r/IOPsychology

Hello!

I am in my grad program for I-O Psychology. I need to interview someone within my field of interest for an assignment in the next two weeks. I am having a bit of trouble finding one. Where would be the best place to reach out? Or is there anyone open and willing? Of course - it would be virtual and private, retaining to the interview questions at hand!

My interest is application in healthcare environments and/or organizational development :)

Hope this is not an odd ask :/

I saw this resource posted on Linkedin and found it to be quite interesting (original post).

I know this is a question that gets asked a lot from folks looking to find IO programs with actively publishing faculty. I appreciate the ability to select / deselect topic areas and to widen or narrow the time range.

Does anyone know if University of North Carolina at Charlotte actually has 18 active faculty?

Hello! I currently work for a Training and Workforce Development company which many of our clients are in the government space. I’ve been tasked with updating our list of Assessments we offer, they consist of the basic big ones; CliftonStrengths34, Hogan 360, MBTI, DiSC, etc.

I was wondering what are some other assessments you would recommend that are looking to get more business leaders attention. I know we are also looking for team related assessments as well. We do unfortunately have to stay away from DEIA involved in the assessments. So we can’t use Leadership Circle that revolves around “identity” and things like that.

Thank you!

Edit: Just want to be clear this isn’t for one specific client. This is to update our assessment catalogue or portfolio.

That's it. Just a question.

When getting into the I/O field, is it important to be in management first? What are your experiences, as a non-manager or manager?

Hello! I was browsing through this SubReddit (I'm new to Reddit, I'm assuming that's what it's called). I see lots of post about upper level students asking about internships, but I'm (unfortunately) not there yet. I'm a Undergraduate (Junior) in my University and it seems impossible to find an internship. Is there any way to start off? I've been trying to find an internship for ages, and it feels like I'm fighting for my life as the ones I find are only accepting above my level. Thank you!!

Hello Everyone, I am looking to get more opinions outside of my circle. My therapist turned me on to IO Psych, and right now it has my interest.

• To keep it short:

  • I have a degree in ChemE
  • I have over 10 years work experience in manufacturing(Process and Quality)
  • Have been a people manager
  • Lean Knowledge – Have ran multiple Kaizens, was doing a black belt project at one point(did not finish).
  • Can relocate anywhere
  • Total GPA (Community College and 4-year) is 2.9.
  • And finally, I want to take my career in a different direction.

• What I like/What I want:

  • Data, Data Analysis, Providing recommendations based on data, talking with data
  • Training and people development - One of the best parts of my last job was being a manager for interns
  • History/Psychology – Big fan of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky
  • Economics/Finance - Systems, saving, and investing
  • Biochem
  • Learning and Teaching – Love making detailed work instructions and procedures
  • Systems and how different areas come together, and their relationships
  • Understanding the human factor in systems
  • I have been told I am excellent at explaining tough concepts in a digestible way

• What I absolutely do not want:

  • Dealing with customers/sales - Specifically, people outside of the organization I am in. Customers requesting RCCA’s, handling returns, soothing customer concerns, etc.
  • Still on Fence: Managing People(direct reports)

• Questions, because I value your opinion:

  • Based on the above profile of a random stranger, would YOU think IO Psychology is a good fit?
  • Does my low GPA disqualify me? Does work experience help? Getting my masters was not something I had in mind when I was in undergrad.
  • Would my work experience in industry, being on the factory floors, give me any edge?

I am also researching info for a Master Degree in Systems Engineering and Data Analytics Engineering. Any and all feedback would be appreciated! Thank you for reading.

Welcome to the IO Psychology Subreddit! We are glad to have you here. This community exists to foster community and conversation for those in IO psychology, interested in IO psychology, or in related fields.

Before you post, please ensure that you have read the rules, and that your question or topic isn't already sufficiently addressed by a recent post (use the search bar!!!) or this FAQ. Low effort questions or questions that have been sufficiently addressed in other posts may be deleted.

