CHOOSING A CAREER IN PSYCHOLOGY or RELATED FIELDS & PREPARING FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL or Post-BACCELAUREATE JOBS

This presentation is one view. Speak to many people, and utilize many references in deciding your future. No single person or source can provide all the information you need! Choosing a career that will be satisfying takes time and effort.

Information to Look for when Reading or Hearing about a Possible Career or Interviewing Professional Nature & range of activities that those professionals engage in. *** Types of organizations &/or businesses that employ those professionals. How much graduate training is necessary & ideal? Starting & advanced salaries: Averages & ranges Amount and stability of employment opportunities Flexibility in dress, where you work, when you work, and when take vacations. Turnover in employees. What should undergrad do to prepare?

Some General Web Sites px?item=2 Note: no website is complete or completely accurate!

When to Apply to Grad School When you apply depends on the kind of program to which you are applying--Ph.D. vs Masters. In either case, you need to start considering schools & working on applications 2-4 months before applications are due Ph.D. Programs For many competitive Ph.D. programs, need to apply almost 1 year prior to admission date. For example, if you want to start Fall, 2015, you generally need to submit applications November or December of Fall Deadlines vary across schools.

Master’s Degree Programs For most Master’s Programs, deadlines are later. Some have deadlines in April or May to start in the Fall of that year. But many have deadlines in January or February. Deadlines vary across schools.

GRE Virtually all grad schools require general GRE (quant, verbal, analytic); some also require subject area (psych). Other professions require similar exams (MCAT, LSAT) Studying for these exams is crucial!!! I recommend taking GRE 6 months prior to when application due. This is to allow for possibility you need to take it 2 nd time to improve scores.

Go to: to get information & free test prep materials. For percentile scores of new version:

There’s more than one route to specific career a)If interested in providing counseling/therapy, can choose clinical psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.), counseling psychology (Ph.D.), school psychology (Ed.S.), clinical social work (MSW), mental health counseling (M.S.), or various specialized counseling areas requiring M.S. (genetic counseling, addictions, rehabilitation, etc.) b) If you want to work in business to improve employee performance & satisfaction, can choose industrial- organizational psych (M.S. or Ph.D.), instructional design (M.S.), performance management (M.S.), Human Resource Management (M.S.).

What you learn in Psychology is Relevant to MANY Careers (& Life in general) a)How people learn, remember things, & what captures their attention. Cognitive Psychology b) How people relate to one another, build relationships, & influence others. Social Psychology c) How the brain works & what factors are good or bad for the brain. Neuroscience

d) What makes people think & act in ways that are maladaptive, and what can be done to help them. Abnormal Psychology & Clinical Psychology e) What happens to our brains & behavior as we go from infancy to old age. Developmental Psychology

How to Strengthen Your Credentials Regardless of Career Goals

1.Get high GPA. Minimum for acceptance to most Masters: 3.0 or higher For good Ph.D. programs: usually 3.5 or higher Some schools look mainly at 2 years prior to application. 2. Study for the GRE (or other entrance exams) NOTE: Good GPA & test scores are NOT sufficient! 3. BUILD SKILLS! Important for ALL careers at all levels. 4. EARN GOOD LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION! Important for ALL careers at all levels.

How to Build Skills & Earn Strong Letters

Get Research Experience 1.“DIS” in professor’s lab doing research for course credit; 3 credits = 8-12 hours/wk. Typically 9 hours 2. Allows professor (or their grad students) to observe your work habits, reliability, & quality of your work so can write a strong letter. 3. Six hours total can count toward major in psych; 24 hours count toward graduation. Experience more important than credits. 4. Most graded pass/fail (S/U) 5. Depending on career goals & skills you want to build, may want to do DIS in 2 or more labs for 2 or more semesters each.

How to Get into a Lab 1. Find a faculty member whose research is interesting: a. See psychology web site for people actively recruiting students. (Undergraduate >> Research >> DIS opportunities). b. Read about faculty member’s research (Faculty & Staff>> Faculty Directory >> choose specific area). NOTE: Neuroscience faculty don’t advertise under DIS opportunities, so this is only way to learn about neuroscience labs. Also, search “Neuroscience Program” on general FSU web site.

