The I/O Soapbox: Careers in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2019
- Episode 2: This week I talk for way too long about all of the things I/Os do, jobs for I/Os, and even role sculpting. And of course I gush a bit about my phenomenal students and alumni. Props to genius videographer Seairah Henry.
Comments, concerns, and random statements below!
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UMD IO MPS Website: psyc.umd.edu/graduate/mps-ind...
Enlightening, informative and refreshing. You’ve added more fuel to my burning desire or pursuit. I look forward to my journey into this vast realm of IOP.
This makes my day! So happy to hear :)
Transcript Part 2:
Um. Look into you know, search for human resources, search for research associate jobs or research assistant jobs, those are going to help kind of get a foot in the door. I think I already mentioned associate consultant. So any jobs, human capital, talent, human capital, those kinds of words are the words organizations are using these days to denote the kind of work that IOs really do.
So go ahead use those search terms: analyst, research, data, consulting, associate, um, human capital, talent, even recruiting or sourcing, can help get you into IO related work as a first step after a bachelor’s degree and sometimes after a master’s degree. After a master’s degree or PhD depending on where you want to go, now we can talk about that eventually. Um. Then you might be able to go for jobs that are more kind of, higher level, director level or uh pure consultant or senior consultant you know those type of jobs start to open up with more education or more experience.
But you know, honestly, if you’re in a small enough company, or a non-profit, jobs that aren’t technically IO jobs can become IO jobs because a small company or a non profit is going to be short staffed. They’re going to have low staffing compared to the needs of the organization. Typically. So what that means is that you get to do a lot of role sculpting in those sorts of roles. Where you come in, and you start to say. You know you explore. So you say, the organization is lacking this, let me put it in place. So you end up creating a role that is outside of what your job says you’re going to do that is IO related.
For example, one of my alumni ended up working as a benefits consultant while he was in the program. So he was consulting for small companies on the affordable care act. Now that is not what he really wanted to do, but it was kind of a foot in the door. And what happened is, he got in, and he noticed that his organization didn’t have an onboarding program. So he said, okay, I’ll make one. I’ll create one. Why not, right? So his boss let him, he had no problem with that, so this is something that had nothing to do with his actual job, but it showed that IO and flexed that IO side. And that helped leverage him into his future jobs because he was sculpting his role there and ended up expanding it.
I had a student, well, an applicant, he didn’t end up coming here, he ended up going to a program that was more organizational change related, um, but he worked in a manufacturing organization. So again, his job was more administrative, but what he ended up doing, was creating whole new processes for organizing materials and things like that for the whole company, you know that’s organizational change, that’s not in his job description but he’s driving organizational change. Had another alumnus, really wanted to get into internal consulting in her organization, she was a project manager and she started flexing and doing, bringing her IO related skills and flexing them in her place of work and now she runs an internal human capital consulting function in her organization that they created for her after she was doing all of this extra work.
So even if you’re in a job that doesn’t have words like, analyst, or consultant, or data, or human capital, or talent, or sourcing, or recruiting, or any of those things, that you would typically look for, you can still make space for yourself to do IO related work because IO related work is the work of improving work. And there’s always space for that.
One of my alumni was a member of a small team that conducted and authored a diversity study for an organization of 14,500 government civilians, military members, and contractors. And their team has since transitioned to implementing recommendations, and is doing change management, coaching, advising, and additional research to inform those different policy changes.
I have another alumnus who is coordinating employee engagement in a division of over 100 staff and they’ve created communication tools, trainings, different social activities to understand and engage the staff, including developing career paths, succession planning, which is really really key. And they also redid all their employees’ performance plans, and again, in terms of the c-suite impact, briefing management on IO principles and transparency, trust, and engagement.
One of the things that I learned when I was building the program here at the University of Maryland. One of my mentors, Marc Sokol, who is also an alumnus from the same PhD program that I’m from. He’s been coaching me ever since I was a little baby graduate student. And, when I was developing this program, what he told me is, he told me stories about the importance of translation and speaking in a language that businesses understand. Because one of the challenges can be, you have a lot of specialized knowledge and it’s very technical. But if you’re not able to communicate that technical knowledge in a way that is accessible to people who don’t have that background, you can’t possibly have impact. So when I see one of my alumni saying that IO helped get them in the room with the c-suite, then I know that’s how we’re having an impact as IOs and as this program, you know, through this program.