FAQ 1: What is IO Psychology?

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (also known as SIOP) defines IO Psychology as:
I-O psychology is a dynamic and growing field that addresses work-related issues at the individual and organizational level. I-O psychologists apply research that improves the well-being and performance of people and the organizations that employ them. This involves everything from workforce planning, employee selection, and leader development to studying job attitudes and job motivation, implementing work teams, improving diversity and inclusion, and facilitating organizational change. SIOP represents Division 14 of the American Psychological Association; they recognize I-O psychology as a specialty of professional psychology.

FAQ 2: What job titles can I have in IO psychology? / Where can I learn more about careers in IO Psychology?

Many newcomers become confused when they realize "IO psychology" is almost never a job title, and searching for it as a job title will yield very few results. The reality is IO psychology is a discipline, not a job, and IO psychologists hold a wide variety of different job titles across different industries. Check out the SIOP Career Page for information on common career paths.

Posts which cover common job titles:

• I/O Psychologists what is your job title
• What was your first job title outside of your MS or Ph.D. program?

FAQ 3: Should I become an IO Psychologist? / I'm deciding between IO psychology and [clinical or some other kind of psychology], what should I do?

No one can tell you if IO Psychology is right for you, only you can make that decision based on your unique individual factors. Very few people have practiced both IO and clinical/related field, and we would be unqualified to say which one is a better fit. However, there are some factors to consider when thinking about IO psychology.

1. Most IO Psychology jobs are in major cities, remote jobs are rare and competition for them is extremely high.
2. Although IO Psychology is a global field, the field (and by proxy, the jobs) is most prevalent in North America.
3. IO psychology is often seen by businesses as "nice to have" rather than essential, which means the field is often hit hard during times of economic downturn.
4. Very few job postings require an IO psychology degree, but rather they will list it as one potential type of degree they are looking for. That means you will often be in competition with others from related fields, such as HR, OD, or data science. There's also often instances where a hiring manager has no clue what IO psychology is or what a degree in IO psychology means. Being successful in this field often means that you need to be able to market yourself and advocate for the skills you bring to the table.

Relevant posts to check out:

• Why you might NOT want to be in I/O

FAQ 3a: I live in [X country], should I go into IO psychology?

Although IO psychology is a global field, it is concentrated in North America. This subreddit is also highly concentrated in North America. Questions like "how is the field / job market in India / The Netherlands / Australia / UK" often go completely unanswered.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is "we don't know". Rather than posting here, contact your country's IO psychology organization (if one exists), or reach out to alumni of local graduate programs.

• CSIOP (Canada)
• EAWOP (Europe)
• COP (Australia)

FAQ 4: I'm currently in Clinical/Social Work/Some other related field, how can I switch to IO Psychology?

IO psychology in general requires an extremely different set of skills and knowledge compared to other psychology degrees. Transfering between fields is NOT SIMPLE OR EASY, and most often requires additional graduate education.

Although IO psychology is an unregulated field that does not require license to practice, it is unlikely that a degree in a different psychology concentration will arm you with the skill set you need to be competitive for IO psychology jobs.

FAQ 5: How much money can I make as an IO Psychologist?

Salaries for IO psychology jobs vary widely by job title, location, degree level, etc. Check out the SIOP 2022 salary report for an overview.

NOTE: While resources like this give a good indicator of what you can make as an IO psychologist, note that this assumes successful placement into an IO psychology job. As already mentioned, the IO psychology job market can be severely impacted by economic downturns.

FAQ 6: I've decided to go into IO Psychology, what are good graduate programs?

Graduate programs vary widely. It is incredibly important that you chose robust, rigorous programs that will leave you with tangible skills relevant to today's job market (e.g., data analysis). Although there may be some exceptions in-person, brick & mortar, not for-profit graduate programs tend to have better reputations and better access to resources and alumni networks. Check out SIOP's Graduate Training Program Resources page for a guide a on how to choose a program and a database of existing graduate programs.

