How to Find Careers With a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

Though the bachelor's degree in psychology can be used as a steppingstone to graduate school where you can further your education in the field, it can also be used as the foundation for a career. Reports in 2008 from both PayScale Inc., and the National Association of Colleges and Employers show the average annual starting salary offered to inexperienced psychology bachelor's degree holders to be between $31,000 and $35,000. However, you may have the chance to increase your earnings with the experience you gain in your career.

Instructions

1. Make a list of the type of jobs or kind of career you want and how your psychology degree and the college courses you've taken relate to those jobs. For example, you may be interested in a business career and completed a business or human resources minor during college to complement your bachelor's degree. Think about the specific "track" you entered to tailor your education and whether a group of courses such as counseling or abnormal psychology combine to make a valuable asset to an employer.

2. Submit your resume to community mental health centers, counseling agencies, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation facilities or juvenile detention centers if you want to find a career in a therapeutic environment. You can find community mental health centers and psychiatric hospitals that hire mental health technicians, psychiatric assistants and/or intake interviewers with only a bachelor's degree in the field. Rehabilitation facilities and juvenile detention centers may hire you as a youth counselor or as a psychologist's or counselor's aide.

3. Submit your resume to social services and/or social work agencies to apply for positions as a case worker, social worker's assistant or family advocate. Contact state or local government social service agencies---such as the department of family or human services in some states---to find out how to apply for open positions if you're looking for an administrative or support role. These types of agencies often hire individuals with only a bachelor's degree in social work or a related field such as psychology. Working in this setting for several years can help prepare you for roles with more responsibility or to get financial assistance from the agency or company to further your education.

4. Look for and apply to companies that offer management training programs if you're interested in a business career. Some companies, including The Kroger Co., 84 Lumber and Enterprise Rent-a-Car recruit candidates with only a bachelor's degree into management trainee programs and then prepare them for management roles in a retail or service environment.

5. Contact the psychology department of area universities. Ask where jobs are posted and/or who to contact if you're interested in open positions. Submit your resume, highlighting relevant research experience or courses during your undergraduate education. Some universities hire part-time or full-time research assistants where you can work in a laboratory setting assisting psychologists or professional researchers.

Tips & Warnings

• You can find and apply to federal government jobs---some which only require a bachelor's degree---at USAJOBS.gov.

References

• Hanover College: Finding Careers with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology
• University of Dayton: The Bachelor's Degree in Psychology: Employment Opportunities and Strategies
• Vanderbilt University: Careers

Resources

• Henderson State University: Titles of Jobs for Individuals with Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology
• 84 Lumber: Management Training
• Enterprise: Management Training Program
• Career Builder: Kroger - Company Overview
• USAJobs: Federal Employment Information Fact Sheets: Qualification Requirements for Federal Jobs