Life as a Psychologist Career Choices and Insights

Subjects:

• Psychology » Psychology (General)
• Psychology » Clinical Psychology
• Psychology » Human Sexuality
• Psychology » Cognitive Psychology

Reviews:

• 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. The best chapter contains long essays by Ernest Lenz, Stephen Hinshaw, and David Myers, covering lessons from their careers. Annotated lists of suggested readings and professional society Web sites should also prove valuable. 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. This volume is an appropriate addition to career guidance collections. Recommended. Lower-/upper-level undergraduates.
  —Choice December 2006
• The book has been prepared with care. It includes an annotated list of relevant Web sites, biographies of all of the psychologists who have contributed to the volume, and a list of suggested readings. The index is helpful as well....The stories contained in this book will educate and inspire students as they contemplate how to create their own stories.
  —PsycCRITIQUES November 1, 2006
• [O]utstanding practitioners and scholars explain how quickly career opportunities are growing. Working psychologists share the sometimes humorous, often difficult experiences and decisions they faced as they completed their college years and built successful careers. This title includes advice on choosing the right career in old and new fields, the ins and outs of graduate school, and the lessons seasoned professionals learned in their quests for meaningful careers. Web sites for additional information on specialties are listed, along with suggested additional readings. Also included are sections on making the most of undergraduate years and on balancing the demands of career and family.
  —Library Media Connection Online November 2006
• Dozens of working psychologists offer their advice for those who aspire to a career in this ever-expanding field. These seasoned professionals describe the diverse career paths they followed, share lessons learned along the way, and recall some of the mentors who had major impacts on their lives. The volume also features a special section on making the most of graduate school and interviewing for that first job.
  —Reference & Research Book News August 2006

• Endorsement From Michael Priddy, Ph.D.
  Private Practice, San Francisco: This work is highly recommended for all who have an interest in the complex and at times mystifying field of psychology, and should be required reading for all students who are considering graduate work in the field. I wish such a resource would have been available when I was in graduate school!

Table of Contents:

• Discovering Psychology
• Psychology as the "Right" Career Choice
• Current Issues in Psychology
• The Ins and Outs of Graduate School
• Pioneers of Psychology
• Meaningful Careers and Lessons Learned
• References
• Selected Readings
• Relevent Web sites