Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Also called: I-O Psychologist (Industrial-Organizational Psychologist), Organizational Consultant, Organizational Psychologist, Research Scientist,



What they do:
Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.
On the job, you would:
  • Provide advice on best practices and implementation for selection.
  • Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
  • Analyze data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of workplace programs.

Knowledge

Business
  • human resources (HR)
  • management
Math and Science
  • psychology
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • read and understand what is written
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Dependability
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Attention to Detail

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • SAS
Computer based training software
  • Learning management system LMS
  • Padlet
Spreadsheet software
  • Google Sheets
  • Microsoft Excel

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
  • master's degree
  • doctoral degree
usually needed

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$139,280
$ 72,490
$ 210,030

Explore More

What they do:
Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.

On the job, you would:
  • Provide advice on best practices and implementation for selection.
  • Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
  • Analyze data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of workplace programs.

KNOWLEDGE

Business
  • human resources (HR)
  • management
Math and Science
  • psychology
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

SKILLS

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

ABILITIES

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • read and understand what is written
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

PERSONALITY

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Dependability
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Attention to Detail

TECHNOLOGY

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • SAS
Computer based training software
  • Learning management system LMS
  • Padlet
Spreadsheet software
  • Google Sheets
  • Microsoft Excel

EDUCATION

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
  • master's degree
  • doctoral degree
usually needed

JOB OUTLOOK

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$ 139,280
$ 72,490
$ 210,030

EXPLORE MORE