Minds at Work

Exploring the psychological forces at play while you work.

Ben Dattner is a workplace consultant, an industrial and organizational psychologist, and an adjunct professor at New York University. See full bio

January 27, 2009, Work

Comments on "So you want to be an I/O Psychologist?"

So you want to be an I/O Psychologist?

By Ben Dattner on January 27, 2009 in Minds at Work

Since I teach in the Industrial and Organizational MA Program at New York University, I often get asked to describe the field. Read More

Employment

Submitted by bobby on January 27, 2009 - 6:41am.

--Are there I/O psychologists typically in full time employment in the private sector, either in business or in consulting?

If so, I can't help asking (and please forgive me for sounding cynical), but if they're good at managing people and knowing how to drive organizations forward, how do they resist the temptation of not becoming a leader in the underlying businesses -- where presumably the pay and responsibility could be multiples greater?

Your post

Submitted by Ben Dattner on January 27, 2009 - 1:32pm.

Yes- most I/O Psychologists work in the private sector, in business or consulting.

In terms of your second question, most I/O Psychologists stick to human capital-related roles rather than general managament. That said, they work in a wide variety of other roles as well. In fact, the heroic pilot of US Air Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River, Sully Sullenberger, has a Masters in I/O from Purdue.

Though short, this was a

Submitted by WC on January 27, 2009 - 12:21pm.

Though short, this was a refreshing article to give some insight into the I/O Psychology world. I have been trying to pursue a career in this field for quite some time now but due to current financial constraints and the downturn of the global economy on a whole there's very little feasibility for me right now. However, I have been reading and tracking your blog for a while now Mr. Dattner because you have been so experienced in the field and hope you can keep up the work of informing the public about this area of study. I for one have been essentially struggling to explain the field and its importance for workplace development to family and peers alike with little to no avail. I recognize its growing place in the economy, especially in these trying times where top management's interpersonal skills and personal ethics are being put into question.