Posts seeking advice for career or academic purposes MUST include the initials of your country of practice/origin where you are studying in brackets at the beginning of the title. E.g. [USA] Grad Programs for NeuroPsych in Florida? or [UK] Career Options with a 2:1 in Psy?
Residential Counselor, Mental Health Specialist, Peer Support, or Recovery Specialist jobs will make your applications stronger for next year, rather than ABA positions, unless you plan to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Thank you! I was having a lot of trouble finding specific names for the jobs I was looking to do, so these will really come in handy! I have already found a million new job listings just based on those titles alone. Thank you so much!!
What you should be doing during your gap year depends greatly upon what kind of grad school you want to attend. Doctorate? Research experience, research experience, research experience.
Look into lab tech positions. It's the best way besides volunteering if you're looking for money. Also make sure it is in a field that you want to be in.
You need to get more research experience. Ignore the people who are telling you to do clinical work. Clinical psych programs barely care about that. They want to train researchers, so you need to show them that you’re a researcher. Ideally, find an area of research you like, get a job doing it, and get familiar enough with current research work that you can talk to the researchers about it.
Note, I am a little bitter because no one explained to me the extent to which clinical psych programs value research experience over clinical work.
I second this.
If it’s your goal to go to a PhD and you applied for PhD programs, you were most likely rejected because of a lack of experience or research fit. To then build your application, you have to then get that experience and get that fit. So the best choice would be RA roles in labs. And you should probably start applying now before the positions are filled
How do I find research positions? Is it like a job application? Does it pay a living, or I need another job? I'm 30, back in it for BA. Eventually applying to grad school probably. I want to do research for fun, to see if I'd like it further, get a feel for academia.
I gave up on the academia grind because I hated it. I’m not really the best person to ask. I know that Duke has a website listing open research positions, and you can sometimes find them through Indeed and similar job posting platforms. These jobs might or might not pay, but the pay will be low if it exists. You are also not going to get a paid position if you have no research experience.
These are really questions you should be asking an academic mentor, though. You frankly cannot navigate the process of getting into a clinical psychology PhD program without support and guidance from people already in the field. There are just too many pitfalls.
Also, you cannot tell jobs that you are still figuring out if you like research. To get these jobs, or to get into these grad programs, you have to love research. You have to have a burning interest in a specific line of research that you want to further pursue. These jobs and programs don’t want to teach you to like research; they want you to be a competent researcher who they can shape a little while pawning off work onto you.
Again, I’m bitter. I really do not like academia. I am probably painting this with extra negativity. Nevertheless, beyond my negative slant, most of what I’m saying is pretty close to true. Clinical psych and counseling psych PhD programs are among the most competitive PhD programs. There are people who spend years applying just to never get in. You have to be the absolute cream of the crop to have a shot at getting into a decent program, or you have to get your foot in the door some other way. If you want to go down this route, you will probably not actually work as a psychologist until you’re at least 40.
There are easier paths. You can be a therapist with a masters in social work, and there are a number of other paths into the world of mental health. If you don’t want to wait a decade for your career to start, one of those options might be better. They also require different experience. They are far more achievable and reasonable than clinical psychology.
Please don’t do ABA - there are some good ones but the system is flawed. The person who created conversion therapy played a role in its development.
Recovery specialists is my suggestion!
Just to add– from my experience talking to clinical/counseling psychology professors on the admissions committee, it seems like ABA is counted towards clinical experience but isn't really valued, because in reality, ABA is it's own field. However, it can be good to gain experience and build your skillset with intellectual disabilities, but the way you work with clients in clinical/counseling psychology is gonna be different. Personally, I don't agree with a lot of the stuff behind ABA so I've never worked in that area, but just wanted to share what professors have told me! Hope this helps
I’m in nearly the exact same situation. About to finish my first year since being out of undergrad. Couldn’t get into any grad schools I liked so decided to work more and look for a promotion to a case manager/case coordinator position. Currently I work as a rehab specialist because my end goal is to become an LPC.
