Are you interested in a career helping people, but now sure about your career options? This book reviews a variety of different careers designed for individuals undecided about their future, beyond a desire to work with people. It provides excellent cutting edge information about a large variety of human service professions and occupations.

Edited by William G. Emener, Michael A. Richard, John J. Bosworth.

This book provides examples of how psychological science has been used to promote human welfare and optimal human functioning and to ameliorate human problems. It includes examples of cutting-edge research in applied psychology, while exploring non-traditional career opportunities. The contributors provide evidence for the range of career opportunities, discuss skill and educational requirements, and explore the quality of work life in a wide range of areas within psychology.

Edited by Stewart Donaldson, Dale Berger, and Kathy Pezdek.

Chapters 1 and 2 discuss career opportunities available for those who possess undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology, focusing on the qualifications for different careers within psychology. Subsequent chapters focus on the types of careers available within specific areas of psychology, and include more specifics on the requirements and advantages of each. Practical, applied information appears in every chapter so students have an accurate and useful understanding of the opportunities available to them.

by Tara L. Kuther and Robert D. Morgan.

Sternberg's book is a must-have resource for students contemplating a career in psychology, for psychologists considering switching between areas of psychology, and for professionals thinking of switching to psychology from another field. In this comprehensive anthology, authors selected for their distinction in their chosen careers offer their professional-and personal-perspectives on 19 different graduate-level careers in psychology.

by Robert Sternberg

If graduate school is not in your immediate plans, this book is for you. In this book, 28 professionals describe the scope of their work, level of career satisfaction, and how their bachelor's degree. helped get them there. You also get a snapshot of salary, benefits, and day-to-day pleasures and challenges in a variety of jobs as well as advice and questions to help you reflect on the classes, internships, experiences, and attitudes that will make you a success in your career of choice. Also: detailed instructions for how to use interest inventory and career search tools to refine your post-college plans; resume building, job search, interviews, networking.

by R. Eric Lundrum

How do you get a job without experience and get experience without a job? It's the question virtually every college student or recent graduate faces. In Getting from College to Career, Lindsey Pollak offers the first definitive guide to building the experience, skills, and confidence you need before starting your first major job search. Her 90 action-oriented tips include strategies ranging from the simple to the expert including: How to change your mindset and actions from "student" to "professional." How to educate yourself on the job market and the world. How to start your career search. How to network with other professionals. How to gain experience in the world.

by Lindsay Pollak

It isn't always obvious what your college major can offer to the workplace. This book helps you explore the possibilities your degree creates. It can help you discover new employment possibilities, assess strengths and interests, and develop a path for advancement and success in a chosen field. Ideal for those exploring which major to take in college. Chapters include: Discover All Your Options. Target Your Ideal Career. Present Your Major as a Major Asset. Perfect Your Job Search. Follow Through and Get Results. Set a Path to Advance Your Career.

by Blythe Camenson

You've worked hard for that psychology degree. Now what? This book will help you choose the right career out of the myriad possibilities at your disposal. It provides detailed profiles of careers in your field along with the basic skills necessary to begin a focused job search. Great Jobs for Psychology Majors will help you: Determine the occupation that's best suited to you. Craft a resume and cover letter that stand out from the rest. Discover the avenues to find the perfect job. Learn from practicing professionals about everyday life on the job. Become familiar with current statistics on salaries and trends within the profession.

by Julie DeGalan and Stephen Lambert.

"Oster offers a book that came about when he began to transition his career from state institutions to private practice. Seeking motivation, he solicited stories from his colleagues on how their careers in psychology evolved. Oster uses these inspirational accounts liberally throughout this brief book as examples to demonstrate some of the possibilities of psychology as a profession.... Psychology continues to be an extremely popular major for undergraduates. The stories and advice in this book should motivate students to think bigger about what they can do after graduation." Editorial Review by Choice

by Gerald D. Oster

With coverage of important preparatory issues and the key psychology subfields, this book provides undergraduate students with clear, concise, research-based information on strategies to begin a successful undergraduate career in psychology. The book provides the most comprehensive text on majoring in psychology currently available. It discusses the benefits of pursuing a psychology degree and key steps to prepare for a job or graduate study in the field. It features brief topical contributions written by national figures in their respective subfields and it provides guidance on how to ensure your personality traits and abilities match the skills that potential career paths demand.

