How Do I Become a Personnel Psychologist?

Employers often use a personnel psychologist to help select, train and analyze employees in a bid to continually improve the company. Knowing the typical personnel psychologist requirements before applying for a job may help you spend your time wisely during the job hunt. For instance, you should have the proper personal skills for the job if you want to become a personnel psychologist, meaning you should be good at solving problems, working with people and analyzing data. Education is typically an important step if you want to become a personnel psychologist, because you need at least a bachelor's degree. Another desirable trait is prior experience in this field, though you may be able to substitute advanced degrees and internships for job experience.

Before applying to become a personnel psychologist, you should make sure your personal skills are compatible with the position. For example, you should be good at communicating, because you will likely be listening to employees' problems and responding to them appropriately. You will then typically have to assess the information you have and determine whether an employee is right for the job or, given his skills, would be better off in another position. Most employers will likely want you to be able to solve problems quickly, analyze data and work well in a team. In general, if people fascinate you enough that you want to analyze them and then apply the results to improving the company, then you may want to consider becoming a personnel psychologist.

If you believe you have the appropriate personal skills to become a personnel psychologist, then it is time to get the education you need. In most cases, you will need at least a bachelor's degree in psychology. If you want the best chance of getting a job, though, you should consider getting a master's or doctoral degree. The extra years in school tend to pay off after graduation, because you will likely be more competitive in the job market when you can show that you have advanced personnel psychologist training.

Employers who hire applicants with only a bachelor's degree usually expect some experience in this field, too. For example, you typically have the best chance at a job if you have used your knowledge of psychology to hire, train or manage employees. Experience developing tests to analyze the performance of employees also is usually desired if you wish to become a personnel psychologist. If you have a master's or doctoral degree, though, you may be able to become a personnel psychologist without much experience in this field, especially if you had an internship or other hands-on training during your school years.