Nobody knows this better than I do. I couldn't find a job worth a damn after I graduated with a psychology B.A. degree. I searched endlessly online for answers to this question and found nothing helpful on the topic.
After considerable pain and a couple of years struggling to make a living, I've got a few answers to "what can you do with a B.A. in psychology".
But first things first...
A word of advice for those of you thinking about getting a bachelor's degree in psychology...
DON'T DO IT, unless you plan on getting at least a Master's degree in psychology. Allow me to explain:
In your specific field, psychology, there are no opportunities to advance without a higher degree. Which is another way of saying that the best you can do is get a low paying, dead-end job working side by side as an equal with someone who has only a high school diploma. The job I'm talking about is a Mental Health Tech of some sort, different places have different names for this, but it all boils down to one thing-you're a baby sitter and sometimes a wrestler.
Now that we know what not to do with a B.A. in psychology, let's talk about what you can do with it if you already have one.
My advice for you would be to get a Master's as soon as possible. If you don't want to do that I would suggest that you forget about working in psychology/mental health and start looking for another field to work in.
Here's what you can do with a bachelor's degree in psychology:
- put it on your resume and show a future employer that you are intelligent and dedicated enough to get a four-year degree
- get a job in your field just for the sake of experience
- develop skills that translate beautifully into all fields
A bachelor's in psych can easily cross all borders and get your foot in the door for many different fields because the skills and knowledge you have are used in every situation-how you talk to customers, your boss, coworkers, everybody. Understanding human nature is essential for being successful in any situation and employers value this, especially in sales.
Here's a list of careers that you can have with only a B.A. in psychology:
- Pharmaceutical Representative
- Retail Store Manager
- School Counselor
- MHT
- other lower postions in health care
- anything in sales
Again, these are just a few things that you can do with a B.A. degree in psychology.
2 comments:
I've found myself in a bit of a ditch lately as well. I graduated college with a broad focus trying to get any job I could. I'm currently thinking of going back to school, but I work full-time and have a family to support. In the end I've decided to start heading towards my Online Psychology Degree in the hopes that it will add to my resume and may open some new fields for me to try. I have to admit that my knowledge is limited in the field, but that only makes me more interested in the learning process. Maybe I'll even learn something about myself at the end.
That's great that you plan on continuing your education. I really hate to hear that yet another college graduate is having difficulty getting a decent job. It's easy to forget the "college" is a business and that they're out to make money by selling you on the idea that a higher education guarantees you a job and a bright future once you graduate. Which as you and I know is simply not the case. You've got to get really creative with your credentials if you want to find a good job with your degree. Sometimes getting a master's degree does the trick,but not always. My advice is get some really good experience to go along with your degree and you'll be ahead of the game.
Post a Comment