Calling BIA! OD and HR program questions

[pannini]

Hi Bia, I stumbled upon your response to a post about graduate programs in LIW, and jumped for joy that I found someone interested in the same graduate program.

Basically I applied to a few programs for fall 09, but rejected from 2 and waitlisted for one. Curious to know, are you already a professional in HR and just getting a Master''s to enhance your career, or did you go into the program with just the interest?

I don''t have experience so perhaps that explains my rejection, but I am actively volunteering in research in Org Behavior for a local uni. I really want to know how you like your program and what your endeavors are once you graduate.

Thanks for listening. Hope to hear your response.

 

[Bia]

Hi panini!

I'm happy to help answer any questions you may have regarding the program.

My interest in HR originally started out with an interest in Organizational Psychology. As a psych major I wanted to explore different areas of psychology, knowing that I wasn't interested in following a clinical route. This seemed perfect because it combined organizational/behavioral psych and business. The only problem was that the school I worked for didn't offer the program. BUT, they did offer an HR program. I decided to go for it because the fields are very similar, and both degrees can be used in many of the same careers.

Based on my own experiences, I completely understand why you might be hitting a few road bumps in your application process. My program, which is very highly regarded in the HR/OD world, also requires some corporate experience—my program specifically requires 2 years. It does not have to be directly HR, in fact, the heads of the dept. prefer students from various areas of business (banking/finance, marketing, non-profit, etc) because diversity allows students to gain exposure. In reality, HR is needed in almost every work environment whether it's corporate, government, unionized or small business. Even if students do not end up in HR, it's still an advanced business degree.

I applied knowing I didn't have the experience necessary, but based on my GPA and GRE scores, I was accepted (after I had spoken directly to the Dean about my interests and plans—the one-on-one made a HUGE difference in my opinion. I’m sure the fact that I worked for the university and was an alumnus of the university didn’t hurt either lol). While on the one hand, I feel like experience isn't always necessary (you don't need it to learn, if the interest is there), it is DEFINITELY VALUABLE. I can personally see how the lack of experience, while it doesn't hinder me, it doesn't always help. BUT THAT'S OKAY, because I love learning, and I know I have what it takes to succeed in this field.

I'm not sure what your current situation is, regarding work, but if you don't find yourself starting a program this fall (I hope you do!), I would recommend that you try and find an internship somewhere. HR interns are always in demand because a large portion of the job description is administrative. If you don't want to intern, then maybe be on the lookout for an entry-level HR position (HR assistant). This will get your foot in the door, and you'll learn a lot fairly quickly. It will also let you see the good and the bad of HR. I am one of those people who wants to change HR. It isn't just the place that handles employee complaints, or explains your benefits to you at your orientation—at least it no longer should be. When you think about it, HR/Talent Management is what brings the talent in, right? Therefore it deserves a MAJOR seat at the table. I'm not exactly sure where I want to be, but it will probably be somewhere in Health & Wellness or Talent Management. That's the beauty of a career in HR, there are a lot of different places this degree can take you.

I hope I answered your questions, but if I haven't please let me know. As I said, I'm happy to help.


Good luck!

 

[pannini]

Hi Bia,

Wow, thank you for your answer. That has inspired me to consider internships, even though it sounds daunting knowing it will or may be unpaid work. I''ve mostly had an interest in doing HR with a cross-cultural population, perhaps interacting with companies or businesses with international relationships. I''ve always considered that an important aspect of understanding personnel because international relations are so relevant these days. I also consider HR important in the basics of understanding and helping people succeed in their roles. I don''t have any experience, but I have Organizational Psychology research experience. I think that is valuable but not valuable enough. I can''t afford to try again next year so I thought a certification would somehow boost my experience and that would maybe let me jump right into the HR and or HR consulting field. What are your thoughts on certification programs?

Thanks so much Bia!

 

[omieluv]

Sorry to crash the party, but...

Like Bia I was also interested in psychology as an undergrad, but found that to go the clinical route required a PhD and I was not quite sure if that was something I wanted to do. Instead I branched into Industrial/Organizational psychology (I/O) for my masters degree. I applied to several schools and settled on a "balanced" program, meaning there was a 50/50 split between research & applied experiences. The program was tough, but enjoyed both aspects to the program. I enjoyed this as I was able to research organizational problems using scientific methodology. We had the opportunity to work on projects taking us to actual organizations, where we developed training programs (in groups). To graduate we had to either write a thesis or go the internship route. I opted for the internship and graduated. I must say though, getting into an I/O program was very competitive! My program only accepted 8 people each year. What I did to get in was obviously get stellar grades, complete an I/O related internship and conducted original research and presented it at an undergraduate conference.

My aim from the start was to work with a consulting firm, dealing with OD, training, etc. However, when I graduated, the market was terrible (just before 9/11). There was nothing available, even in HR at the time, so I took a job as a recruiter in the staffing industry. My reasons were that #1, I needed an income and #2, it would be a start. I hated that job from day 1, my co-workers were terrible and I just did not like the industry at all. As a result, I kept looking and interviewing, but no luck. This lasted 5 years. Now I am a contractor onsite with a major fortune 500 company. Given my background, I started as a staffing specialist and now I am working as a recruiter/payroll specialist. I have been doing this for 2 years and I love the people. The work, is alright. However, I am working in a fantastic field, so I really lucked out by getting my foot in the door into a growing industry. I have liked contracting, as I am fortunate to have decent benefits and pay. Also, the company I work with treats me as a member of the team. In fact, they offered me a job a few months ago, but did not take it due to location.

Breaking into HR is tough. I live in a major city and there is so much competition to get into the field. What I found to be a factor is industry experience, which I would have never anticipated. For example, my first assignment was supporting staffing functions for the finance area of the company. I was only in the assignment for 9 months, but I would get calls from organizations that dealt in finance. My point is, should you decide to do an internship, try to find one in an industry you are interested in. Sometimes that luxury does not exist, but if you have a few to pick from be selective. Even if you are looking to make ends meet while at schoo, try to find a job in the industry of interest. I have often found that the tie will go to the person having industry experience. This was some of the advice I wish I had...

Large Fortune 500 organizations have leadership programs dedicated to HR, which I had no idea of when I was in grad school! These are a great opportunity to get into a great company while gaining valuable experience. Typically, program graduates will get hired. Thus, the company will have a qualified candidate pool to pull from.


Again, sorry for crashing the party here, but I just wanted to share parts of my story in hopes that it might be helpful.

 

[Indylady]

Hello!!

Sorry to interrupt, but I have been interested in Organizational Behavior too! I am studying for the LSAT''s right now, but my department chair (I''m a Sociology major) has been telling me to seriously look into Organizational Behavior for some time now. If there was any chance that I would continue with Sociology, then I would most likely do it through Organizational Behavior (or maybe a gender studies program).

I have a couple questions too!
I don''t have a lot of experience either; I''ve had an internship with the Attorney General''s office..do you think that having experience is a make or break kind of deal?
Any tips for finding an internship? Anyone that is particularly intern-friendly?
Does it have to be a paid internship? (Those are usually more serious, but also more difficult to find!)
I know that a lot of programs accept both/either or the GMAT and GRE; is there a preferred exam?

Thanks so much!! So happy to find you two in this field~

 

[omieluv]

szh07 - There are programs out there offering a combined MS & JD degree in Industrial/Organizational psychology, where the JD aspect would focus on employment law. The JD would be useful for those in HR, as they would have a deep understanding of what is legal and what is not. I cannot remember which programs out there have it, but I remember that the University of Tulsa did at one point. I believe the JD took an extra year, or so.

As for getting into these programs, I am not sure what the best way for you would be. Perhaps you could reach out to one of the professors at a school to get some advice. You could also look into HR MS programs offering an emphasis on employment law.

 

[pannini]

thanks omieluv, your reflections and experiences are very useful and i will definitely remember them as i pursue my career or degree. i just hope i get taken off that damn waitlist for the program in Organizational Psychology. i''ve been waiting for 3 months now and they still haven''t decided?! looks like a bad sign.

szho07, i''m so glad i''ve found another mutually interested PSer! looks like OB and I/O isn''t as obscure as my peers have expressed to me. oftentimes i tell people what i''m interested in, and they always say they''ve never heard of the major.

sigh.

 

[Bia]

Date: 6/4/2009 12:33:54 PM
Author: pannini
thanks omieluv, your reflections and experiences are very useful and i will definitely remember them as i pursue my career or degree. i just hope i get taken off that damn waitlist for the program in Organizational Psychology. i've been waiting for 3 months now and they still haven't decided?! looks like a bad sign.

szho07, i'm so glad i've found another mutually interested PSer! looks like OB and I/O isn't as obscure as my peers have expressed to me. oftentimes i tell people what i'm interested in, and they always say they've never heard of the major.

sigh.

Not uncommon. It is definitely an up and coming field. AND that's a good thing! One thing my classmates and I keep hearing (over and over again) is that many companies are realizing that organizational change is in order. Look at GM. GM is a classic example of how even the largest and most successful company can fall if the wrong people are in charge.

You asked the other day about whether I thought certification programs were worth it. I think they are. I haven't pursued them yet because I'm hopeful that I'll find a job that will allow me do this on site--and because I'm currently enrolled full-time and working full-time, I don't have the resources to do it just yet. Although, imo, it can't hurt. If you have the time, then go for it! Do you have any specific in mind?

 

[omieluv]

Date: 6/4/2009 12:33:54 PM
Author: pannini
thanks omieluv, your reflections and experiences are very useful and i will definitely remember them as i pursue my career or degree. i just hope i get taken off that damn waitlist for the program in Organizational Psychology. i''ve been waiting for 3 months now and they still haven''t decided?! looks like a bad sign.

szho07, i''m so glad i''ve found another mutually interested PSer! looks like OB and I/O isn''t as obscure as my peers have expressed to me. oftentimes i tell people what i''m interested in, and they always say they''ve never heard of the major.

sigh.

