You will find people who have been educated in the field of psychology scattered throughout the business world, in business and corporate settings as well as in the sociological types of professions that involve counseling, therapy and mental health. People who hold bachelor's degrees in psychology often gravitate to the field of substance abuse rehabilitation, where there are counseling opportunities that do not necessarily require specialized training. Areas that require some predictive knowledge of human behavior include advertising and product development, or marketing campaign development.
The Variety of Psychology Jobs for the PhD
There are at least a half dozen major subdivisions within the profession of psychology that denote careers of wide diversity. Clinical psychologists make up the largest portion of professionals in the field. These people are usually in some sort of counseling practice. The formal definition of a practicing clinical psychologist is one who deals as a therapist with patients who have serious behavioral, emotional or mental difficulties. A counseling psychologist maintains a practice for patients who are fundamentally sound but may be facing difficult, life-changing issues that are overwhelming them. These patients may need grief counseling, may have anxiety or stress difficulties, or may be undergoing physical therapy for an injury that is giving them emotional problems.
Psychology Jobs in the Business World
Industrial-organizational psychologists apply their skills within the workplace. They develop systems for screening and selecting potential employees. They will undertake organizational analyses of businesses or departments within businesses in order to develop an understanding of worker morale and productivity. With that analysis complete, they might propose a re-organizational model to management. Industrial-organizational psychologists also consult with businesses on developing strategies to foster and encourage teamwork. This may involve work with the employees as a group along with structural or operational changes that facilitate the employees seeing themselves as a single unit.
Social psychologists study the impact of the social environment on the personality, and how individuals respond to it and are shaped by it. Social psychologists are often called in to consult on market research and product design for businesses with consumer oriented products. The psychologist becomes part of a team that includes the marketing department, the engineering department, a financial officer and someone from the manufacturing sector. All of these corporate elements combine with the social psychologist to hopefully develop a product or service that resonates with the public.
Psychology Jobs in the School Environment
A school psychologist can obtain placement in that profession without a PhD. Most states provide that people holding a master's degree in psychology and that have had certain specifically defined training, and that have passed a state licensing examination can work as school psychologists at the elementary and secondary level.
School psychologists work with students who may be having trouble in the classroom, or who may be having trouble at home. An important part of a school psychologist's job is to facilitate communication among parents, teachers and school officials. Often the toughest part of that role is drawing parents into active involvement with their child's school activities. School psychologists may work with students who have learning disabilities, behavioral problems in the classroom, substance abuse problems or social difficulties in the school environment.
