The February 2001 cover story of Monitor on Psychology, a publication of the American Psychological Association, focused on 21 psychologists "forging 21st century careers."

Among those featured in "The Career Less Traveled," was Dr. Michael Moon who received his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from TC in 1999. Moon is an Internet marketing analyst who designs Web site "personalities," using both words and pictures.

According to Monitor on Psychology, "Private practice and teaching-those are the traditional career paths for most psychologists. But a growing number of recent graduates are forging ahead in new, less-traveled directions. They're finding that employers increasingly recognize-and crave-the skills psychologists have, from critical thinking, to an understanding of human behavior and a grounding in statistics."

In an interview with Inside TC, Moon said, "I originally had intended to be an academic doing research and teaching in a university. What I realized is that my interests were more in the applied, which meant applying psychological principles in ways that impacted on people's daily lives."

He explained what he does as an Internet marketing analyst. "Essentially," Moon said, "there are various tasks that fall under that umbrella [Internet marketing analyst], but ultimately it's to increase the recognition of a Web site amongst the target market of that Web site. Any time you have to present a face of a company immediately and interactively with a customer, you also have to be concerned about feasibility. So that's where I turn to a lot of the tools I learned in psychology."

Moon, who also earned a Certificate in Organization Development and Consultation from the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology, spoke about his current consulting position to an online educational service. "I'm working with them on branding issues and usability issues pertaining to their target market and particularly about the need for simplicity in usage."

Moon said about his training at TC, "Our program was extremely flexible in allowing us to choose our direction. It worked out well for me because I was able to explore. More specifically, it allowed me to learn more about the different research methodologies as well as the various philosophical foundations of psychology. That, in turn, allowed me to think more in depth and in an informed way about how I can use psychology as a tool in different domains-not just as an academic-but also as a marketing manager."

Published Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2001