Kickstarting Your Psychology Career: Resumes, Internships, and the Best Psych Job Boards
Careers in psychology are competitive, but a strong resume, well-written cover letters, and relevant experience in the field are guaranteed to help graduates in the job market.
Sample Cover Letter
The purpose of a cover letter is to:
- Explain how you learned about the job opening and company.
- Tell why you are sending them your resume (are you asking for more information? Looking for a summer position? A full-time position?)
- Persuade the reader to keep reading and look at your resume.
- Highlight your background in the field.
- Reflect yourself – your work ethic, motivation for the job, personality, and written communication skills.
- Provide any information that the job posting requested you include (availability to start work, contact information, mention of additional attached papers, etc.)
- State how you will follow up, whether by phone, letter, or email.
Below is a sample that incorporates all of the above features.
________________________________________________________________________
May 18, 2010.
Ms. Anne Erickson
Hiring Manager
Eugene Public Schools
942 E. Patterson Way
Eugene, OR 97401
Dear Ms. Erickson,
I learned about the opening for a full-time school psychologist from the job search engine Indeed.com. I am very interested in this position, and believe that my background, training, and qualifications make me an ideal candidate for the job.
After completing my bachelor's degree in psychology, I worked for two years as a community employment specialist, helping those with disabilities find and keep jobs. Here, I honed my written/oral communication skills and leadership abilities, and had the opportunity to employ my compassion, sensitivity, and drive to help others. I also learned what counseling is like in a real-world setting. I managed a caseload of 12 employees and they all found and held work over the course of my time there. I am currently in the process of earning my master's degree in psychology with an emphasis in educational psychology, and am volunteering in a middle school counseling office for my last year. Here, I started highly successful counseling groups for children in divorced families and another for minority students. These experiences are a testament to my enthusiasm and interest in educational psychology.
I have enclosed my resume, which further details my qualifications for this position. I am available to begin work in early June. I look forward to speaking with you further about counseling opportunities at Edward High School. I will contact you next week to confirm that you have received my cover letter and resume, and hope to set up an appointment to meet with you in person. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Petrovsky
1294 Glover Ave.
Portland, OR 97219
(503)749-3714
apetrovsky@hotmail.com
________________________________________________________________________
Sample Resume
A resume should be clear, easy to read, succinct, grammatically correct, and free of errors. It should highlight your accomplishments and work history. The following is a helpful example.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Petrovsky
1294 Glover Ave.
Portland, OR 97219
(503)749-3714
apetrovsky@hotmail.com
OBJECTIVE:
To obtain a position as a school psychologist in the Eugene, OR public school system.
EDUCATION:
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX Master of Arts, May 2010
Major: Psychology Emphasis: Educational Psychology GPA: 3.62
Honors: President's Award
University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA