Industrial-Organizational Psychology: An Introductory Module
Exercises
These exercises go a bit beyond the material presented and are appropriate for out-of-class work.
1. Identify jobs that may create
Needs-Supplies fit or misfit for each of the
Big 5 factors
of personality. Complete the International Personality Item Pool measure
of the Big 5 factors.(Note that you must check two boxes agreeing to
take the measure before you can begin.) Based on your scores, what jobs
might provide good Needs-Supplies fit for you?
2. Using O*NET skills search, identify skills that you currently have or plan to acquire. From occupations that O*NET identifies as a good match to your skills, pick one and answer the following questions: 1) Which of the tasks listed particularly interest you and why? 2) What education and/or training is required for the occupation? 3) What are the median wages and projected growth for the occupation?
3. Complete the O*NET work styles questionnaire for a job you have had or are familiar with. Convert your ratings to O*NET standardized scores. Search for the occupation in the O*NET database
and create a table comparing your Work Styles scores to those in the
detailed report for the occupation. Where are there similarities and
differences? Can you explain why there might be differences? What
implication do the differences between your scores and the
O*NET scores have for employers using the O*NET database?
4. Pick a job that you are familiar with and identify important performance dimensions (i.e., critical aspects of performance). Develop structured interview questions that are situational and behavioral for those dimensions.
5. Pick a performance domain (e.g., work, school, athletics, music) that is relevant to your life. Generate 3 performance goals for that domain of performance. (Performance goals are about the actions you perform and are usually under your control, as opposed to outcome goals that may be less controllable. For example, I may have a goal to win an Olympic medal in swimming. That is an outcome. My performance goal would be to drop X seconds in the 100 freestyle.) Are your goals difficult and specific (i.e., measurable)? What strategies will you use to meet those goals? What external support will you require to meet your goals?
6. Review two jobs that are posted on the Positions Available board of JobNet at SIOP.org. Write a general summary of the two positions. What are some of the key competencies or requirements that an applicant for the positions would need to have? Which one sounds like it would be a better fit for you and why?