It is more common now than it was when I was in grad school in 1999-2001. Back then, people really had never heard of I/O and would give me a deer in headlights look when I tried to describe I/O.

I was never on a waitlist, but I would take that as a neutral sign. They have not accepted nor rejected you, so my guess is that they are waiting to hear back from candidates who have accepted and if any decline, they will turn to the waitlist. I am not sure why it is taking 3 months for this, but I cannot remember how long they give students to accept the offer.

When applying for grad school, I applied all over the country, in order to increase my chances of getting into a program. I think I applied to 7 programs and was accepted to 5 of them. However, they were in CA, MO, OK, FL, CT, VA and TN. Of course, I was rejected from my top 2, but they were highly competitive at the time and received hundreds of applicants, so statistics were not on my side with those. The rest were on an even tier for me.

There is a great OD program in IL, have you looked into that one? http://www.ben.edu/programs/graduate/program_detail.asp?gProgramID=5

 

[Indylady]

Pannini, its great to hear of someone else with similar interests as well! Bia and Omielove, thank you so much for your advice! I have heard of joint MA/JD programs; what a fantastic way to combine interests! I think that you have to get into each program separately before you combine them, so I would have to get into both- if that doesn''t work out, and I at least get into one or the other, then I''d still be really happy.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 6/4/2009 4:52:15 PM
Author: szh07
I think that you have to get into each program separately before you combine them, so I would have to get into both- if that doesn''t work out, and I at least get into one or the other, then I''d still be really happy.

I honestly am not sure how it works, however, a friend of mine completed an I/O + MBA program and said he feels the MBA suits the I/O degree nicely. I think a JD would be good too, if you want to get into labor/union relations.

 

[Bia]

My program isn''t combined, but we do have an attorney in our cohort. This classmate works in labor relations and is looking to broaden their knowledge/experience. Very smart IMO

 

[pannini]

omieluv,

i''ve not heard of the one in IL, i''ve heard MPLS has a great program in HR and I/O, i really wished i applied there. this leads to my regrets and dilemma as a LIW. bf is set on staying in California forever, and if i applied out of state, i would be alone, which was do-able for me, but he had his worries with us being apart for 2+ years while i finished a degree. that took many other schools out of the application process for me. i regret it now, knowing how competitive it is. i was over confident and thought the programs i applied to in CA would be enough. surely ONE would like me and take me in. oy.

=(

 

[pannini]

Date: 6/4/2009 12:43:30 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 6/4/2009 12:33:54 PM

Author: pannini

thanks omieluv, your reflections and experiences are very useful and i will definitely remember them as i pursue my career or degree. i just hope i get taken off that damn waitlist for the program in Organizational Psychology. i''ve been waiting for 3 months now and they still haven''t decided?! looks like a bad sign.


szho07, i''m so glad i''ve found another mutually interested PSer! looks like OB and I/O isn''t as obscure as my peers have expressed to me. oftentimes i tell people what i''m interested in, and they always say they''ve never heard of the major.



sigh.

Not uncommon. It is definitely an up and coming field. AND that''s a good thing! One thing my classmates and I keep hearing (over and over again) is that many companies are realizing that organizational change is in order. Look at GM. GM is a classic example of how even the largest and most successful company can fall if the wrong people are in charge.


You asked the other day about whether I thought certification programs were worth it. I think they are. I haven''t pursued them yet because I''m hopeful that I''ll find a job that will allow me do this on site--and because I''m currently enrolled full-time and working full-time, I don''t have the resources to do it just yet. Although, imo, it can''t hurt. If you have the time, then go for it! Do you have any specific in mind?

i have a few in mind for certification, mostly local universities that offer alternative programs to the masters programs they have. they are certifications in HR and/or business administration. nothing really fantastic, but perhaps it would help boost my chances for admission next year and some of it could be credited towards my degree.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 6/5/2009 9:46:57 AM
Author: pannini
omieluv,

i''ve not heard of the one in IL, i''ve heard MPLS has a great program in HR and I/O, i really wished i applied there. this leads to my regrets and dilemma as a LIW. bf is set on staying in California forever, and if i applied out of state, i would be alone, which was do-able for me, but he had his worries with us being apart for 2+ years while i finished a degree. that took many other schools out of the application process for me. i regret it now, knowing how competitive it is. i was over confident and thought the programs i applied to in CA would be enough. surely ONE would like me and take me in. oy.

=(

At the time, Cal State San Bernardino had an I/O program, which I did get into.

A strategy I used was to reach out directly to each professor coordinating the program to establish a relationship.

 

[pannini]

Well, I GOT IN to an OB program at Claremont! Thanks to your supportive and kind words, Bia, OmieLuv, and szh07!

Wooooooooh!