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2Career Center Careers and Job Search for Psychology Majors Presented by: Rose Marquart, M.A. Liberal Arts Employment Specialist

3 AGENDA Career Quiz What can you do with a psychology degree? Tools for research and tips for job search success Resume 101 Employer connections Q & A Career Center

4 CAREER QUIZ True or False? 1. The end of your last semester in college is a good time to start your job search. 2. If I dont have much related work experience, my resume wont be competitive enough to get the job I want when I graduate. 3. It typically takes new college graduates 3-6 months to secure their first job. Career Center

5 PSYCH MAJORS MISUNDERSTOOD? Employers across all industries seek candidates who can understand, related to, and work with diverse teams, executives, and clients. Academic training in psychology requires skill development in research, statistical analysis, and analytical thinking. More employers are seeking psychology majors for business and technical positions due to their strong research, writing, and communication skills. Career Center

6 WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT? Top 10 Qualities Employers Seek 1.Communication skills 2.Strong work ethic 3.Teamwork skills (works well with others) 4.Initiative 5.Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) 6.Problem-solving skills 7.Analytical skills 8.Flexibility/adaptability 9.Computer skills 10.Technical skills NACE, 2008 Career Center

7 WHERE TO LOOK FOR JOBS? Non-Academic Careers Government Non-Profit Education Public Relations/Marketing Business/Industry Social Services Insurance/Sales Academic & Clinical Areas Teaching Research Clinical practice Clinical Psychology (Masters, PhD) Cognitive & Perceptual Psych (PhD) Developmental Psychology (PhD) Forensic Psychology (PhD) Industrial/Organizational Psych (Masters, PhD) Neuropsychology (PhD) Career Center

8 SO MANY CHOICES… How do you decide and get started with your job search? 1.Research different occupations and organizations 2.Conduct Information Interviews to find out more about a career 3. Research graduate schools 4. Network and apply for internships, jobs, or volunteer opportunities Online resources: Career Center

9 SELF-ASSESSMENT Before you start your job search consider: An organization(what kind of company or organization – nonprofit, government, private, or public, size – large or small?) The mission and goals of the organization (do you want to work in aging services or with adolescents etc? Do the values of the organization match your own?) A role or position (what kind of position do you want?) Career Center

10 HOMEWORK 1)Find job or internship postings and see what you think: - Yeah, Ive always wanted to do that! - Huh, that sounds interesting, but Im not sure why… 2) Look for patterns or common themes in the job descriptions 3) Find up to 5 (at least 1) that really excite you! Career Center

11 MAKE A LIST OF SKILLS YOU CURRENTLY HAVE: List educational achievements List jobs, internships, volunteer experiences Think about specific examples of abilities, and accomplishments List any other relevant information: computer, language skills, activities, working with special populations/ages Given the job descriptions you found that interest you, what skills and experience should you develop as a student to be competitive when you graduate? Career Center

12 RESEARCHING CAREERS Free online tools: Career planning and career exploration sections Search SpartaJobs database for internship/job descriptions Search by career title or career groups Review job titles, descriptions, outlook and salary information Graduate school information listed Psychology National Honors society providing career and graduate school information American Psychological Association career information and tips for graduate school applications Career Center

13 IDENTIFYING TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS Strong writing and communication skills Ability to work/lead in teams (multidisciplinary) Ability assess/diagnose clients (DSM- IV) and understand human behaviors and interactions Research ability (professional journals, online resources) Experience with specific populations Understanding of counseling models (individual/group) Knowledge of specific issues or specialty areas (substance abuses, eating disorders, depression) Career Center

14 WHAT LEADS TO CAREER SUCCESS? Get an internship! (register with the Career Center to access the job &internship database) before graduating Identify your transferable skills, which can be used in various fields/industries Join a professional association (PsiChi, APA) Conduct informational interviews with alumni, faculty, and professionals to learn about career paths that might interest you. Develop a professional portfolio of your work, projects, awards, and recommendation letters. Career Center

15 NEXT STEPS? Perfect your resume (see career center calendar for workshops, drop-ins advising, and other services) Sign-up with career center to access job and internship database Attend upcoming job/internship fairs Attend a Job Search Success and/or Interview workshop Meet with your career counselor during office hours, or via appointment Career Center

16 RESUME Objective Seeking a Family Specialist position with EMQ. Education San Jose State University, San Jose, CA B.A. in Psychology 12/09 GPA: 3.8/4.0 Relevant Child & Adolescent Psychology Coursework Psychology of Women Community Mental Health Relevant Child Psychology in the 21 st Century (Spring, 2008) Project -Wrote a research paper on emerging issues in child psychology in the new millennium -Presented finding to class of 30 and facilitated group discussion Career Center

17 EXPERIENCEHousing Services, San Jose State University, CA Resident Advisor, 8/06-6/07 -Hosted weekly floor meetings, provided one-to-one advising and enforced dorm rules to ensure a safe living environment for students ACTIVITIESPsi Chi, National Honor Society in Psychology President, Academic Year -Chair monthly meetings to organize student participation in community service events -Represent student interests on campus committees -Collaborate with alumni and local organizations to host panel sessions related to trends in the field SKILLS-Strong communication skills, and fluent in Spanish -MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel SKILLS Career Center

18 EMPLOYER CONNECTION EXPO 09 Job and Internship Fair Tuesday, February 24 th 3p.m. - 5p.m. Event Center Idealist.org Careers in Nonprofits Workshop Tuesday, March 3 rd 3p.m. – 4:30p.m. Umunhum Room, Student Union Career Center

19 QUESTIONS? Rose Marquart Liberal Arts Employment Specialist SJSU Career Center Career Center