by Jeffrey Helms & Daniel Rogers

Focusing on ways for students to enhance their marketability while still in school, this guide answers the career planning questions most psychology majors find themselves asking. This friendly guide looks at psychology as both a discipline and a liberal arts degree and helps students demystify the process of career development. Using a question-and-answer format, this valuable resource shows students how they can take an early and active role in shaping their professional paths. The humorous, down-to-earth tone makes this book accessible to all students. For undergraduates majoring in psychology.

by Betsy L. Morgan and Ann J. Korschgen

Author Donna Schultheiss offers a detailed, reader-friendly explanation of psychology and its subfields. Experiential and self-assessment exercises help readers focus their thinking, and strategies for decision making and stress management aid them in coming to terms with this important life decision. After finishing this book, readers will have a comprehensive picture of the opportunities psychology offers as a field of study and a career, and will also come to a greater understanding of themselves and their personal motivations.

by Donna E. Schultheiss

This book provides an overview of the psychology major, subdisciplines within the field, graduate programs and the admissions process, career opportunities for all degree types, internships, and free resources for students. To make the process more interactive and proactive, students will benefit from the handy assessments, timelines, exercises, tips on enhancing employability, testimonials from students and professionals, and recommended resources, including web sites, journals, and conferences. Whether the ultimate goal is to enter the workforce or graduate school, following this insider guidance will increase undergraduates' chances of success.

by Amira Rezec Wegenek

This text catalogs much of the practical advice that professors often give to students - providing tips on how to do well in all classes, how to find research ideas, and how to write papers in general APA format. The book also contains up-to-date career information that faculty might not normally have at their fingertips, including the latest salary figures for a number of psychology-related jobs and occupations. Additional material includes the coverage of ethics for undergraduate students, sections on self-reflection, and an overview of disciplines related to psychology.

by R. Eric Landrum and Stephen F. Davis

Newsflash! A degree in psychology doesn't have to lead to a lifetime of listening to patients on couches. This books includes advice on college and curriculum choices--courses, internships, and more. Tips to help you land a job you'll love. Profiles of real graduates, their jobs, and how they got them. Inside, real-life information from an art therapist, a sports psychologist, a forensic psychologist, a school psychologist, a corporate psychologist, and a community psychologist. Overviews of typical salary levels, hours, and work environments. Extensive additional resources, including Web sites, professional organizations, periodicals, and more.

by Shelley O'Hara

What are you doing to stand out from the other hundreds of thousands of psychology majors? To go beyond the minimum, students could (and should) get involved in research, develop their scientific writing skills, attend conferences, join clubs and professional organizations, build a library of professional books, and present their research. By getting out of the classroom and actively participating in the real world of psychology, students can build skills that will prepare them for the competitive realms of graduate school and the workforce. Written in a lighthearted and humorous tone, this book shows both grad-school bound and career-bound students how to seek out and make the most of these opportunities.

by Paul J. Silva, Peter F. Delaney, Stuart Marcovitch

Check out the Career Development section of our website to learn about career development services for IU students, online resources, and more.

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The opening chapters examine professional and personal issues to be considered in making career choices.

Next, chapters present examples of counselling and human services careers in seven different work settings, all written by professionals in that particular area: schools, higher education, business and industry, private practice, federal and state agencies, health care facilities, residential treatment, and community-based support programmes. Also included in the setting chapters is the most up-to-date salary information available. Finally, information is provided about licensure, certification, programme accreditation, and the next steps for further career decision-making.

A comprehensive appendix contains current names and addresses of 63 professional associations, organizations, and licensing bodies related to the counselling and human services professions. The index lists 168 occupational titles used throughout the book.

by Brooke B. Collison and Nancy J. Garfield

For anyone considering a career in one of the many counseling professions but undecided on which one to pursue, this book will be an excellent resource. It provides insight and information into the different career opportunities available and suggestions and activities to assess one's fit in one of these careers. These activities include exercises and self-tests to help readers explore their own personal characteristics and determine if they are on the right track to achieving their career goals.

An overview of the different counseling positions available in several different types of practice settings - educational settings, private/independent practice, coaching and consulting, governmental and agency settings, and special settings/populations - give the reader a survey of the many possibilities available to a counseling professional.

