What kinds of careers opportunities exist in Psychology?

Originally posted on Dave Mumby's MyGraduateSchool Blog:
Each year in the U.S. and Canada, hundreds of thousands of new students enter college or…

What kinds of career opportunities exist in Psychology?

Each year in the U.S. and Canada, hundreds of thousands of new students enter college or university programs in Psychology. Within a few years, most of them earn a bachelor’s degree. Along the way, they take a lot of courses in different areas of psychology, and in research methods and statistics. They gain an appreciation of the basics in a wide range of areas within Psychology, but most are taught almost nothing about career options in psychology. Surprisingly few Psychology departments at major colleges or universities offer courses or workshops on this topic, so students typically have to go on their own assumptions along with whatever little bits of reliable information they come across.