Psychology is a very broad subject which has a range of disciplines for career opportunities. Besides the traditional pathway of Clinical Psychology, there are various other fields of Psychology, such as Organisational or Forensic Psychology that may be of interest to those that are interested in pursuing Psychology as a future career.
Clinical Psychology:
Clinical Psychology deals with providing support to individuals and groups of various ages and ethnicities in order to maintain their mental and behavioural health. This is a specialisation is Psychology that tackles an array of mental and behavioural issues and incorporates skills and knowledge from various fields within and outside of general Psychology
Skills required:
- Communication and Active Listening are key skills needed for clinical psychology as they improve interpersonal relationships. Being able to analyse and understand a person’s verbal and non-verbal cues, as well as encouraging others to share their thoughts and feeling, are essential to become a clinical psychologist
- Critical Thinking is another crucial skill to have in clinical psychology as it is necessary to be able to come up with solutions to diverse challenges through logic and application of knowledge of behavioural disorders and psychological theories.
- Empathy and Sympathy is useful in gauging how other people are feeling and being able to see issues from a myriad of different perspectives and build strong people-oriented connections
Specific Jobs:
- Therapist
- Child Psychologist
- Substance Abuse Counsellor
Industrial and Organisational Psychology:
Industrial and Organisational Psychology (I/O Psychology) refers to the study of behaviour of humans in professional and workplace settings. This is important in facilitating a healthy office environment by applying knowledge of psychology to solve problems at work
Skills required:
- Problem Solving is a skill fundamental to I/O Psychology as it is beneficial in order to be able to mitigate conflicts within the workplace and come up with unique solutions to disputes that can act as a compromise for all parties involved
- Management and Leadership skills are advantageous for a career in I/O Psychology as being able to lead, train and manage large groups of people can often be an immense responsibility that is re
- Aside from soft skills, proficiency in Data Analysis is vital as it is valuable when dealing with data needed to make hiring decisions, set guidelines and pinpoint areas for improvement within employees
Specific Jobs:
- Human Resources Manager
- Consultant
- Research Analyst
Forensic Psychology:
Forensic Psychology involves engaging with the legal and judicial to provide psychological expertise. It often encompasses working with an assorted range of people involved in the legal process like attorneys, judges and courts, as well as victims and perpetrators in order to assess and judge their mental well being in order to answer legal questions.
Skills required:
- Objectivity is an underrated but indispensable skill in the field of Forensic Psychology, specifically when working with criminal cases, as they can often become draining and mentally and emotionally taxing. It is imperative to have the ability to separate these cases from personal beliefs and look at everything from an unbiased point of view.
- Having good Observation skills and the capability to pay attention to the smallest of details is also serviceable to a career in Forensic Psychology. A significant element of forensic psychology is to be able to rely of perceptive analysis, such as observing non-verbal indicators
Specific Jobs:
- Forensic Analyst
- Correctional Counsellor
- Crime Analyst