Psychologist Resume Example & Skills for a Psychology Resume

A hiring manager reads a good psychology resume and immediately picks up the phone. Like Pavlov's dog. They can’t help it. They’ve got to meet the person behind the paper!

If you’re on a job hunt, you obviously want to be that person. And you can be. You just have to craft the perfect psychology resume that will make the right impact.

In this guide:  

• A psychology resume example that gets jobs.
• How to format your psychologist resume so it looks professional.
• What kind of skills and achievements recruiters are looking for in a resume for psychology professionals.
• A list of key skills for psychology resumes.

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Not ready for a career as a psychologist? Check out these resume examples:

• Academic CV Sample
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• Child Care Resume Sample
• College Application Resume Sample 
• Education Resume Sample
• Librarian Resume Sample
• Nursing Student Resume Sample
• Physical Therapy Student Resume Sample
• Research Assistant Resume Sample 
• School Counselor Resume Sample
• Special Education Teacher Resume Sample
• Student Resume Sample
• Tutor Resume Sample
• Best Resume Examples for All Jobs

Psychology Resume Example

Psychologists are mental health professionals who strive to help others learn constructive ways to overcome mental health challenges. To write a successful psychology resume, you should demonstrate your knowledge alongside psychology skills such as interpersonal and problem-solving qualities.

Now here’s what to include on your resume:

1. Select the Right Psychology Resume Format

First things first. The layout of your resume. Let’s satisfy the narcissist hidden inside the recruiter and make it perfect.

With these resume format tips, you will make your resume clean and looking professional:

Psychology Resume Format

• Use the reverse chronological order to show off your latest experiences first.
• Choose a neat resume font, like Arial, Noto or Garamond.
• Make sure you have 1-inch resume margins on all sides of the document.
• Limit the length of your resume for psychology jobs to one page. If you have more experience in the field, two pages will be fine, too. 
• Use these resume sections: Header, Summary, License, Experience, Education, Skills, and “Additional.” 
• Save your resume as a PDF file to make sure that it looks the same on every computer.
• Use a simple resume template for enhanced readability. Simple templates are also more ATS-friendly.

2. Write a Powerful Psychology Resume Objective or Summary

A strong introduction is like the bottom part of Maslow’s hierarchy theory. It’s the first part of your resume that works as a base for grabbing the reader’s attention. The recruiter NEEDS a good resume summary or objective—otherwise they’ll be biased while reading the rest. Or won’t even bother to do it.

If you’re not sure what kind of intro your psychology resume needs, here’s a small cheat-sheet:

• Got work experience? Use a resume summary. 
• No experience? Go for a resume objective.

To make your resume summary or objective stand out, make sure you try these tricks:

1. Start with a potent adjective, like: highly-motivated, ambitious, driven, inspired, etc.
2. Put your job title next. 
3. Let the recruiter know how much experience you have: 3+ years of experience, 7+ years of experience, and so on. 
4. Mention your specialization: guiding and supporting students in a special education program to build confidence and modify behaviors. 
5. Finish strong with 2-3 of your key accomplishments.

Your resume summary should look like something like this:

Psychology Resume Sample—Resume Summary

Inspired and resourceful psychology professional with 3+ years of experience guiding and supporting students in a special education program to build confidence and modify behaviors. As part of a school district program, worked with almost 60 students from 3 different schools and demonstrated outstanding case management as evidence in the student's academic and behavioral improvement.

I am a professional psychologist with 3 years of experience in consulting with and providing mental health services to students. I am empathetic and have excellent communication skills. Looking to join your organization as I now live in Salt Lake City. 

Oh, no. The recruiter will develop a phobia after reading the bad example.

While the first example shows competence and highlights some important achievements, the second one, first of all, seems like it’s been written by a child, and second of all—

A recruiter isn’t interested whether you’re empathetic or not. A psychologist obviously should have highly developed interpersonal skills, but that’s not what makes him or her GOOD. It’s the experience and achievements that count.

Straight out of graduate school and have nothing to show off? Don’t worry. You can still land your dream job by writing a resume with no experience.

But this time, instead of writing a summary of your experience, start your resume with an objective. Examine this case study:

Entry-Level Psychology Resume Example—Resume Objective

Passionate and motivated Psychology graduate with experience in performing group therapies with 6-10 patients in areas including: Domestic Violence for Victims, Eating Disorders, Grief. Conducted 2 research studies on bulimia and other eating disorders. Seeking to obtain an internship at the American Psychological Association to help me continue to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in my career.

Recent psychology graduate with no experience as of yet looking for an internship opportunity. Skilled in behavioral psychology and conducting research studies. Ready to get started in the work world.

If you were the hiring manager, who would you choose for the job? Someone who cared to write a nice psychology resume objective that proves they have skills and attitude to take on a full-time internship? Or someone who didn’t even take the time to highlight their competencies?

Even entry-level candidates have some kind of experience from school or other projects that should be included in their psychology resume. 

An eye-catching introduction is what makes recruiters greenlight a candidate. But remember—you have to make it relevant and attractive. No psychobabble. Highlight the skills and experiences you’ve acquired and be on your way to a whole new sense of self.

