Clinical Psychologist Resume Example

Kellie Hanna, CPRW
By Kellie Hanna, CPRW, Career Advice Expert Last Updated: August 09, 2022
  • 30% higher chance of getting a job‡
  • 42% higher response rate from recruiters‡

After investing years of your life becoming certified in clinical psychology, you’ll need to invest a few more hours to create the perfect resume. Your resume serves as an introduction to an employer. These days, hiring managers often scan resumes in order to quickly sort potential candidates. As a result, it’s critical that your resume be individualized to match the needs of each employer. Technological literacy is an increasingly important component of some clinical psychology positions. It is a good idea to include any technology proficiency required by the employer near the top of your resume – it’s one of the first things hiring managers will look for. To be certain your resume puts you in position to land the job, be sure your resume reflects current best practice – please check out our clinical psychologist resume examples.

clinical psychologist resume sample

Clinical Psychologist Resume Questions

1. How do you write the qualifications section of a clinical psychologist resume?

You can make a positive impression with a compelling qualifications summary. For the most part, it has replaced the resume objective. This brief two- or three-sentence paragraph explains why you’re the ideal person for the job. It includes your job title, years of work experience, degree, relevant skill set, licenses, and certifications. Take a look at our clinical psychologist resume sample to get an idea of how to craft yours.

2. How many skills should you put on a clinical psychologist resume?

When it comes to listing skills, less is more. The relevancy of your skill set is more important than how many you have. In other words, mention the skills you have that match those listed in the job description. With that said, if you have an extensive professional background, list 5-7 skills. If you’re a recent graduate who has no work history, you can jot down 8-10 on your document. Review the clinical psychologist resume sample to learn more.

3. How do you list certifications on your clinical psychologist resume?

Psychology professionals often have certifications in specialties such as psychoanalysis and rehabilitation. If you have these credentials, create a section using “Certifications” as the subheading. Make sure you provide details about the entity that awarded the certificate. For example, did you receive certification from the American Board of Professional Psychology? If so, include the certificate title, date received, and location.

4. How should you present software knowledge on a clinical psychologist resume?

There’s an increased demand for certain software skills within the psychology field. For example, many employers seek job candidates who have experience using Microsoft Excel and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System. When you mention your software expertise, place it in the top one-third of your resume. There are a couple of reasons for doing this. First, it’s easy for recruiters to view your skill set at a glance. Second, it helps your document pass the Applicant Tracking System, which scans keywords and rejects unqualified candidates. Our clinical psychologist resume sample shows you how to format a skills section.

5. How do you write a clinical psychologist resume?

The first consideration is choosing the right format. The three primary options include functional, hybrid, and chronological. The latter is the most popular among jobseekers and recruiters. It includes the standard professional summary, skills, work history, and education sections. It lists positions in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most current employer. When it comes to the design, choose a font size between 10 and 12. Stick with easy-to-read text like Helvetica. Additionally, keep the bullet points, bolded text, underlined words, and italics to a minimum. Quantify your achievements whenever possible using action verbs, facts, percentages, and numbers. For additional help, try our resume builder. It’s designed to help you create a perfect resume with minimum effort.

Resume Text

Donald Davenport
123 Fake Street
City, State, Zip Code
Cell: 000-000-0000
email@email.com

Summary

Thoughtful, patient-centered Clinical Psychologist with experience in hospital, clinic and private practice settings. Compassionately committed to working with patients suffering from a broad spectrum of different types of mental health issues. Adept at multi-tasking and proactively addressing emotionally intense situations with individual patients.

Highlights

  • Compassionate and thoughtful professional
  • Effective oral communicator
  • Thoughtful analyst
  • Flexible practitioner
  • Engaged listener
  • High energy

Work Experience

March 2010 to October 2012 Company Name
—City, State Clinical Psychologist

  • Provided mental health services to a broad spectrum of patients in the psychiatric ward of a major medical center.
  • Worked with both adult and juvenile patients afflicted with mental health issues.
  • Coordinated mental health care and treatment with other services being provided through the professional staff at medical center.
  • Lectured on mental health issues and treatment protocols at professional conferences and conventions.

October 2012 to January 2014 Company Name
—City, State Clinical Psychologist

  • Provided professional mental health services to patients in the mental health unit of medical center.
  • Served in the emergency department addressing the immediate needs associated with the admission of mentally ill patients.
  • Worked with patients one on one and in group settings.
  • Reviewed and revised hospital protocols associated with mentally ill patients.

January 2014 to Present Company Name
—City, State Clinical Psychologist

  • Served as chief of the psychiatric department of urban medical center.
  • Responsible for overseeing all staff members of psychiatric department, including the hiring of new professional staff members.
  • Lectured at conferences and conventions on issues pertaining to profoundly mentally ill patients.
  • Specialized in working with patients afflicted with bi-polar disorder.

Education

2009 University of California, City, State Ph.D., Psychology