Top Jobs for Sociology Degree Majors

Top Jobs for Sociology Degree MajorsTop Jobs for Sociology Degree MajorsIf you are intrigued by how and why people interact as they do with others, then maybe sociology is the major for you.Sociology majors learn to think critically about social problems and social phenomena. The major is very broad. Everything in the social realm is open for study, including family, marriage, deviance, criminology, group interaction, gender roles, sexuality, work roles, public policy, aging, social inequality, attitude development, and much more. Once you graduate with a degree in sociology, there are a number ofcareersthat willfit your skills and knowledge. Read below for more information on the types of jobs that might be right for you, as well as a list of sociology skills. Career Options for Sociology Majors To choose the best possible career, you will need to consider your other skills, interests, and values as well as the sociology major. Here are some common job possibilities to explore a s you think of ways to apply your sociology major to the work world. 1. Guidance Counselor Guidance counselors use knowledge of the sociology of learning to help students navigate the academic world. They also communicate with families to devise strategies to support the achievement of their students. Guidance counselors utilize interview and counseling techniques to help students make academic and career choices. Guidance counselors use problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve social problems within schools. They facilitate group sessions and instruct students about social issues like bullying, substance abuse, and safe sex. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual wage for school and college counselors welches $55,410 in 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,660, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $91,960. Employment of school and career counselors is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the averag e for all occupations. 2. Human Resources (HR) Representative HR representatives need to have finesse with people and interact effectively with a broad range of individuals and groups. They must be able to analyze work roles and assess the suitability of candidates for jobs. Interviewing skills learned by sociology majors are essential for this evaluation. HR staff membersuse problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve personnel issues. HR representatives use analytical anddecision-making skillsto evaluate alternative structures for employee benefits. The BLS indicated that the average wage for human resources representatives welches $60,350 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,810, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $103,570. Employment of human resources specialists isprojected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. 3. Lawyer Lawyers use critical thinking and analytical skills to research and l itigate their cases. Many areas oflegal practice,such as divorce, child custody, adoption, criminal law, personal injury, worker compensation, and employment law benefit, are related to sociology. Lawyers draw on research and writing skills to carry out their work. They must gather facts and evidence to support a thesis, just as sociology majors do with their position papers. Lawyers must present their findings in a compelling manner in order to convince a judge, jury or opposing attorney of their position. This is similar to presentations in sociology classes. According to the BLS, lawyers earned an average income of $119,250 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000. Job opportunities for lawyers are expected to grow by 8percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as theaverage for all occupations. 4. Management Consultant Management consultants analyze business issues, research possible remedies or enhancements, and present solutions to clients. New college graduates often start out in positions like research analyst, research assistant, or junior consultant, where they support the work of more senior staff. Sociology majors develop the qualitative and quantitative research skills to understand a business problem. Theirproblem-solving skillshelp them to generate viable solutions to unterstellung issues. Writing and public speaking skills are also critical when constructing reports and presenting analyses and solutions to clients. The BLS estimated that the average annual income for management consultants was $82,450 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,140, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $152,210. Employment opportunities were projected to increase by 14percent from 2016to2026, faster than average for all occupations. 5. Market Research Analyst Market research analysts test products and services and evaluate the effectiveness of marketingcampaigns. They util ize social science research techniques, including interviews, surveys, and focus groups, to gather data. Market researchers employ statistical methods mastered by sociology majors to analyze data. Market researchers often track preferences for specific consumer groups. The sociologists knowledge of gender, youth, aging, race, ethnicity, and social class helps to inform these assessments. An understanding of group process and advanced communication skills help sociologymajors facilitate focus group interactions and conduct interviews with consumers. According to the BLS, market research analysts earned an average of $63,230 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $122,770. Employment opportunities for market research analysts are expected to expand by 23percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than average. 6. Media Planner Media planners assess the advertising needs of clients and design a media plan to enhance sales to various groups. Like sociology majors, they must be able to interpret research and analyze the preferences of their target population. Media planners are aided by sociological knowledge, as they study the characteristics of various groups in order to select the best possible media to advertise their product. According to Payscale, media planners earn an average salary of $47,710. 