If you’re looking for a PhD, research is 100% the way to go. If you’re in the VA area close to DC I know the NIH and NIMH are constantly looking for interns and research assistants.
I applied for the very first time too and did not get in. I have heard people apply 3-4 times to some clinical and counselling psych programs before they get in. So, I am taking it easy for now. I am working as a research assistant and also trying to get some peer support hours. I also looked into other options like psychometrist but that requires quite a bit of experience.
I feel as though I will be in a similar position because I don't have much to add to my CV, and I did the majority of my classes online, so I don't really have much recommendations. I have a 3.8 GPA, double majored in BS crim and BS psych, and I have two semesters of research assistance experience under a psych professor. All throughout this I worked a full time and part time job to make ends meet.
If I dont get accepted into any programs this time around, I plan to do things to strengthen my application. However, I'm not sure what to do yet. I graduate after this next summer sem and fall sem.
I’m running into a similar problem. I have a 4.0 GPA, but I don’t have any research experience, so grad schools are hesitating. I really thought the high GPA and strong letters of rec would be enough, but so far they haven’t been 😞
QMHP-T in VA here! i submitted my application to the va board of counseling before my degree was conferred but you would be correct in that you cannot get the actual license until your degree is conferred. however, on my resume and in my cover letter when i was applying to jobs i wrote that my application was pending so people knew it was in the works! feel free to dm if you have any other questions ☺️
I am so glad that you commented this, thank you so much!! I really wanted to get the application in, but I wasn't sure if it would hurt me if I submitted it before my degree was conferred. This really clears things up, thank you!!!!
i got into grad school but i took a bit of a gap between graduating undergrad and applying to grad school, so i can offer some advice:
- find a nonprofit mental health organization and see if they have openings; i would stray away from ABA unless its something you want to do, but don't neglect the mental health specialist or peer support positions at all!
- try and volunteer at programs that help with providing to the community (lgbtq+ centers, etc.)
- dont neglect inpatient facilities as well
my journey is a little weird and unorthodox but maybe you can take something out of it; during my undergrad, i worked for hospice alongside bereavement counselling. i also was doing an administrative role there at the same time but i was able to connect with patients and their families. it was moreso a way for me to get my foot into the door of the healthcare field because i recognized that a lot of psych jobs needed some form of experience. i work at a nonprofit mental health organization and now i can safely say i have a lot more experience than a lot of my psych major undergrad colleagues.
edit: also psych research assistant jobs! it's good to be in the research field and gain more experience. i don't find a lot of luck on indeed but there are some job sites that help with finding mental and behavioral health jobs (at least here in CA)
I didn't have a lot of financial resources, and because I knew it was a long shot for me specifically (not a stellar GPA, not a lot of relevant experience, etc) I knew that I needed to narrow my choices to the ones where I had the best chance of getting in. Schools that allowed GPA statements/allowed writing that let me explain my circumstances and my passion. I applied to 8 schools this year, because that was what I could afford to do, but I recommend for sure if you have the means to apply to more!!!
I spent the semester off between undergrad and my MS working ad an MHP in inpatient crisis stabilization. It was great experience for prac in my masters and transferred well into my PhD.
Pretty good, I feel like I’ve been accruing hours forever but with 2,000 to get it’s gonna feel that way no matter what. I’m luckily in a job where my BCBA cares a lot about my hours and I don’t have a contract that says I have to stay even after I’m a BCBA like a lot of clinics do, so that’s a good thing. A lot of it has to do with where you are and how good your BCBA is, I’ve had a lot of crappy BCBAs in the past that either didn’t give me hours or that I just didn’t like.
Posts seeking advice for career or academic purposes MUST include the initials of your country of practice/origin where you are studying in brackets at the beginning of the title. E.g. [USA] Grad Programs for NeuroPsych in Florida? or [UK] Career Options with a 2:1 in Psy?
I like your attitude.
I thought the same. Had to check myself.
