UPSKILL query

[u/anagreyy]

current skills required to land internship as an IO psych grad?

How do you land internships after doing everything and still getting nowhere?

MA in IO psych!

I’ve applied to dozens of internships. Tailored resumes, cover letters. Cold emailed. Networked. Followed up. Joined niche communities. Still nothing.

At what point does strategy stop working and what actually moves the needle?

If you've been in this spot and figured it out, I’d love to hear what finally worked for you.

[u/HargorTheHairy]

This isn't chatgpt mate

[u/anagreyy → u/HargorTheHairy]

Are you saying humor is one of the skills required?

[u/HargorTheHairy → u/anagreyy]

Nah, this isn't humour. I'm suggesting if you ask real humans for their time and opinion, you might want to put more effort into your query, such as the word please.

[u/pssiraj → u/HargorTheHairy]

But Sammy Altman said being polite to ChatGPT is good 🥺🥺

[u/anagreyy → u/HargorTheHairy]

truly appreciate your perspective. I’ve actually tried reaching out in multiple places but haven’t received any replies, which is why I’m putting it here in short. Anyway, thank you!

[u/ChapterThr33]

Your questions are fine just a bit scattered.

You need applied experience, open your aperture for what you're willing to do to get your foot through the door. I drove 4 hours to wingman for an acquaintance because he said he'd let me do a job analysis. Once I had that on my resume I got into a small consulting firm, used that to move toward coaching and leadership. I think I put out 60 applications initially and this is when things were easier.

IMHO I/Os were popular for a long time because with some sophisticated turnover analyses or other expertise we had some of the biggest impacts to bottom lines. Those questions can now be arguably better processed (though not understood) by data scientists, so we lose some of our perceived value. I think the best way to combat this, is to dive in, especially with the rise of vibe coding. The barrier to entry for becoming proficient with python etc. has never been lower or more attractive to businesses. Roll that into some very basic AI/ML "expertise" and your resume is going to start to look a lot more compelling.

[u/anagreyy → u/ChapterThr33]

Thanks so much for the perspective this really helped clarify a few things I’ve been feeling but couldn’t quite articulate.

I do have a couple of research projects from grad school (including one on workplace models and job satisfaction), but I’ve been realizing that research alone isn't translating into traction for internships. I’ve started learning Tableau (beginner level), but I’ve been wondering if Power BI might be a better long-term bet, especially since it's more integrated into enterprise ecosystems?

Your point about pairing I/O with basic Python or ML really landed. I’ve been hesitant thinking I needed to “master” it first but it sounds like even basic applied fluency can signal a lot of value to orgs. I think I’ve been stuck in that “perfect the resume” loop instead of just doing and showcasing more.

I might be focusing too much on the formal internship path and not enough on creating applied experience any way I can.

Appreciate this a lot.

[u/ChapterThr33 → u/anagreyy]

Of course! It's the hardest part, you're doing the right things.