How to Start a Career in Psychology to Build a Lucrative Career

Have you ever seen how anyone acts differently when they’re alone than when they’re in a group? Have you ever wondered why, despite being from the same family and growing up in the same setting, your personality is so dissimilar to that of your sibling? Psychologists, on the other hand, have answers to those concerns and this why a lot of people are making their career in Psychology.

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The study of the human mind and how it affects a person’s behaviour is what psychology is all about. It is not, however, restricted to studying human nature. Psychologists use their knowledge of human nature to help people with mental illnesses, depression, and drug abuse issues. In reality, treating individuals with behavioural disorders using approaches like observation, appraisal, and experimentation is the most important part of their work.

If this is something you’re interested in, check out our guide to becoming a psychologist. As part of this, we’ll offer you an overview of the industry’s fundamentals, skill set, and the educational road to becoming a specialist in this area. The guide has been created to help you determine whether or not this is the right career for you.

Psychologist – Eligibility

Psychologist
Psychologist
  • Passed class 12 with Psychology as one of the classes, despite the fact that it is not necessary to study this subject in school.
  • Bachelor’s degree in psychology (BA or BS)
  • MA or M.Sc in Psychology or a similar area such as Social Work or Counseling completed post-graduation
  • If you like to pursue a doctorate, M.Phil and PhD programs are also available.

Psychologist – Job Roles

The opportunities for psychologists are as varied as human behaviour, ranging from job counselling to clinical study. Based on your career aspirations, you can have every specialization. Those who successfully complete their studies and training in the field of psychology will have the following career opportunities:

1. Career Counselling

Students are often perplexed after finishing Class 12 or graduation as to which career path to pursue and how to acquire the necessary skills. In such situations, career counsellors can be particularly beneficial. After analyzing a student’s personality, talents, aptitude, interest, intellect level, and associated socio-economic considerations, they come up with the best career options for him or her.

2. Forensic Psychologist

Another option is forensic psychology, which is essential in police investigations and legal trials. If there is a homicide or rape investigation, forensic psychologists are expected to work with police detectives. Aside from that, forensic psychologists play an important role in identifying criminals and probing the psyche of suspected criminals or suspects.

3. Clinical Psychologist

Clinical Psychology has a variety of specializations to choose from. Clinical counsellors work on those who have behavioural or emotional problems. Health psychology, drug misuse, geriatrics, post-trauma therapies, and infant or adult mental health are some of the other areas where clinical psychologists can work.

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4. Industrial or Organisational Psychologist

In this role, you’ll work to enhance organizational success by assisting workers in enhancing their work behaviour and efficiency, as well as developing job-related skills. A company’s industrial or organizational psychologist may also assist with the selection of the best applicants for particular work positions. They also play an important part in evaluating people for promotions, determining the workforce’s training requirements, and making personnel decisions.

5. Education Teacher

In this role, you can work with students who have a variety of disabilities, both physical and emotional. Opportunities for special education teachers are expanding by leaps and bounds as more and more Special Education Programs are implemented in classrooms each year.

6. Neuropsychologist

People with different forms of nervous system conditions are evaluated and treated by professionals in this branch of psychology. Neuropsychologists are also interested in how brain disorders or diseases affect a person’s cognitive ability and behaviour. They assist those patients in regaining their health and improving their quality of life.

Psychologist – Industry and Employment Sector

Psychologist - Industry and Employment Sector
Psychologist – Industry and Employment Sector

After completing your studies and gaining the necessary skills, you can choose to work with individuals or in universities or government agencies. Psychology has grown in popularity in recent years, and demand for psychologists is expected to increase in the coming years. Following are some areas where you might be able to find work after completing your psychology degree.

  1. Work for NGOs, old age homes, rehabilitation services, and other organizations as a counsellor.
  2. Work as a school counsellor, teacher, or career counsellor in the educational field.
  3. Work in the HR branch of MNCs and large corporations as an organizational psychologist.
  4. As a research psychologist, you may work for universities or government agencies.
  5. You could also pursue social work and form partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or offer individual counselling.

Psychologist – Pay Scale/Salary

If you can develop yourself in the profession, a career in Psychology can be very rewarding. Many with the right skills and experience should expect to make a lot of money. The field of specialization and the amount of expertise a licensed psychologist has are both significant considerations that influence his or her pay. Those with an M.Phil. or a PhD in Psychology will obtain even more.