For questions about grad school or internships, please visit our grad school Q&A megathread stickied at the top of the sub. Grad school posts outside of the Q&A thread will be deleted.

Relevant posts & resources:

• IO programs with good/ bad reputations
• Neoacademic - Trustworthy I-O Master's and Ph.D. program rankings

FAQ 7 : HELP! I've graduated but I can't find a job, what do I do?

Unfortunately, IO psychology as a field is seen as 'nice to have' rather than business critical, and we can be hit hard by economic downturns. Know that you are not alone in your experience. Here are some suggestions to consider:

• Consider applying for internships / fellowships / contract roles - ideally you will do this BEFORE YOU GRADUATE!!!! But if you haven't you should still be applying for these roles. Some will require you to be an active graduate student, but others are more flexible. Compared to "entry-level" jobs, these jobs are more forgiving towards lacking robust job experience.
• Strengthen your data skills - Of course it depends on what kind of job you are looking for, but one of the biggest differentiators between IO and HR degrees is our ability to take a data-driven approach to people decisions. Getting rock solid in data analysis in R or Python, and maybe even learning some machine learning techniques, can really stand out on a resume. Programming / data analysis resources like datacamp are accessible and inexpensive.
• DO NOT underestimate the power of networking. IO psychology is an EXTREMELY small field. It really is a situation where some says "oh you're an IO psychologist? do you know so and so?" and the answer is either "yes" or "no but I know someone who knows them". Building a strong professional network can be instrumental in finding a job. Even if the cost can be high, consider attending the annual SIOP conference which is an excellent way to quickly make high quality connections with people in the field.

Heyy!!! I've got a real confusion here and someone please help me out

I am doing masters in psychology and absolutely hate the clinical side of this career and I'd like to get into tech

Since UX research are drowned by AI I want a strong career option that doesn't make me question my life at next 6 months again

It'll be really helpful if someone tell me about careers in tech+psychology

Hey guys I'd love to know your first experience working as an IO at your job.

I'm in my first week at work and I have been assigned a content creation task, I dont mind it since my firm works in Talent advisory and leadership. Funny how things pan out, before joining I studied hard subjects like psychometrics, data analysis, programming in R, python SQL. Now here I am working on powerpoint/canva

​

I'm a recent M.A. Applied Psychology graduate from India, specialising in Organisational Behaviour. I'm interested in I/O-related work, particularly organisational/behavioural research, psychometrics, assessment, people analytics, and AI & work. Long term, I'm also considering a PhD.

I'm currently struggling with what to do for the next 6–12 months.

I live in a city with relatively few entry-level opportunities in these areas. There are more opportunities in other cities, but relocating for a low-paid internship is difficult without much prior experience.

I recently accepted an HR job at a small company, despite already having doubts about the role and workplace. I left after one day. Looking back, I don't regret leaving the specific job. I didn't like the work or the environment. What I do regret is losing the experience, income and structure it would have given me. A friend who joined with me stayed, which also made the comparison/FOMO much stronger.

I'm now considering focusing on NET + PhD applications, while learning R/statistics and continuing to look for relevant opportunities. My concern is that if I spend six months doing this and don't clear NET or get a PhD offer, I'll still be unemployed and without much additional experience.

So I'd really appreciate advice from people actually working in I/O/organisational research/psychometrics/people analytics:

- Would you prioritise getting any relevant work experience first, even if it's conventional HR, or focus on building towards a PhD/research career?

- What entry-level roles would you realistically target with an Applied Psychology Master's and little full-time experience?

- How valuable are R/statistics skills for getting into I/O, psychometrics, people analytics or organisational research?

- Is HR actually a useful entry route into these areas, or can it make it harder to transition later?

- If you were in my position, how would you use the next six months?

- And, honestly, was leaving that first job after one day a significant mistake, or would you have done the same given a genuinely poor fit?

I'm less interested in generic "follow your passion" advice and more interested in hearing how people actually got from an Applied Psychology degree into this field.