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When I Grow Up

Table of Contents

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Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................4 Research ...........................................................................................................................................................4 Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................8

 Outline I. Introduction II. Research

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A. Required Skills B. Job Expectations III. Conclusion

 Erin Kerbaugh Mr. Steigner Genre Literature Block B 17 May 2012

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When I Grow Up What do you want to be when you grow up? This may be a very familiar question

for most children. A child couldve answered it with a strong, determined answer, or rather an answer full of uncertainty. Being a young child, the answer couldve changed from day to day. One day they want to become a doctor, but the next day they change their mind to something totally different. However, for a few people in the world, the answer has remained the same. Personally, my answer to this question changed very frequently. I remember having at least three different dream jobs as a child; a doctor, an author, and a teacher. Recently, I decided that a psychologist is a very fit job for me. A psychologist does many things that Ive always been interested in. Ive always
student 8/30/12 11:42 PM Comment: Why? What made you suddenly decide? student 8/30/12 11:44 PM Deleted: . I remember answering that I want to become a doctor, only to change my answer to a writer a few weeks later. student 8/30/12 11:43 PM Comment: Should explain more detailed on what exactly a psychologist does student 8/30/12 11:42 PM Comment: Kind of repetitive. Could change choice of words. student 8/30/12 11:44 PM Deleted: day they want to be the president.

loved to help others and joined different community service organizations. A psychologist must have a serving heart and a will to help others and understand others. Ive been told that I was a great listener and I had the ability to calm those around me. I love talking to people about their problems and try my best to help them through it. I was also very interested in how the mind works and the different mental illnesses. As a child I would look up interesting facts about the mind. As I thought about it, a psychologist was doing everything I loved. Ive decided that I wanted to become a psychologist when I grow up so I can help those around me and understand how the mind works for different people.

student 8/30/12 11:46 PM Deleted: being a psychologist was doing everything I loved student 8/30/12 11:45 PM Deleted: !

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To become a psychologist requires a thorough and complicated process. In order to

become a psychologist, one has to earn a psychologist license and either earn a degree in psychology or education. Starting from high school, it is helpful to take as many science and mathematics classes as possible, including sociology and psychology if the school offers. Also, humanities, worldview, history, and other aspects that might influence people are necessary for psychologists to be aware of. After high school, one has to major in psychology in college and go to further studies and earn a Ph.D. The further education you receive, there is a better chance of you being a more successful psychologist (To become a Psychologist). Being a psychologist is not all about knowing mental illnesses. A psychologist has to

be able to successfully communicate with the patients and help them through their hard times. A psychologist will have to have deep knowledge about how the mind works and also know how to get people to trust you. A psychologist has to be masters in both logic and rhetoric, which can be quite challenging. The best skills to have are to be a good listener, be able to make them feel at ease, and be eager to help the patients (Keirsey). Considering all the things that I enjoy and pride myself in, a psychologist seems like

a very suitable job. Although I would have to improve myself in several areas, I am confident that I would be able to really listen to the patients and understand what their problem is. A psychologist is a very desirable and enjoyable job for me. Despite what peoples dream job may be, the perfect job for them may be totally

different. A dream job is what one wishes to become, while the perfect job may be something that they could excel in. A psychologist may not be something that Ive always dreamed of becoming since I was young, but it matches my personality the best. After

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spending weeks taking tests to find out about my personality and evaluating myself, I found out that my personality is a very rare one. With characteristics that only three percent of the world share, my personality has its distinct good and bad traits. And by evaluating these traits, I came to a conclusion that a psychologist is the right job for me. A psychologist requires patience, a heart to serve, listening skills, and the ability to ease others and talk to them. These are some of the main characteritics of my personality. Some of the characteristics of my personality are the ability to understand others

and the willingness to help them (Keirsey). A psychologists main goal is to help those in need. They need to talk to the patients and understand their thoughts before they can make any conclusions (Careers for INFJ). A psychologist that is not willing to help or cannot understand their patients is not fulfilling its purpose. However, I believe that due to my personality, I will be able to put the duties of a psychologist into action. The main role of a psychologist is to be great listeners. Before they can make any

conclusions, they need to listen to what the patients have to say. Psychologists have to be able to patiently listen and to give advices according to what they heard (Keirsey). Ive been told before that I was a great listener and was always willing to give advices. I believe these traits will help me become a successful psychologist. People with my personality are known for their curiosity and logical thinking

(Keirsey). We want to know the reason behind everything and like to think how things became to be. This is a huge benefit to psychologists. They need to make guesses on what couldve caused the illnesses that their patients might have. They need to logically think and have a deep knowledge about the mind. My endless curiosity and thirst for reasons will be a great addition to these requirements of a psychologist.

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Although a psychologist is someone I never considered becoming until recently,

after seeing the traits of my personality, I believe that I can excel in many different areas in this field. Some say that a perfect job is a combination of what you love to do and what you are good at doing. A psychologist is both something I will enjoy and something I match the best. Everyone needs goals in their life to keep them motivated. Small achievements may

lead up to large achievements, which usually ends up with a dream come true. For people to achieve their true goals, they need to first set up small goals to help lead the way to success. For me, my goal is to become a psychologist. There are some minor goals that I hope to achieve on the way. My first goal is to take many helpful classes in high school. I hope to take several AP

classes and other courses that will help me on the way to my dream. There are a few requirements that I need to fulfill, such as taking certain science classes such as biology and chemistry, which I hope to accomplish in my early years of high school (To become a Psychologist). After high school, I hope to get into a well-known college where I can successfully get a degree in psychology. I hope to learn a lot about the mind and how people think. After finishing my education, I hope to become a psychologist who is not only

successful, but also well liked. I hope that I will be known to really help my patients recover and lead them into the right path. I hope to be someone who others respect and look up to. I dont want to be someone who seems professional and hard to talk to, but rather someone who seems like a friend and is generous and kind. I really want my future occupation to bring some social success, not only professional and financial success.

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A psychologists main goal is to be able to treat others and cure them. That is my

ultimate goal. I want to be able to see my patients turn from a mentally ill person to someone who is accepted in society and is open to interactions with others. I want to be able to see the bright smile on their faces as they become healthier and healthier. As a psychologist, I would love to personally interact with others and care for them. A psychologist is not only about memorizing different mental illnesses. Its about

communicating with others and trying to help them to the best of my ability. I believe that my personality is suited for this kind of occupation. Not only do I love helping others, but Im also a good listener and understanding. I hope that what I love and what I am best at doing will bring the best out of me in the future.

Works Cited

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"Careers for INFJ Personality Types." The Personality Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFJ_car.html>. " College Education | Scholarships | Admissions." Test Prep: GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.princetonreview.com/college-education.aspx>. " Keirsey Temperament Website - Portrait of the Idealist Counselor (INFJ)." Personality Test - Keirsey Temperament Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://keirsey.com/4temps/counselor.aspx>. "To Become a Psychologist." Consumer information about Clinical Psychology : Psychotherapy, Therapy, Counseling, Mental Health | Clinical Psychology | A Guide to Psychology and its Practice. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.guidetopsychology.com/be_psy.htm>.