Forensic Psychology & Criminal Justice CAREER INSIGHT
LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 â?š careers@ljmu.ac.uk
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
Introduction Studying towards a degree in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice, which is recognised by the British Psychological Society, will help you to develop a wide range of skills which will put you in a good position to enter a range of careers. Although your degree would be an excellent foundation for different career paths in the public, voluntary and charity sectors you are by no means restricted to these areas and could use your transferable skills and work experience to follow a number of other career paths in areas like: research, retail, HR, marketing, consultancy, law, finance and general management. In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. 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. In recent years there have been cutbacks to the criminal justice sector which have impacted upon areas of recruitment. Consequently it would be worthwhile for students to research career opportunities that are available both within and outside the sector.
Typical job options You could start exploring typical job options via http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_criminology.htm and http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_psychology.htm Your options within the criminal justice sector include:
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Forensic Psychologist: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/forensic_psychologist.htm
Probation Officer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/probation_officer_job_description.htm https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-probation-service https://www.workwithoffenders.co.uk/
Youth Offending Teams: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/youth_worker_job_description.htm https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/youth-justice-board-for-england-and-
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
wales/about https://www.gov.uk/youth-offending-teams-north-west-england
Prison Officer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/prison_officer_job_description.htm https://www.gov.uk/noms-graduate-programme
Police Officer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/police_officer_job_description.htm http://recruit.college.police.uk/Pages/home.aspx
Solicitor/Barrister: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/solicitor_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/barrister_job_description.htm
Opportunities in the Crown Prosecution Service: The CPS offers a range of legal and support roles including administration officers, equality diversity officers, casework assistants, as well as roles within finance and HR. http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/
Your options within the health and social care sector include:
Clinical Psychologist: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/clinical_psychologist_job_description.htm
Forensic Psychologist: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/forensic_psychologist.htm
Psychotherapist: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/psychotherapist_job_description.htm
Counsellor: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/counsellor_job_description.htm
Social Worker: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/social_worker_job_description.htm http://www.stepuptosocialwork.co.uk/ https://www.gov.uk/guidance/step-up-to-social-work-information-for-applicants http://www.thefrontline.org.uk/ http://www.hpc-uk.org/aboutus/
Residential Support Worker: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/residentials upportworker.aspx
Your options within the business and management sector include:
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Roles in advertising, marketing and PR: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_advertising_marketing_pr.htm
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
http://www.cim.co.uk/learning/tools-and-templates/getin2marketing/ http://www.cipr.co.uk/ http://www.ipa.co.uk/
Roles in human resources management: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_human_resources.htm http://www.cipd.co.uk/
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 http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and https://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? For example 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 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 Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice graduates work in the public and voluntary sector, there are also good opportunities in the private sector in areas like retail, finance and law. Typical employers include:
Community Rehabilitation Companies: http://www.merseysidecrc.co.uk/, http://cgm-probation.org.uk/, http://www.clcrc.co.uk/, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/432888/p robation-directory-June-2015.pdf Police forces: http://www.police.uk/contact/force-websites/ HM Prison Service: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder Local Government: http://www.ngdp.org.uk/, http://www.lgjobs.com/ Crown Prosecution Service: http://www.cps.gov.uk/careers/ Civil Service: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-fast-stream NHS: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/, http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ Universities: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
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.
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
Useful links and websites
LJMU vacancy website - http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Prospects - Careers information and graduate jobs - http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ TargetJobs - Careers information and graduate jobs - https://targetjobs.co.uk/ Milkround - Graduate jobs, placements & internships - http://www.milkround.com/ Jobs in the public sector - http://www.lgjobs.com/, http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ Vacancies in higher education and research - http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ Graduate Talent Pool - Graduate internship opportunities http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Lawcareers.net - Careers options in the legal sector - http://www.lawcareers.net/ British Society of Criminology - News, jobs board and useful links - http://britsoccrim.org/ Skills for Justice - Career pathways in the legal and criminal justice sector http://www.skillsforjustice-cp.com/ CommunityCare - Website for people working in the social care sector: information on upcoming events, legal changes and vacancies - http://www.communitycare.co.uk/ Careers in care http://www.skillsforcareanddevelopment.org.uk/Careersincare/careers_in_care.aspx Accredited psychology course search - http://www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/ac Clearing house for postgraduate courses in clinical psychology http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chpccp/ Postgraduate studentships - http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/ Vacancies in the NHS - http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ British Psychological Society - http://www.bps.org.uk/careers-in-psychology, http://www.psychapp.co.uk/ Jobs in the mental health field - http://www.mentalhealthjobs.co.uk/ Improving access to psychological therapies website - http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/iapt/ British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy http://www.bacp.co.uk/crs/Training/careersincounselling.php Information for aspiring clinical psychologists - http://www.clinpsy.org.uk/ Information about teacher training options - https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/
Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter for example:
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@LJMUCareers
@Prospects @ProspectsJobs
@targetjobsUK
@MerseyPolice
@MerseysideCRC
@cgmprobation
@BritSocCrim
@MoJGovUK
@FrontlineSW
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
@NHS_Careers
@BPSOfficial
@ClinPsy
Depending on your specific career interests, you could also follow relevant websites and organisations e.g. @LawCareersNetUK for news and updates on the legal sector and @Napo_News for news and updates about the probation service.
