Maybe someone can point me in the right direction...

[YourPalStarkz]

---

Members don't see this ad.

hi, so heres the deal..

i have been out of the military for a year and just started going to college, currently a community college but gotta start somewhere. i have always been interested in psychology and im intending to pursue atleast a Masters, but... i want dont want to fully commit to one discipline without the the proper forethought

personally im not interested in the clinical consoling or anything
im thinking more Industrial-Organizational or Research

but the information i keep finding seems so vague..

whats the availability like for these jobs?
average start pay?
good states/cities for employment?
do most universities help with job placements and internships?

thanks i appreciate your time

 

[jnine]

So i can give you a little info.

It's good that you're taking time to investigate different areas of psych. It's a broad field with a wide variety of opportunities. You probably need to do what you've planned- go for a general psych masters and take courses in the different areas you're interested in. That will give you the exposure and experience you need to choose a career path.

Industrial/Organizational psych probably has the better start pay. I'm not sure about the actual amount, but I would guess between 50-90k starting with a Ph.D. You can be an I/O psychologist with a master's but i think the job possibilities and advancements are more limited. This may have been discussed on this forum. Try a search.

If you choose I/O or a career in psych research, plan to get a Ph.D. Try to get a lot of research experience while you're a master's student because it will make you a competitive Ph.D. applicant (in these and other psych disciplines).

Psychology is a field that a lot of people want to get into, so getting jobs is often competitive. The level of competition depends on the subdiscipline and the type of job. Certain disciplines like clinical psychology are more competitive than others. I think I/O is fairly competetive compared to the rest, but less so than clinical.

Finding an entry-level psych research assistant job is generally attainable anywhere there's a decent sized university. Most people generally take these jobs as stepping stones/application builders for graduate school. Psych research is generally low pay to start. I think these jobs pay about $10-20 per hour, depending on factors such as experience required and geographic location. If you're doing some kind of fancy medical/imaging research, you can probably make more money at it. Competition for jobs is often more competitive in cities that a lot of people want to live in.

I don't know much about Ph.D. level research psychologist jobs. There are jobs in academia, government agencies, independent research agencies. I think the starting pay is decent, probably in the 40-80k+ range. I would guess that there is keen competition for the good jobs, while the lower paying jobs in less populated/desirable areas of the country would be easier to obtain. Again, I think anything medically oriented would pay better and have more opportunities.

In my experience, universities don't have formal job placement programs. I think some might. Occasionally I hear about jobs through the connections I made in school.

Hope this helps,
J9

hi, so heres the deal..

i have been out of the military for a year and just started going to college, currently a community college but gotta start somewhere. i have always been interested in psychology and im intending to pursue atleast a Masters, but... i want dont want to fully commit to one discipline without the the proper forethought

personally im not interested in the clinical consoling or anything
im thinking more Industrial-Organizational or Research

but the information i keep finding seems so vague..

whats the availability like for these jobs?
average start pay?
good states/cities for employment?
do most universities help with job placements and internships?

thanks i appreciate your time

 

[YourPalStarkz]

So i can give you a little info.

It's good that you're taking time to investigate different areas of psych. It's a broad field with a wide variety of opportunities. You probably need to do what you've planned- go for a general psych masters and take courses in the different areas you're interested in. That will give you the exposure and experience you need to choose a career path.

Industrial/Organizational psych probably has the better start pay. I'm not sure about the actual amount, but I would guess between 50-90k starting with a Ph.D. You can be an I/O psychologist with a master's but i think the job possibilities and advancements are more limited. This may have been discussed on this forum. Try a search.

If you choose I/O or a career in psych research, plan to get a Ph.D. Try to get a lot of research experience while you're a master's student because it will make you a competitive Ph.D. applicant (in these and other psych disciplines).

Psychology is a field that a lot of people want to get into, so getting jobs is often competitive. The level of competition depends on the subdiscipline and the type of job. Certain disciplines like clinical psychology are more competitive than others. I think I/O is fairly competetive compared to the rest, but less so than clinical.

Finding an entry-level psych research assistant job is generally attainable anywhere there's a decent sized university. Most people generally take these jobs as stepping stones/application builders for graduate school. Psych research is generally low pay to start. I think these jobs pay about $10-20 per hour, depending on factors such as experience required and geographic location. If you're doing some kind of fancy medical/imaging research, you can probably make more money at it. Competition for jobs is often more competitive in cities that a lot of people want to live in.

I don't know much about Ph.D. level research psychologist jobs. There are jobs in academia, government agencies, independent research agencies. I think the starting pay is decent, probably in the 40-80k+ range. I would guess that there is keen competition for the good jobs, while the lower paying jobs in less populated/desirable areas of the country would be easier to obtain. Again, I think anything medically oriented would pay better and have more opportunities.

In my experience, universities don't have formal job placement programs. I think some might. Occasionally I hear about jobs through the connections I made in school.

Hope this helps,
J9

thanks.. so basically what im gathering is its going to be pretty difficult to secure a job without a PhD? thats kinda heavy.. i mean a Masters is a lot to obtain itself, and theres no guarantee to get accepted to a doctorate program.. idk if im willing to put all my chips down like that

well i guess theres always human resources..

 

[lookitssara]

From what I heard, the most successful I/O people have a serious background in business. You really either need that or the PhD to make the kind of money I think you're hoping to make in I/O psych.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

From what I heard, the most successful I/O people have a serious background in business. You really either need that or the PhD to make the kind of money I think you're hoping to make in I/O psych.

This is pretty spot on. To be competitive for a good firm (or to work for yourself) a Ph.D. will be needed. I/O Psychology involves psychology, but not the same way that clinical or counseling does. A more appropriate name for it would be a "business and stats" Ph.D.

 

[jnine]

thanks.. so basically what im gathering is its going to be pretty difficult to secure a job without a PhD? thats kinda heavy.. i mean a Masters is a lot to obtain itself, and theres no guarantee to get accepted to a doctorate program.. idk if im willing to put all my chips down like that

well i guess theres always human resources..

🙂

Yeah, ya know, a theme often repeated on this and the Ph.D. board is that this road takes dedication and sacrifice. You have to really want it and it's not for everyone.

There are research jobs for master's level psychologists out there, but I think they're not the best situations to be in. I know a bright girl in such a situation who's been unemployed for several months after bouncing around from job to job- all of which laid her off when funds dried up.

You could start slow and kind of build two career paths at once. You could get a job in a field you might like and also take some night classes at the community college. Research careers in psychology and think about weather its what you want. If you like it, work towards the masters. I transitioned into psych from a different career and started slow, doing something like this and working full time up until starting my PhD (this Fall). Let me know if you'd like more info.

J9

 

[YourPalStarkz]

🙂

Yeah, ya know, a theme often repeated on this and the Ph.D. board is that this road takes dedication and sacrifice. You have to really want it and it's not for everyone.

There are research jobs for master's level psychologists out there, but I think they're not the best situations to be in. I know a bright girl in such a situation who's been unemployed for several months after bouncing around from job to job- all of which laid her off when funds dried up.

You could start slow and kind of build two career paths at once. You could get a job in a field you might like and also take some night classes at the community college. Research careers in psychology and think about weather its what you want. If you like it, work towards the masters. I transitioned into psych from a different career and started slow, doing something like this and working full time up until starting my PhD (this Fall). Let me know if you'd like more info.

J9

yeah i kind of figured research is kind of a coin toss unless im on some groundbreaking stuff.. well i still got plenty time to work out the what i want to do, i appreciate you guys taking the time to give your input

👍