Nathan Whittier, PsyD, ABPP
Q. What is your practice like?
A. I am a consulting psychologist and partner at SKS Consulting Psychologists, a firm that applies psychology in business settings. Our primary focus is individual talent assessment, which we use to help organizations improve decision-making in the critical areas of selecting and developing key talent. Often, our assessment work leads to involvement in other talent management projects, such as executive coaching, competency modeling, high-potential identification, talent reviews, and succession planning. Our firm has been in operation for more than 30 years, and we have built numerous long-term partnerships with our clients.
Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in organizational and business consulting psychology?
A. My academic training is in clinical psychology, with a strong emphasis on psychological assessment. Because my work involves using assessments with non-clinical corporate populations, I felt it was important to earn a credential that demonstrates competence in business consulting psychology. I have also aspired to obtain ABPP certification since graduate school. Many faculty members whom I greatly respected were board-certified practitioners.
Q. What was the most challenging aspect of the board certification process?
A. In preparing my practice sample, I initially struggled with my desire to find one work sample that encompassed all of the practice areas I wanted to represent. Once I became more open to submitting an additional sample, the process became much easier. I also felt somewhat intimidated by my interview panel because of their strong backgrounds and expertise in the field. However, my actual experience with them was excellent—it felt far more collegial than adversarial. Finally, it was challenging not to receive feedback from the panel during the interview portion of the examination.
Q. What have you found most valuable about board certification?
A. I believe that board certification has distinguished me from some of my competitors. Many of my client organizations have asked about ABPP certification, and it has provided me the opportunity to highlight my advanced training and experience in the specialty area. Board certification has also enabled me to build a broader national network of practicing OBCP specialists. I am confident that I can connect with other specialists for consultation, collaboration, and referrals. The community has been exceptionally kind and welcoming.
Judith Blanton, PhD, ABPP
Q. What is your practice like?
A. As an organizational business consultant, my practice differs from that of most psychologists who work primarily in mental health or healthcare settings. I am part of RHR International, a firm that was one of the pioneers in applying psychological consulting to business. Our basic premise is that psychology and behavioral science have much to offer individuals working in organizations, as well as the organizations themselves. I work with individuals, teams, and systems.
For example, one of our firm’s signature services is the assessment of senior executives for hiring or promotion. Although I use a number of psychological tests in this work, I have found that in-depth interviews focused on a candidate’s fit with an organization’s success factors are particularly valuable in understanding executive fit with both the role and the culture.
Another major area of my work is helping new employees integrate into organizations. This extends beyond simple orientation or onboarding and involves working with the individual, their team, and their manager to accelerate credibility and performance. I also work with teams experiencing conflict or seeking to improve effectiveness. A growing part of our firm’s business involves organizational systems—for example, helping organizations lead change, implement mergers successfully, or establish succession planning programs. Much of the satisfaction in my practice comes from working with highly capable executives, who are stimulating, challenging, and continually broaden my own learning.
Work in business consulting also involves a high degree of collaboration with colleagues across the organization and with other professionals, such as human resource managers. I am often asked what a typical day is like, and one of the things I value most is that there is no “typical day.” The work spans a wide range of issues, industries, methods, and geographic locations, including international settings.
Q. What was the most challenging/interesting/surprising aspect of the board certification process?
A. I had been told that, although it was an evaluative process, the tone would be highly collaborative. Despite that description, I was still somewhat surprised to find that this was indeed true. I was certainly challenged to clarify and justify aspects of my practice sample, but it was done in a way that felt stimulating rather than intimidating.
I was also surprised that the session became an opportunity to re-examine my work with knowledgeable colleagues in a thoughtful and constructive manner. Developing my work sample and discussing it with the examiners prompted me to consider new approaches and alternative perspectives in areas of my practice. Rather than simply presenting what I had done and what I knew, the process became an opportunity to reflect on the implications of my approach and explore alternatives. I came away not only having presented my ideas, but also having gained new ones.
The process affirmed my sense of competence in my chosen field. Although most business professionals are unfamiliar with board certification in psychology, the ABPP designation after my name has often prompted conversations that reinforce my credibility as a consultant. In an increasingly competitive field, this recognition by my peers serves as meaningful validation of my professional competence.
Q. What advice would you give to a candidate for board certification in Organizational and Business Consulting Psychology?
A. You will be offered a mentor to provide information about the examination process—take advantage of this opportunity. A mentor can help strengthen your work sample and reduce stress by giving you a clearer understanding of what to expect.
Submit work samples that reflect your core professional work and that you would enjoy discussing with peers. Be sure to provide enough background information so examiners can understand the context of the work. Although confidentiality must be protected, it is helpful to share relevant organizational characteristics that influenced the project. If the work was completed collaboratively, clearly identify your role and contributions.
Be prepared to explain why you selected a particular intervention, what alternatives you considered, and, if possible, what happened after implementation. Follow-up information about outcomes and impact is especially valuable. Remember that no project is perfect; in fact, one hallmark of a strong consultant is the ability to learn from challenges and apply those lessons to future work. It is entirely appropriate—and expected—to discuss both successes and difficulties, as examiners are interested in how you navigate obstacles.
Consider the examination an opportunity to reflect on how your current ideas and methods developed, including the people, research, and experiences that shaped your practice. One section of the exam addresses ethics. While reviewing the ethical code is helpful, the purpose is not to test memorization, but rather to understand how you approach the complex and often ambiguous ethical issues faced by psychologists working in business and organizational settings.
Q. What have you found most valuable or rewarding about board certification?
A. The most rewarding aspect of board certification has been the opportunity to meet and interact with fellow specialists. I have come to know a number of individuals who share my general field but work in a wide variety of settings. It has been both enjoyable and intellectually stimulating to learn about their work and share my own in professional and social contexts.
These colleagues have also become valuable resources when I have questions about practice or research issues. I strongly encourage specialists to become involved with the ABOBCP board and to participate as examiners. These are excellent ways to expand professional networks and continue growing as organizational and business consulting psychologists.