The Best Careers for Psychology Majors

Psychology majors are well-prepared for a variety of jobs in both the public and private sector, as they are trained in understanding how people think and feel. Basic skills taught when studying psychology include how to research a topic, how to write proposals and how to communicate effectively. These skills give psychology majors the edge when interviewing for a number of jobs including sales, human-service work or in business.

Patient Care

Many psychology majors find working with mental health and substance abuse patients in residential and inpatient treatment centers is a rewarding experience, either as an introduction to the human-service field or as a career. Direct-care attendants monitor patients' behaviors, writing reports on anything unusual. They are responsible, in many cases, for carrying out direct orders from psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers. Duties for attendants may include getting patients to their assigned groups, helping them maintain a hygiene regimen and encouraging them to participate in treatment programs, such as art therapy.

Manager

A major in psychology prepares you to be a leader, because you gain insight into what scares, motivates and inspires people, according to Old Dominion University. Applying what you learned during your studies of psychology in your relationships with others will help you guide, lead and direct people, and teach you the value of accurate, detailed observations. A psychology major knows the value of making fact-based decisions, which helps her become an excellent leader.

Government Clerk

While you generally need your bachelor's degree to become a government clerk, getting your degree with a major in psychology makes you marketable in a variety of different areas, from the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Department of Homeland Security. You'll know how to handle a crisis, how to respond to abrupt, angry individuals and how to take care of yourself after working in this high-pressure environment all day long.

Sales

A salesperson who understands human behavior has a distinct advantage over someone who is just "shooting from the hip." A psychology major is in a position to truly understand where the other person is coming from in terms of what motivates buyers to finally lay down their cash for a big-ticket item. Psychological techniques such as re-framing negatives into positives, mirroring body language to relax a client and empathizing come in handy when you're in sales.