Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Psychologist CV Example (Text Format)
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Empathetic and trusted Psychologist with 5+ years of experience helping clients address a range of personal issues. Experienced helping adults and teenagers address various conditions, including chronic stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, and bereavement. Track record of creating individualised treatment plans to treat substance use disorders and other mental health issues. Additional capability to perform integrated intervention using harm reduction, relapse prevention, and cognitive-behavioural strategies.
WORK EXPERIENCE
St Andrew’s Healthcare, Cambridge
Psychologist, December 20XX – Present
- Supported the development of outreach programmes by fostering strong relationships with family practice, health and wellness staff, and senior management
- Conducted psychological assessments by visiting adult and adolescent clients in the community and developing a high level of trust
- Provided crisis intervention, individual and family treatment, and substance abuse assessment and consultation across the community
- Helped clients with acute psychiatric needs by investigating psychological issues and social histories while evaluating suicide risk
Queen Anne’s Hospital, London
Assistant Psychologist, May 20XX – November 20XX
- Served as liaison between community agencies, private and public hospitals, and law enforcement
- Maintained each patient’s psychological evaluation records with full confidentiality
- Assisted clinical psychologist with group therapy sessions and filing paperwork
- Collaborated with the neuropsychology department to develop and validate assessment tools
Insight IAPT, London
Graduate Psychologist, May 20XX – November 20XX
- Facilitated 10 therapy sessions per week using Relapse Prevention in collaboration with seniors
- Created and implemented plans for behaviour support programs
- Assisted clients by providing written notes for day-to-day tasks and self-care
EDUCATION
Goldsmith University of London (20XX – 20XX)
MSc Clinical Psychology (upper second-class honours)
Imperial College London (20XX – 20XX)
BSc (Hons) Psychology (first-class honours)
KEY SKILLS
- Psychological assessment proficiency
- Adept at Psychometric Testing
- Solid track record of clinical supervision
- Risk assessment & management
- Deliberate Self Harm (DSH)
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
- Avid cyclist, regularly participating in regional races
- Amateur viola player
- Enjoy socialising with friends
How to Write a Job-Winning Psychologist CV
Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a CV in a way that best emphasises your strengths.
Psychologists help people with various mental or physical health conditions by delivering a range of treatments and assessments. Comprehensive training, collaboration skills, and an excellent bedside manner are essential qualities in any practitioner, and you should clearly demonstrate them on your psychologist CV whenever you apply for a job.
Here are three psychologist CV tips that’ll help advance your job application through the recruitment process.
1. Open with a compelling personal statement
Your personal statement should push the employer to read your CV in full by outlining your experience, qualifications, and motivation for applying.
Start with a succinct opening line including your professional title, area of speciality, and how many years of practical experience you have in the field:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 8 years of experience specialising in cognitive behavioural therapy and stress management techniques.
Then highlight one or two standout accomplishments — things that’ll set you apart. For example, you could mention a particular therapeutic technique you excel in, research projects you’ve spearheaded, or successful outcomes you’ve achieved.
Your last sentence should link these experiences to the specific opportunity by naming a relevant career goal or benefit you hope to bring to the hiring team. Here’s an example personal statement that demonstrates this clearly:
2. Highlight the right soft skills
In addition to the right hard skills (aka medical knowledge and technical skills), psychologists need the right bedside manner to make patients feel supported.
However, instead of listing out your people skills, give examples that demonstrate how you’ve applied them on the job.
Here are a few examples of valuable soft skills for psychologists:
- Empathy: ‘Cultivated strong therapeutic alliances with patients through genuine empathy and active listening, facilitating more effective treatment outcomes.’
- Communication: ‘Implemented a bi-weekly workshop for patients’ families, enhancing their understanding of treatment processes and improving patient support networks.’
- Problem-solving: ‘Developed customised treatment plans for complex cases, integrating multiple therapeutic approaches to address individual patient needs effectively.’
3. Measure the impact of your work experience
Quantifying the impact of your work boosts your CV’s persuasiveness. So when writing your work experience section, include specific outcomes and achievements that can be measured with hard numbers. Here are a couple of examples:
Led a pilot program on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, resulting in a 30% decrease in symptoms for participants
Directed a stress management program that served 100+ clients, increasing outreach and satisfaction ratings by 25%