Becoming an industrial-organizational psychologist is not for everyone. Sometimes it’s hard enough to conquer one career’s demands, but in the field of I/O psychology, you are essentially combining two separate jobs. As basic personality characteristics are essential for all career choices, the area of psychology takes someone with a particular interest in the good of humanity and someone who is empathetic to the needs of others.
To indeed become an excellent industrial-organizational psychologist, you must put in the hard work. You will need to earn an online Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology degree, possibly a doctoral degree and a state license. As this can be a lengthy and tedious process for many, hard work ethics and determination are a must. You must also have a passion for learning; you must be committed to a lifetime of learning opportunities. If you cannot put forth the time, energy and commitment to finish your degree programs, a career in I/O psychology is not for you.
Another requirement that is unique to this job description is the knowledge needed in running a business. You must be aware of all aspects of business-related activities and practices. As academic instruction is excellent, actual real-world work experience in the business field is more significant. What better way to know what employees are enduring than to get out there in the workplace yourself! Are you willing to do that?
Having exceptional interpersonal characteristics are an important aspect of working with psychological issues within the workplace. Are you a good communicator? Are you a good listener? A good problem-solver? Do you have patience? First and foremost, a psychologist must listen carefully to other’s complaints and know how to communicate a solution effectively. You must be honest with others. Employees must learn to trust you and know that they have someone to take their problems to and who are willing to go the extra mile to work them out.
Often an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist will help all types of people, with all varieties of personalities, with all kinds of capabilities. In this position, your duties will include meshing these qualities to maintain a productive workforce. Personal and professional boundaries must be in place, as well as, respect and integrity in such a vital role as the Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, in any business type.
If you are curious about this field, please see our selections for the Best Online Schools for Master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology Degree Programs.