Discussion 1: Hopes, Challenges, and Strategies

Dear Emerging I/O Practitioners and Psychologists,

Have you ever really thought about who you are and what you want to become? Of course you have, but have you thought, When I finish my degree, how do I get started in my profession?

At some point in your development and as you move through your program of study, you will realize that what you do with the content you are learning is what will make you successful or not. The process of how we work with individuals and apply the concepts, theories, and models will mark how successful each of us will be, as well as the effect on the individuals and organizations we touch.

You must grasp the ability to critically think through how we define the problems we will discover in organizations and how well we can creatively envision solutions that leadership can embrace and apply or as you will embrace and apply as a leader.

Please take a look at the videos below. They will provide you with additional information about I/O psychology and the many career opportunities that you can pursue once you graduate.

· Walden University (Producer). (n.d.). Professional pathway [Video file]. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from  http://studyhall.laureate.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/videos/MyM2_WAL_PSYC2014_04_C_EN.html Professional Pathway: Professional journey in the field of I/O psychology.

· Walden University (Producer). (n.d.). Success tips [Video file]. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from  http://studyhall.laureate.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/videos/MyM2_WAL_PSYC2014_04_G_EN.html Advice for students in the I/O psychology programs: Tips for students to be successful in their program and profession beyond their degree.

· Walden University (Producer). (n.d.). Professional development [Video file]. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from  http://studyhall.laureate.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/videos/MyM2_WAL_PSYC2014_04_K_EN.html Professional Development: How students can leverage their learning in their program for their professional development.

· Walden University (Producer). (n.d.). Careers in I/O psychology [Video file]. Retrieved from  http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/careerservices/careerwebinars/byprogram Career-Specific Webinar: Scroll down until you reach the webinar for I/O.

After you have a chance to look at the videos above, I think you will agree that it is an exciting time to become an industrial/organizational practitioner/psychologist! Some of the current trends and opportunities in the field of I/O psychology are as follows:

· Rapid growth in I/O psychology, both nationally and internationally, makes it the fastest growing psychology profession and profession in general. 

· According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for I/O psychologists is expected to grow 53% between 2012 and 2022.

Other information I wanted to highlight for you in order to help prepare you for the world of work are our optional initiatives, which include the blended option for two of our core courses and a new optional 4-day intensive residency.