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Career Details

19-3032.00 - Industrial-Organizational Psychologists


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.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
2,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
2,300
Estimate
Change in Employment
400.0
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+19.1%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
  • Analyze job requirements and content to establish criteria for classification, selection, training, and other related personnel functions.
  • Observe and interview workers to obtain information about the physical, mental, and educational requirements of jobs as well as information about aspects such as job satisfaction.
  • Write reports on research findings and implications to contribute to general knowledge or to suggest potential changes in organizational functioning.
  • Identify training and development needs.
  • Conduct research studies of physical work environments, organizational structures, communication systems, group interactions, morale, or motivation to assess organizational functioning.
  • Formulate and implement training programs, applying principles of learning and individual differences.
  • Develop interview techniques, rating scales, and psychological tests used to assess skills, abilities, and interests for the purpose of employee selection, placement, or promotion.
  • Assess employee performance.
  • Study organizational effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency, including the nature of workplace supervision and leadership.
  • Facilitate organizational development and change.
  • Study consumers' reactions to new products and package designs, and to advertising efforts, using surveys and tests.
  • Conduct presentations on research findings for clients or at research meetings.
  • Provide expert testimony in employment lawsuits.
  • Review research literature to remain current on psychological science issues.
  • Conduct individual assessments, including interpreting measures and providing feedback for selection, placement, or promotion.
  • Write articles, white papers, or reports to share research findings and educate others.
  • Develop new business by contacting potential clients, making sales presentations, and writing proposals.
  • Train clients to administer human resources functions including testing, selection, and performance management.
  • Coach senior executives and managers on leadership and performance.
Supplemental
  • Advise management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Analyze data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of workplace programs.
  • Counsel workers about job and career-related issues.
  • Participate in mediation and dispute resolution.
  • Provide advice on best practices and implementation for selection.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Psychology
  • 98%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 96%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 English Language
  • 89%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Administration and Management
  • 86%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Education and Training
  • 83%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Mathematics
  • 80%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 77%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 65%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 61%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 60%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Law and Government
  • 56%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Therapy and Counseling
  • 55%
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 Communications and Media
  • 55%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Clerical
  • 51%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Projectors and supplies
  • Liquid crystal display LCD video projectors
 Media storage devices
  • Universal serial bus USB flash drives
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Assessment Systems Corporation XCALIBRE
  • IBM SPSS StatisticsHOT
  • Muthen & Muthen MPlus
  • Psychometric testing software
  • SASHOT
  • Scientific Software International BILOG-MG
  • Scientific Software International HLM
  • Scientific Software International LISREL
  • Scientific Software International MULTILOG
  • Scientific Software International PARSCALE
  • Scientific Software International TESTFACT
  • Winsteps
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Google Sheets
  • Mentimeter
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Human resource information system HRIS
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
 Development software
  • Hypertext markup language HTMLHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Brightpoint Community College
Germanna Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College