Careers in Sociology
The 21st century is already one that has seen rapid change on a scale almost unimaginable 30 years ago. As these changes continue to occur and even accelerate as technology and society evolve, there are few educational backgrounds that will be more useful than that of the Sociology major. Careers in Sociology this century will have as their main tenets, ethics, vision, compassion, cultural competency, recognition of interconnection and service to our fellow human beings. With these core values the knowledge gained by an education in Sociology then becomes easily translatable into a career in Sociology.
There are many routes one can go with a degree in Sociology but for those who wish to have a career that is based around their Sociology education, there range of jobs is more specialized. The four main areas in which you can make use of your skills as a sociologist are in Social Services, Counseling, Sociological or Social Science Research and Sales and Marketing.
Social Services is a broad field that includes far flung occupations such as Eligibility Workers, Child Welfare Case Managers, Rehabilitation Case Managers and Child Life Specialists among others. We explore this sector of the economy in great detail throughout this website and all of the jobs listed above are gone into in depth in our careers section which you can find here:
Counseling can take many forms, but for those who have a Sociology degree and plan on turning their knowledge of Sociology into a career in counseling this usually involves further education in the Social Work or Psychology tracks. Counseling itself, regardless of educational background of the practitioner, is very solidly in the sphere of careers in Sociology. The art of being a counselor is one that draws upon the many interpersonal and intercultural relations skills that one learns as a student of Sociology. You also have a helpful framework of macro forces of society and culture and their impact on the psyche of the individual to help you to free your client from their past conditioning and to embrace strength based models of empowerment so they can achieve optimal results in their life.
Sociological and Social Science Research is a career niche that few educations prepare you for more thoroughly than that of Sociology. By giving you the tools to make ethical research models, develop evidence based arguments, evaluate potential research models, form credible causal hypothesis and interpret data that has been gathered through studies, you will be able to research and create reports about virtually any sociological behavior you may wish to research. Becoming a Sociological Survey Researcher is a great career in Sociology for those interested in Social Science Research. You can find more information about this career here.
For those who are looking to work in the private sector and perform research for corporations or other private companies, a career in Sales and Marketing is one that will draw heavily upon your accumulated knowledge and skills as a Sociologist. Your ability to craft detailed surveys and interpret collected data will be of great use to you as you work with a team to develop the next generation of Sales and Marketing campaigns for your company. This career track is easily one of the most lucrative for those looking for a Career in Sociology.
Regardless of your eventual Career in Sociology, having an excellent educational background as a Sociologist will help you to thrive in the ever changing and evolving world of the 21st century marketplace. Few educational backgrounds will give you a more useful skillset to adapt to societal changes both locally and globally as that of the Sociology major.
