as schools, universities, colleges, etc. and also assess the performance of educational interventions in terms of learning and developments of the community associated with the organization. Many educational psychologists focus on differently-abled children, mainly those with Down Syndrome. They also play a part in improving the school’s education policy on a strategic level.
7. I-O PSYCHOLOGISTS
This is a combination of industrial and organizational psychology, hence the name “I-O” (I for Industrial and O for Organization). They involve themselves studying behavior in the workplace. They are geared and motivated towards boosting each employee’s productivity and work ethic. They help enhance the company’s workforce by holding seminars and carrying out surveys in terms of what the employees want. They are also responsible to match the personalities of employees in different job positions to their respective skill set hence maximizing the human resource potential of the company. They also work to resolve employee issues and go with the motto “Happy workers yield fruitful results”!
Conclusion
No matter what type of field you opt for, make sure to look at the numbers in terms of your salary and give them equal importance as your interests. No doubt, a highly paid job will increase your utility but if you love to do the specific job it can be even better. Research your work through, work out all the pros and cons before making a definite decision on your career prospect and look up all the jobs outlined above in great detail if you are interested in any of them. Professional life can be an epitome of joy, make sure to build that accordingly, and we are pretty sure you will fly with great colors and will hopefully achieve new heights!
