Employment options outside of academia with Cog Psych PhD

[ed2122]

I am curious about employment and career options outside of academia for someone with a PhD in cognitive psychology. I am not a graduate student, I am just a potential applicant. I am trying to determine if grad school is truly the right choice for me, especially since I am older than most applicants (if I start a PhD program in Fall 2014, I would turn 30 in the spring of my first year). This is just one of the many factors I'm considering.

 

While currently I am interested in remaining in academia (i.e. being a professor) if I get into a PhD program, I am also realistic. I know that the academic job market is tough and I also know that my goals might change part way through the program. If I am going to make this commitment, especially during such a critical time in my life career- and family-wise, I want to know what other options are out there after the degree. Unfortunately, many schools do not share placements outside of academia, and this isn't really a question you can ask during an interview or any other part of the application process - they want students who plan to stay in academia.

 

Is anyone here looking into or know of someone with a cog psych (or similar) PhD currently in a field outside of academia? Something related to the field and with good long-term prospects?

[Lisa44201]

Get over the age thing, says the 33/y/o/female with two kids.

 

Yes, there are careers outside of traditional academia; with a CogPsych specialty, you're open to AMCs (medical centers) as well as academe.

 

What is it that interests you about Cognitive?

[ed2122]

I am interested in language - primarily the role language plays in the understanding of abstract concepts. So I'd like to explore questions like when is language needed for us to be able to understand certain types of concepts, or is necessary to understand it in particular ways, and if so, why and how.

[spunky]

I am interested in language - primarily the role language plays in the understanding of abstract concepts. So I'd like to explore questions like when is language needed for us to be able to understand certain types of concepts, or is necessary to understand it in particular ways, and if so, why and how.

 

my sister-in-law was (well, still is) in  a situation similar to what you're describing. she did her PhD in Psycholinguistics and a lack of employment opportunities in academia led her to work for her school district as a Speech Pathologist (she did have to further her training though).

 

it may not have been her desired career choice, but the job she has now at least pays the bills. i think the fact that you're focused on language gives you a wider variety of options if you're willing to work in a medical or school setting.   

[juilletmercredi]

My department (a psychology department that offers specializations in social and cognitive psychology and neuroscience; most of our students would define themselves as cognitive psychologists in some way) keeps pretty detailed employment/position data on our graduates dating back to 1985.  Although most of our alumni do take academic positions at various institutions, there is a good and large proportion (I would say at least 30-40%) that take non-academic positions.

 

Perusing the list shows that most of those who didn't become professors did stay in research in some form.  Many of them went on to do research for universities (often in the Office of Institutional Research, sometimes in other institutes and centers), hospitals, medical schools/medical centers/schools of public health, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, for-profit corporations, government agencies (city, state, and federal), and think tanks/policy research institutes.  Some of the potential companies include places like D.E. Shaw & Co., the City of New York, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the WHO, Pacific Business Group on Health, RAND, Mathematica, RTI International, etc.  I also know that the Army and Navy hires research psychologists; I met quite a lot of them at APA one year and they were very nice and most really liked their jobs.  Cognitive psychology is one of their more in-demand fields.  There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations in these categories that hire PhD-level researchers to run all kinds of studies for them.  When I looked, I was really very surprised to see how many there were out there for psychologists.

 

The second largest group were consultants of all kinds.  Some of them went on to be research consultants (consultants who help individuals and organizations plan and execute research studies), either at established firms or by setting up their own freelance consulting companies.  Some went on to be educational consultants, if their research overlapped, which yours does.  Some with strong stats skills went to be statistical consultants.  And some went on to regular management consulting at firms like McKinsey and BCG.  I go to one of those universities where the top consulting firms come to recruit, and they are always looking for bright young recent PhDs to staff their firms (I was invited to interview with one of them myself), especially if you have quantitative and computational skills.  They even have special seminars especially for what they call "Advanced Degree Candidates," which are potential consultants with graduate degrees that aren't an MBA.

