We surveyed 3,004 psychologists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical psychologist. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a psychologist?
Low
High
Working as a psychologist typically requires higher levels of intelligence when compared with the average career. This means that psychologists are required to actively learn new things related to their discipline and solve complex problems.
Can I learn to become a psychologist?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a psychologist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a psychologist?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a psychologist. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for psychologists.
Do psychologists work full-time or part-time?
54% of psychologists work in full-time roles while 46% work part-time.
Is being a psychologist stressful?
Low
High
Psychologists tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a psychologist?
Low
High
Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a psychologist.
How competitive is the workplace for psychologists?
Low
High
Competition at work is not common for psychologists.
Does being a psychologist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for psychologists.
Are psychologists allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Psychologists are afforded a certain level of ability to express themselves creatively, compared to other careers.
Do psychologists have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Psychologists have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.
Is being a psychologist physically demanding?
Low
High
Work as a psychologists is not the most physically demanding of careers, falling in the bottom half of all careers.
Are psychologists exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
Psychologists tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.
Does being a psychologist require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for psychologists.
Does being a good psychologist require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Strong compassion and empathy are critical to success as a psychologist.