Introduction
Hi, my name is Liz and I’m a Clinical Psychologist working on the Clinical Psychology Doctorate course team. I graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Psychology.
I went on to volunteer and work with people with an intellectual disability and then within a primary care psychology service before completing my Clinical Psychology Doctorate at Birmingham.
I worked in the Black Country with people with intellectual disabilities and people with an eating disorder until joining the course team in 2009
Mentoring experience
This year I mentored a third year Psychology student. We met once a month over the course of the mentorship, which took place sometimes in person on campus and sometimes online via zoom.
My mentee wanted some support understanding the different routes to becoming a Practitioner Psychologist and time to explore which would be best for her.
We also spent time thinking about how her various experiences could be described and mapped on to competencies (eg for job application forms and in interview), which would help her towards her career goal. We’ve agreed to continue the mentorship informally as she prepares for her next steps
Top tips for entering your industry
My top tip for getting into a career in mental health and psychology is to be patient, especially when applying for the Clinical Psychology course.
It can incredibly competitive so you need to be resilient! Seek out opportunities to gain work experience and really make the most of these opportunities. Depth of experience, getting a really good understanding of the area can be more important than lots of little bits of time.
I’d also encourage you to build on your self –care skills as working in mental health can be quite an emotional job but incredibly rewarding
How can you support students and graduates through the mentoring scheme?
I can support you through the Careers Networking Mentoring Scheme by giving you an insight into careers in mental health and psychology, as well as supporting you with applying for the Clinical Psychology Doctorate.
I didn’t have a mentor whilst I was studying but I certainly think I would have benefitted from talking through my plans with someone who was separate from my family and friends and working within the sector.
I was very fortunate to receive support in gaining my first voluntary experience and am keen in turn to offer support to others who are just starting out in their career