Psychologist CV Example & Writing Guide

While a standout psychologist CV can get you noticed and hired faster, a stale CV can send your job application straight to the rejection pile. 

Avoid disappointment and land your dream psychologist job with our professional online CV builder, cover letters and CV examples.

At cvapp.nz, we’ll help you highlight your professional strengths and achievements and make a strong first impression on potential employers. 

How to write a psychologist CV

It’s important to know what to include in your CV, so be sure to incorporate the following sections: 

• The CV header
• The CV personal statement
• The employment history section
• The skills section
• The education section

Before you begin drafting your CV, keep these top tips in mind to help enhance your psychologist CV: 

1. Carefully customise your CV for each job application by highlighting relevant skills, experience, and qualifications that align with the psychologist role you are applying for.
2. Discuss specific accomplishments, such as your successful therapy outcomes, research projects, or contributions to mental health programs.
3. Optimise your psychologist CV with keywords to effectively pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and increase your chances of standing out in the applicant pool.
4. Highlight your clinical experience working with diverse client populations, conducting assessments and developing treatment plans.

Choose an appropriate CV format for psychologists 

Psychologists are known for their trustworthiness, attention to detail, and organisational skills. Your CV should reflect these qualities, being tidy and well-structured to showcase your professional attributes effectively and efficiently. 

The reverse chronological CV format is often the best option for psychologists. It showcases employment history in reverse order to demonstrate career progression efficiently.

Outline essential contact information

In the header of your CV, include the following details:

• Full Name & Title: Clearly state your first and last name and the position you are applying for.
• Professional Email Address: List a professional email address that includes your name, such as ’[email protected].’
• Contact Number: Include your phone number with a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location: List your city and, if applicable, whether you are willing to relocate, like ‘Kauri Anderson, Wellington (Willing to Relocate).’
• LinkedIn Profile: Include links to relevant professional platforms like LinkedIn.

Avoid including unnecessary or sensitive information unrelated to the psychology role you are applying for, such as relationship status, personal details, IRD numbers or passport numbers.

Include an engaging personal statement

A psychologist's personal statement is crucial for highlighting your qualifications for psychology roles. In 2-4 brief sentences, summarise your professional background, skills, relevant accomplishments and career milestones.

Highlight skills demonstrating your ability to excel in counselling, psychological assessment, and therapy practices. 

For example: "Experienced in administering psychological evaluations and providing compassionate therapy to facilitate client well-being."

Check out our psychologist CV examples below, or explore our collection of healthcare-related CV examples, including our nurse, doctor, physical therapist, dentist, pharmacist CV examples. 

Showcase your employment history: your career progression

In the employment history section of your CV, use bullet points to highlight your impact in previous roles, elaborating on specific responsibilities and accomplishments within each role.

Use action verbs and quantifiable data, such as numbers, percentages, and metrics, to illustrate the impact of your contributions in previous roles. 

Consider the following psychologist responsibilities: 

• "Conducted in-depth psychological assessments.”
• "Implemented evidence-based treatment strategies resulting in a significant reduction in client symptoms."
• "Facilitated group therapy sessions and support groups to enhance mental health outcomes."

These responsibilities can be reframed to: 

• "Evaluated and diagnosed mental health conditions, leading to a 30% improvement in client well-being."
• "Implemented cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques, resulting in a 25% decrease in client anxiety levels."
• "Facilitated psychoeducation workshops, contributing to a 20% increase in group participants' coping skills."

Incorporating tangible metrics and measurable results helps showcase your qualifications effectively for psychologist positions.

Spotlight relevant psychologist skills

In the skills section of your CV, include relevant psychological keywords and emphasise your specific skills. 

Don’t forget to include skills mentioned in the job description to help highlight how you’re a perfect fit for the role. 

Relevant psychology skills include:

It’s important to demonstrate these skills with relevant examples:

Psychological assessment skills: Show proficiency in administering and interpreting psychological evaluations, such as IQ tests or personality assessments.

Therapy techniques: Demonstrate expertise in different therapy techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based interventions.

Treatment planning: Showcase your ability to develop personalised treatment plans for clients by considering their unique needs, challenges, and goals to foster progress and well-being.

Detail your education & relevant psychologist certifications

Employers will be looking for evidence of your psychologist qualifications, including your Bachelor’s degree and postgraduate degree. 

In the education section of your CV, include the following details:

Qualifications: Provide information about your Bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees in Psychology, listing relevant details about the degree, such as the name of your institution, the dates of completion, and any outstanding achievements. 

Certifications: List details about your practising certificate, including the number of hours practised and any psychology-related certifications or professional qualifications you have acquired. 

Professional Memberships: Include details of memberships in psychology-related organisations, such as the New Zealand Psychological Society (NZPsS), to demonstrate your commitment to the industry. 

Choose an appropriate design for a psychologist CV

When designing your CV, opt for a simple and professional layout that is organised and not overly cluttered. 

With our cvapp.nz online builder, choose from a variety of professionally designed templates for a polished and error-free CV that both aligns with your psychologist career goals and impresses potential employers.

Elevate your psychology career with our user-friendly online CV builder. Effortlessly create a personalised professional CV showcasing your psychology skills and experience.

Explore our customisable CV templates and CV examples designed for psychologists to boost your job search and advance your career.