7. Policy Analyst Policy analystsresearch issues that affect the public. They recommend legislation to address thoseproblems. Knowledge of sociology helps analysts to assess the impact of legislation on social problems and various populations. Sociology majors have the foundation to analyze issues like welfare, poverty, substance abuse, job training, education, healthcare, and gay marriage. Policy analysts, like sociology majors, rely on strong writing skills to represent the findings of their research and convince legislators and the public of the viability of their recommendations. According to Payscale, policy analysts earn an average of $56,178. 8. Public Relations (PR) Specialist PR specialistsneed to be the ultimate communicators. As such, they must have the sociology majors ability to understand an audience and its attitudes, needs, and preferences. Writing skills are critical for crafting high-impact press releases. Public relations staff must have theinterpersonal skillsto talk to the media and convince them to cover stories about their client or organization. They need to convey ideas clearly to staff and clients and engender support and consent for their ideas. The BLS indicated in May 2017 that the average salary for public relations representatives was $59,300. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $112,260. Employment opportunities for public relations representatives are expected to grow by 9percent from 2016to2026, about as fast as theaverage for all jobs. 9. Social Worker Social workers apply the knowledge of socia l dynamics and social institutions learned as a sociology major to assess client issues and help resolve problems.They make referrals to appropriate community agencies to leverage resources on behalf of individuals and families. Active listeningandverbal communication skillsare essential to assessing problems and advising clients about ways to improve their lives. The BLS estimates that the average salary for social workers was $47,980 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,740. Opportunities for social workers areprojected to grow by 16percent from 2016 to 2026, a much faster rate than theaveragefor all occupations. 10. Survey Researcher/Pollster Survey researchers and pollsters measure attitudes and opinions in areas familiar to the sociology major, like social and political issues, health, culture, and consumer products. They carefully compose survey questions to elicit clear answers. Survey researchers use the data collection and statistical analysis techniques that sociology majors learn. They write and present reports to share their findings with clients. Survey researchers use knowledge of groups and sub-cultures as they assess the opinions of targeted demographics. They must be curious about a social phenomenon in order to conduct background research about survey topics. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for survey researchers in May 2017 was $54,270. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,000, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,660. Employment opportunities for survey researchers are expected to grow by 2percent from 2016to2026, slower than theaverage for all occupations. Sociology Major Skills Sociology majors learn to conduct research about the social world. They gather and analyze data using both qualitativeresearchmethods and statistical tools. Students who major in sociology write reports to convey research findings and present their perspect ive on social issues. They learn to think globally about issues as well as to attend to details. Sociology majors refine presentation skills by sharing findings with faculty and peers. All of these kinds of assignments help students develop strongcommunication skills. Sociology majors are taught to identify problems that exist in the world around them. They apply problem-solving skills to these social dilemmas and exercise theircreative abilitiesto find remedies. Sociology majors learn to take a position on an issue and construct a rationale to support their perspective. Sociology Major Skills List Below is a list of skills most sociology majors develop over the course of their academic careers. When applying for a job, consider which skills on this list are important for the job. Highlight your experience with these skills in your resume, cover letter, and interview. Think of examples of times you demonstrated these skills in coursework, internships, and jobs. Skills vary by jo b, so also review theseskills listsfor a variety of different occupations. A - C Active listeningAdministering surveys and questionnairesAnalyticalAnalyzing social problemsAnalyzing work rolesApplying ethical standards to researchApplying principles of group processApplying theories to real-world situationsAppreciating individual differencesAssessing demographic trendsCaringCoding dataCommunicating with diverse populationsComparing and contrasting methodological approaches to gathering dataConducting field observationsConducting interviewsConstructing research modelsConstructing valid arguments Conveying sociological conceptsCreating charts and graphsCreativityCritical thinking D -I Detail orientationDeveloping public policy recommendations based on sociological trends and dataDevising surveys regarding the social phenomenonDiscerning recurring patternsDisplaying knowledge of the impact of social institutionsEmpathyEvaluating the reliability and validity of research findingsExplaini ng complex conceptsFacilitating focus groupsFacilitating group discussionsGathering information from multiple sourcesIdentifying patterns of deviant behaviorIdentifying signs of conflictIdentifying underlying assumptions in particular theoretical orientations or arguments IndependenceInterpersonalInterpreting data L - P LeadershipLeading meetingsLogical reasoningManaging stressMarketingMediating disagreementsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordMotivating othersNote takingOrganizationalPerforming descriptive statistical testsPerforming multiple linear regression analysesPerforming two-way correlationsPersistencePersuasive communicationPlanning projectsPowerPointPragmatismPredicting outcomesPresentationPrioritizingProblem-solvingProducing bivariate tables with chi-square tests of significance R - Z R (a Stat Package)Reading complex materialResearchResolving conflictsSASSelf-awarenessSocial perceptivenessSPSSStructuring focus groupsStudyingSystematically observing a social phenomenonSystemati zingTeamworkTesting hypothesesTime managementUnderstanding an audienceUnderstanding cultural differencesVerbal communicationViewing issues from diverse anglesWriting research proposalsWriting