Actually, my entire second cohort developed the vision, mission, and values for the Master’s program I run here at the University of Maryland. And then one of them ended up leading a vision, mission, values project in their Department. And they’ve now since migrated from, again, she’s gone from a more, kind of administrative support role, to an organizational change role within her department as she’s taken on more of those strategic big picture initiatives that have started to really shape and change how her department works. So uh. All pretty cool stuff.
Seairah: That’s actually a lot of really good information. A lot of good information. Have you ever considered doing a podcast, or, putting yourself on youtube for people like me, kind of like me who don’t know anything about it and don’t really have the opportunity to get to know about it.
Aiken: Yeah, you know, we kind of uh, we just started filming, and you’re on it.
Seairah: I’m on what?
Aiken: You’re on the youtube channel.
Seairah: Okay. Cooool. Interesting.
Aiken: Yeah yeah actually somebody else told me that. She’s pretty cool.
Seairah: She sounds pretty - she’s a great person.
Aiken: Yes. She really. Yeah, it was great, she came in, she asked me almost some of the same questions you asked me -
Seairah: Almost like she’s me
Aiken: Yes, almost like she’s you. You know what’s so interesting too? You told me you are a videographer, right?
Seairah: I am!
Aiken: So is she!
Seairah: That’s crazy, wow
Aiken: Right? No she’s actually the one who is recording the youtube videos.
Seairah: She’s here right now?
Aiken: Don’t panic.
Seairah: Oh my gosh.
Aiken: Don’t panic but she is in the room.
Seairah: Well I don’t want to steal her shine so I’m gonna go.
Aiken: (laughs) That’s fair that’s fair I can’t even be mad about that.
Seairah: Thank you so much for talking to me, Dr. Aiken
Aiken: My pleasure. You have a great day (laughs). Get out of here, get out of here.
We need more of this, please come back! Thanks
This is absolutely delightful and very informative! I'm looking to go into Psychology but kind of getting discouraged by the types of jobs that are available to those who have a degree lower than Master and PhD. When doing research into what focuses are available in the parameters of Psychology I/O stood out. I love bringing solutions, ideas, and other things to organizations that need it. Would love any other information you have as im planning on going to school next year. I also just subscribed. You're awesome
You can do it.
What matters the most as she mentioned is the importance of sculpting oneself into areas IOP covers. I am actually taking IOP from Tech University. I am changing direction of my career from Economics, and Marketing.
IOP is a broad spectrum of knowledge and can be applied in almost all settings of life and work.
After watching this segment, I feel like I can now completely redo my resume & LinkedIn profile! Thank you very much for this information!
this was soo helpful and insightful. I'm interested in pursuing a masters in io psychology and i'm learning more about what the industry entails. this was awesome - thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Hello Dr. Aiken! I’m so glad to have found you channel. I’m a student at the Community College of Baltimore County at the moment (finishing this Fall) and I’m looking to transfer into a university in Maryland that has a Psychology grad course with focus or some certification in IOP. Your video was very clarifying and I’ll definitely watch the others, and now I’ll also research UM as a transfer option.
Thank you so much for sharing you expertise!
Hey have you got into masters in IO ? Can you share your experiences?
Is Germany good for masters in IO ?
Can you suggest best colleges in Europe?
Pros and cons?
Starting salary?
Highly appreciate any response at your convenience. Thank you
I'm so glad I came across your channel! This has been the most helpful information I have found.I'll be finishing my B.S in psychology (clinical practice track) in May 2020 and plan on aplying for the
I/O M.S. program at UCF (fingers crossed). This video just made me more excited about being a grad student in I/O. Thank you for the inspiration!!!
Aw yay that is wonderful!! So much luck to you!
@@TheIOSoapbox Thank you!
Thank you so much, this was so informative.
Big yay!
Very thought to listen to. The sound quality
I wish this existed before I graduated in 2018. Thanks for sharing Dr. Aiken!
Awww! My pleasure!
this is good to know. I've been getting discouraged because I just started a MS in IO and have been looking on indeed for jobs (just to see what other experience I need) and nothing was coming up. I was searching for the wrong keywords. I think with my 5 years of experience (by the time I graduate 7) in the nonprofit sector at a director level. I should be okay. Totally going to get a certificate in HR just to make sure I have job opportunities once I graduate.
you have a new fan in me Dr. :)
Hello! Thank you for the video! I'm interested in I/O psychology, but at the same time, I'm interested in the followings; help people find the right career, how to gain motivation or hope in spite of difficulties in life, dating and marriage relationship, and help change social policy or system that leads to improve relationship in society. Do you think I could do those with I/O psychology master or PhD degree? Or, do you think I need to study another field of psychology to do those?
