Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Employers

The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology has approximately 10,000 members. Industrial-organizational psychologists are employed directly by corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, as well as consulting firms that provide services to these organizations. Others work as professors or researchers at colleges and universities.

Starting Out

Many people break into the field of I-O psychology after participating in an internship during college. “Completing an internship increases your chances of getting a job that you’ll enjoy,” according to an article on internships in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Quarterly. “Not only do you discover your job likes and dislikes, but you enter the job market with experience that is related to your career goals…And later, when it’s time to get a job, internships attract employers.” The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) offers detailed information about the various types of internships (e.g., internal, external, government, research-oriented, and international) for I-O psychology students at its Web site, https://www.siop.org/Career-Center/I-O-Internships.

Other job-search strategies include using the career centers of professional associations (such as the American Psychological Association and SIOP), working with recruiters, networking at in-person events and online at LinkedIn and related Web sites, attending job fairs, and utilizing the resources of one’s college career center.