Career in Psychology

Psychology Careers

[one_half][ads1][/one_half]Psychology Careers is the study of mental processes and human behavior. Psychology is a branch of science which is basically concerned with how a human mind works, it’s thinking prowess, etc. Psychologists are therefore responsible for identifying behavioral issues, emotional and psychological issues.

There are many fields in Psychology Careers in which a Psychologist may specialize in-

• Clinical Psychology.
• Educational Psychology.
• Child Psychology.
• Experimental Psychology.
• Occupational Psychology.
• Social Psychology.
• Forensic Psychology.
• Neuropsychology.

They perform their treatment after analyzing the information derived from patient’s interviews, patient records, patient test and history of the disorder or illness.

Psychology Careers Job Profile

Psychologists study the feelings, motives, processes, reactions and nature of the human mind. Their treatment is based on changing the behavioral patterns of the patients without medication. They provide counseling and help people by bringing about changes in their thought process which are not beneficial to them, thus improving their quality of life and also of people who surround them. Psychologists need not have a medical degree. But they have to study and practice several years in order to specialize in various aspects of psychology.

A Psychologist must not discriminate anyone and must always be ethical and show interest in solving people’s problems and should be emphatic towards them. Psychologists practice, teach and perform research or work in one or many of the applied fields of Psychology.

Psychologists apply their knowledge & techniques in a range of endeavors such as law, sports, education, human services, management, etc.

It is also one of the duties of a Psychologist to devise a specialized and individualized treatment for a patient and knowing when to alter it and how to alter it, as they delve into the treatment further.

Psychology Careers Skills Required

• A Psychologist must have a very analytical mind, for diagnosis.
• Must possess excellent communication skills in order to counsel the patients suffering from anxiety or behavioral issues or any other issues as such.
• Must have a lot of patience and also the ability to work under pressure.
• This is a very stressful job as far as the mind is concerned, A Psychologist must always maintain ethics and discipline.
• Should have an innate genuine passion to help people have a better quality of life.
• Ability to deal with people in stress, depression and anxiety, etc.
• Must be emphatic, honest and should be able to keep one’s integrity intact.
• Should keep a methodical, logical & accurate approach.
• Good problem solving and decision making skills are required.
• Since a Psychologist may deal with multiple patients in a day and may have many cases at hand at a time, He/ she should be very well organised.
• ability to organised complex workload in order to meet the set deadlines.
• Interpersonal skills – People skills form the core of any successful Psychology career.
• Information-finding and investigating skills are very essential in this profession.
• To make use of non-ideal situations and develop the ability to work under preset constraints. Such pragmatism is very useful.
• Must have the ability to work well within a team setup, i.e Good team-working skills.

Salary Packages

• At the initial level, The average remuneration of a Psychologist may range from 5,000 INR to 8,000 INR a month.
• Well established and specialized Psychologists may command a pay range from 15,000 INR to 25,000 INR a month.
• A well established, known and well skilled and trained Psychologist who starts working independently can earn on par with any other independent counselors or practicing general physicians.
• The highest paying job for a Psychologist is given to those with a Master’s and PhD degree.

Job Prospects

The Job Prospects for a Psychologist varies according to the specialized in the applied fields of Psychology.

• Health Psychology – Health Psychologists are concerned with Psychology’s contributions to the maintenance and promotion of treatment & prevention of illness and also good health.
• Clinical Psychology– They treat after assessing people with Psychological problems.They act as therapists for people experiencing normal psychological disorders and chronic psychiatric disorders.
• Counseling Psychology – They are employed in college counselling centers, academic settings, community mental health centers ,etc.

There are innumerable Job opportunities for Psychologists today, most of them in the larger cities and metropolitan cities.

With depression, drug abuse, self destruction, alcohol abuse more prevalent in today’s times than ever before, Psychologist’s job has become more prominent and they have become more important to our society and us humans than they were before.

I would like to add on here that a Psychologist’s work is no less than that of a doctor and in terms of service to the society and us humans, they are no less saviors than any other noble profession.

They work in a number of different settings, such as

• Colleges and universities.
• Government institutions.
• Private industry.
• Hospitals.
• Clinics.
• Child/ Youth guidance centers.
• Rehabilitation centers.
• Prisons.
• Advertising world.
• Research establishments
• Social Welfare organisations.
• Community health centers.

How Do I get there ?

• The candidate must have passed 10+2 from a recognized school/ college or an equivalent examination, to opt for a Bachelor of Arts or bachelor of Science in Psychology.
• It would help him/ her to have opted Psychology as a subject in 10+2, But its not a compulsion.
• The duration for BA in Psychology and B.Sc in Psychology is 3 years, and the duration of M.Phil and PhD is 2 years.