Jobs Popular with Psychology Graduates
Although psychology graduates go on to work in a very broad range of sectors, here are some of the jobs that utilise some of your psychology and degree related skills; involve working with, understanding and supporting people or are just particularly popular with psychology graduates.
Jobs in Management, IT, Finance
Many of the graduate schemes accept applications from any degree discipline. Psychology graduates can often overlook their suitability for roles such as human factors, financial analysis and consultancy. Examples include:
- Human Resources Assistant/Manager/Training Officer / Recruitment Consultant
- Human Factors, Human Computer Interaction
- Management/IT Consultant/Web Designer/User Experience
- Business/Financial/Information Analyst
See also
Jobs in research and analysis
Psychology graduates carry out research work in Universities, research centres, healthcare consultancies and public sector bodies. Example roles include:
- Social Researcher/ Market Researcher /Planner
- Research Executive (quantitative/qualitative)/ Research Analyst / Data Analyst /Healthcare Analyst
- Research Assistant (University)/ Clinical Research Associate
- Clinical Trials Assistant/Officer
- Civil Service Administrator/Fast Stream/Local Govt Officer – Operational Research
Jobs in marketing/PR/advertising/events/media/creative
A growing number of psychology graduates are working in consumer behaviour, insights and market research, using their psychology to help organisations to understand their customers and clients better. User experience is another growing area utilising psychology skills. Example roles include:
- Public Relations Officer
- Market Researcher/ Marketing/ Sales Executive/ Digital Media Executive/ Media Planner
- Consumer Behaviour/ Consumer Insights / Advertising Executive
- User Experience (U-X)
Jobs in mental health, general health care and therapy
Support worker and e-therapy roles are popular for psychology graduates looking to build their experience in mental health. Look out for new roles like social prescribing. Working in psychological therapies. Example initial roles include:
- Assistant Psychologist/ E-therapy Coordinator (on-line CBT)/ Support worker / therapy worker - mental health
- Therapeutic Parent/Family Therapist
- Project/Support/Rehabilitation Worker – drug and alcohol
- Social worker (mental health/learning disabilities)
- Creative Arts /Play/Music Therapist
See also - Blog post - Psychology alumni who works in mental health
- Video - Ways to work in Mental Health - interviews with graduates
Allied-Health Professions
Some graduates build on their psychology foundation and train in one of the Allied-health professions. Roles include:
- Adult/Paediatric/Mental Health Nurse/Midwife
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Audiologist
- Physician Associate
Jobs in education/working with children and young people
If you want to work with young people, teaching is not the only option. For more information about ways to work with children and young people, see Prospects Working with Children. Also try the interactive video challenge ‘A Question of Care: a Career for YOU’ Example roles include:
- Special Educational Needs Teacher/Teaching Assistant/Learning Mentor/Portage Home Visitor
- Teacher – Nursery, Primary, Secondary, FE, Montessori, Early years
- Lecturer in Psychology, Research/Teaching Assistant in Higher Education
- Social Worker (vulnerable children),
- Careers Adviser/Personal Adviser / Education Welfare Officer /Education Administrator
Jobs in the community/social care/charity sector
Graduates who are looking to help and support others, but not directly working in mental health, often consider social care options.
- Adult Guidance Worker/Advice Worker/ Social Care Manager / Social Worker (adults)
- Community Development Worker/Education Officer/ Family Court Adviser / Family Support Worker
- Youth and Community Worker
- Volunteer Organiser/Charity Officer*/ Charity Fundraising Officer*
- Social Prescribing Link Worker (a new role in 2019!) www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Careers-in-care/jobroles/Job-roles-in-social-care.aspx
Jobs in law enforcement, security and the justice sector
If you are particularly interested in working with offenders or in a preventative role there are a range of roles to explore. Some have graduate schemes like Unlocked or Police Now. Roles include:
- Counselling, Advice, Referral, Assessment & Throughcare (CARAT) Drug Worker in the Prison Service
- Prison Officer/Manager, Probation Officer
- Facilitator: Interventions (Prison entry level Band 4 role)
- Trainee Psychologist (Prisons Band 5 role)
- Police Officer, Intelligence Analyst