A Description Of Various Career Options In The Field Of Psychology (Essay Sample)

Career Opportunity Research and Report Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Career Opportunity Research and Report Making a career choice can be a difficult task, and choosing the right job that suits one's needs is challenging because it requires extensive and comprehensive research. There are millions of career opportunities available, and before making a choice, it is important to consider several factors some of which include compatibility, requirements, benefits, salary and working conditions ("Importance of Career Research," 2017). In the psychology field, for example, there are tons of career paths that an individual can follow, and after comprehensive research, several psychology specialties will be discussed in the sections below, where job responsibility, locations, salaries, education, licensing requirements and career outlooks for each specialty will be addressed, Child Psychologist A child psychologist deals with young children and adolescents. The job responsibilities of a child psychologist include the analysis and diagnosis of the mental, emotional and social development of adolescents and children. They diagnose and treat children for learning disabilities, research on childhood development and help a child’s healthcare team in the development of a safe treatment plan. A child psychologist can be employed in different settings, some of which include mental health clinics, schools, and hospitals. The median annual salary for child psychologists is $64,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor ("American Psychological Association (APA)," n.d.). To become a child psychologist, one needs to hold a doctoral degree or at least a master’s degree in psychology. Licensure requirements for child psychologists are the completion of a two-year supervised clinical internship and a pass score in state and national tests. The Occupational Outlook Handbook cites that through this year (2018), there will be an average growth of the profession especially due to increased awareness of children’s mental health. Therefore, job prospects in this particular specialty for individuals with a doctoral degree in applied psychology are expected to increase in the next few years ("Careers in Psychology - All Psychology Careers and Fields," n.d.). This particular specialty would be of interest to me because I love dealing with children and helping them tackle their developmental issues would help me contribute to their future growth. Counseling Psychologist Counseling psychologists treat individuals who present with severe symptoms of everyday life stresses. They interact with patients and use cognitive behavioral therapy and person-centered therapy to help people change their behaviors and improve their quality of life. Counseling psychologists various settings including psychiatric hospitals, private practice, schools, and health clinics. Counseling psychologists earn $72,540 per year, according to United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. BLS). Counseling psychologists study a bachelor’s degree in psychology accompanied by a master’s or a doctoral degree in counseling psychology. For licensure, one must hold at least a master’s degree in counseling psychology and must have passed the National Counsellor Examinations for Licensure and Certification. Also, one is required to have completed given hours of a supervised internship. Occupational Outlook Handbook estimates that by 2026 employment for counseling psychologists will have increased by 14%. I would not be interested in this career path because working with stressed adults can be a little difficult and demotivating especially if the adult in question is emotional. Clinical Psychologist Clinical psychologists work in a variety of areas, and in most cases, they choose the specific population that they prefer treating. A clinical psychologist may choose to specialize in specific chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, or mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, or psychological issues such as schizophrenia. Work locations for clinical psychologists are usually mental health facilities and hospitals. Other areas where clinical psychologists work are schools, police departments, and organizations which are either private or government ran. The annual salary of clinical psychologists depends on factors such as popularity, experience, and location. However, as per the 2015 statistics by U.S. BLS, clinical psychologists earn an average annual salary of $76, 040 Clinical psychologists hold doctoral degrees, and to be fully licensed as a clinical psychologist, one must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), after completion of a one-year supervised clinical internship. According to BLS, by 2020 there will be a 22% job growth in clinical psychology. I would be interested in becoming a clinical psychologist because this career provides an opportunity for choosing the population and type of disorder that I would like to specialize in. Developmental Psychologist Developmental psychologists help people understand growth and development of people at different ages. They usually specialize in certain ages, where some may focus on child development and others on geriatrics. Their job responsibilities depend on the chosen specialty group, but they mostly encompass patient evaluation for developmental disabilities in children and assistance of older adults so that they can live independently. Developmental psychologists can work with patients from their homes, in school, learning centers, nursing homes, and hospitals. They also work as teachers and researchers in institutions. Developmental psychologists earn an annual median salary of $69, 150 ("Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics," 2018). Developmental psychologists hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, but they can opt for advanced degrees in developmental psychology (Master’s or Doctoral degrees. Licensure requires completion of an accredited program, and an internship placement as well as acquiring a pass score in give licensure examinations. BLS estimates that by 2022, there will be an 11% growth of job opportunities for developmental psychologists ("Psychology Careers | CareersInPsychology.org," n.d.). I would be interested in this career path because it provides an opportunity where an individual can choose a preferred population. Experimental Psychologist Experimental psychologists conduct tests and experiments and research studies on various psychological topics. Their job description involves working with subjects of their experiments, collecting materials for experimental studies, analyzing results from studies and writing grants to request funds to carry out future experiments. They work in a variety of settings, which is mostly determined by the group of the population that the psychologist wishes to study. Work locations include mental institutions, healthcare facilities, and nursing homes among others. The mean annual salary for developmental psychologists is $75,000 ("Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics," 2018). An experimental psychologist must hold a minimum of a Master’s degree in experimental psychology. License requirements for this profession include; hands-on training through a residency program or a supervised internship program and a pass score in license examinations. BSL estimates that the growth of this profession is at 19% with statistics indicating that by 2024, more than 33,000 job opportunities will have been created ("Psychology Careers | CareersInPsychology.org," n.d.). I would consider this career path in the future because I love learning new things which can be achieved through experiments. Forensic Psychologist Forensic psychologists play a critical role in the criminal justice system. Their job responsibilities include the provision of psychological assessments of defenders in criminal investigations and giving out testimonies in court. Forensic psychologists also assist the victims of crime through treatment. Additionally, they investigate various types of abuse including; child abuse, domestic violence, and elderly abuse. They also work in correctional settings where they offer a psychological evaluation to different individuals as well as inmates. Other work locations include police stations and law firms. The annual median salary for a forensic psychologist is $62,863 ("Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics," 2018). Forensic psychologists hold either a Doctoral degree in forensic psychology, of a Master’s degree of the same. A doctorate, however, increases the chances of employment. Licensure requirements include training under supervision and completion of accredited psychology programs as well as a passing score in licensure examinations. Career outlooks for this profession are promising, with BSL statistics estimating that by 2026 there will be a 14% increase in the demand for forensic psychologists ("Psychology Careers | CareersInPsychology.org," n.d.). I would be interested in this career path because it is a fascinating career choice that involves every-day new experiences. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist Industrial-organizational psychologists conduct research studies or review studies conducted by other researchers in organizations and workplaces. They use the obtained results to solves issues within organizations. They work in different organizations including construction sites, factories, and plants as well as white color organizations such as office buildings. These psychologists, therefore, resolve problems that may impact the normal functioning of an organization. The salary for industrial-organizational psychologists mostly depends on the level of education, but estimations for their annual salary is $80,000 ("Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statist...