Hi! I'm currently enrolled in an undergrad I/O Psych program at Middle Tennessee State University. What job opportunities are out there for people with a B.S. in I/O and a minor in business law?
Transcript Part 1:
Introduction:
You’re listening to the IO Soapbox with Aiken. I’m an IO Psychologist, which of course means no one knows what I do. Now on this show, we are going to talk about IO Psychology. I’m hoping that some of you not in IO will want to join us. And those of you in IO will be inspired to break new ground. Now let’s get me a cup of coffee, cause I’m tired, and then it’s time for me to rant about random things on my soapbox.
Episode 2:
Seairah: Hey, nice to meet you
Aiken: Hi, I’m Dr. Aiken, please come on in. Have a seat.
So I know that we have uh, I know that we have an appointment but I’m so sorry, I forget all the time what’s going on. Um. What are we talking about again?
Seairah: So you did a lecture in my class two weeks ago.
Aiken: Ok. Ok. Alright. PSYC 200? The -
Seairah: Yeah.
Aiken: - statistics class?
Seairah: Yeah, that class. And you talked about industrial organizational psychology. However, I’ve never heard of that before.
Aiken: Yes (laughs)
Seairah: But your lecture made it seem really interesting so I wanted to talk to you about what it is, what, how, everything about it, because I know nothing about it.
Aiken: Yes, absolutely. And. Yeah yeah yeah. Ok. And so in terms of what it is, look at last week’s episode because we kind of covered that. Okay alright now (laughs) what else do you want to know?
Seairah: So like, what does an industrial organizational psychologist do? Specifically.
Aiken: Honestly? I was gonna say, like, everything. Like, what don’t we do? Uh. We. It really is everything. Anything at work, anything that has anything to do with organizations, IO psychologists are involved in there.
So of course, when people think about industrial organizational psychology, if they think about industrial organizational psychology, typically the first thought is some kind of consultant, right. So a lot of people will think about going into consulting. Um. Like human capital management consulting, you know, something like that. You know, talent, you know, they have all these fancy buzzwords these days for the different types of consulting people do.
But it’s not just consulting. You know, that’s been one that IOs have been doing for a while, but we are also now really moving into human resources. So, human resources has been evolving from a more kind of transactional, benefits, you know, a more paperwork oriented part of an organization to more of what can be a strategic partner in advising the organization. So we’re actually seeing a lot of industrial organizational psychologists moving into human resources and shaping the way human resources gets done. Because of course HR historically is kind of a dirty word, right, people always kind of say things about HR departments. Well, that’s starting to change, in some organizations faster than others, and part of that movement is industrial organizational psychologists moving into that space.
We have io psychologists who do recruiting. We have io psychologists who do management, um, project management, and data analytics. So a lot of business intelligence is also going to be IO related. You have a lot of people who specialize in statistics. Industrial organizational psychology is a fairly quantitative field. So we do have a nice chunk of the space in terms of empirical based evidence for businesses. So that’s a huge chunk.
So we have consulting, we have human resources, we have data analytics, you have general leadership. I mean I have, in one of my lives, I am the program director for the Industrial Organizational Master’s program at the University of Maryland. And we have people come in from all kinds of students, you know all kinds of backgrounds, I have people transitioning from social work, I’ve had people transition from project management, project management is a great one, that’s a natural place for IO to come in.
But I’ve also had people come in, not because they want to go into consulting, or because they want to go in to HR, or because they want to go in to data analytics, but because they want to develop as a leader where they are. Because the tools of IO psychology, as we covered in last week’s episode (laughs), are really tools for improving the workplace. So any leader can benefit from them.
I’ve had an archivist come through. She’s been in a number of leadership development programs since she’s been in my program. I’ve had a lawyer come in. You know, again, to grow as a leader within his organization. I have people in non-profit organizations come through. They’re not in human resources, they’re not in consulting, but they do see some of the challenges with where they’re working and how things are being run. Because non profits typically can’t afford consultants the way that large private firms can. So we’re also seeing IO psychologists start to move into non-profits. Basically, if it has something to do with work. Performance management, organizational change, selection, talent development, leadership, negotiation, that’s a place where you can use your IO skills. We’re everywhere.