The initial salary starts from Rs. 4,20,000 to Rs. 5,00,000 per anum. The mid-level salary starts from Rs. 6,00,000 to Rs. 7,00,000 per anum. You can even earn around Rs. 9,60,000 to Rs. 11,00,000 per anum as per your skill and expertise.

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Psychologist – Career in Psychology Path

If you want to work as a counselling psychologist, all you need is a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. You will be able to practice counselling after completing a three-year graduate degree. On the other hand, if you want to work in research or as a teacher, you’ll need to complete a two-year post-graduate (Master’s) degree and a doctoral (M.Phil or PhD) program, which can take two years or more.

At the 10 + 2 level, no specific subject combination is required. In your 12th grade, you have the option of choosing any stream. While it is not required, you may choose to take Psychology in school to gain a basic understanding of the subject. In fact, many schools have included it in their curricula. The best thing about psychology is that it can be studied alongside any other subject.

Psychologist – Benefits of becoming a Professional

Psychologist - Benefits of becoming a Professional
Psychologist – Benefits of becoming a Professional

1. People Skills

Even if you study psychology online, you will gain an advantage in your interactions with friends, family, coworkers, employers, and even romantic relationships. You’ll have a better chance of achieving harmony and mutual satisfaction.

Important concepts and tools are introduced in academic courses. You’ll quickly figure out how to put the puzzle pieces together to better manage your own interpersonal interactions. Positive relationships are essential for happiness, balance, and a higher quality of life in general.

Remember, psychology is devoted to understanding and explaining human behavior – why we think, feel, and behave the way we do – as well as how people’s lives are influenced by their circumstances. Investigating other people’s motivations and intentions can help you improve your interpersonal skills. When interacting with people in a variety of situations, you perform better.

2. Flexible Working Hours

You can basically set your own hours if you run your own therapy practice. While psychologists who work in hospitals or mental health offices do not have as much flexibility as self-employed psychologists, there are also plenty of opportunities to set hours that suit your life and family demands.

3. Start Your Own Business

A career as a counsellor can be a good fit for you if you love working for yourself and have a strong entrepreneurial spirit. You will take complete charge of your profession by starting your own private counselling practice.

Psychologists who practice in industrial-organizational psychology, social psychology, or forensic psychology may be able to serve as private practitioners.

4. Potentially High Salary

Although money isn’t the only factor that influences one’s career in Psychology choice, psychologists are usually well paid for their time and effort. Psychologists make between Rs. 6,00,000 and Rs. 7,00,000 a year on average.

It’s worth noting that these figures represent the earnings of practitioners with advanced degrees in their fields. Since it is a constitutionally protected term, those who have completed an undergraduate degree in psychology cannot refer to themselves as psychologists. Bachelor’s degree holders often have smaller incomes and fewer opportunities in a career in Psychology than people with further education.

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5. Conceptual Reasoning

If you want to improve your thinking skills, learning psychology is a good place to start. Knowing how to think, ask, and reason as a scientist is aided by exposure to scientific concepts of psychology. Your logic and logical abilities will be honed.

Training takes place outside of the classroom as well. You’ll eventually start to see something and put what you’ve learned into use in your relationships with others. Many explanations of human actions can be used and experienced in real-world situations as a result of this.

6. New Challenges

The world of psychology is both diverse and stimulating, but you won’t be bored too much, no matter which field you want to study. Clinical counsellors are constantly confronted by people who need their assistance in resolving issues.

Sports psychology and forensic psychology, for example, have their own set of challenges and demands. While working as a psychologist can be difficult at times, it also provides academic opportunities that make the job exciting.

Conclusion

Becoming a psychologist is not an easy task as it takes hard work and dedication. To become successful you need to gain extensive knowledge in the field and have a learning approach throughout the career in Psychology.

About CareerTips4U

CareerTips4U is a career counselling venture that works with an aim to provide unbiased career guidance with a mainstream phenomenon. We are a one-stop place to help you understand your career priorities, provide you with the right job and all the resources in the process. Our mission is to provide any student in high school, college or an educated professional with an ability to achieve their dreams of successful professional life, growth and personal advancement irrespective of their history and geographic position.

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