My career journey
From the age of 14, I was convinced that all I wanted to be was a clinical psychologist. It was the only subject in school that I enjoyed / was good at, and after spending 3 years on my psychology undergraduate and another year on a master’s, it seemed like the only thing that made sense to do.
But then, as I was applying for assistant psychologist jobs as the next step to being a clinical psychologist, I sat back and took a minute to think about my future. Did I really want to be a psychologist, or was I just in too deep now?
Having thought about what I wanted and being gently pushed by rejection letter after rejection letter, I started to look at grad schemes and found the Civil Service Fast Stream. The money looked good, and I had a mate in the Civil Service who seemed to like it, so I applied.
Luckily, I got in, and I’ve never looked back. In just one year, I’ve had some amazing experiences. I’ve supported Ministers during debates in parliament, I’ve briefed CEOs and MPs, and I’ve seen a Bill I worked on become an Act of Parliament. I’ve even had the Secretary of State buy me a drink.
I won’t lie, sometimes you’re just sending emails or doing research online, but that all feeds into bigger things, and occasionally you get to do something incredible.
If I had one tip, it would be not to back yourself into a career corner; it’s never too late to do something different.
Most graduate schemes begin with an online test. To help you prepare, we’ve created an exclusive Psychology Futures video with tips for online test success, including access to our online portal which includes NHS and Civil Service practice hubs.
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