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. LJMU has been managing a summer internship programme for Level 5 students in recent years, so keep an eye on your LJMU inbox for details of any opportunities. Many large organisations/companies offer summer internship opportunities or year-long sandwich placements. These are generally advertised on websites like Prospects, Targetjobs or Milkround, as well as on more subject-specific websites e.g. Lawcareers.net for legal vacation placements. Opportunities are also advertised on organisations’ own websites and on LJMU’s vacancy website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk and www.ratemyplacement.co.uk. Many placement schemes are open to students from any degree discipline. Check your eligibility before making an application e.g. some summer placements are specifically aimed at penultimate year students. Application deadlines for sandwich placements and summer internships can be as early as October/November for a start date between June and August the following year, so start your research early to ensure you don’t miss out on relevant opportunities! Applications for summer internships or year-long placements with large employers are very competitive, so involvement in extracurricular activities, previous work experience or voluntary work can give you the edge over other candidates. It’s never too early to start getting involved in clubs and societies or to gain work experience, so explore relevant options early on in your studies. Many societies/clubs through LiverpoolSU have co-ordinator/officer positions which could be an excellent opportunity to gain valuable/relevant experience which can significantly enhance your employability. Many undergraduate students also secure work experience through a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach i.e. after contacting organisations directly through networking events, via email or through LinkedIn. You might, for example, consider contacting a local community rehabilitation company/NHS mental health trust (depending on your career interests) as a starting point. 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.
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
Before contacting organisations about work shadowing or work experience opportunities, make sure you research the organisation 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 a particular industry, show the employer what you have to offer e.g. briefly outline any relevant skills or knowledge 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, work experience or extracurricular activities to demonstrate how you developed these. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include https://do-it.org/ 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. You might also be able to gain some relevant (paid) experience as a support worker or personal assistant in supported accommodation or a mental health setting.
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 October/November in your final year of study for a start date in August or September of the following year. If you are considering postgraduate study, find out if there are any specific closing dates for applications by contacting relevant universities directly. 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 recruitment cycle. Many employers begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for finalyear 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,
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
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. The Careers Team run a “Graduate Schemes Uncovered” workshop and webinar on a regular basis – please check our events pages on https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details. Many of these opportunities are advertised in the Prospects Student Career Guide and the Targetjobs directories (available from Careers Zones) and on websites such as Prospects, Milkround and Targetjobs – also check organisations’ own websites. 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’. Depending on previous experience, you might find yourself applying for entry-level roles at first, but once you have gained experience this should open up opportunities for promotion within your organisation, or give you the required experience to apply for higher-grade positions with other employers. Some SMEs 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 check other sources of potential vacancies e.g. local councils, relevant charities, the BPS website etc. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser at your nearest Careers Zone or you can attend relevant workshops or webinars run by the Careers Team.
Examples of employment destinations (LJMU Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice graduates):
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Psychology and Therapies Assistant-Sunfield Children’s Home
Assistant Psychologist-Willcocks Psychological
Psychiatric Nurse-NHS
Project Manager-Genie in the Gutter
Drug Worker-HMP Liverpool
Recovery Coordinator-Crime Reduction Initiatives
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
Youth Worker-Liverpool Youth Services
Support Worker-Sense
Learning Mentor-St Chad’s High School
Prison Officer-HMP Oakwood
Police Officer-Merseyside Police
Police Constable-Metropolitan Police Service
Police Community Support Officer-Merseyside Police
Army Officer-British Army
Trainee Solicitor-Jacksons Commercial & Private Law LLP
Caseworker-Crown Prosecution Service
Civil Servant-Home Office
Lecturer-St Helens College
Case Administrator-Probation Service
Management Trainee-Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Savings and Investment Specialist-Barclays Bank
Money Laundering Screening Sanctions Analyst-Santander
Key events and networking
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Liverpool Careers Fairs: are usually held in the autumn and spring of each year and the Liverpool Law Fair usually takes place in November, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for details.
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 page at https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks.
LinkedIn: you could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account https://www.linkedin.com to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry.
LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs.
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship - support for LJMU students and graduates interested in starting up their own business 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. Postgraduate Study - download our mini-guide on “Thinking about Postgraduate Study” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different options available.
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Career Insight: Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice
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