WHAT IS VOCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR A VOCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST GOALS ROLES PRACTICE ISSUES

1. VOCATIONALPSYCHOLOGY
Presented By
Jaseena Beegum O. P
1st MSc Psychology
St. Mary’s College, Thrissur

2. Vocational
Psychology
 Vocational psychology, also known as career counselling,
is a specialized field of counselling psychology that
studies human behaviour with regard to work related
issues. Vocational psychology is mostly concerned with
pre-employment topics such as how people’s individual
skills and aptitudes align with specific job requirements,
how people prepare for jobs, how they are selected for
jobs, and how they become qualified for jobs.

3. SKILLS REQUIRED FOR A VOCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
To be successful as a vocational psychologist, workers must possess the following skills:
 Ability to administer tests – Vocational psychologists must have strong interest and
training in psychometric testing. This includes administering career-related tests,
personality tests, and interest inventories, scoring those assessments, and interpreting the
results.
 Ability to work with anyone – Workers in this field have clients from a broad
spectrum of backgrounds and experiences, and having the capability and willingness to
work with various groups of people is an absolute must.

4.  Deep understanding of career issues – Many vocational psychologists work with high
school-aged students, and therefore must have an intimate knowledge of academic and career
advising techniques that will help students identify their strengths and areas of interest for a
career.
 Willingness to help – All psychologists must possess a willingness to help others, but often
that means vocational psychologists must assist their clients with relatively mundane tasks.
This includes working on resumes and cover letters or filling out job applications

5.  Excellent communication skills – Vocational counsellors often act as a bridge between
their clients and potential employers. As a result, vocational counsellors must have
excellent verbal and written communication skills. This helps them provide services to
clients and also helps them make connections in the business community that might benefit
their clients down the road.
 Ability to work as part of a team – In some instances, vocational psychologists offer
their services as part of a team-based approach to assisting a client. As such, vocational
psychologists must be able to work effectively with other stakeholders to meet team goals
for the client.

6. GOALS
 Vocational psychologists focus on understanding
factors that influence people's job choices and on
helping them to make more suitable, effective
career decisions.
 Is to help with career planning, the decision making
process, implementation of career choice, career
adjustment and the interplay between career and
personal issues.

7. ROLES
 Vocational psychologists play a number of different
roles, depending on the needs of their client. For those
that work in a school environment, such as a high school
or college, many of the daily tasks revolve around
helping students identify career pathways that fit their
skills and interests.
Vocational psychologists can fulfil this role in a variety of
ways:
 Academic and career advisement
 Career or interest assessments
 Connect students with potential employee

8. Academic and
Career
Advisement
 Review educational and experience requirements
with students in order to help them align their
coursework to the needs of the career field they
wish to enter.

9. Career orInterest
Assessments
 Administer tests to students and offer insight into
the results of those assessments in order to help the
student make an informed career choice.

10. Connecting
Students with
Potential
Employers
 Help students identify resources in their area, such
as career fairs, internships, or job shadowing
opportunities, in order to get their feet wet in their
chosen career field.

11. PRACTICE
 Career counsellors working in private practices typically
provide services to individual and organizational clients.
 The services most often rendered to individuals include
assistance with career decision making and planning,
coaching and securing employment

12. ISSUES
 Unclear education goals.
 Academic stress.
 Lack of self-sufficiency.
 Financial constrains.
 Unsuitable career paths.
 Lack of commitment

13. THANKYOU