THEY ARE INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB?

The items in the three major categories of the following outline (taken directly from Edwards & Smith, 1988) are arranged in descending order of importance as rated by a large sample of employers from midwestern government, nonprofit, and commercial agencies, organizations, and companies that often hire undergraduate psychology majors. Psychology students are urged to take advantage of all their undergraduate opportunities to maximize the attainment of these skills, abilities, knowledge, and personal traits.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Writing proposals and reports

• Identifying and solving problems based on research and knowledge of behavior

• Conducting interviews

• Performing statistical analyses

• Designing and conducting research projects

• Performing job analyses

• Coding data

• Using computer programs to analyze data

• Systematically observing and recording behavior

• Constructing tests and questionnaires

• Administering standardized tests

KNOWLEDGE

• Formation and change of attitudes and opinions

• Principles and techniques of personnel selection

• How people think, solve problems, and process information

• Structure and dynamics of small groups

• Effects of the environment on people's feelings and actions

• Organizational development

• Principles of human learning and memory

• How people perceive and sense their environment

• Theories and research on personality and individual differences

• Principles of human needs and motivation

• Theories and research on organizational behavior, work, and productivity

• Theories and research on human development and stages of life

• Symptoms, causes, and treatments of abnormal behaviors

PERSONAL TRAITS

• Ability to work with others in a team

• Motivation to work hard

• Positive attitude toward work and the organization

• Organization

• Leadership

• Maturity

• Flexibility

• Ability to communicate well

• Intelligence

• Problem-solving ability

• Integrity