[Rayne Selene]

Hello everyone,
I'm about to wrap up a Bachelor's in Psychology. Which is one of the hardest bachelor's degrees to get a job in...I don't know why I majored in it. I love neuroscience, but I don't think it's going to be possible to get a Ph.D: I can't afford it, and my gpa is a 3.4. I worked constantly through undergraduate school (I mean CONSTANTLY: a minimum of 60 hours/week) so I have no research experience.

I really, really, desperately need advice on where to go next. Please don't advise me to seek out the Career Services department at my university. I don't say this spitefully but uhm...they seem to be populated purely by morons.

I thought I wanted to get a Master's in Statistics: I heard that the jobs pay really well, and there are master's degrees offered online. But...now it seems like I have faulty information, because when I look into additional info for how the job market is for a master's in stats, I get wildly different estimates as to what a career could be like. I'm not sure I want to go thousands of dollars into debt for a job that may or may not pan out.

I've also been looking at attending the local community college to get an associate's or certification in a health-related field. With my bachelor's in psychology, if I also became an LPN or an RN, I could work in a mental-health environment and get paid fairly well. The problems with this are that it means two more years of struggling to pay for school, and I think it would put an end to any hopes of eventually doing something else (did I mention how much I love neuroscience?)

I'm also very interested in behavioral studies, but I hear it's a tough field to get into and I'd probably have to relocate.

I'm just lost and confused. My mom is a teacher. My dad was an RN out of college but he also is no help...he doesn't give comprehensive career advice. I have no idea what I'm doing, and unfortunately there's a weird part of my psyche that makes me need step-by-step instruction...I don't do well with being pointed in a direction and trying to find my way from there. It's a character flaw. I'm working on it.

I'm also toying with the idea of trying to get a quick certification, like a CNA certification, to be more available for jobs. But they make around $10/hour here, which isn't enough. I work as a nanny right now and make $14/hour.

I also have worked as a freelance ghostwriter and I looked into maybe becoming a freelance copy editor...turns out that's reallly, really, REALLY tough to get into!

Anyway, what do you guys do? How do you make your money? How do you survive? I feel like I'm going to end up nannying for other people's kids forever.

Sorry if I seem like I have a really bad attitude. I'm willing to work hard, I'm just so frustrated and tired right now.

[Yzen]

I don't want to make it more confusing, but one idea I thought of is Human Resources jobs. HR jobs would include training, recruiting, orientation, employee relations, and employee assistance. HR jobs tend to be people-oriented and a psychology degree could be an advantage. At my first job, they had a guy with a psychology degree in HR that gave employee orientation and training. Some larger companies have an employee assistance hotline where employees can call to get help with issues at work. I used one before. I think more companies are recognizing the value of supporting the health of their workers.

Hope this helps some.

[gothicpear]

I suggest you work. Just get out there and do something. It will help you to figure out pretty quickly where you belong and what you want to do. We have several psych wards around my area. I worked as a behavioral health tech at the hospital for two years, got a master's in counseling/psychology, and now work at a job that I LOVE! Life is long. Don't work at a job because you "make money." If you are passionate about what you do, work will be a blessing each day, and you will make money on top of it. You don't need to figure it all out in one day. Let it be a journey, and what you do this year might not be what you do next year, but find a job, keep your eyes open at those who hold positions over you and really evaluate what they do and how it fits you, and then decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. It isn't all about the money. It's about doing what you love.

[Rayne Selene]

Originally Posted by gothicpear

I suggest you work. Just get out there and do something. It will help you to figure out pretty quickly where you belong and what you want to do. We have several psych wards around my area. I worked as a behavioral health tech at the hospital for two years, got a master's in counseling/psychology, and now work at a job that I LOVE! Life is long. Don't work at a job because you "make money." If you are passionate about what you do, work will be a blessing each day, and you will make money on top of it. You don't need to figure it all out in one day. Let it be a journey, and what you do this year might not be what you do next year, but find a job, keep your eyes open at those who hold positions over you and really evaluate what they do and how it fits you, and then decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. It isn't all about the money. It's about doing what you love.