 

A third group that kind of overlaps with the first one is the group who took non-academic positions at universities.  One of our most recent graduates is a data librarian at a liberal arts college; another one works in the office of institutional research at a nearby college.  Sometimes recent PhDs can get jobs as advising deans/advisers, in student affairs, in academic affairs, or other affiliated educational offices at colleges and universities.

 

Then there were the ones that didn't fit into any groups.  A small number went to do client services management/project management at corporations; another small number worked in science & technology firms as a behavioral researcher or in another role.  (At APA one year, I met an engineering psychologist who worked at a large game publishing company and helped them put together their games; he said that he worked on a team with social, cognitive, and experimental psychologists who did gameplay and marketing researcher as they developed their games.)  One became director of marketing research at a pharmaceutical company, although that was an older graduate and I doubt that was their first job.  Some got into investment management.  One listed themselves as a freelance editor, and there are at least two successful published authors in the group - one who was actually in my cohort and her book became a NYT bestseller.  Two became psychology teachers at private high schools.

 

Basically, there are lots and lots of jobs that you can do with a PhD in cognitive psychology.  Some of them are essentially doing what academics do - just the research part, in a different setting.  Some of them will have you using your PhD and research skills, and require a PhD, but are still kind of different from straight research.  And others don't require a PhD at all, but you'll still use some of the skills you learned.  What I mean to say is if you really want to get a PhD and you don't mind the very real chance that you won't get a tenure-track job afterwards, you probably won't be unemployed either if you can get creative.

 

Pick up a copy of So What Are You Going to Do With That? Finding Careers Outside Academia. It's a great book and filled with tips for intrepid graduate students who either have an inkling that academia is not for them or just want to be prepared for the possibility that they don't find an academic job.  Also, here is some of my own advice (from a grad student who is not sure whether she wants an academic career, and knew that from Day One):

 

-Whatever you choose to do and wherever you choose to go, develop and cultivate strong quantitative skills.  If your university offers it, get a joint/concurrent MA in statistics (many many universities allow this, including Michigan, Penn State and Yale) or a graduate certificate in statistics.  Even if there's no formal recognition, take statistics classes, as many as you can.  It's also a good idea to learn some computer programming, if you can.  My ability to generate outside income has relied heavily upon my strong quantitative skills, and when I look at non-academic job ads the thing that most of them have in common is that they usually desire someone who knows how to use this or that statistical package or who can do at least intermediate level statistical analyses.  Even if you stay in academia, most job ads nowadays ask for someone with strong methodological and statistical skills and want someone that can teach stats and methods, so you're preparing yourself either way.

 

-Always do something outside of the department.  Even if you don't need the extra money.  How may be a little tricky, if you get an adviser whose head is still in the sand wrt the job market or who thinks you should be in the lab 100 hours a week, but as much as you can, finagle it.  Ever since I finished coursework I've been working a "side hustle" with the primary purpose of developing some skills outside of the general academic ones.  I've done freelance statistical consulting, I worked as an intern at a market research company, I was a hall director in the office of student affairs, and now I'm doing statistical project advising/tutoring work in the library.  Each job has given me a variety of skills that I can draw upon, and I think compared with students who have done nothing beside being a research assistant I have an attractive bevy of experiences.  Plus I've shown that I can work in teams and in more traditional office environments (e.g. the 9-to-5 life, meetings, teleworking, etc.)

 

-Go to career center events.  I go to a lot of them.  My university's career center is rather excellent and has a whole series of events directly targeted at doctoral students who want non-academic jobs (as well as events for doctoral students who want academic jobs, both R1s and at LACs and other types of institutions.  In fact, I'm going to one tomorrow.)  They bring people to campus to talk about alternative careers; they have "turn your CV into a resume" workshops; they bring corporations who want to hire PhDs to campus to pitch their companies, etc.  But even if whatever university you end up at doesn't have a strong career center for grad students, go to the undergrad events without shame.

 

-Personally I always keep both an updated CV and resume on deck.  You never know when you're going to need either.

