Steven Zhou

I believe in the importance of public-facing writing to help communicate our science to a broader audience. Below is a selection of op-eds, popular press, podcast appearances, and other media that I have published to help bring the organizational sciences to the public. Interested in learning more, getting involved, or having me come talk with your group or organization? Get in touch with me here!

Books

From First Job to Career (Cambridge University Press, 2025) weaves together inspiring first-job stories from people across diverse industries and backgrounds, offering career seekers of all ages the chance to connect with relatable experiences and hard-earned wisdom. This collection reveals the many paths people take in shaping their careers and serves as a valuable resource for readers to identify with and learn from others’ journeys. These narratives are paired with a comprehensive review of research in vocational psychology and career counseling to distill key principles and offer actionable strategies for navigating the job search and building a meaningful career. For more information and to order, visit here and enter the discount code FRFJC25 at checkout to receive 20% off.

Popular Press Writing

Below is a selection of writing I have published in popular press outlets – including both contracted/paid pieces and pro bono pieces.

• “Calling is more than your job” published in Christianity Today (September 2024). In this commissioned feature magazine article, I discuss how we often conflate our vocation with God’s purpose for our lives. I draw upon recent research in careers and calling, including our journal article from 2023, to describe a better way of thinking about calling as Christians.
• “Chiefs of staff play an overlooked role in strategic leadership” published in London School of Economics Business Review (August 2024). In this blog post based on our journal article, we argue that even though chiefs of staff are not usually considered members of the top management team, they hold sway over the company’s chief executive, exercising strategic leadership influence far beyond what might be expected from a behind-the-scenes position.
• “Three roadblocks in academia that limit science communication” published in Heterodox: The Blog (August 2022). In this commissioned op-ed, I argued that academia needs to bridge the gap between scientific research and the people it is meant to help. However, science communication is limited by the academic infrastructure — that is, the structures, systems, and incentives that scholars and faculty work within.
• “The academic bait-and-switch: Do professors make good administrators?” published in the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal (February 2022). In this commissioned op-ed, I argued that academics sometimes have a bit of an unfortunate reputation of being big picture thinkers, with our heads in the clouds (or ivory tower) and disconnected from the realities of everyday life… Why, then, do we expect people who excel at being an academic to turn around later in their careers and lead the “business” side of the institution?
• “3 warning signs to consider before using a personality test” published in Fast Company (June 2021). In this op-ed, I discuss how the science of personality is incredibly complex and faces ongoing debate, even in the academic literature. Even worse, the vast majority of the personality tests used in business settings are flawed and lack scientific evidence.
• “What psychology offers Christians amid political polarization” published in Christianity Today (June 2019). In this commissioned article, I discuss how scholars describe the difficulties and benefits of humility, but Christ offers an example.

Podcasts, Video, & Talks

Below is a selection of appearances I have made on podcasts and other video media to discuss my research, organizational psychology, and other related topics.

• Express Yourself Teen Radio: From First Job to Career: It was an honor to return to Express Yourself – my very first radio show I hosted as a teen – to share about my new book arriving July 2025! We also chatted about careers, deciding on a major in college, and data in general.
• Healthy Work Ep. 55: What’s in a Calling: I was a featured guest on a fellow I-O psychology professor’s podcast discussing new papers in our field. Here, I discussed our new conceptualization of calling, a theory paper outlining different ways of understanding modern callings in work that can potentially lead to healthier outcomes.
• PsychSessions@ACT 2022 Episode 04: Steven Zhou: This series of interviews was conducted at STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching (ACT) in Pittsburgh, PA, on October 21-22, 2022. In my short interview, I discussed my presentation on writing op-eds and my experiences as a graduate student.
• More of a Comment Than a Question Season 3 Episode 4: No Average Zhou (with Steven Zhou): In this episode we are joined by Steven Zhou, a graduate student in I-O Psychology at George Mason University, to discuss personality types. good and bad science communication, and what a healthy skepticism of academic research looks like.
• BoldTV: Why Personality Tests Might Be Useless: We’ve all taken a personality test, whether through a Facebook post or a school activity. While they can be used for fun, more and more employers are using personality tests in their hiring processes. Should these assessments be used in the workplace? It’s complicated.

I’ve given other invited talks on topics such as bridging the scientific-practitioner gap, academic publishing, I-O psychology, and leadership – to audiences ranging from PTCMW to the Chief Technology Officer and staff for Alibaba International. I’d be happy to talk with your group if you’re interested in any of my research areas, consulting, or careers in higher education. Send me a note!