Applied Psychology CAREER INSIGHT
LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
Introduction Studying towards a degree in Psychology will help you develop a number of transferable skills, which will put you in a good position to enter a range of careers. Your degree programme at LJMU is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS); this means you will be eligible for graduate membership of the BPS, which is a key requirement to pursue many psychologyrelated postgraduate courses and is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist. Although your degree at LJMU is an excellent starting point for a career in various areas of psychology, the transferable skills you will be developing throughout your studies (e.g. numeracy and statistics skills, data analysis, research skills, interpersonal skills etc.) are much sought after by employers from a range of sectors as diverse as education, media, social research, human resources, consultancy, marketing, market research, PR or accounting and finance. It is important to understand that a career as a psychologist requires commitment, as you would need to spend a long time building up experience and completing further study and training, as well as the resilience to deal with inevitable setbacks like having to apply for a relevant postgraduate course numerous times or struggling to find and secure assistant psychologist roles. In recent years, competition for postgraduate courses and graduate roles in the field of psychology has greatly increased, so gaining relevant paid or voluntary experience alongside your studies is essential to improve your chances of success. For example, the University of Liverpool generally receives 500+ applications for 24 places each year for their Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Work experience can be difficult to access in some specific areas of psychology, but any related experience of working with children or adults with disabilities/learning difficulties or working in a care home, hospice or healthcare-related environment would be beneficial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Being aware of both the range of options open to you and the competitive nature of some careers is crucial to make an informed career decision and to develop a “Plan B”. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you. You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn profile and following relevant organisations and vacancy sites on Twitter.
Typical job options Your job options depend on your degree background as well as the skills and experience you develop alongside your studies, so ensure that you check entry requirements for the suggestions below and for your own career ideas.
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
Psychology as a career - starting points
The British Psychological Society is the representative body for psychology and psychologists in the UK. This website contains a wealth of careers information about the different branches of psychology: www.bps.org.uk/careers Prospects website - explore career options for those with a degree in Psychology: www.prospects.ac.uk/options_psychology.htm Psychology Student Employability Guide produced by The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/subjects/psychology/Employabilityguide-0 NHS Careers – an introduction to a career as a psychologist in the NHS: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/psychological-therapies/careers-inpsychological-therapies/psychologist/ Careers in psychology: http://www.careersinpsychology.co.uk/ Target jobs – what can I do with a psychology degree: https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/degree-subjects-your-options/301050-whatcan-i-do-with-a-psychology-degree
Exploring the different branches of Psychology
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Clinical Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/clinical http://www.prospects.ac.uk/clinical_psychologist_job_description.htm http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/index.html Discussion group for those interested in clinical psychology - website for aspiring clinical psychologists: www.clinpsy.org.uk Counselling Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/counselling http://www.prospects.ac.uk/counselling_psychologist_job_description.htm British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy http://www.bacp.co.uk/ Educational Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/educational http://www.prospects.ac.uk/educational_psychologist_job_description.htm Association of Educational Psychologists www.aep.org.uk/careers Forensic Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/forensic http://www.prospects.ac.uk/forensic_psychologist_job_description.htm Health Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/health Neuropsychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/neuro Occupational Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/occupational http://www.prospects.ac.uk/occupational_therapist_job_description.htm Sports and Exercise Psychology
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/sport-exercise http://www.prospects.ac.uk/sport_and_exercise_psychologist_job_description.htm BASES Careers info: http://www.bases.org.uk/Careers Teachers and Researchers in Psychology http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/academia-research-teaching
Other options within the psychology/healthcare sector include: Counsellor: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/counsellor_job_description.htm British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy http://www.bacp.co.uk/
