Ever since I can remember, I’ve found people interesting. I blame this on my family, for they introduced me to a strange- if not creepy- way to pass the time when they would drag me out to go shopping. This activity is simply sitting down on a bench or chair in a store or mall and studying the people that are going about their daily lives as if I don’t exist- they’ve dubbed it ‘people watching’. This fascination with people’s appearance, behavior, or thoughts has grown over time, and I have grown to love helping people. Because of this, I want to enter a career that involves helping, observing, or improving people’s lives. After much thought, I have narrowed down the options until only three remained: psychologist, sociologist, and interior designer.
After taking into consideration salary, versatility, abilities needed, colleges that offer the program, and work schedules, I have decided I would be quite well-suited, and would quite enjoy, being a psychologist, because not only do I find people interesting, but because I am very good at figuring out when something is troubling my friends, family, and even complete strangers and then helping them through the problem that is plaguing their thoughts.
Psychologist Sociologist Interior Designer
| Salary | 33,720(low)-110,880 (high) yearly | 43,280(low)- 129,760 (high) yearly | 25,670 (low)- 86,900 (high) yearly |
| Versatility | Can enter sales and marketing, social work, counseling, medicine, nursing, law, business, education, etc. | Can enter fields such as social services, administration, management, and sales and marketing. | Can enter fields such as architecture, fashion designer, graphic designer, floral designer, etc. |
| Abilities needed | communication, interpersonal, reasoning, analytical, thinking, and observational skills | analytical, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and writing skills | Artistic ability, creativity, detail oriented, visualization, and interpersonal and problem solving skills |
| Colleges that offer the program | Baylor, Rice, University of Texas, etc. | Harvard, Princeton, University of Texas, etc. | Auburn, Baylor, Cornell, etc. |
| Work schedule | Work full time during regular business hours or set their own times | Most work full time during regular business hours | Work full time, but may need to adjust schedule to suit clients schedules and deadlines |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ . 4 November 2014
By observing this chart, it is obvious a sociologist can make the most at $129,760, while an interior designer makes the least at $86,900. A sociologist will most likely work full-time during regular business hours, but an interior designer might have to adjust her schedule to fit her client’s schedules and deadlines. Both these careers have good versatility. With sociology, I could enter other fields that interact with people- such as social services or sales and marketing. With interior designing, I could enter other artistic or engineering- such as graphic design.
A psychologist is a nice mix between sociologist and interior designer- income and work hours wise. A psychologist can make up to $110,880, and work full time during regular business hours, or can open up their own firms and set up their own working hours- which I would prefer; however, this is considerably difficult due to the fact that I am going to have to make a name for myself and acquire clients. Versatility wise, I could enter medical, social, law, or other therapeutic fields. Overall, this gives a broad range of opportunities if I decide to change careers. I can, with a slight change in schooling, can enter another career if I decide I am not meant to work as a psychology.
Even though I would make a higher income as a sociologist with the exact hours, and interior design would be a great creative outlet for, I believe psychology better suits my hopes, dreams, and personality.
I’ve always liked to pick people’s minds and help them with the problems they possess. I like to talk out issues and to solve them. To put it peculiarly, I like to ‘fix’ people. I like to put them back together when they fall apart. I’ve concluded that my so called ‘fixer’ tendency originates from observing my family get in countless confrontations with each other and my desire to please and make people happy.
I believe I already possess fairly developed communication, reasoning, and interpersonal skills. I would like to think that I have satisfactory observational skills since I can almost always notice when someone might have something troubling them or might be depressed. However, my analytical thinking skills could be considered sorely lacking, and my thinking skills could always use some improvement. All these traits are vital to become an adequate psychologist. Another trait vital for a psychologist is credible and sufficient education. Since I am planning on being in the top ten percent, I am planning on going to a college in Texas. There is a total of 98 colleges in Texas alone that offer a psychology program of some kind- Baylor, Rice, University of Texas being my top three picks. All three of these colleges have a respectable reputation and fantastic education programs.
After researching these three careers, I have come to realize that whether it be at home, in someone’s mind, or in the field collecting statistics , all of these careers revolve around improving someone else’s life. All three invoke problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills, which I believe I possess in some form or fashion. Therefore, my decision is the one my heart told me to follow- the one that allows me to help improve people’s mental conditions, improve any hidden conditions, and allow me to further my understanding of humans. I truly believe that this is what I am meant to do.