Psychologist resume example & writing guide

Psychologists help people cope with mental health challenges using therapeutic techniques. As a psychologist, your resume should emphasize your professional experience, clinical skills, and relevant credentials, including licensure and board certifications. A well-written psychologist resume can make an employer feel confident about hiring you for their practice or organization.

This psychologist resume guide and corresponding example will show you the following:

• What information to include on your resume

• How to write about your experience and education

• The best skills to mention on your resume

• What to look for in a resume template

What should your psychologist resume include?

A psychologist resume should concisely describe your experience, including your specialized training, therapeutic techniques, and clinical skills. It should also focus on how you’ve achieved positive outcomes for patients, communities, or organizations.

Your resume should have the following elements:

• A resume header with your contact information

• A resume summary 

• An employment history section

• An education section

• A resume skills section

How can you create a professional summary?

In a few sentences, your professional summary should explain why you’re the best candidate for the job. It should briefly summarize your professional experience and areas of specialization, such as psychotherapy or trauma counseling. Customize your resume summary to the position by explaining how your qualifications align with the organization’s needs.

You can also get an employer’s attention by highlighting your career accomplishments. For example, you may discuss your patient success rates or research you’ve published in psychology journals. Show an employer how you can contribute positively to their practice or organization.

Check out our adaptable psychologist resume summary example below.

How should you describe your work experience as a psychologist?

In your work experience section, aim to show employers how you’ve made a difference as a psychologist. Describe the outcomes of your work in past jobs or your own practice. Establish yourself as a professional who makes a positive impact through effective patient care.

List your experience in reverse-chronological order, with your most recent job at the top. Our resume example describes the applicant’s day-to-day duties in paragraph form while highlighting their accomplishments in a bulleted list. This formatting makes an employer take notice of your key achievements.

When writing your resume bullet points, include numbers and statistics to back up your accomplishments. For example, include metrics related to patient caseloads, symptom reduction rates, client growth, or patient satisfaction ratings.

Here’s an example of a quantifiable bullet point for a psychologist working in a corporate setting:

• Conducted 14 workshops for employees on mental health awareness, resulting in a 43% improvement in workplace morale over one year

View our adaptable psychologist work experience resume section for more ideas.

Include a fitting psychologist resume education and certifications section

Most psychologists need at least a master’s degree and a state license to practice. For this reason, it’s essential to include your academic background and other credentials in an education section.

Follow these tips to describe your education:

• Include the essential details. Provide the full name of your degree(s) and the school. You don’t need to include dates, unless you’re a recent graduate.

• Put your education in reverse-chronological order. For example, list your master’s degree before your bachelor’s degree. Your license and other certifications should go below your formal education.

• List your license and board certifications. These credentials establish your credibility and show an employer you have the necessary qualifications for the role. Include the expiration years of your license and certifications to show they’re active.

Which key skills are relevant for a psychologist resume?

Employers will look at your skills section to make sure you have the right qualifications for the job. Review the job description closely to include skills an employer has specifically listed.

Many employers use applicant tracking system (ATS) software to scan and rank resumes based on keywords. Often, hiring managers never even see the resumes that don’t pass the ATS. Match the skills on your resume to those in the job description, focusing on your relevant hard skills. (For more information on mastering the ATS, check out our article on resume ATS optimization).

Here are some common keyword-rich skills to include on a psychologist resume:

• Psychological assessments

• Crisis intervention and treatment

• Cognitive behavioral therapy

• Treatment planning and goal setting

• Counseling techniques

• Case management

• Report writing

How to select the most impactful psychologist resume template

The resume template you choose should show an employer your commitment to professional standards. Pick a clean, organized template with sections for your skills, experience, and education. Use formatting elements that make your resume easy to read, such as white space and bullet points.

Hiring managers often review resumes quickly, so do your best to keep the most important information on one page. You can add a second page if you have many years of experience or if you want more space to expand on other qualifications, such as publications or professional memberships.

If you’re looking for the right template for your psychologist resume, check out the many options we offer in our resume builder. You can also get additional information by browsing our over 100 resume examples.

Copyable psychologist resume example

Key takeaways for writing a psychologist resume

1. A psychologist resume should highlight your clinical experience and show your ability to impact patients’ lives.

2. Emphasize your career achievements and include quantifiable data, such as caseloads, to prove your credibility.

3. Optimize your resume for the ATS by including hard skills mentioned in the job description.