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/psychological-wellbeing-practitioner http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/psychological-therapies/careersin-psychological-therapies/psychological-wellbeing-practitioner/
Social Worker: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/social_worker_job_description.htm http://www.hpc-uk.org/aboutus/ http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/social/becomingasocialwork er/b00200996/step-up
Support Worker: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/resid entialsupportworker.aspx
Your options within the business and management sector include: Roles in marketing, market research and PR: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_advertising_marketing_pr.htm http://www.getin2marketing.com/ http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/careers-cpd/careers-advice-and-case-studies
Roles in human resources management: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_human_resources.htm http://www.cipd.co.uk/
Roles in finance and accounting: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_financial.htm http://www.insidecareers.co.uk/
Roles in general management and consultancy: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_management_and_statistics.htm http://www.insidecareers.co.uk/professions/management-consultancy/
The suggestions listed here are by no means exhaustive so we would encourage you to consider other relevant options, e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm you can also use career planning tools like
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area, e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Will you need to complete a postgraduate degree? Is any specific work experience required? E.g. to become a clinical psychologist, you are generally required to have achieved a 2:1 or above in an accredited Psychology degree and have completed at least 6-12 months clinical experience in order to gain a place on a three-year postgraduate course leading to the required Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careers Team website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm This includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning. Main employers Although many Applied Psychology graduates work in the public and voluntary sector, there are good opportunities in the private sector in areas like retail, HR, management consultancy or finance. Typical employers include:
NHS: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/ , http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ HM Prison Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-prison-service/about/recruitment Charities: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/, http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/charities Universities: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ Local authorities: http://www.lgjobs.com/, http://www.ngdp.org.uk/, www.faststream.gov.uk Private sector organisations
Both the NHS (http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/the-scheme/specialisms.aspx) and the Civil Service (http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk/the-different-streams) offer a graduate training scheme in areas like general management, HR and finance. Most of the schemes are open to graduates from any discipline, but check the entry requirements on the scheme websites for details. Many large private companies also run graduate schemes in areas like HR, marketing and communications, retail management or finance. These again tend to accept applications from final-year students and graduates from any degree background. Some examples are listed below, but we would advise you to research additional employers from the sectors
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
you are particularly interested in. http://www.rolls-royce.com/careers/students_and_graduates/graduate_programmes/ http://www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/graduates/uflp http://careers.aviva.co.uk/routes-to-aviva/graduates https://jobs.coop.co.uk/graduate-programmes/programmes/ All occupational profiles listed on http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm include a section on typical employers and vacancy sources, so use these as a starting point to research potential employers within the career areas that interest you.
More Useful links and websites Where to find psychology related vacancies
BPS Appointments Psychminded NHS jobs Healthjobs UK Jobs.ac.uk (jobs in universities) NewScientist
www.psychapp.co.uk www.psychminded.co.uk/jobs.htm http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ www.healthjobsuk.com www.jobs.ac.uk/sector/psychology www.newscientistjobs.com
Other Career Options / Vacancy sources
NHS Careers Website – what can I do with my degree?: http://www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk/LandingPageViewer.aspx?DegreeId=2309 NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme www.nhsgraduates.co.uk Rethink Mental Illness http://www.rethink.org/home Substance Misuse http://www.drinkanddrugs.net/careers/careers.php Drink and Drugs News Jobs https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/ MIND http://www.mind.org.uk/vacancies-and-volunteering/ British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy http://www.bacp.co.uk/ British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies http://www.babcp.com/ The UK Council for Psychotherapy www.psychotherapy.org.uk The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences www.bases.org.uk The Royal College of Psychiatry www.rcpsych.ac.uk Improving Access to Psychological Therapies www.iapt.nhs.uk/workforce/ Psychminded – news, features and jobs vacancies for psychologists and mental health workers www.psychminded.co.uk/jobs.htm British Association of Social Workers https://www.basw.co.uk/ Civil Service Careers www.civilservice.gov.uk/recruitment Local government jobs www.lgjobs.com/ Community care posts www.communitycare.co.uk Third Sector Jobs http://jobs.thirdsector.co.uk/ Charity Jobs http://www.charityjob.co.uk/ The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development www.cipd.co.uk The Chartered Institute of Marketing www.cim.co.uk/Home.aspx