 

Final note: age-wise, as far as my department is concerned, you would be middle-of-the-pack.  At 22, I was one of the youngest in my cohort when I began.  Most of our beginning students are in their mid 20s to early 30s, and many either were married or got married and had some children during the program.  Actually, I was astonished and very pleasantly surprised by how absolutely normal everyone in my cohort is - we're just normal people living normal regular lives who happen to be huge dorks about psychology.  And everyone is considering non-academic careers, even though we don't say it in front of our advisers.  So you may not stand out as much as you think you will.

[mj53]

I'm currently in a Cog Psych program and do not intend to be in academia when I finish.  A lot of what I do focuses on decision making, more specifically with emphasis on the evaluation of choices involving health and nutrition.  Though I am not necessarily tied to my current specialty if other research opportunities came along.  I'm pretty open at this point.  Like julietmercredi pointed out, I've also been told developing general statistics knowledge and quantitative skills and computer programs is key moving forward.

 

But I will say, even though I'm told there's opportunities outside of academia from this field (and I do believe it or I wouldn't be here), I'm still pretty stressed about finding any kind of job when I finish.  I do have a finance degree as well, which has the potential to be looked favorably upon if I end up in a more corporate setting.  I'm still pretty early in my grad career (only a year and a half in) but I have looked for internships that would be beneficial and admit I've struggled to find some (I've looked at market research like the girl above me but just haven't found anything yet).  Maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

[ed2122]

julietmercredi - Sorry for the delay, I have been off grad cafe for a while since I posted. Thank you for your response, it was super helpful! Everything you said sounds like great advice that I will keep in mind when choosing a program (should I get accepted to more than one) and when I start.

[mutualist007]

Are you even allowed to publish research outside of the academy? 

[clinicalpsychphd20]

My department (a psychology department that offers specializations in social and cognitive psychology and neuroscience; most of our students would define themselves as cognitive psychologists in some way) keeps pretty detailed employment/position data on our graduates dating back to 1985.  Although most of our alumni do take academic positions at various institutions, there is a good and large proportion (I would say at least 30-40%) that take non-academic positions.

 

Perusing the list shows that most of those who didn't become professors did stay in research in some form.  Many of them went on to do research for universities (often in the Office of Institutional Research, sometimes in other institutes and centers), hospitals, medical schools/medical centers/schools of public health, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, for-profit corporations, government agencies (city, state, and federal), and think tanks/policy research institutes.  Some of the potential companies include places like D.E. Shaw & Co., the City of New York, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the WHO, Pacific Business Group on Health, RAND, Mathematica, RTI International, etc.  I also know that the Army and Navy hires research psychologists; I met quite a lot of them at APA one year and they were very nice and most really liked their jobs.  Cognitive psychology is one of their more in-demand fields.  There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations in these categories that hire PhD-level researchers to run all kinds of studies for them.  When I looked, I was really very surprised to see how many there were out there for psychologists.

 

The second largest group were consultants of all kinds.  Some of them went on to be research consultants (consultants who help individuals and organizations plan and execute research studies), either at established firms or by setting up their own freelance consulting companies.  Some went on to be educational consultants, if their research overlapped, which yours does.  Some with strong stats skills went to be statistical consultants.  And some went on to regular management consulting at firms like McKinsey and BCG.  I go to one of those universities where the top consulting firms come to recruit, and they are always looking for bright young recent PhDs to staff their firms (I was invited to interview with one of them myself), especially if you have quantitative and computational skills.  They even have special seminars especially for what they call "Advanced Degree Candidates," which are potential consultants with graduate degrees that aren't an MBA.

 

A third group that kind of overlaps with the first one is the group who took non-academic positions at universities.  One of our most recent graduates is a data librarian at a liberal arts college; another one works in the office of institutional research at a nearby college.  Sometimes recent PhDs can get jobs as advising deans/advisers, in student affairs, in academic affairs, or other affiliated educational offices at colleges and universities.

 

Then there were the ones that didn't fit into any groups.  A small number went to do client services management/project management at corporations; another small number worked in science & technology firms as a behavioral researcher or in another role.  (At APA one year, I met an engineering psychologist who worked at a large game publishing company and helped them put together their games; he said that he worked on a team with social, cognitive, and experimental psychologists who did gameplay and marketing researcher as they developed their games.)  One became director of marketing research at a pharmaceutical company, although that was an older graduate and I doubt that was their first job.  Some got into investment management.  One listed themselves as a freelance editor, and there are at least two successful published authors in the group - one who was actually in my cohort and her book became a NYT bestseller.  Two became psychology teachers at private high schools.