This is all good advice. I think part of my problem is my obsessive need to plan: it's like I want to know now, I want to be done right now, and it scares me to think that I might work and work and never get anywhere. That's the anxiety talking and a touch of mania.

I'm just curious: why did you think of statistics in the first place? I think you will have some prospects in the industry especially with one or two programming languages with a degree in statistics (mathematics), but do you have any background in statistics?

I think no one knows with certainty their path. It's a trial and error path. We all make mistakes but we adjust and correct as we go until we find something we like and pays well.

[Misssy2]

Originally Posted by Rayne Selene

Hello everyone,
I'm about to wrap up a Bachelor's in Psychology. Which is one of the hardest bachelor's degrees to get a job in...I don't know why I majored in it. I love neuroscience, but I don't think it's going to be possible to get a Ph.D: I can't afford it, and my gpa is a 3.4. I worked constantly through undergraduate school (I mean CONSTANTLY: a minimum of 60 hours/week) so I have no research experience.

I really, really, desperately need advice on where to go next. Please don't advise me to seek out the Career Services department at my university. I don't say this spitefully but uhm...they seem to be populated purely by morons.

I thought I wanted to get a Master's in Statistics: I heard that the jobs pay really well, and there are master's degrees offered online. But...now it seems like I have faulty information, because when I look into additional info for how the job market is for a master's in stats, I get wildly different estimates as to what a career could be like. I'm not sure I want to go thousands of dollars into debt for a job that may or may not pan out.

I've also been looking at attending the local community college to get an associate's or certification in a health-related field. With my bachelor's in psychology, if I also became an LPN or an RN, I could work in a mental-health environment and get paid fairly well. The problems with this are that it means two more years of struggling to pay for school, and I think it would put an end to any hopes of eventually doing something else (did I mention how much I love neuroscience?)

I'm also very interested in behavioral studies, but I hear it's a tough field to get into and I'd probably have to relocate.

I'm just lost and confused. My mom is a teacher. My dad was an RN out of college but he also is no help...he doesn't give comprehensive career advice. I have no idea what I'm doing, and unfortunately there's a weird part of my psyche that makes me need step-by-step instruction...I don't do well with being pointed in a direction and trying to find my way from there. It's a character flaw. I'm working on it.

I'm also toying with the idea of trying to get a quick certification, like a CNA certification, to be more available for jobs. But they make around $10/hour here, which isn't enough. I work as a nanny right now and make $14/hour.

I also have worked as a freelance ghostwriter and I looked into maybe becoming a freelance copy editor...turns out that's reallly, really, REALLY tough to get into!

Anyway, what do you guys do? How do you make your money? How do you survive? I feel like I'm going to end up nannying for other people's kids forever.

Sorry if I seem like I have a really bad attitude. I'm willing to work hard, I'm just so frustrated and tired right now.

You don't sound like you have a really bad attitude, you just sound all over the place with your thoughts.

I think that maybe you are looking at this in too much "black and white". Having a degree is a BIG accomplishment and you can get a job in any field you want...making higher than 14 an hour.

2 friends of mine - 1 had a degree in computer stuff...and 1 in Agriculture.
Both worked in very high roles at my career in Biotechnology (making medicine from biologics vs. chemicals) and because of their degrees (even thou not related to the field). THEY ALWAYS were a step ahead of me and always yielded more money.

I don't know what jobs could be available in your area...but ANY job you are interested in...you could apply for with your degree and get the job above anyone who is even familiar with the job.

Of all the things you mentioned being the RN sounded like you perked up a little talking about that work. Would you really have to do so much school? Maybe just the majors as some of the work you have already done should apply to that field?

I would write down all my potentials.
Pros and Cons..and you can figure this out.