Seairah: So it’s clear that you guys do a lot of stuff in the realm of -
Aiken: Everything
Seairah: Everything. But specifically, what kind of jobs could I get with a degree or experience in IO Psychology.
Aiken: Sure sure. So are you thinking about you know the kinds of jobs you might get after a graduate degree, or are you thinking about jobs to help you get there? So something that you might be able to do with a bachelor’s degree?
Seairah: Well I would say both. But starting with like, after a Master’s degree.
Aiken: Ok. Ok. So after your master’s degree. And the reason why I asked that is some of these jobs I was talking about, some of these areas of consulting, typically but not always look for somebody who has a graduate degree. So certain levels of jobs, like if you were looking on indeed or one of those classic job search sites, you would probably see something that would say, consultant, or associate consultant. Those jobs are typically not always but typically going to be marketed to people who have graduate degrees.
There are some consulting firms, especially larger consulting firms, that may have kind of associate level roles that are at a lower level for people with bachelor’s degrees. So what I would say is, if you’re thinking about kind of getting you foot in the door after getting a bachelor’s degree, look for jobs that say things like analyst. Analyst is one of those terms, it’s a catch all term by the way, so it’s sometimes a really useless term because everybody an analyst. But if you have a human capital analyst, or a data analyst, or a research analyst, those are the kinds of terms that are sort of entry level pseudo consulting positions, but they’re at that level, that lower level, for folks that have Bachelor’s degrees, to get your foot in the door. And those analyst positions at some organizations, build to consulting roles but those first roles are the analyst roles.
Thank you, this video was informative !!! I’m currently an undergrad pursuing my bachelors in I/O psychology in California, and this video helped clarify some questions I had.! I’m currently a year away from completing my bachelors and was wondering if you had any tips in regards to possible job opportunities. Thank you in advance!
Hey have you got into masters in IO ? Can you share your experiences?
Is Germany good for masters in IO ?
Can you suggest best colleges in Europe?
Pros and cons?
Starting salary?
Highly appreciate any response at your convenience. Thank you
Hello Dr, I'm really confused between MBA and IO PSYCHOLOGY, I'm in my final year of BA(H) PSYCHOLOGY. I have this thaught that when it comes to choose between an MBA degree individual and IO Psychologist, isn't it they will find an MBA person more qualified !
Hey have you got into masters in IO ? Can you share your experiences?
This is a random question regarding undergrad programs, but are organizations heavily focused on hiring an employee who went to a more reputational university or is a degree/masters sufficient to get you a good paying job?
I don't know if I fully understand the question - are you asking whether where you got your bachelor's degree from matters for organizations when hiring people with undergraduate degrees?
The IO Soapbox yes and no I guess I’m just asking does where you get your bachelors matter if you plan on getting your masters? (Should I go to a less expensive undergrad school and spend more on my masters)
@@SunKissedBabyBty ahhhh very interesting. At times, where you get your bachelors might influence the decision a masters program makes on your application. And there are always personal biases- eg if a hiring official happens to like your undergraduate institution. If you go onto graduate school, the graduate school will likely offset the undergraduate degree somewhat. But you gotta get into graduate school :) make sens
Hi Dr. Aiken,
I am currently enrolled in masters of science in clinical psychology. Can I apply later for phD in I/O psychology?
Zena - the challenge and opportunity is always going to be your narrative. If you are applying to a PhD in IO, schools will want to know why you started in clinical psychology and how that experience directed you to IO. Are there ways that you have tailored your classes, research, and/or other activities that unite clinical and IO (e.g., looking at mental support supports in the workplace)? That may help your case.
I have a undergrad in psychology and I am wrapping up my masters in business administration. I am hoping to start a PhD in I/O soon. Would you suggest I just get another master's?
Nevermind there is a whole series
@@ty.365 You're fine! It depends on what kind of PhD you want to get - not all of them would require another Master's. The real question is, do you have the type of experience (e.g., research) and background (e.g., GRE scores, GPA, etc.) to make your application for the PhD program(s) you want as competitive as possible?
Unfortunately, the sound was really bad, I couldn't hear anything that you were saying. A good microphone would make a difference in the future content !