What Do Personnel Psychologists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for personnel psychologists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what personnel psychologists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Personnel Psychologists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about personnel psychologists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Personnel 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.
Popular Job Titles For Personnel Psychologists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Industrial/Organizational Psychologists
- Patient Care Associates
- Inpatient Psychologists
- Organizational Psychologists
- Inpatient Psychiatrists
- Psychiatric Registered Nurses
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
- Adult Inpatient Psychiatrists
- Locum Tenens Psychiatry Physicians/Psychiatrists
- Psychiatrists
- Assessment Analysts
- Inpatient/Outpatient Coders
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for personnel psychologists can be found.
Best Industries for Personnel Psychologists
Personnel Psychologists Jobs By Industry
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 52.3%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 21.2%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.2%
- Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: 6.1%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 3.4%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 3.4%
- Other: 7.4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of personnel psychologists can be found working in the Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services sector. In 2023, about 52.3% of all jobs for personnel psychologists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Scientific Research and Development Services (21.2%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.2%), Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (6.1%), Management of Companies and Enterprises (3.4%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (3.4%).
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What Do Personnel Psychologists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what personnel psychologists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work personnel psychologists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that personnel psychologists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for personnel psychologists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Personnel Psychologists
Based on 306 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Personnel Psychologists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 129 | 42% |
| Psychiatry | 98 | 32% |
| Nursing | 65 | 21% |
| Industrial And Organizational Psychology | 63 | 21% |
| Project Management | 46 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Personnel Psychologists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 87 | 28% |
| Research | 81 | 26% |
| Communication | 65 | 21% |
| Management | 64 | 21% |
| Planning | 47 | 15% |
Based on 306 job postings related to personnel psychologists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 42% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for psychiatry, nursing, industrial and organizational psychology, project management and data analysis were also highly sought.
As for common skills, leadership was the most desired skill found in job postings for personnel psychologists, followed by research, communication, management, planning and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 129 | 42% |
| Psychiatry | 98 | 32% |
| Nursing | 65 | 21% |
| Industrial And Organizational Psychology | 63 | 21% |
| Project Management | 46 | 15% |
| Data Analysis | 35 | 11% |
| Direct Patient Care | 34 | 11% |
| Patient Assistance | 32 | 10% |
| Behavioral Health | 31 | 10% |
| Emergency Departments | 31 | 10% |
| Change Management | 30 | 10% |
| Medical Surgical Nursing | 30 | 10% |
| Critical Care | 28 | 9% |
| Intensive Care Unit | 28 | 9% |
| Cath Lab | 27 | 9% |
| Dialysis | 27 | 9% |
| Intravenous Therapy | 27 | 9% |
| Pediatrics | 27 | 9% |
| Infectious Diseases | 26 | 8% |
| Medical Terminology | 26 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 87 | 28% |
| Research | 81 | 26% |
| Communication | 65 | 21% |
| Management | 64 | 21% |
| Planning | 47 | 15% |
| Writing | 45 | 15% |
| English Language | 44 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 41 | 13% |
| Consulting | 33 | 11% |
| Mentorship | 32 | 10% |
| Quality Control | 32 | 10% |
| Teaching | 31 | 10% |
| Coordinating | 30 | 10% |
| Multilingualism | 28 | 9% |
| Presentations | 28 | 9% |
| Knowledge Transfer | 27 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 27 | 9% |
| Innovation | 26 | 8% |
| Operations | 26 | 8% |
| Computer Terminals | 25 | 8% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Personnel Psychologists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial/Organizational Psychologists | 78 | 17.4% |
| Patient Care Associates | 73 | 16.3% |
| Inpatient Psychologists | 105 | 23.4% |
| Organizational Psychologists | 23 | 5.1% |
| Inpatient Psychiatrists | 32 | 7.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was industrial/organizational psychologists, with 36 unique job postings. Patient care associates were second, with 23 postings, followed by inpatient psychologists, organizational psychologists and inpatient psychiatrists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to personnel psychologists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial/Organizational Psychologists | 78 | 17.4% |
| Patient Care Associates | 73 | 16.3% |
| Inpatient Psychologists | 105 | 23.4% |
| Organizational Psychologists | 23 | 5.1% |
| Inpatient Psychiatrists | 32 | 7.1% |
| Psychiatric Registered Nurses | 16 | 3.6% |
| Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners | 13 | 2.9% |
| Adult Inpatient Psychiatrists | 20 | 4.5% |
| Locum Tenens Psychiatry Physicians/Psychiatrists | 10 | 2.2% |
| Psychiatrists | 17 | 3.8% |
| Assessment Analysts | 5 | 1.1% |
| Inpatient/Outpatient Coders | 10 | 2.2% |
| Operational Psychologists | 9 | 2% |
| Tenure-Track Professors | 9 | 2% |
| Adjunct Faculties | 4 | 0.9% |
| Behavioral Health Registered Nurses | 8 | 1.8% |
| Disc Jockeys | 4 | 0.9% |
| Health Economics Managers | 4 | 0.9% |
| Psychiatry Physicians/Psychiatrists | 4 | 0.9% |
| Burn Unit Registered Nurses | 5 | 1.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for personnel psychologists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for personnel psychologists.
How much do personnel psychologists make?
Personnel Psychologists: How do you become one?
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