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations www.cipr.co.uk Research Careers in Psychology: http://www.careersinpsychology.co.uk/research-careerspsychology.html Forensic settings: HM Prison Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-prison-service/about/recruitment Merseyside Rehabilitation Company: http://www.merseysidecrc.co.uk/ Information about careers within the police: http://policerecruitment.homeoffice.gov.uk/working-for-the-police/index.html Prison Service : www.justice.gov.uk/jobs/prisons National Probation Service (also check local probation service websites): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-probation-service Jobs in Security and uninformed services: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/security-and-uniformed-services NOMS is the National Offender Management Service: http://www.nomscareers.com/ The Home Office: www.homeoffice.gov.uk Social Work / Social Care
Social Work Careers (BASW Website) www.basw.co.uk/social-work-careers/ Step Up to Social Work http://www.stepuptosocialwork.co.uk/ Prospects Sector Briefing on Social Care www.prospects.ac.uk/links/SocialSB Target Social Care - sector briefing http://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/social-care Caring Careers Website www.caringcareers.org.uk Community Care www.community-care.co.uk Think Ahead – graduate scheme for Mental Health Social Work http://thinkahead.org/ Frontline – graduate scheme for social work: http://www.thefrontline.org.uk/ Work experience and voluntary work
‘Do-It’ lists volunteering opportunities www.do-it.org.uk/ LJMU Volunteering Service www.ljmu.ac.uk/volunteering Volunteering Opportunities for 14-25 year olds www.vinspired.com Volunteer Centre Liverpool http://www.volunteercentreliverpool.org.uk/ Volunteering England www.volunteering.org.uk School Experience Programme http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/schoolexperience/sep.aspx SLV Student and Graduate Placements abroad: https://slvolunteers.com/ Applying to Teacher Training Courses:
Information about the various ways to train as a teacher: www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options.aspx Teach First www.teachfirst.org.uk UCAS Teacher Training http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training Teaching factsheets from the Careers Team website – info about postgraduate teacher training options and gaining relevant work experience https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
Times Educational Supplement: https://www.tes.com/ General graduate websites for research into careers:
Prospects (check ‘jobs’ section and ‘industry insights’) www.prospects.ac.uk Target Jobs Careers website http://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors Job Profiles on National Careers Service https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx LJMU My Jobs and Placements website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Post-graduate study /Further Study:
The BPS’s searchable database of accredited courses including postgraduate training: www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/ac Clearing House for Postgraduate Courses in Clinical Psychology: www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/index.html Prospects (see ‘post-graduate study’) www.prospects.ac.uk UCAS http://www.ucas.com/ Database of Taught and Research Masters Courses www.findamasters.com Database of PhD Opportunities www.findaphd.com Post-graduate Studentships Website www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk Jobs.ac.uk (allows you to search for PhD Studentships) www.jobs.ac.uk LinkedIn www.linkedin.com Remember to start using LinkedIn as soon as possible during your time at university. LinkedIn is a professional networking site with over 300 million members worldwide. It provides opportunities to network online with professionals from all kinds of different employment sectors: there are also groups for different organisations/sectors and institutions such as universities (including one for LJMU alumni). It's a great tool for contacting key people within organisations, linking to peer groups of like-minded individuals, gaining industry insights via forums and accessing industry specific information. Getting started - LinkedIn have produced 6 video guides aimed at students and graduates to help get you started: http://students.linkedin.com/uk
Sources of work experience Download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at University” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. Some large employers may offer summer or year-long sandwich placements, but this depends on the type of industry. These are generally advertised on websites like Prospects, Targetjobs or Milkround, as well as on the individual organisations’ websites. Many placement schemes are open to students from any degree discipline. Check your eligibility before making an application, as some summer placements are specifically aimed at second-year students.
