Should You Find A Niche?

About 2 years into being a registered psychologist, my supervisor said, “I think it’s time for you to find a niche”.?

I freaked out a little.

It felt like a choice that would define my career and I had no idea where to start. At the time, I found all my work interesting and enjoyed being exposed to a wide range of presentations. I was blessed enough to have a diverse group of peers I could consult to cover such a general scope of practice and an employer that paid for my eclectic training needs.

I didn't want to give any of that up. I didn't want to narrow the focus of my practice, consult a less diverse group of psychologists or train in just one area. With the stress and anxiety of the internship in the past, I wanted to just enjoy being registered and being a generalist allowed me to do that.

But I’d been feeling a growing pressure from other psychologists to find a niche and now my supervisor was talking about it, so it felt serious. Respecting my supervisor's experience and knowing that she meant well, I agreed to look into it.?

In the end, I decided to focus on trauma and I’m embarrassed to admit that started to believe some pretty silly things about finding a niche as a psychologist. Specializing was talked about in such glowing terms, I thought it would elevate me in the industry somehow. That clients would seek me out for my special area of practise. That employers would pay me more because of my special skillset. And that my peers would respect that little bit more than when I was a generalist.?

None of this came true.?

I learned a lot, enjoyed the training and ultimately enjoyed the work. But so did my colleagues who stayed in the generalist lane. They stayed happy, employed and enjoyed the same amount of respect from me and others. Just as importantly, they continued to be incredibly helpful to their clients, who couldn't care less whether they'd found a niche or not.?

Now, over 10 years on, when I get asked by early career psychologists whether they should find a niche or not, I tell them this. I honestly don't think it matters as much as you think it will. You can be happy and helpful to your clients either way. So if you want to find a niche, go for it. If you want to practise in a more general way, you'll be fine. Just make sure you make the choice for all the right reasons.