16 Unusual Careers in Psychology

Studying psychology opens up a wide variety of opportunities in relation to your career. Here are just some of the careers that use psychology that you may never have thought of.

1. Animal Trainers and Behaviourists study animal behaviour and use that knowledge to train animals and understand animal behaviour. For example, training dogs or horses, creating enrichment activities for animals etc.

2. Pet Therapists will work with animals to support people with their mental health. Stroking a dog can be calming. Helping to care for an animal, cleaning out stables or fish tanks, taking a dog a walk can give people a routine when they are struggling with depression. Pet therapists will work with animals and adults and children who are struggling in some way to improve their mental and physical health.

3. Crime Specialists. There are a lot of careers related to crime, where an understanding of criminal psychology and behavioural profiling can be useful. For example, security equipment suppliers, private investigators, working with offenders, rehabilitation, working in the police, security and the prison service.

4. Environmental Consultants use psychology and a knowledge of the environment to understand the impact human behaviour has on environmental factors, and vice versa. This understanding can help to improve the environment and sustainability. For example, researching motivation to encourage sustainable practices, such as recycling, diet change, or energy conservation.  

5. Writers – There are numerous opportunities for developing a career in writing using psychology. Some examples -

a. Write articles/blogs/vlogs about psychology.

b. Write textbooks or educational materials.

c. Write novels about crime or relationships or other areas of human existence.

d. Marketing materials.

e. Social media posts

6. Teaching and educational professionals – Understanding how adults and children learn is useful for teachers and anyone involved in the educational industry, such as course writers and developers.

7. Stress Management Consultants help people to understand what makes them stressed, how their body and mind react when they are stress and find tools to help reduce their stress levels.

8. Anger Management Consultants perform a similar role but help people to understand what triggers their anger and find techniques to deal with their anger.

9. Life Coaches help people to identify their life or career goals, then develop plans to achieve their goals. For example, changing their career, improving their work/life balance.

10. Health Promotion Staff help people to improve their health and take control back. It can also involve developing health campaigns. For example, improving their nutrition helping people to stop smoking, understand the signs of cancer, ways to get fit etc.

11. Carers and Community Workers work in a variety of settings, such as mental health, people with disabilities, people with learning difficulties, children, adults, older people etc. These roles require a keen understanding of the human mind is definitely an important part of social work.

12. Horticultural Therapists help clients with difficulties, such as disabilities, illnesses and injuries to improve their mental and physical health and well-being through plant and nature-based activities. They can work in prisons, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, special schools. You can be employed or work for yourself, running your own business helping people with their mental and physical health generally.

13. Ecotherapists help people to improve their mental health through nature-based activities, such as forest bathing, walking, creative activities connecting with nature.

14. Creative Therapists can use a range of different creative activities to help people improve their mental health. For example, crafting, dramatherapy, art therapy, or writing therapy.

15. Marketing Specialists can use psychology in a variety of ways. For example, using psychological principles to improve advertising and understanding how consumers behave when making purchasing decisions. Understanding consumer trends and fashions. It can also help in all areas of marketing, by helping us to understand more about why people buy and how they buy. A detailed understanding of human behaviour, being a sociable person and enjoying interacting with people are useful skills and experience for working in marketing.

16. Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Specialists – Talent acquisition involves recruiting high quality staff to organisations. Using psychological assessments, testing, behaviour profiling etc can help organisations to recruit the best staff, and staff who are likely to stay with them in the long term.

Transferrable Skills

There are many more careers that make good use of psychological skills. This is why an understanding of psychological principles and skills is useful in almost any career. By studying psychology, you can improve your skills in –

🔹 Written, verbal and non-verbal communication

🔹 Active listening

🔹 Understanding motivation

🔹 High emotional intelligence

🔹 Research skills

🔹 Analytical skills

🔹 Critical thinking

🔹 Ethical reasoning

If you are interested in studying psychology, contact us at admin@acs.edu.au for more information or visit www.acs.edu.au