Organisational Psychology

[Rated E]

Hello,

I recently finished a bachelor of psychology (it's hanging on the wall and everything :D). I've long been considering organisational psychology or human resources as my next course of action. I'm just interested to see other people's thoughts or experiences with the field (however spurious really).

Possible plans of action:
- I was considering looking for work in a HR department. To get a feel for the field and to add some experience to my resume to complement the study. Also, if I get lucky, I might be able to get some kind of company funding for postgrad study or at least do the study part time while working.

- However, I was looking at course plans for masters of clinical psychology, and they generally include work placement units. So I would likely get work experience during postgrad study anyhow.

At the moment I'm just a bit torn between jumping headfirst into more study, or jumping headfirst into work.

 

[geminigem]

I am in HR, and I am trying to figure out how you could transfer to HR easily from psychology. Psychologists do not learn about employment laws, HR issues, workers comp, etc. I just don't see it. In most cases, you need an education in HR or work experience in HR, not simply a diploma. Possibly assisting HR is what you could do, but you would take a huge pay cut from what your potential could be with psych. Trust me, HR managers are the only ones who make good money, anyone else in HR below them do not get paid enough for all they do.

To your other points. In this economy, a lot of companies have stopped offering tuition assistance. Those that do offer it, offer it to all employees. Except for positions in health care, or other lines of work that there is a shortage of.

You have to ask yourself why the interest in HR, since that is a very different career. But, I don't see you doing a career change so it is in your best interest that you do not pursue it. It is extremely stressful, and a lot more work then people realize, unless management, the pay is not equal to the job usually and with this economy there are those with higher HR degrees going for HR assistant positions even though they are way overqualified.

 

[n3ophy7e]

I think he means working in an HR department as an organisation psychologist, which as far as I'm aware is getting more common and more sought after these days.

Rated E, firstly, congrats on graduating!! You weren't at Macquarie by any chance were you? I've just finished first year Psych at MQ

Anyway, whether you go the organisational psych road, or the clinical psych road, that's pretty much like the two complete opposite ends of the psych spectrum in my opinion! Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

Or, more short-term, do you see yourself being passionate about doing more study NOW, or do you feel like you just want to get out there in to the workforce?

 

[geminigem]

n3ophy7e, gotcha, that makes sense. In all my work years (even in HR) I have never worked with one. I did deal with a conflict counselor (title?) that came for a few days to help the hostile environment through group meetings and individual. I think that is something someone like you could assist him more since that falls more under the psychology department, not HR.

 

[L2R]

grats, r_e on the accomplishment. well done, mate.

i did a unit on organisational behaviour in the first year of my BA (also at mac), and i felt it was utter garbage. there were minor interesting points such as cultural difference (power distance, etc), but the whole endeavour, the entire field of study, i have a serious aversion to. it seems to sterilise what people should inherently know. the process, therefore accomplishes the exact opposite for its intended purpose, that is to manage people better. contrarily by relying on studies of "how people should be managed" it objectifies the employee being managed.

i see it literally every single day, the consequences of this bloody "enlightened" management. whilst the conclusions drawn on such academic analysis' have opened the door to management for more people, it fails to get the right people in those roles. actually, it specifically encourages the employment of the wrong people in those roles, those who are wiling to unquestioningly follow the boss's bidding. they are like the industrial mafia. wanna make a person (employee) disappear, speak to them.

rated_e, seriously think about your options. psychology is a medical field. human resources are a band-aid solution to management. I say this often, "HR Managers know who pay them." Keep that in mind, if you manage to score a role in HR, your medical integrity will surely be challenged to great degrees.

 

[n3ophy7e]

n3ophy7e, gotcha, that makes sense. In all my work years (even in HR) I have never worked with one. I did deal with a conflict counselor (title?) that came for a few days to help the hostile environment through group meetings and individual. I think that is something someone like you could assist him more since that falls more under the psychology department, not HR.

Yep, that conflict counsellor may well have had a psych degree!
But yeah as I said, I think organisation psych as a recognised branch of psych is a pretty new thing

 

[panic in paradise]

is this something that you could offer your services independently with; to cooperate/executive pools, larger university staff, or even athletic coaches and teams?

interesting terminology, caught my eye and me scroll back...

 

[n3ophy7e]

Yep pip, definitely to corporations and universities. Organisational psychologists are becoming quite intricately involved in the processes of staff selection (e.g. for interviews etc) and student selection for high demand uni courses etc. So yes, a person with an organisational psych background could definitely contract themselves out independently. But of course there are always benefits from being permanently employeed by a company as well.