2. Follow directions on DIS listing. If says to faculty member (or grad stud) for interview, or you are contacting neuroscience lab: Address them professionally: Hello Dr. Johnson, or Dear Mr./Ms. Holland. Write couple sentences about yourself. Be brief. (e.g., I’m a junior psychology major with a 3.0 GPA. I am very interested in your research on _____, and I would like to meet with you to discuss a possible DIS.) Never make it seem like mass (e.g., Hello, I am applying for your DIS) Make it clear that you know at least on a general level what their research is about. PROOF for SPELLING & GRAMMAR

3. Some DIS involve supervision by grad student. Can be just as good as faculty supervisor. Usually, professor will co-sign letter of recommendation. 4. Be sure to clarify expectations on both sides (hours per week, tasks you will do, group meetings, etc.) 5. Start looking for DIS before registration for next semester. Some still open as late as drop/add, but very hard to find DIS if wait. 6. Most (not all) require at least 3.0 GPA. Most ask for resume, although most understand that you may not have a lot of prior experience.

Letter-Graded (A, B, C, etc.) DIS 1.PSY 4915: For members of University Honors Program only. Max 6 hrs. of Honors DIS allowed. Requires more responsibility and work than S/U graded DIS. Requires contract & written product by end of semester. (Negotiate contract with faculty supervisor.) 2. New PSY49??: Same as PSY4915, but available to other students. Available in future -- maybe by summer Most faculty will want you to do S/U DIS first.

HONOR’S THESIS Mini-Master’s Thesis Need 3.2 overall; 3.5 Psych GPA to qualify. Generally need DIS in same lab prior to honor’s work Strongly recommend Honor’s Thesis if want to apply to research-oriented program. Less important for careers not involving research. But still can be useful. Opportunity to develop & demonstrate crucial skills: -formulate questions in tangible clear manner -problem solve how to answer questions -data collection & analysis -interpret data -write & orally present information clearly -demonstrates high level of responsibility

OTHER EXPERIENCES Volunteer to work with population of interest or potential interest. See volunteer activities (Undergraduate >> Career & Grad School >> Volunteer Opportunities). These vary in nature & time commitment. NOT complete listing. Internships/Field Experiences -More structured than volunteering. Have specific goals, requires supervision -Course credit is possible, but is optional. -General rule of thumb: 3 credit hours = 9-12 hours per week throughout semester. -If business or “for-profit” agency, MAXIMUM = 12 hours per week. For your protection.

-For contact with “clinical” populations, 211 Big Bend is excellent. 3 credit hours for completing 200 hour requirement. -See Career Center for new ideas -See Psych web: Undergraduate >> Career & Grad School >> Jobs, Internships, & Post-Baccalaureate Training - posted mainly in spring to begin summer or fall -Find your own internship. Supervision & learning goals required. -Read all s from Psych department & university!

-Getting course credit &/or FSU recognition for internship Step 1. enroll in the Experiential Certificate Program (ECP) from FSU's Career Center Step 2. Contact Academic Advising Office (A209) for what to do next if want course credit. Mornings: walk ins Afternoons: appointment only

Skills that are Useful in ANY Career No one can be extremely skilled in ALL those listed, but more is better! Ideal to have at last basic proficiency in all, but a lot of proficiency in some. Data entry & organization (e.g., SPSS, EXCEL) Basic computer programming (“coding”). Take Computer Applications in Psychology course. Statistical analysis. Age of “Big Data” Research Design Clear writing skills Professional communication & behavior “Practical Intelligence” “street smarts”

Public speaking (helps you be poised on interviews & when talking with clients) Graphic design Experience with diverse people Foreign language fluency

Letters of Recommendation or References Generally need 3 professional references, sometimes 4. At least wo should be very strong. For grad school, letters often need to be from faculty, although some programs accept letters from people that supervised you in outside settings (e.g., internships, schools, crisis counseling, assisted living facilities, paid jobs relevant to career). Many applied programs require some “applied” letters (e.g., School Psych, Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Social Work, Clinical/Counseling Psych). Not only to show grad school you have what it takes, but to know for yourself if you have what it takes.

Checking out Grad Schools Start looking early so there’s time to carefully consider different programs (see guidelines presented earlier). Different schools within same career may provide different training so read materials on programs carefully. The best programs for you are the ones that best fit your interests, philosophy, & career goals.

Look at books in Advising Office A209 PDB (e.g., APA listing of ALL psych grad schools in US) If you have questions not answered by web or written materials, contact graduate secretary of that department or head of specific program to which you are applying—not head of psych dept.

What information to be looking for in materials: 1. type of training (e.g., evidence-based vs. eclectic) 2. type of jobs their graduates have gotten. (contact schools directly if not clear) 3. financial assistance & cost of living in that location 4. I recommend against “for profit” schools. (.com) 5. admission requirements: be realistic but also optimistic

6. geographical location of school (less important if do out of state internship and/or want academic position) 7. your “fit” with interests of faculty in program 8. ask DIS/4920 supervisor(s) for opinions w/in their area of expertise.

