BA in Psychology

To be successful in a job search with a BA in psychology, you need to re-frame your view of yourself as “psychology major” to a more saleable view of “I am a person with this set of skills.” Imbedded in this approach is the need to 1) understand the skills that employers are looking for; and 2) understand how psychology as a liberal arts degree and a science is uniquely qualified as a skill building program.

To help you develop the skills you will need to succeed (and recognize the skills you already have), check out the material listed below:

Realities for BA-level Employment

Here is a list of some other realities for psychology graduates:

There is a lot of competition (65,000 graduates last year with 75% of them in the job market)
They are highly employable (95%+)
They are slightly less likely to “use” their degrees in their jobs (as compared to more applied degrees)
They make less money than other majors (but similar to other liberal arts degrees–also highly variable)
That early early planning is clearly beneficial for both the job market and graduate school
That “professional” experiences are the best single best employment-related strategy during college.
That their skills are valued in today’s market–and that psychology majors have skills that tend to be a unique combination of facets.

Note: from Majoring in Psych?: Career options for psychology. Copies available in Career Services.

Skills for Careers in Psychology: A Case Study

National Computer Systems (a company that develops and markets psychologically based materials, including test and motivational products and courses to business concerns) has employed approximately 100 BA-level psychology majors in the past 15 years. As part of a review of their personnel policies they first noted where BA-level psychologists were employed:

Research associates
Client services consultants
Business development consultants
Psychology product sales and marketing associates
Technical writers

Then they examined the key skills exhibited by successful employees who came to the company with a BA in psychology.

Interpersonal skills (s)
Dependability (s/f)
Drive and ambition (t)
Energy level (t)
Enthusiasm (s/t)
Overachiever (s/t)
Organizational skills (t)
Technical Writing (t)
Research methodology (t)
Statistics (t)
Computer experience (s/t)

Note: “s” refers to service employees and “t” refers to those in technical positions

Taken with permission from Undergraduate Training and Skills for Career in Psychology, presentation made at the American Psychological Association meeting, August, 2000, by John W. Jones and Lia L. Meyer.

Basic Business Skills

In order to compete successfully with business majors in such areas as management, personnel, marketing, and sales, psychology majors must possess and be able to demonstrate to business firms that they have the personal attributes necessary to step into entry-level business positions. In general, business firms consider the following four basic attributes to be vital for individuals to be successful in entry-level positions:

An understanding of the nature of goal-directed behavior, including the concept that sometimes goals are established by external forces beyond an individual’s control.
An understanding of the nature and process of solving problems. This includes how to recognize problems, situation analysis, the development of alternatives, and the ability to make decisions.
The ability to communicate with others, including the ability to write clearly, speak clearly, and listen effectively.
An understanding of human behavior, including the ability to become a leader and motivate others.

The variety of skills associated with these four basic attributes can be summarized into three categories: technical skills, concept skills, and human skills.

Technical skills are those necessary to perform the task at hand. If a student wants to become an accountant or marketing analyst, obviously, the individual needs to possess certain skills related to fundamental accounting or basic marketing practices. Such skills can be acquired in economics courses. On the other hand, if the student wants to be a personnel manager, the technical skills needed would range from interviewing techniques to testing methodology. These skills can be acquired in psychology courses (clinical, tests & measurement, etc.).

Conceptual skills have to do with an understanding of “the big picture.” The individual must have an understanding of where his or her function fits within and relates to other functions in the organization. Without this understanding, the individual operates in a vacuum and can become easily disenchanted with his or her career objective. Such conceptual skills can be developed in a variety of advanced courses in psychology involving the integration of many different theoretical viewpoints.

Human skills involve an understanding of human behavior and communication processes. These skills can be acquired in many psychology courses as well as in speech and writing courses.

Taken with permission from Undergraduate Training and Skills for Careers Outside Psychology by Bernardo J. Carducci. Paper presented at the American Psychological meeting, August, 2000.

Successful Intelligence

Definition: “To be successfully intelligent is to think well in three different ways: analytically, creatively, and practically.” (Sternberg, 1996. p. 127)*

Successfully intelligent people use analytical intelligence. They

recognize problems early; define them correctly; solve them selectively
formulate long-range strategies and avoid hasty solutions
monitor and evaluate decisions and correct errors immediately
think heuristically; incubate problems; use creative strategies solving them
recognize limits of rationality; are aware of traps

Successfully intelligent people use creative intelligence. They

question assumptions and encourage others to do the same
take sensible risks and permit themselves and others to make mistakes
allow themselves time to think creatively ; seek tasks that allow creativity
tolerate ambiguity; recognize the importance of person-environment fit
actively seek out and later become role models

Successfully intelligent people use practical intelligence. They

use tacit knowledge (informally acquired heuristics) to deal with problems
are aware that new situations may require different heuristics

Characteristics of successfully intelligent people Successfully intelligent people

are initiators who motivate themselves
learn to control their impulses; delay gratification
know when to persevere; seek to surmount personal difficulties
know how to make the most of their abilities
translate thought into action; do not procrastinate
complete tasks and follow through
are not afraid to risk failure; accept fair blame; reject self-pity
are independent and focus on goals
balance analytical, creative and analytical thinking
possess self-confidence and self-efficacy

* From R. J. Sternberg (1996,). Successful intelligence: How practical and creative intelligence determine success in life. New York: Simon & Schuster.

The Covert Curriculum

“…those numerous, routine skill-related activities, behaviors, and attitudes that are transacted inside and outside of classrooms. Collectively, they reflect a student’s overall work orientation and habits” (p. 52)*

Examples:

taking organized and legible notes
listening attentively in class
increasing your reading speed and comprehension
maintaining an appointment book/diary

periodically examining your goals and values
learning how to cope with stress
accepting responsibility for your behavior
working effectively in a group

Useful ideas from Workplace Basics: The Essential Skills Employers Want by Carnevale, A. P., Gainer, L. J., & Melter, A. S. (1990). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

learning to learn: the foundation skill on which all others are based
reading, writing, and computation: technical skills that employers consider basic for entry and advancement
oral communication and listening: skills that enable people to communicate in their jobs
problem solving and creative thinking: skills that enable employees to think and act flexibly
self-esteem, motivation/goal setting, and employability/career development: developmental skills that help people maintain their job and advance
interpersonal skills, teamwork, and negotiation: skills that enable people to work together in groups
organizational effectiveness and leadership: the “influencing” skills that help individuals navigate through the organization

* From Hettich, P. (1 998). Learning Skills for College and Career (2 ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.