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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Create Your Psychology
Resume in 5 Easy Steps

  • Step 1: Add Contact Info

    Heading Slides

  • Step 2: Include Work Experience Details

    Work History Slides

  • Step 3: Provide Education Details

    Education Slides

  • Step 4: Select Your Skills

    Skills Slides

  • Step 5: Fill in Your Background

    Summery Slides

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Psychology Resume

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder helps you customize your resume for any role in the psychology field by suggesting job-specific content that is pre-written by certified resume experts. You can plug this content directly into your resume, or modify it to fit the position and your professional qualifications.

Below are just a few examples of phrases our builder might recommend for a psychology resume:

  • Used therapeutic communication techniques to build rapport and guide discussion with patients
  • Updated treatment plans in coordination with clinical psychiatrist by reviewing patient progress
  • Interviewed, observed and surveyed patients in order to gain necessary information for psychological diagnosis
  • Introduced meditation, guided imagery, breathing techniques and reiki to patients and their families

8 Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Psychology Resume

  • Do write a resume that is unique to the position. Academic practices and professional practices differ in a variety of ways. Depending on the role to which you’re applying, prospective employers may be more interested in how well you teach psychology concepts than how you can apply them pragmatically, for example.
  • Do mention your research interests. If you’re seeking a role in academia, the search committee and your potential colleagues may be interested in knowing which psychological topics you’re particularly passionate about. This information may help them decide which courses to assign you and which students to connect you with if you get the position.
  • Do highlight any research or articles you’ve published. Including your publications relevant to the position you’re pursuing shows prospective employers that you are interested in understanding and advancing in that specific field.
  • Don’t label yourself a psychologist if you only hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While there are many industry-related jobs you can qualify for with an undergraduate in psychology, you won’t qualify as a psychologist without a doctoral degree — or at least a master’s degree in certain cases.
  • Don’t omit statistical data to show your contributions. Whether you’re teaching courses, counseling or improving workplace morale, quantifying your accomplishments demonstrates your abilities in a tangible way, even if it’s just highlighting how many patients you created treatment plans for in a given year.
  • Don’t forget about patient confidentiality. While it’s important to relay your past work experience and skills in specific, tangible terms, it’s paramount that you remain discreet and show respect for patients that you’ve counseled. After all, your future employer will expect the same level of tact once you’re hired.

Beat the ATS With These Psychology Resume Skills

More and more institutions and organizations are utilizing applicant tracking systems (ATS) instead of physically reviewing every single submitted resume. An ATS is an efficient screening process that scans each resume for keywords from the job description and eliminates the resumes of unqualified candidates. If you don’t include the right keywords, your resume might never make it to a recruiter.

Our builder helps applicants pass through an ATS by suggesting job-specific words and phrases. Here are some suggestions the builder might make for your psychology resume:

  • Family therapy
  • Treatment planning
  • Autism expertise
  • Patient rehabilitation
  • DSM-IV knowledge
  • Psychiatric population familiarity
  • Crisis intervention

Psychology Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level
Counseling Intern Resume Example Strong Functional Build my Resume

Counseling Intern

Functional resume formats are ideal for entry-level applicants because the format emphasizes their transferable skills. In the resume example above, the applicant begins with a summary statement describing his ability to empathize with patients and collect their information through deep interviews. He then adds a professional skills section and uses specific examples to demonstrate their relevance to the position. He lists his work history and education towards the bottom to show career development without drawing attention to inexperience. Finally, he includes a summary of qualifications underneath his contact information for quick reference. Build my Resume

Mid-Career
Psychometrist Original Resume Example Combination Build my Resume

Psychometrist

An established professional in the psychology industry can demonstrate job-specific skills as well as a pertinent work history by using a combination resume format. In this psychology resume example, the left-hand column allows for quick perusal of contact information, core proficiencies and a completed education, while the wider right-hand column summarizes qualifications and includes a professional work history that expands on acquired job-specific skills in more detail. Build my Resume

Executive-Level
Clinical Director Resume Example Executive Chronological Build my Resume

Clinical Director

Applicants with extensive professional experience can use a chronological resume format to highlight their most recent roles and relevant skills. After a brief professional summary that touts problem-solving proficiencies in management, administration and patient care, the applicant here proceeds directly to a strong work background consisting of prior management experience and professional practice as a psychologist. He then adds a section of hard and soft skills that are applicable to a leadership role, and ends with his credentials. Build my Resume

More psychology resume samples

Find resume examples for your desired psychology career. Get access to expert writing recommendations, do’s and don’ts and everything you need to write a perfect resume.

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Statistics and Facts About Psychology Jobs

Median Pay for Psychologists by Job Title

Psychologists$100770
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists$97260
Clinical, Counseling and school Psychologist$76990
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary$76708
040K80K120K
Source: O*Net

Job Outlook of Psychologists by Category

Psychologists,Total$181700
Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists$162000
Psychologists, All Other$18300
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists$14000
050K100K150K200K
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Popular Job Titles in the Psychology Industry

  • Licensed Clinical Psychologist
  • Child Psychologist
  • Forensic Psychologist
  • School Psychometrist
  • Educational Diagnostician
  • Challenging Behavior Consultant
  • Industrial/Organizational Psychologist (I/O Psychologist)
  • Organizational Development Consultant (OD Consultant)
  • Staff Psychologist
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Mental Health Director

Source: O*Net

Education Requirements for Psychologists

  • Clinical, Counseling and Research PsychologistsPh.D in Psychology/Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree
  • Industrial-organizational Psychologists/Psychological assistants Masters in Psychology
  • Specialized Psychologists Post Graduate Licensure/Certification

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Demographic Diversity of Psychologists

Workflow

Female 71.7%

Male 28.3%

Average Age

Female43.8
Male50.7
0102030405060708090100
Source: DataUSA

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