Rebecca Hambrick, 2020 Graduate

Position and Employer: Learning and Development Coordinator at Intelsat

What MSIOP program experiences have been very valuable to you in your career?
As a learning coordinator, I work on the L&D team within HR and work on the technical side of the house. The MSIOP program has provided a vast array of experiences that I think are invaluable and could go on and on about; but if I had to narrow it down to my top two, it would have to be the hands on experience provided through our consulting projects and the professional seminar class. Having the opportunity to put the theories and concepts to practice was wonderful exposure to the "real world" and challenges that arise in any company. Also, I think having to work together as a team on academic projects vs projects for local businesses (in which your work has a lasting impact/can see through time) are two different experiences. Secondly, the professional development class was extremely beneficial in developing my professionalism; whether it be interviewing skills, speaking skills in general, resume building, networking, etc.

What is your take on the perceived financial value of the MSIOP program? I think this program has really given me a leg up in my job hunt. The job hunt is hard enough as is, but I've noticed more and more that companies are clearly spelling out their want for someone with a Masters in I/O Psychology (which is awesome that I/O is getting more recognition!!). I like to think that IO psychology is a swiss army knife to many organizational needs and I think organizations are starting to see that as well.

What advice would you give to students? When job hunting, make sure to take into account whether or not you think the company is a also a good fit for you too, because you should also be interviewing the company as well to see if you actually want to work there. Really take into account what you value in a company, because person-org fit is also really important and impacts your perception and overall satisfaction with your job! A lot of stuff that I do for my job I was trained and am still learning on the job--so don't be afraid to ask questions!

Bruce Keller, 2020 Graduate

Position and Employer: Research Coordinator at the Behavioral Health & Performance lab at Johnson Space Center

What MSIOP program experiences have been very valuable to you in your career? I didn't graduate long ago, but so far working with R. Older researchers seem to be better versed in statistical software like SPSS. R is capable of much more complex analysis, it being open source allows for the use of the most recently developed statistics, and finally the ability to create interactive websites and apps in R is something SPSS won't be able to do any time soon. Employers seem to value R highly as it has been emphasized greatly during interviews and has frequently led to special assignments.

What is your take on the perceived financial value of the MSIOP program? I worked for a few years between my bachelor's and starting my master's degree. I got a fantastic job thanks to the good preparation of the program and its strong network. Even paying out of state tuition, the program will have paid for itself in two years.

What advice would you give to students? The program faculty are fully committed to help you reach your goals but they will provide mostly opportunities, guidance, and resources. It is still primarily the student that must take the initiative and put in the effort to meet their goals.

Jingwei Lu, 2020 Graduate

Position and Employer: Survey Operations Analyst at Mercer

What MSIOP program experiences have been very valuable to you in your career? The most valuable experience in MSIOP program was learning to balance school work and multiple projects, because it is very important to know how to handle multiple tasks at once in my position. And it is a very valuable program for me that getting a chance to study in a different country.

What advice would you give to students? My advice to the new students is for them to know that statistics is part of what makes our field a science; try to understand it not just know about it.

Mary Lee Morales, 2019 Graduate

Position and Employer: People Analytics Analyst at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

What MSIOP program experiences have been very valuable to you in your career? My internship and the consulting projects that were organized with local businesses are two of the major MSIOP program experiences that have been invaluable to my career. These applied experiences allowed me to apply and retain the knowledge that I gained through the MSIOP program and to obtain work-related experiences that would make me a strong candidate for the job roles that I would soon be applying for. In addition, these experiences have allowed me to build my internal network at HPE and to cross-collaborate on projects that are unrelated to my current role, thereby building my work experiences.

What is your take on the perceived financial value of the MSIOP program? The MSIOP program has been well worth my investment. As an early I/O practitioner, it gave me the edge in job applications as a result of my applied experiences during the program and it helped me have a foundation on which to build my professional credibility. The MSIOP program also provided me, and continues to provide, access to working opportunities that would not be open to me otherwise.

What advice would you give to students? My advice would be to start networking early. Leverage your role as a student to build your network with I/O practitioners using informational interviews. You'll find that many practitioners are inclined to share their knowledge when the individual requesting the interview is a student and the conversation is framed as purely informational. After all, they were once students too.

Ta’Niss Robinson, 2020 Graduate

Position and Employer: Specialist - Organizational Development and Effectiveness at Ally Financial

What MSIOP program experiences have been very valuable to you in your career? The consulting projects we did throughout the semester were very valuable and applicable to my current role. My role includes some internal consulting with fellow employees for their learning and development needs, so that experience in the program has helped prepare me for that. Also, the skill of building presentations for class and presenting to clients has been extremely valuable as well. The many presentations we did throughout the semesters taught me how to outline presentations, design the slides, and ensure the content was concise but valuable, and build my presentation skills were skills that I developed during the program that have been extremely helpful in my career.

What is your take on the perceived financial value of the MSIOP program? The MSIOP program was an investment in my future that I believe paid off. Not only did I receive a return on my investment for the knowledge and skills that I gained during my time in the program, but I also received detailed and tailored advice from my professors ranging from resume and application tips to negotiation tips. For example, with guidance from my professors, I was able to negotiate a relocation sign-on bonus for my internship as well as a base salary increase for my full time role. I was able to do this confidently because the program prepared me with the education and support that I needed.

What advice would you give to students? My advice to students is to go the extra mile and always strive to do the best you can. It's important to set yourself apart and that is what's going to help you land internships and jobs. Also, don't take rejection personally. It's a part of the process. Learn from it and keep moving forward. While striving to do all of this, also remember to strive toward some kind of balance in life. Be social, have fun, and be present because the time goes by fast. Good luck 🙂