Psychology Careers

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes- in simpler terms, understanding how people think, feel and behave. It is a broad field of study, encompassing areas like biopsychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, organizational psychology, health psychology, abnormal psychology, educational psychology, sports psychology, human personality and more. This field is ideal for those interested in understanding, working with and helping people.

Working as a psychologist

There are many different things you could do with a psychology degree. You will find that, while they are all very different professions, they all have one thing in common: they involve working with people.

Professions which do not require Postgraduate Qualifications

Organisational management

Large multinational companies like General Electric (GE), Shell, PETRONAS, Citibank and HSBC have for years been recruiting psychology graduates for their organizations. Psychology graduates working in these companies typically enhance organizational effectiveness by applying psychological principles to issues like human motivation, performances management, work satisfaction, stress management, conflict resolution, talent management and talent requisition.

Mentoring, Training and Development

Most of the more than 200 training companies in the Klang Valley specialize in soft-skill corporate development programmes, in areas like stress management, emotional intelligence (EQ), customer-service, change management, motivation and performance, conflict management and team building – in essence, to help people become more effective in their work.

Psychology graduates are well equipped for this particular industry with their expertise in human thought, feelings and behavior. This is a potentially lucrative field as some trainers can earn between RM1,500 to RM5,000 a day for training sessions.

To be successful in this industry, psychology graduates will need to develop their communication and facilitation skills. Top consulting firms like Accenture, Hewitt and McKinsey & Company are aggressively recruiting psychology graduates in Malaysia.

Research and recruitment

With their expertise in conducting systematic research, psychology graduates also have the option of working in research companies and recruitment firms.

In market research companies, psychology graduates research different aspects of people’s attitudes or behavior which are of interest to companies trying to sell products. Researchers’ responsibilities include designing surveys, identifying samples, organizing data collection, analyzing and subsequently presenting the data in an easily understandable way.

In recruitment firms (which are sometimes known as headhunting companies), your clients will often be companies wanting to fill positions in their workforce. Your job may include running personality assessment tests to see if job applicants fit the company culture and interviewing shortlisted candidates.

Social and Community Work

Psychology graduates who want to make a difference in the community need not look far for jobs. In the klang valley alone, there are more than 180 associations which work with various communities, including people with physical or mental disabilities, victims of abuse, recovering drug addicts, impoverished communities and children who have been separated from their parents. Psychology graduates will play the role of helpers as well as advocates and organizers.

Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations (PR)

With their knowledge of how people think, psychology graduates are able to develop creative and effective marketing and advertising programmes. For the past 20 years, psychology graduates have been employed by leading advertising companies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and Ogilvy & Mather.

Many psychology graduates also work in public relations, which include political operatives. In many parts of the world, psychologists work as speechwriters and campaign managers for politicians.

Professions that require Postgraduate Qualifications

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is a specialist field which involves helping people with mental health issues, which include depression, autism and post-dramatic stress disorder. Clinical psychologists work either in private practice, or in private or public hospitals. Many clinicians also develop community education programmes to help spread awareness of mental health issues.

The World Health Organizations (WHO) estimates that Malaysia requires more than 340 clinical psychologists, but currently has less than 70. There is a huge shortage of clinical psychologists in this country and as a result most of them are incredibly overworked, with waiting lists that span months.

Organisational Psychology

Organisational psychologists work as consultants with organizations to improve work quality and productivity as well as worker satisfaction. They are licensed to design and administer psychological assessments in the workplace.

School and Educational Psychology

School psychologists work within the education system to improve learning and make education effective and interesting for students. They also help students with learning disabilities like dyslexia.

Health Psychology

Health psychologists are interested in improving people’s psychological interventions in areas like stress management, overcoming addictions and cultivating healthy eating habits. They often work for the government, though some work in consulting and private practice.

Academic Work

The academic world may interest those who enjoy teaching and research and is a relatively stable profession which affords travel opportunities and new experiences.

Challenges

Psychology requires a lot of reading and analysis, and considerable research. To succeed in this area, students will need to be committed wholeheartedly which is why passion and interest are essential.

Working with people is also challenging as they are often mysterious, unpredictable and sometimes can stretch your patience and determination. It’s thus important to acquire good people skills and develop a genuine empathy for others. It’s difficult to understand and help people unless you learn to care about them.

Some Advice

Psychology is a wide field, with many areas to explore. Explore as many areas as possible during your undergraduate degree by spending time discussing issues with lecturers, attending seminars, conferences and workshops, and joining clubs and societies to help you discover more.

As Asia develops, there will be a need for more psychologists in many different fields. In the end, people are what matter most in this world. If you’re interested in understanding and empowering people, this is certainly the field for you.

This article was originally published in courseNOW! Health & Sciences issue 56. Reprinted with permission of GTI Specialist Publishers (M) Sdn Bhd. All rights reserved.

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