The #1 question I got this weekend was “What can I do with a PSYC degree?” I have general and specific answers to this question. THREAD 👇[1/13]
Many employers are looking for skills in data management, data analysis, teamwork, and research. PSYC programs train in all of these. [2/13]
Re-frame group projects. If teamwork is going off the rails, good instructors support students to work through the problem. “How can we get this back on track?” Remember this experience for the job interview question “how did you turn around a tough professional situation?”[3/13]
Stats and research methods are like power tools: maybe intimidating at first, but soon you think “THIS IS AWESOME!” These are the tools we use to better understand brains and behaviours, and employers need them. Know how to use R/Excel/SPSS? Put it on your resume. [4/13]
By the time you graduate from a PSYC program, you should be relatively confident finding, critically reading, and evaluating scholarly journal articles. Don’t underestimate these skills: you are scientifically literate, and can find evidence-based insights into problems. [5/13]
So what jobs can you do? MANY. Rather than think about job title, think about relevant job skills. You’ve got data management, data analysis, teamwork, and research down. [6/13]
Many students will have additional experience writing papers, giving presentations, debating scientific presentations in front of others, conducting research in a lab, mentoring junior students, volunteering. [7/13]
Don’t forget your ethics training! Did you complete your government human ethics research training? That’s an asset for many jobs. [8/13]
When thinking career specifics, I recommend working backwards. Don’t guess about what you need, make a plan based on data. Take some time, go to web pages of organizations that you like, look at their HR/Employment page. [9/13]
Look through job ads. What jobs are you interested in? Find 3-5 “dream” job postings. What qualifications do they have in common? How can you get those qualifications? Consider doing those things. [10/13]
On top of the generalizable skills, PSYC students have data-driven training in the science of brain and behaviour. This has been applied widely in many contexts. [11/13]
Want more information? Early January, I’m publishing an #openaccess book with examples of how psyc science has been applied, and careers related to psych science. Chapters written by area experts nation-wide. [12/13]
Your training matters, and you can #DoGreatThings #Psychology #PsychologicalScience #JobSearch [13/13]