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
Once you have some initial career ideas, undertaking work experience or voluntary work in these areas can be a great way not only to find out whether this role would be right for you but also to build up a network of professionals and organisations in your chosen sector, which can often lead to further work experience or even a full-time role after graduating. As mentioned above, if you are interested in pursuing a career in psychology, many graduate roles or postgraduate courses require you to have gained between 6 and 12 months’ relevant experience. The earlier in your career you build up this experience, the quicker you can progress along your career path, so start applying for relevant paid or voluntary work early on in your degree course, e.g. as a support worker or personal assistant in supported accommodation or a mental health setting, volunteering for a mental health charity, working with offenders, volunteering in schools, and working with children and young people (depending on your career interests). Many organisations that offer relevant experience do not necessarily advertise opportunities, so it is essential you try a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach, i.e. contact organisations directly through networking events, via email or through LinkedIn. Make sure you research the organisation beforehand and find out the best person to get in touch with. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the organisation and have spent some time finding out what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in this industry, show the employer what you have to offer. Briefly outline any relevant skills or knowledge you gained from your course. Look at the skills listed under entry requirements in the occupational profiles on Prospects (http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm) and try to evidence these on your CV, drawing on examples from your course and other work experience or extra-curricular activities to demonstrate how you developed these. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include http://www.doit.org.uk/ and https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer. Voluntary work in a local hospital could be a good way to gain some useful experience for a future career in the healthcare sector. Bear in mind that the application process for voluntary work in hospitals can take several months, and some hospitals even operate waiting lists for volunteers, so ensure that you apply well in advance and also consider other types of voluntary work, e.g. in a care home, a hospice or a mental health charity.
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
Recruitment schedule Recruitment cycles and deadlines will vary depending on the type of work you are applying for. Again, research is key to ensure that you do not miss relevant opportunities. As a rule of thumb, the selection process takes longer in larger organisations, as they tend to receive a higher number of applications and use several different stages to reduce the number of potential candidates. As a result, application deadlines can be as early as November/December in your final year of study for a start date in August or September of the following year, e.g. the closing date for applications for the NHS graduate scheme is generally early December for a start date with them the following year. If you are considering postgraduate study, find out if there are any specific closing dates for applications. E.g. the closing date for applications for clinical psychology courses through the Clearing House is also usually early December for a start the following September. Many graduate training schemes with large companies will accept applications from students of any degree background. If you are interested in these roles, you will need to be aware of the graduate recruitment cycle. Many recruiters begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final-year students. Some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December, but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process for graduate training schemes usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. This may be followed by psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. You may also need to submit your CV. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm You may also find work through small and medium-sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of companies don’t usually have structured training schemes but will recruit ‘as required’. They may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites, the Job Centre, and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting, outlined above, is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm If you are planning to apply for assistant psychologist roles, ensure you check the NHS jobs website http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ regularly. These roles are very competitive, so ensure you
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Career Insight: Applied Psychology
keep an eye on other sources of potential vacancies, e.g. local council websites (for opportunities in educational psychology or teaching assistant posts), the BPS website or relevant charities like the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser (call us on 0151 231 2048 to arrange this).
Key events and networking
Liverpool Careers Fair: usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for additional events Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events/ for details Careers and Employability events at LJMU Keep an eye on our events pages at https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk/Default.aspx for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks. LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: https://ljmu.unioncloud.org/groups?parent_link=clubs-societies-menu-wrapper LinkedIn: You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account (http://www.linkedin.com/) to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry. LinkedIn have produced 6 video guides aimed at students and graduates to help get you started: http://students.linkedin.com/uk
Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship The Centre for Entrepreneurship supports students and graduates who want to set up their own businesses. Whether you want to develop a new business idea, work as a freelancer or launch a product or service, the Centre for Entrepreneurship can help. To book a place at one of their free workshops or a confidential business advice session with one of their business advisers, call 0151 231 3300 or visit their website https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages or call 0151 231 2048/3719.
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