Okay, so you’re thinking about psychology, huh? Maybe even got that shiny bachelor’s degree already? Cool! Let me tell you, figuring out what to do with it can be a bit of a trip. I’ve been there, done that, got the slightly-too-small t-shirt.
When I first graduated, I was all hyped up about helping people, you know? Classic psychology student dream. I thought I’d be, like, immediately saving the world, one therapy session at a time. But reality hit, and it hit hard. No license = limited options. That whole “therapist” thing? Yeah, that’s a long road of grad school and supervised practice.
So, what did I do? Well, first, I panicked. Just kidding (sort of). I started by just throwing my resume at anything that even vaguely smelled like “psychology-related.” Think entry-level stuff. I applied to be a research assistant at a university. Basically, I was running participants through studies, entering data, and making a lot of coffee for the actual researchers. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a foot in the door.
My daily routine looked something like this:
- Get in, chug coffee (important).
- Prep the lab for whatever study was running that day. This could be anything from setting up computer programs to arranging questionnaires.
- Greet participants, explain the study, get their consent forms signed.
- Run them through the experiment. This part was actually kinda cool – seeing the research in action.
- Debrief participants, answer their questions (and try not to reveal the study’s true purpose too early!).
- Enter data, which was mind-numbingly boring but necessary.
- Make more coffee.
After about a year of that, I started to feel a little restless. The research was interesting, but I wanted something more… applied. That’s when I stumbled into the world of human resources (HR). Yeah, I know, it sounds like a total 180, but hear me out.
Turns out, a psychology degree is surprisingly useful in HR. All that stuff you learn about human behavior, motivation, and communication? Gold, pure gold. I started as an HR assistant at a small tech company. My job was basically to handle all the paperwork, schedule interviews, and generally keep things running smoothly.
Here’s a peek at my HR life:
- Sorting through resumes (you’d be shocked at some of the stuff people put on their applications).
- Scheduling interviews and coordinating with hiring managers.
- Onboarding new employees (making them feel welcome and filling out tons of forms).
- Helping with employee benefits and payroll (the boring but crucial stuff).
- Dealing with employee relations issues (sometimes things get messy).
What I realized was that my psychology background gave me a real edge. I was good at reading people, understanding their needs, and resolving conflicts. I also had a knack for creating training programs that were actually engaging (instead of just being a snooze-fest).
Eventually, I worked my way up to an HR specialist role, where I was more involved in things like recruitment, performance management, and employee development. I even got to design and implement a new leadership training program, which was a major win.
The Takeaway?
A bachelor’s in psychology doesn’t automatically make you a therapist. But it does give you a solid foundation in understanding people. And that’s a skill that’s valuable in a ton of different fields. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and explore different career paths. You might be surprised at what you can do.
Oh, and one last thing: networking is key. Talk to people, go to industry events, and let people know what you’re interested in. You never know where your next opportunity might come from.
Good luck out there!