The author clearly explains the different types of licenses, certificates, and other professional counseling credentials which are necessary for specific positions and addresses the process of searching and applying for a job. Finally, the journeys of fourteen counseling professionals are presented, providing the career-seeker with a first-hand look at the process.

by Brooke B. Collison

Lie detection, offender profiling, jury selection, insanity in the law, predicting the risk of re-offending , the minds of serial killers, and many other topics that fill news and fiction are all aspects of the rapidly developing area of scientific psychology broadly known as Forensic Psychology.

This fascinating book discusses all the aspects of psychology that are relevant to the legal and criminal process as a whole. It includes explanations of criminal behavior and criminality, including the role of mental disorder in crime, and it reveals how forensic psychology contributes to helping investigate the crime and catching the perpetrators.

David Canter also explains how psychologists provide guidance to all those involved in civil and criminal court proceedings, including both the police and the accused, and what expert testimony can be provided by a psychologist about the offender at the trial. Finally, he describes how forensic psychology is used, particularly in prisons, to help in the management, treatment and rehabilitation of offenders, once they have been convicted.

by David V. Canter

Those who are considering a career in counseling face many questions. This book is designed to provide information and insight on the process and problems associated with development as a professional counselor. It is intended for those thinking about entering a counselor training program, students in training, and professionals who deal with the instruction or supervision of counselors. It is based on personal and professional experiences, and emphasizes the concept that counselors and counselor trainees are people first and students and professionals second.

The information here is presented directly and personally and the chapters instruct the reader in how to select a program, succeed in that program, and become a professional counselor.

Areas covered include choosing a graduate program, how to recognize a quality counselor education program, how to get the most from a program, critical early decisions about specialization and gaining experience, overcoming difficult personal challenges, supplementing one's formal education, strategies for finding a job, issues surrounding decisions to pursue a doctorate, and the transition from student to employed professional.

by Richard J. Hazler and Jeffrey A. Kottler

In chapters that combine a strong grounding in contemporary I/O research with personal accounts of their career journeys and day-to-day activities, the contributors bring the basic principles conveyed by Hedge and Borman to life. Readers hear of the extraordinary breadth of consulting experiences in the private and public sectors, the military, and academia.

The authors consider such topics as strategic planning, points of entry into the field, ethics and networking, and the advantages and disadvantages of joining a large firm versus starting up one's own consulting practice.

by Jerry W. Hedge, Walter C. Borman

Each chapter presents a career path, including an overview, advantages and disadvantages, and a profile of a psychologist who has chosen that path.

This book is a wonderful starting point for exploring careers in industrial and organizational psychology.

by Tara L. Kuther

This book addresses the work involved, salaries, and training available for various careers in forensic psychology.

It contains profiles of practicing psychologists to give students a clear sense of what each career involves.

For example, there is a profile of Karen Franklin on expert testimony, a profile of Scyatta Wallace who is a congressional fellow, as well as Lawrence Wrightsman for forensic psychology.

by Tara L. Kuther

This book introduces students to the variety of forms that clinical or counseling psychology careers may take.

Each chapter presents a career path, including an overview, advantages and disadvantages, and a profile of a psychologist who has chosen that path.

This book is a wonderful starting point for exploring careers in clinical or counseling psychology.

by Tara L. Kuther

Check out the Career Development section of our website to learn about career development services for IU students, online resources, and more.

If you are considering graduate school, explore the Graduate School section of this website for lots of information and access to online resources to help you prepare.

Return to top of Career Research: Books About Specific Careers in Psychology

This terrific books provides prospective graduate students with the insider knowledge needed to bolster their confidence and gain a competitive edge. This comprehensive resource shares personal accounts from both peer and expert perspectives to fully illustrate the ins and outs of applying and preparing for the graduate school experience.

As future professionals in psychology, readers will greatly benefit from the straightforward and personal guidance offered by the student and psychologist contributors. Potential applicants learn the commonalities and differences among diverse student experiences from a variety of academic institutions and programs. This student-to-student format offers familiarity and identification with those who have successfully enrolled in graduate programs across the country.

Each chapter presents practical advice, key information, and encouragement, while describing the dos and don'ts of applying. In the psychologist-written essays, renowned professionals share their academic and career development stories and provide meaningful insight into the rewards and challenges of the field. The contributors' infectious passion for psychology will inspire readers to further their education and narrow down their program of choice.

by Amanda C. Kracen & Ian J. Wallace (editors)

The GRE Graduate Record Exam is changing substantially starting in August 2011, and Barron's is now ready with a thoroughly revised test prep manual that reflects the new exam's content.