For programs with “apprenticeship” models: 1.Contact professors of interest to find out if accepting students (generally for Ph.D.) 2. Let them know you are interested in their work. This can help you get accepted, but be respectful of their time—don’t write long s and ask lots of questions.

How Many Schools Should You Apply To? Depends on how competitive your credentials are. Depends on how competitive the schools are. In general, I’d say at least 10 for competitive Ph.D. Programs, unless your credentials are exceptional. Project 1000 for Hispanics and some other disadvantaged minorities might help with application costs to STEM programs

Filling out application materials Avoid spelling or grammar errors in all materials & communications Avoid leaving spaces blank Avoid mistakes that show you didn’t follow instructions!!!!!!

Statement of Purpose It is IMPORTANT. For some programs, may be most important part of application. Proof many times and never rely on spell-check Have several people read for clarity, content, grammar, spelling Can ask DIS supervisor for general advice for applying to their particular area.

Can ask DIS supervisor to read, but … make sure it’s in reasonable shape, & you followed their early advice Highlight your individuality, but do NOT make it a self-disclosure of personal problems. See description on psych web site (Undergrad >> Career & Grad School >> Statement of Purpose)

Basically: 1. Describe professional goals. 2. Briefly explain how you got interested in the field. 3. Describe in detail what you did to prepare yourself. (OK to repeat & elaborate what’s in resume) BE HONEST!! 1. Don’t say you love research just because that is what you think they want to hear 2. Highlight your great experiences without misrepresenting what you did.

Interviewing Many programs (particularly applied ones) encourage top applicants to come interview. Dress professionally!! Dress in a way that a fuddy-duddy grandparent would approve. Women: avoid lots of cleavage and tight fitting clothes Suit is ideal for both men & women. Career Center offers practice interviews.

Give thought to what you’ll say when asked questions, such as: 1. Why you want a particular career. 2. Why you think you would be good at this career. 3. Why you applied to this particular school & how highly you rank this school personally. 4. What you did to prepare yourself. 5. Be prepared to discuss anything from your resume, even if from several years ago.

Interviewing (Continued) Come prepared with questions to ask them, if they are not sufficiently addressed in presentations or materials. Shows you have thought about grad school. 1.Jobs that recent graduates have gotten 2.Collaboration & camaraderie among faculty 3.Collaboration & camaraderie among students 4.Typical time it takes to graduate 5.If clinical/counseling program, do they train in evidence-based treatments?

6. If not arranged, ask to interview with current grads and perhaps get names of those who recently completed program. 7. Some questions addressed in program materials, but may still want clarification. Don’t ask something that is clear in materials (e.g., course sequence)

Differences between clinical and counseling psych: 1. Types of problems you are trained for: Clinical: deals w/ entire range of problems. Counseling: deals w/ problems of every day living e.g., child behavior problems, marital, depression, anxiety). Usually does not deal with severe pathology. 2. Relative emphasis on research: Clinical: big emphasis on conducting research & evaluating efficacy of treatments along w/ learning assessment and treatment of problems Counseling: less emphasis on research & evaluation (in colleges of education). Still includes research. 3. Individual programs differ.

Difference between Psy.D. versus Ph.D. in Clinical 1. Psy.D. generally involves little if any research training either how to do research or how to be a critical consumer of research. 2. Psy.D.: Most are “for profit” institutions, but some within universities. Ph.D. : generally within regular university 3. Psy.D. For profit more expensive—often VERY expensive, generally poorer training 4. Easier to get into Psy.D. “for profit” programs.

Recommendations regarding Psy.D. vs. Ph.D.: 1) Regardless of whether Ph.D. or Psy.D., be sure programs are accredited by APA before you apply. 2) If apply to Psy.D. program, I strongly recommend those within a university (e.g., Rutgers, Colorado, Baylor) 3) Advantage of Ph.D. over Psy.D. Even if you don’t want to conduct theoretical research, you want to learn to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments/programs.

Master’s programs for therapist training: Clinical Psych Counseling Psych Mental Health Counseling* Clinical Social Work** Marriage & Family Rehabilitation Counseling Music &/or Art Therapy I recommend looking for: 1.Training in evidence-based treatments 2.Broad degree that will be widely recognized and reimbursed by most insurance plans including government programs

Master therapy/counseling degree vs. Psy.D. 1.Make more with doctoral degree, but more therapy jobs for master’s. Getting doctoral degree takes more time and money. 2.If want to supervise master’s level therapists and/or develop & evaluate programs, better to get doctorate. 3.If mainly want to do individual or group therapy, not much benefit in getting doctorate.