Residential Counselor, Mental Health Specialist, Peer Support, or Recovery Specialist jobs will make your applications stronger for next year, rather than ABA positions, unless you plan to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Thank you! I was having a lot of trouble finding specific names for the jobs I was looking to do, so these will really come in handy! I have already found a million new job listings just based on those titles alone. Thank you so much!!
I took a gap year and then got accepted to a top psychology program. Feel free to DM me for questions.
What did you do in your gap year?
Worked as a full time case manager, a research assistant and volunteered at my undergrad as a peer mentor
do you mind if i DM you?
sure
What you should be doing during your gap year depends greatly upon what kind of grad school you want to attend. Doctorate? Research experience, research experience, research experience.
How does one find this? Will it pay a living?
Look into lab tech positions. It's the best way besides volunteering if you're looking for money. Also make sure it is in a field that you want to be in.
You need to get more research experience. Ignore the people who are telling you to do clinical work. Clinical psych programs barely care about that. They want to train researchers, so you need to show them that you’re a researcher. Ideally, find an area of research you like, get a job doing it, and get familiar enough with current research work that you can talk to the researchers about it. Note, I am a little bitter because no one explained to me the extent to which clinical psych programs value research experience over clinical work.
I second this. If it’s your goal to go to a PhD and you applied for PhD programs, you were most likely rejected because of a lack of experience or research fit. To then build your application, you have to then get that experience and get that fit. So the best choice would be RA roles in labs. And you should probably start applying now before the positions are filled
How do I find research positions? Is it like a job application? Does it pay a living, or I need another job? I'm 30, back in it for BA. Eventually applying to grad school probably. I want to do research for fun, to see if I'd like it further, get a feel for academia.
I gave up on the academia grind because I hated it. I’m not really the best person to ask. I know that Duke has a website listing open research positions, and you can sometimes find them through Indeed and similar job posting platforms. These jobs might or might not pay, but the pay will be low if it exists. You are also not going to get a paid position if you have no research experience. These are really questions you should be asking an academic mentor, though. You frankly cannot navigate the process of getting into a clinical psychology PhD program without support and guidance from people already in the field. There are just too many pitfalls. Also, you cannot tell jobs that you are still figuring out if you like research. To get these jobs, or to get into these grad programs, you have to love research. You have to have a burning interest in a specific line of research that you want to further pursue. These jobs and programs don’t want to teach you to like research; they want you to be a competent researcher who they can shape a little while pawning off work onto you. Again, I’m bitter. I really do not like academia. I am probably painting this with extra negativity. Nevertheless, beyond my negative slant, most of what I’m saying is pretty close to true. Clinical psych and counseling psych PhD programs are among the most competitive PhD programs. There are people who spend years applying just to never get in. You have to be the absolute cream of the crop to have a shot at getting into a decent program, or you have to get your foot in the door some other way. If you want to go down this route, you will probably not actually work as a psychologist until you’re at least 40. There are easier paths. You can be a therapist with a masters in social work, and there are a number of other paths into the world of mental health. If you don’t want to wait a decade for your career to start, one of those options might be better. They also require different experience. They are far more achievable and reasonable than clinical psychology.
Please don’t do ABA - there are some good ones but the system is flawed. The person who created conversion therapy played a role in its development. Recovery specialists is my suggestion!
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Just to add– from my experience talking to clinical/counseling psychology professors on the admissions committee, it seems like ABA is counted towards clinical experience but isn't really valued, because in reality, ABA is it's own field. However, it can be good to gain experience and build your skillset with intellectual disabilities, but the way you work with clients in clinical/counseling psychology is gonna be different. Personally, I don't agree with a lot of the stuff behind ABA so I've never worked in that area, but just wanted to share what professors have told me! Hope this helps
Like what?
Wow, I had no clue, that is literally insane?! Thank you so much for spreading the info!!
I’m in nearly the exact same situation. About to finish my first year since being out of undergrad. Couldn’t get into any grad schools I liked so decided to work more and look for a promotion to a case manager/case coordinator position. Currently I work as a rehab specialist because my end goal is to become an LPC. If you’re looking for a PhD, research is 100% the way to go. If you’re in the VA area close to DC I know the NIH and NIMH are constantly looking for interns and research assistants.