Although the GRE's Analytical Writing section remains essentially unchanged, new question types appear in both the GRE's Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections, and the model tests in Barron's brand-new 19th edition reflect these changes.

Barron's new GRE manual offers intensive practice and review for all question types plus a diagnostic test and two full-length model GREs with answer keys and explanations for all questions answered. The authors also present a test overview and valuable chapters on test-taking tactics.

by Sharon Weiner Green, M.A. and Ira K. Wolf, Ph.D.

Getting a high score on the GRE Psychology Subject Test isn't about memorizing everything there is to know about psychology - it's about targeting your test preparation. We teach you only the information you'll need along with the best strategies for the test day. In this book, you'll learn how to:

• Use our strategies and techniques to boost your accuracy
• Increase your pacing and familiarize yourself with the test format
• Understand the topics that will most likely appear on the test
• Put your best foot forward on your grad school application

by Princeton Review

This handy, readable book simplifies the process for applicants and increases their chances of being accepted. Useful timelines, tips, and tools break the tasks into manageable steps and help readers define their goals, select programs, and navigate the application process. A monthly timetable and detailed worksheets for selecting the best program matches are included, and a resource section provides a list of publications and organizations that are useful in the various phases of applying.

Readers will learn what criteria admissions committees use to evaluate applicants, how to improve their qualifications, and how to showcase their talents in personal essays, letters of recommendations, and preselection interviews.

The costs of a graduate education and financial aid information specific to graduate students are also discussed. Members of special populations, such as women, ethnic minorities, gay and lesbian applicants, and applicants with disabilities will find resources and guidance particular to their needs.

by American Psychological Association

Is graduate school right for you? Should you get a master's or a Ph.D.? How can you choose the best possible school?

This classic guide helps students answer these vital questions and much more. It will also help graduate students finish in less time, for less money, and with less trouble.

Based on interviews with career counselors, graduate students, and professors, Getting What You Came For is packed with real-life experiences. It has all the advice a student will need not only to survive but to thrive in graduate school, including: instructions on applying to school and for financial aid; how to excel on qualifying exams; how to manage academic politics - including hostile professors; and how to write and defend a top-notch thesis. Most important, it shows you how to land a job when you graduate.

by Robert Peters

Veteran higher-education consultant Donald Asher demystifies the graduate school application process and offers a detailed action plan that has proved successful for some of the most competitive programs in the country. The 50 sample essays-selected from thousands of candidates-showcase the best of the best, while the Essay Hall of Shame identifies common pitfalls to avoid. Sample letters of recommendation and essays for scholarships, residencies, fellowships, and postgraduate and postdoctoral applications cover all stages of the application process.

Teaches how to craft a winning essay with 50 state-of-the-art samples to inspire, instruct, and all but guarantee a top-of-the-pile application. Updated third edition includes an entirely new chapter dedicated to online applications and how they're managed, processed, and considered. Previous editions have sold 100,000 copies.

by Donald Asher

This book is the best source of information related to graduate programs in psychology and provides information related to approximately 600 graduate programs in psychology in the U.S. and Canada.

Graduate Study in Psychology contains information about:

• number of applications received by a program
• number of individuals accepted in each program
• dates for applications and admission
• types of information required for an application (GRE scores, letters of recommendation, documentation concerning volunteer or clinical experience, etc.)
• in-state and out-of-state tuition costs
• availability of internships and scholarships
• employment information of graduates
• orientation and emphasis of departments and programs
• plus other relevant information

by American Psychological Association (Editor)

The Insider's Guide provides step-by-step advice to help students complete prerequisite coursework, accumulate clinical experience, and prepare strong application materials.

The volume provides current data on 308 clinical and counseling psychology programs in the United States and Canada; descriptions of each program's specializations or tracks; admission requirements and acceptance rates; crucial advice on financial assistance and loans; sample forms, personal statements, and curricula vitae; tips for acing the admissions interview; and planning and decision-making worksheets.

Revised with the latest information, the 2010/2011 edition includes a new chapter on the crucial differences between PhD and PsyD programs.

by Michael A. Sayette, Tracy J. Mayne, and John C. Norcross

Handy resource devoted to important, commonly asked questions and concise, to-the-point answers that bring students up to speed on the process of applying for graduate study.

