From curiosity to Occupational Psychology: Bettina's journey into the field.

Hi everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Bettina Bonello Ghio, Occupational Psychologist. Bettina shares a deeply personal and reflective account of finding her way to Occupational Psychology through planning, pausing and adapting to change. Her success is truly inspiring. Happy reading!

    From curiosity to Occupational      Psychology: my journey into the                               field

            Bettina Bonello Ghio

If you asked me when my interest in psychology started, I would probably say it began long before university. I am a fraternal quadruplet, and growing up surrounded by siblings who shared the same environment yet developed entirely different personalities, strengths, and ways of thinking made me naturally curious about human behaviour. I became fascinated by why people respond differently to the same experiences and what drives behaviour, motivation, and relationships.

That curiosity eventually led me into psychology, although my path into Occupational Psychology was far from linear. Throughout my twenties, I studied (and still am) at four universities: The University of Malta; Bath Spa University during my Erasmus exchange; Loughborough University for my MSc in Work Psychology; and Birkbeck, University of London, where I completed my MRes and am now finishing my Doctorate in Occupational Psychology. Looking back, each experience shaped me differently. More than qualifications alone, they expanded my confidence, perspective, and professional network. 

Reading this, you may think that it’s essential to get administered into so many universities to become a psychologist; however, that is simply not the case. There are so many routes you can follow. It just so happened for me that I took more of an academic route rather than a professional one.

One thing I quickly realised during my undergraduate degree was how broad psychology actually is. Before studying it, I had underestimated how many directions the field could take you in. Psychology spans Clinical, Counselling, Educational, Organisational, Forensic, behavioural, research, and statistical pathways, and at the time I genuinely did not know where I fitted in.

After graduating, I decided not to rush straight into a Master's to specialise. Instead, I took a year placement in HR (human resources) to gain practical experience and give myself time to reflect on what interested me most. That decision was heavily influenced by an experience during my Erasmus year. I attended a workshop in Bonn, Germany, focused on Adlerian Psychology. These workshop topics covered many different areas and one was Business Psychology and for the first time, I was introduced to the idea that psychology could be applied within organisational contexts. That combination of people, behaviour, leadership, and business immediately stood out to me.

At the time, many psychology graduates in Malta interested in Business Psychology transitioned into HR roles, so I decided to explore that route myself. Although HR was not ultimately the destination for me, the placement became one of the most valuable decisions I made early in my career. Occupational Psychology is an applied psychology, and having practical organisational experience gave me context that strengthened everything I later studied during my Master’s degree. This experience also made me realise that while I enjoyed working in business environments, I was consistently more drawn to the psychological and evidence-based side of the work. That experience confirmed my decision to specialise in Occupational Psychology. 

I secured many of my early placements and internships through networking, curiosity, and persistence rather than through perfectly planned career moves. For aspiring psychologists, I cannot overstate the importance of building relationships early on. Use university career services, attend events, volunteer at conferences, and speak to people already working in the field. Occupational Psychology is relatively small, and meaningful professional relationships genuinely open doors.

My Erasmus experience also played a major role in shaping my confidence. Living abroad taught me independence, adaptability, and how to navigate uncertainty. I always encourage students to remain exploratory during their early years. You do not need every answer immediately, and you shouldn’t expect to get to the top of the organisational hierarchy instantly. Some of the most valuable opportunities emerge through experimentation, discomfort and unexpected experiences.

My decision to pursue a Master’s degree in the UK was largely practical. At the time, Malta did not offer a specialist Master’s in Occupational Psychology, and because I had already spent time living in the UK during Erasmus, the transition felt manageable. During my MSc at Loughborough, I developed a strong interest in psychometrics and psychological assessments. Completing the BPS Test User qualifications also gave me practical experience in psychometric testing and increased my confidence in assessment design and interpretation. 

That eventually led me into the assessment and SaaS (social appearance anxiety scale) space, where I worked with international clients designing and implementing digital psychometric assessments for recruitment and talent processes. I later moved into employee engagement and organisational development consultancy, where I worked with organisations to interpret employee data, facilitate leadership workshops, and support organisational change initiatives across different sectors. 

One of the most formative decisions in my career was pursuing the doctorate route. At the time, I was working in an environment surrounded by Chartered psychologists and colleagues with PhDs, and I became increasingly motivated to deepen both my academic and applied expertise independently. There are several routes toward chartership within Occupational Psychology, but for me the university route offered structure, mentorship, and reflective practice that suited how I learn and develop professionally.

What many people outside the field do not realise is that Occupational Psychology itself is broad. During my professional training to become registered, I needed to demonstrate competence across multiple areas of practice, including psychometrics, leadership, wellbeing, engagement, and organisational change. This required me to step outside of familiar areas and deliberately seek experiences that would broaden my professional capability. In many ways, that period taught me resilience and adaptability more than confidence.

Ironically, just as I had completed my MRes and achieved HCPC (health and care professions council) registration as an Occupational Psychologist, I experienced a major setback. I went through a redundancy process and lost my job during a critical stage of my career development. At the time, it felt like a huge step backwards professionally and personally. Looking back now, that experience changed my perspective on my career entirely. 

The professional relationships and networks I had built over time became the support system that helped me regain confidence and rebuild momentum. Those connections eventually led me toward self-employment and consultancy work, something I had never originally planned for myself. It reminded me that careers are rarely as linear or controlled as they appear in hindsight. Often, the most defining periods are the ones that force you to adapt unexpectedly.

Today, I work as a self-employed Occupational Psychologist, balancing consultancy, lecturing, and work relating to AI-powered assessment centres, while also completing my doctoral research focused on career development and retention in SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprizes). My work now sits between research and practice, which is exactly where I always hoped it would be, even if I did not fully realise that at the beginning of my career journey.

If I could give advice to aspiring psychologists, it would be to remain curious, proactive, and open to uncertainty. Psychology careers are rarely straightforward like doctors, and comparison can easily make you feel left behind. However, growth often happens through experiences that initially feel uncomfortable or unplanned. So, say yes to opportunities that challenge you. Reach out to people even if you think they may not respond. Attend conferences, volunteer, ask questions, and engage in conversations about ideas and research. Some of the most important opportunities in my own career came about from networking, reflection, and simply being willing to explore unfamiliar spaces. 

Most importantly, remember that psychology is ultimately about people. Technical knowledge matters, but meaningful conversations, relationships, and reflective practice are what truly shape you as a practitioner over time. 

Thank you so much Bettina for sharing your experience. Your passion for people shines through. No doubt you will inspire many aspirant psychologists out there. 

Maybe reading about Bettina reminded you of your own training journey. Get in touch to share your own blog entry.

Kind regards,

The Pathways Team