Some Prerequisites for Becoming a "Really" Applied, Non-Academic Social Psychologist

Abstract

Stimulated by recent calls for a more applied orientation and the dearth of academic jobs in social psychology, this study investigated the requirements for becoming an applied, nonacademic social psychologist. Survey data were collected from both applied researchers (N=30) and employers (N=30) regarding the necessity of 26 areas of knowledge and skill for doing applied work in "real world" settings. Both groups rated communication skills the highest, strongly emphasized the importance of jobrelated experience, and placed low value on traditional skills (e.g., laboratory research). The rank order of importance of skills was similar for the two groups although psychologists rated various research methods more highly while organizations favored various business skills. These ratings along with open-ended responses may be useful in planning graduate programs, and also inspire some optimism regarding non-academic employment opportunities for social psychologists.