Features a series of specific questions and detailed answers about key elements of the application process.

Provides additional practical tools in the appendices such as a timetable for completing preparation, descriptions of the different concentrations in psychology, a worksheet for comparing graduate programs , and ranking information on graduate programs in psychology in US and Canada.

Helps students make wise choices at critical points in preparing their application dossiers.

by William Buskist & Caroline Burke

"Successfully maneuvering through the graduate school application process is one of the most daunting exercises many students will encounter. This book has been a sanity-saver both for perplexed students and their advisers since it was first published.

In this new edition, the authors have streamlined the presentation of the material and added critical new information. The coverage of undergraduate preparation for graduate school, choosing candidate programs to consider, screening programs for their appropriateness for the individuals needs, and dealing effectively with the host of nuts-and-bolts issues entailed in applying to graduate school, is still excellent.

The advice here might very well mean the difference between acceptance and rejection, making this book an absolute must for students who have any inkling that they might want to go on to graduate school--no matter what the stage of their academic careers, freshman to senior year--and for any faculty members who advise such students.

Buy it; study it; use it. Quite literally, with no exaggeration whatsoever, this book has the potential to change lives. This book is...a classic for students and faculty....I give the second edition...an unqualified thumbs up on several counts: organization, readability, content, and usefulness. This revision...definitely in step with graduate training in the 21st century...you will find this book to be thorough, accurate, and directly on target. Use it with the complete confidence that you and your students will benefit immensely. - Review from Contemporary Psychology

by Patricia Keith-Spiegel and Michael W. Wiederman

If you are considering graduate school, explore the Graduate School section of this website for lots of information and access to online resources to help you prepare.

Return to top of Preparing for, Selecting, and Applying to Psychology Grad Schools

Is graduate school right for you? Should you get a master's or a Ph.D.? How can you choose the best possible school? This classic guide helps students answer these vital questions and much more. It will also help graduate students finish in less time, for less money, and with less trouble.

Based on interviews with career counselors, graduate students, and professors, Getting What You Came For is packed with real-life experiences. It has all the advice a student will need not only to survive but to thrive in graduate school, including: instructions on applying to school and for financial aid; how to excel on qualifying exams; how to manage academic politics - including hostile professors; and how to write and defend a top-notch thesis. Most important, it shows you how to land a job when you graduate.

by Robert Peters

What happens after you've been accepted into a psychology graduate program? How can you best prepare for the challenges ahead and make the most of your graduate school career?

Author Tara L. Kuther offers her considerable knowledge and skills to help you master the complexities of graduate school and realize your goals. Kuther, a leading authority in professional and academic development, provides pragmatic, step-by-step advice for new graduate students on such essential topics as managing your money adapting to unspoken rules navigating departmental politics understanding how and where learning takes place maintaining personal and professional relationships thriving in practicum and internships developing an identity as a psychologist.

This "pocket mentor" will oversee your journey and provide authoritative encouragement as you change from a new student to a confident professional ready to contribute to the world through basic or applied research, academic appointments, or clinical work. This invaluable resource is enriched with handy tips, checklists, practice interview questions, teaching guidelines, dissertation strategies, sample CVs, and other practical visual aids.

by Tara L. Kuther

Written for students and early career psychologists, this book is a professional development handbook with practical guidelines and suggestions for mastering virtually every professional task encountered during the first decade of a career in psychology. Comprehensive in scope, but practical in use, it offers the best possible training from the most successful leaders in psychology, combining the wisdom and mentorship of noted psychology experts into a single source.

"In diverse chapters by active and leading experts, The Portable Mentor provides insightful commentaries and bullet-lists of ideas to facilitate early career advancement in psychology. Want to review a research literature, arrange a positive teaching experience, navigate a dissertation? Or perhaps your questions concern practica, internship, licensure, private practice, or board certification or ethics, or being active in service organizations, or even balancing a career and a family. For any and all, and more, The Portable Mentor provides pathways to a productive early career. And for those already into their career, advice on how to be a good mentor to our future. Indeed, for psychologists at countless points in their careers, "The Portable Mentor" is a very worthwhile read." (Philip C. Kendall, Ph.D., ABPP, Laura H. Carnell Professor of Psychology, Temple University)

by Mitchell Prinstein and Marcus Patterson

If you are considering graduate school, explore the Graduate School section of this website for lots of information and access to online resources to help you prepare.

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