Expert tip: If you have some significant experience, skills and qualifications, you may want to use a summary of qualifications on a resume. This gives you the opportunity to highlight both your skills and work experience, which is a win-win situation.

3. Highlight Your Psychology Resume Skills and Work Experience 

Writing the job description section isn’t as easy as Albert Ellis’ ABC model. This part of your psychology resume should prove that you have everything that it takes to succeed in the field.

Here’s how to write the best psychology resume job description section:

1. Use the reverse chronological order to list your previous jobs and employment background.
2. Remember to include what position you worked in, the dates of your employment, the organization’s / company’s name and location.
3. List 4-5 bullet points that describe what your role was. Start each point with a resume action verb to convey emotion and purpose.
4. Don’t forget to include some key achievements that are both measurable and convincing. 

Take a look at these two psychologist resume examples:

Psychology Resume Example—Job Description

School Psychologist

Jane Addams Middle School, Philadelphia, PA

August 2017-May 2019

• Completed a 600-hour practicum experience providing a limited range of services to children in grades preK-8.
• Served on Student Support Team (SST) Committees & Response to Intervention (RTI) Committees to help improve individual student achievement.
• Conducted social skill and academic skill counseling groups with a total of 225 students.
• Developed treatment plans for 12 students with anxiety disorders.

School Psychologist

Jane Addams Middle School

• Served student support committees.
• Lead counseling sessions for students.
• Developed treatment plans. 

The first example? Looks like the candidate implemented a triangulation protocol. Or... used a simple STAR formula (Situation-Task-Action-Result) to phrase the bullet points.

The problem with the second one is that he/she doesn’t show numbers which is something that shows real impact. Simply listing your duties isn’t really what will make the recruiter have the “Aha! moment”.

Even though it’s not always easy to quantify your achievements when it comes to psychology —try your best to squeeze in some numbers here and there. Think about how many patients you’ve been seeing on a weekly basis, or how many research projects you were a part of. This will show the hiring manager that not only you can do your job well, but you also have the ability to show how effective you really are.

When it comes to skills to put on a resume, it’s pretty tricky to stand out from other candidates. The most important thing to remember is to list the right skills for a psychology resume, and the qualifications that are relevant to the position. 

Double-check the job posting to see if the desired psychology skills are there. This is your “Big Five”. 

Here are some psychology skills for resumes to inspire you:

Psychology Resume Skills

Hard skills:

• ABA Therapy
• Behavioral psychology
• Child psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Clinical research
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Computer skills
• Confidentiality procedures
• Counseling
• Crisis intervention
• Family therapy
• Group therapy techniques
• Patient assessment
• Psychotherapy
• Strong analytical skills
• Treatment plans

Soft skills:

• Adaptability
• Communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Critical thinking
• Empathy
• Emotional intelligence
• Goal setting
• Interpersonal skills
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Writing skills

Expert Hint: Use the job posting to target your resume and add those skills which are relevant for the position. Resume keywords will help you up your chances of passing the ATS scan.

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4. Ace Your Education Section

When it comes to the resume education section—don’t hide your ego. Show off awards on your resume, honors, scholarships, relevant coursework—anything and everything that will show that you are a strong candidate.

Prove that you are in your psychology “flow state” by putting it in your document in the right format and wowing them with your qualifications.

Education on a Psychology Resume—Sample

Education

MA in Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago

2011

GPA: 3.8

• Concentration in Behavioral Psychology
• Conducted 2 successful research studies on aging and emotion.

Expert Hint: Various studies show that you have seconds to impress a recruiter with your resume. If they want to know more about you, they’ll probably want to check out your LinkedIn profile, so make sure it's up to date. 

5. Perk Up Your Psychology Resume With an “Additional Information” Section

You’re almost done. Show off your potential with an “Extras” section that will even convince Albert Bandura to hire you.

Certifications, extra research studies, projects, volunteer work—all of these will nicely spice up your resume! Here are just a few examples of the most prestigious resume certifications that you can get as a graduate: 

• PGCert in The Psychology of Dementia Care
• Graduate Certificate in Autism and Behavioural Science
• Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate

Depending on your field of study, you may want to take time to do some research on what kind of certifications are the most profitable ones for your mental health care area.

In the meantime, check out this psychologist resume example:

Sample Psychology Resume—Extra Sections

Certification:

• CertHE Criminal Psychology

Volunteer Work:

• Give an Hour Program
• TOPSS Speakers Bureau 

Conferences:

• APS Convention 2018, San Francisco (Speaker), topic: The Timing Of Behavioral Change In Violent Serial Crimes.

Expert Hint: According to research, 56% of recruiters think a well-written cover letter can improve the odds of an applicant, so make sure to write a cover letteras well. 

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Key Points

For a psychology resume that gets interviews:

• Use the psychology resume template provided. It has all the sections that are ready for you to fill in with your information.
• Highlight your psychology achievements in the summary / objective, and experience and education sections to prove you have all the right qualifications.
• Tailor your psychology skills to match the recruiter’s job description. 
• Include a psychology cover letter to show that you’re the best fit for the role.

Did we help you get your psychology resume right? Got any more questions on how to write a resume or cover letter for a mental health professional? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to help.

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