 

Basically, there are lots and lots of jobs that you can do with a PhD in cognitive psychology.  Some of them are essentially doing what academics do - just the research part, in a different setting.  Some of them will have you using your PhD and research skills, and require a PhD, but are still kind of different from straight research.  And others don't require a PhD at all, but you'll still use some of the skills you learned.  What I mean to say is if you really want to get a PhD and you don't mind the very real chance that you won't get a tenure-track job afterwards, you probably won't be unemployed either if you can get creative.

 

Pick up a copy of So What Are You Going to Do With That? Finding Careers Outside Academia. It's a great book and filled with tips for intrepid graduate students who either have an inkling that academia is not for them or just want to be prepared for the possibility that they don't find an academic job.  Also, here is some of my own advice (from a grad student who is not sure whether she wants an academic career, and knew that from Day One):

 

-Whatever you choose to do and wherever you choose to go, develop and cultivate strong quantitative skills.  If your university offers it, get a joint/concurrent MA in statistics (many many universities allow this, including Michigan, Penn State and Yale) or a graduate certificate in statistics.  Even if there's no formal recognition, take statistics classes, as many as you can.  It's also a good idea to learn some computer programming, if you can.  My ability to generate outside income has relied heavily upon my strong quantitative skills, and when I look at non-academic job ads the thing that most of them have in common is that they usually desire someone who knows how to use this or that statistical package or who can do at least intermediate level statistical analyses.  Even if you stay in academia, most job ads nowadays ask for someone with strong methodological and statistical skills and want someone that can teach stats and methods, so you're preparing yourself either way.

 

-Always do something outside of the department.  Even if you don't need the extra money.  How may be a little tricky, if you get an adviser whose head is still in the sand wrt the job market or who thinks you should be in the lab 100 hours a week, but as much as you can, finagle it.  Ever since I finished coursework I've been working a "side hustle" with the primary purpose of developing some skills outside of the general academic ones.  I've done freelance statistical consulting, I worked as an intern at a market research company, I was a hall director in the office of student affairs, and now I'm doing statistical project advising/tutoring work in the library.  Each job has given me a variety of skills that I can draw upon, and I think compared with students who have done nothing beside being a research assistant I have an attractive bevy of experiences.  Plus I've shown that I can work in teams and in more traditional office environments (e.g. the 9-to-5 life, meetings, teleworking, etc.)

 

-Go to career center events.  I go to a lot of them.  My university's career center is rather excellent and has a whole series of events directly targeted at doctoral students who want non-academic jobs (as well as events for doctoral students who want academic jobs, both R1s and at LACs and other types of institutions.  In fact, I'm going to one tomorrow.)  They bring people to campus to talk about alternative careers; they have "turn your CV into a resume" workshops; they bring corporations who want to hire PhDs to campus to pitch their companies, etc.  But even if whatever university you end up at doesn't have a strong career center for grad students, go to the undergrad events without shame.

 

-Personally I always keep both an updated CV and resume on deck.  You never know when you're going to need either.

 

Final note: age-wise, as far as my department is concerned, you would be middle-of-the-pack.  At 22, I was one of the youngest in my cohort when I began.  Most of our beginning students are in their mid 20s to early 30s, and many either were married or got married and had some children during the program.  Actually, I was astonished and very pleasantly surprised by how absolutely normal everyone in my cohort is - we're just normal people living normal regular lives who happen to be huge dorks about psychology.  And everyone is considering non-academic careers, even though we don't say it in front of our advisers.  So you may not stand out as much as you think you will.

 

Thank you so much! This is incredibly helpful and it is great to know they are so many great options outside of academia. Do you know if people with a Clinical Psychology PhD end up working at these type of places? Of course we also have the option of doing clinical work, but it would be fantastic if we had some of these awesome options that you mentioned, and I wasn't sure.