Psychology Postdoctoral Residents: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of psychology postdoctoral residents about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for psychology postdoctoral residents to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of psychology postdoctoral residents expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for psychology postdoctoral residents.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents?

Do psychology postdoctoral residents need a degree? What kind of experience do psychology postdoctoral residents typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for psychology postdoctoral residents to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents

A ph.d. or professional degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of psychology postdoctoral residents. According to job data, a ph.d. or professional degree was required for 45% of positions. In 22% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 14% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for psychology postdoctoral residents. In 48% of job postings for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 42% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 8% of job postings for psychology postdoctoral residents.

What Kind of Degree Do Psychology Postdoctoral Residents Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for psychology postdoctoral residents, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 24 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective psychology postdoctoral residents, and in 2023 a total of 190,188 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective psychology postdoctoral residents.

Top Degree Programs for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents

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Degree Options for Psychology Postdoctoral Residents

What Skills Do Psychology Postdoctoral Residents Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by psychology postdoctoral residents to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for psychology postdoctoral residents, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Psychology Postdoctoral Residents
Based on 23,012 job postings

Based on 23,012 job postings related to psychology postdoctoral residents, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 80% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, psychological evaluations and treatment planning were also highly sought.

As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for psychology postdoctoral residents, followed by communication, management, writing, ethical standards and conduct and teaching.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about psychology postdoctoral residents? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for psychology postdoctoral residents.

What do psychology postdoctoral residents do?
How much do psychology postdoctoral residents make?

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