Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Any experience one can obtain in the field of industrial-organizational psychology—such as an internship, co-op, or a part-time job—will be useful.

Industrial-organizational psychologists need excellent communication skills because they spend much of their days talking with people about their jobs, writing reports, and conveying their findings to executives, both orally and in writing. They also need tact, diplomacy, and strong listening and interpersonal skills in order to effectively gather information. Other important traits include a detail-oriented personality; flexibility to handle multiple priorities; strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills; sound business ethics, including the protection of proprietary information, personally-identifiable information, and government classified information; an interest in working with numbers and abstract concepts; an openness to feedback and new ways of thinking; and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel), survey software, and analysis tools such as IBM SPSS Statistics.

Depending on their employer, some I-O psychologists may need specialized experience. For example, a psychologist who focuses on improving employee performance, worker retention issues, and related areas would need experience interviewing individuals via structured interviews, focus group sessions, and job observations. Those who develop and conduct surveys would need experience with survey methodology and statistical analysis techniques.