Psychology Career Test

What is a psychologist?

A psychologist is a person who has studied for many years to understand psychological processes, psychological functioning, human behavior, and the mind. A psychologist can work with clients to support them in understanding mental health and how to function more effectively (Psychologist, 2022).

There are a range of different psychological occupations within the psychology discipline. Individuals may choose different specializations based on their personal reasons as well as availability. Here is a list of differing occupations within the psychology field:

• clinical psychology
• clinical neuropsychology
• community psychology
• counselling psychology
• educational and developmental psychology
• forensic psychology
• organisational psychology
• health psychology
• sports psychology

Becoming a psychologist is not an easy task. You will need a high education and many personal skills that allow you to perform well in this job. Individuals looking towards psychology as a career option may need to consider the time, money, and resources that are required to step foot in the door.

Depending on where you are located in the world, you may need to spend upwards of five years studying to become a psychologist as well as time spent completing internships. We recommend you take some time to research this key information alongside taking this career suitability test.

What does a psychologist do?

A psychologist will do many very interesting things within their day-to-day basis. Here is a list of common activities that a psychologist may find themselves doing within their occupation:

• Assessments - conducting psychological assessments such as IQ tests and mental health exams
• Therapy - supporting clients through their emotional and behavioral needs
• Diagnosis - diagnosing individuals with psychological and mental health disorders
• Consultation - working with other mental health professionals on cases
• Education - helping others understand psychological issues or teaching university classes
• Programmes - support individuals in specific behavioral programmes or leading group programmes
• Community outreach - working with the community

As you can see, there are a range of activities that psychologists will encounter in their time working. Psychologists who have specialized in a certain aspect can look forward to more in depth tasks that align with their speciality.

For example, a clinical psychologist may find their days are more focused on tasks such as psychological assessments, diagnosis, and consultation. In turn, organizational psychologists may find they are working in education sectors and community outreach.

What skills are needed to be a good clinical psychologist?

Being a psychologist requires both learned skills and personality traits that can be utilized in the field. To determine whether psychology is a good career path or right career path for you, you may consider if you have these skills:

• Empathy
• Insight
• Patience
• Communication
• Curiosity
• Flexibility
• Diligence
• Active listening skills
• Critical thinking
• Self-awareness
• Collaboration
• Problem-solving

Those are just a few skills that individuals who are thinking about psychology may want to consider working on. These skills help psychologists facilitate effective therapeutic relationships, contribute positively to the field, and produce meaningful work. Psychology students in university will typically learn the skills required for the job while they study.

It's important to remember that not everyone will encompass these skills. Often they need to be learned as well as continuously worked on during the career.

What's in a Psychology Career Test?

A career test in psychology can assess various skills, traits, and interests. General career tests assess the career personality traits that an individual may already have. In this specific test, we aim to uncover a bit more about the individual and their relation to the discipline of psychology. This includes their interests, determination, career traits, and personality traits.

The overall goal of this test is to help an individual decide whether a career in psychology is suitable for them. It works by uncovering interests in the subject and their willingness to dedicate themselves to all aspects of the occupation (assessments, paperwork, continuous research).

Please note that this test is not designed to determine the outcome of the test taker's occupation. It can be simply used to uncover how interested the individual is in the key aspects of working as a psychologist that they may have not considered before.

This test should be used in conjunction with guidance from either a psychologist or student advisor who works within this discipline.

How to use this template

Using this template is incredibly easy. Whether you want to use this for clients who are considering new career options or as a self-test - you can use this test to determine your suitability in the role of a mental health practitioner. We've gone ahead and created an easy-to-follow

Step 1: Obtain the template

You can do this by navigating the Carepatron templates page. Or simply use the link below. From here, download the test template onto your device for an online version. Or, if you prefer a printable version, simply download the template and print it for use in your sessions.

Step 2: Work through the template

This quiz is a fairly straightforward process. You can read through the questions that this test has and answer based on how you relate to them. Using a Likert scale, you can determine whether you disagree or agree with the statements.

Step 3: Score your results

After completing the test, you can use the scoring key at the end of the test to determine what your overall score means.

Step 4: Consider your options

The scoring key at the end of the test has options on what to do with your overall score. Whether it may be time to determine other career options or do more research toward becoming a psychologist, you should consider what your next steps might be.

It's important to remember that this test is not designed to give you a solid answer on your career choice. If you find that this test doesn't accurately reflect your mindset, you can always do some more research into the psychological discipline. This test is designed to help you discover your strengths, talents and interests aligned with the psychology world.

Pros and cons of being a psychologist

There are a range of pros and cons to being a psychologist. Individuals who are interested in the role of being a psychologist should deeply consider both the positive and negative aspects to this career path. The pros include the satisfaction of helping others, diverse career options, personal growth, and flexibility.

However, it's crucial to acknowledge the cons, such as emotional toll, extensive education requirements, limited earning potential, and the potential for burnout. It's essential to weigh these factors to make an informed decision about pursuing a career in psychology.

Here is a list of pros to being a psychologist:

• Helping others
• Diverse career options
• Personal growth
• Flexibility
• Job satisfaction
• Continuous learning
• Impact on communities
• Autonomy in practice
• Research opportunities
• Contribution to mental health awareness

As with other occupations, there are negative aspects that you might wish to consider:

• Emotional toll
• Extensive education required
• Limited earning potential
• High responsibility
• Dealing with client challenges
• Burnout risk
• Ethical dilemmas
• Balancing empathy and objectivity
• Emotional strain
• Possible irregular working hours

It is important to consider the potential strain this career option can place on an individual. However, the positive aspects of this occupation often outweigh the negatives. Our test will be able to support you in understanding if this is the right option for careers for you!

References

Psychologist. (2022, February 20). Healthify. https://healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/p/psychologist/