 

[panic in paradise]

ive thought about this before, and if i were an employer, i would use a personality type method for hiring (depending) and pay less to have them categorized...
but with CEO's, your in the midst of a group of sociopaths, so a psych or two would be reassuring.
and very valuable.

now this in all departments and levels of university, would only benefit everyone overtime. i imagine less money, but more reputation, endless inspiration, and the need to be creative and innovative... with a bunch of college kids though, they'll be asking and answering most the questions-hehe.

with enough ground covered, sounds like a group practice could be organized... then it would be extra interesting.

alllright, enough romanticizing...
:-x

 

[L2R]

sorry, pip. i don't understand that last post at all.

 

[panic in paradise]

hmm
thanks for saying so,,, and not letting it lay..!

nothing but rambles:

it seems dong this for corporations and the like would be more difficult to get into -need established proof of methods- but would definitely pay well.

working for universities, you would need to be progressive and creative, a campus, or a group of college kids would be endlessly inspirational. also working with students would be far more gratifying, and beneficial to the community, rather then part of an industry.
i doubt this would pay much at first, but leave lots of room for free thinking and to expand/experiment with any ideas.

its seems with a group of other organizational, or psychologists in general, a think tank environment could be created, with enough ground covered, and collaborative years experience, you could take this anywhere:
from a bakery franchiser - to military intelligence.

sorry, im only thinking about education and careers~

 

[Rated E]

I am in HR, and I am trying to figure out how you could transfer to HR easily from psychology. Psychologists do not learn about employment laws, HR issues, workers comp, etc. I just don't see it. In most cases, you need an education in HR or work experience in HR, not simply a diploma.

hmm. I did some work experience last year in a HR department for a company. The CEO mentioned that he liked to employ people with psychology degrees for HR. working in his HR department. Of the three people in HR, the HR manager had a psych degree, there was a girl there in HR admin that had a psych degree. And a lady that was away the week I was there had an organisational psych qualification (ie. they were a registered psychologist), however I don't think she was necessarily employed as one.

Possibly assisting HR is what you could do, but you would take a huge pay cut from what your potential could be with psych. Trust me, HR managers are the only ones who make good money, anyone else in HR below them do not get paid enough for all they do.

Interesting.

You have to ask yourself why the interest in HR, since that is a very different career. But, I don't see you doing a career change so it is in your best interest that you do not pursue it. It is extremely stressful, and a lot more work then people realize, unless management, the pay is not equal to the job usually and with this economy there are those with higher HR degrees going for HR assistant positions even though they are way overqualified.

Interesting. I've been studying for five years since I finished high school, so my plan this year is to do some kind of work in HR. Obviously an entry level position or even some kind of internship. I want to see what it's like and whether it's for me.

Rated E, firstly, congrats on graduating!! You weren't at Macquarie by any chance were you? I've just finished first year Psych at MQ

Thanks. That's awesome. I'll send you a PM.

Anyway, whether you go the organisational psych road, or the clinical psych road, that's pretty much like the two complete opposite ends of the psych spectrum in my opinion! Where do you see yourself in 10 years' time?

Yea it is huh. I'm hoping that some kind of work in HR will give me some idea of what I could possibly bare to still be doing in 10 years. I'm not disinclined to going back to more study or doing part time study. (maybe org psyc, maybe clinical, though I think I'd want to get some kind of feel for THAT as well before I were to pursue 2 years of postgrad study and registration and all that).

is this something that you could offer your services independently with; to cooperate/executive pools, larger university staff, or even athletic coaches and teams?

interesting terminology, caught my eye and me scroll back...

Umm. Dunno? haha. I've been told by a career counsellor who had worked as an organisational psych before becoming a career counsellor that there are a few bigger companies that were known to employ organisational psychologists. One of them was known to have had ongoing problems with the inter-staff relations, so attempts at changing the work culture or whatever, staff counselling and that kind of stuff were important.

Thanks for the perspective Lefty.

 

[panic in paradise]

it seems necessary.

i know some companies in japan/asia, will have their employes gather, and do rhythmic type exorcises like, Jumping-Jacks! to get every-one in synch, their blood and brains pumping together, a shared energy...

i personally could not do jumping-jacks, forget everyday... so it could be impractical, and build grudges, but i feel such practices, like this one example, hold a lot of value.

having a presentation of practices such as this, the proof of their effectiveness, and examples of success, with some gift-of-gab, you would find takers. i would of been trying to organize something similar for m my employees, if i had any...