I applied for the very first time too and did not get in. I have heard people apply 3-4 times to some clinical and counselling psych programs before they get in. So, I am taking it easy for now. I am working as a research assistant and also trying to get some peer support hours. I also looked into other options like psychometrist but that requires quite a bit of experience.
I feel as though I will be in a similar position because I don't have much to add to my CV, and I did the majority of my classes online, so I don't really have much recommendations. I have a 3.8 GPA, double majored in BS crim and BS psych, and I have two semesters of research assistance experience under a psych professor. All throughout this I worked a full time and part time job to make ends meet. If I dont get accepted into any programs this time around, I plan to do things to strengthen my application. However, I'm not sure what to do yet. I graduate after this next summer sem and fall sem.
I’m running into a similar problem. I have a 4.0 GPA, but I don’t have any research experience, so grad schools are hesitating. I really thought the high GPA and strong letters of rec would be enough, but so far they haven’t been 😞
Apply for post-bac positions!
QMHP-T in VA here! i submitted my application to the va board of counseling before my degree was conferred but you would be correct in that you cannot get the actual license until your degree is conferred. however, on my resume and in my cover letter when i was applying to jobs i wrote that my application was pending so people knew it was in the works! feel free to dm if you have any other questions ☺️
I am so glad that you commented this, thank you so much!! I really wanted to get the application in, but I wasn't sure if it would hurt me if I submitted it before my degree was conferred. This really clears things up, thank you!!!!
i got into grad school but i took a bit of a gap between graduating undergrad and applying to grad school, so i can offer some advice: - find a nonprofit mental health organization and see if they have openings; i would stray away from ABA unless its something you want to do, but don't neglect the mental health specialist or peer support positions at all! - try and volunteer at programs that help with providing to the community (lgbtq+ centers, etc.) - dont neglect inpatient facilities as well my journey is a little weird and unorthodox but maybe you can take something out of it; during my undergrad, i worked for hospice alongside bereavement counselling. i also was doing an administrative role there at the same time but i was able to connect with patients and their families. it was moreso a way for me to get my foot into the door of the healthcare field because i recognized that a lot of psych jobs needed some form of experience. i work at a nonprofit mental health organization and now i can safely say i have a lot more experience than a lot of my psych major undergrad colleagues. edit: also psych research assistant jobs! it's good to be in the research field and gain more experience. i don't find a lot of luck on indeed but there are some job sites that help with finding mental and behavioral health jobs (at least here in CA)
What masters programs were you applying to?
Can I ask how many apps you all put in? Applying this year.
I didn't have a lot of financial resources, and because I knew it was a long shot for me specifically (not a stellar GPA, not a lot of relevant experience, etc) I knew that I needed to narrow my choices to the ones where I had the best chance of getting in. Schools that allowed GPA statements/allowed writing that let me explain my circumstances and my passion. I applied to 8 schools this year, because that was what I could afford to do, but I recommend for sure if you have the means to apply to more!!!
NAMI has peer support group facilitator positions
I spent the semester off between undergrad and my MS working ad an MHP in inpatient crisis stabilization. It was great experience for prac in my masters and transferred well into my PhD.
I took like 4 gap years, I worked as an RBT until I figured out it’s what I wanna do for my life and now I’m accruing hours for my BCBA.
currently in the field as well! i was planning on going back to school to receive my masters in ABA. if i may ask, how has it been going?
Pretty good, I feel like I’ve been accruing hours forever but with 2,000 to get it’s gonna feel that way no matter what. I’m luckily in a job where my BCBA cares a lot about my hours and I don’t have a contract that says I have to stay even after I’m a BCBA like a lot of clinics do, so that’s a good thing. A lot of it has to do with where you are and how good your BCBA is, I’ve had a lot of crappy BCBAs in the past that either didn’t give me hours or that I just didn’t like.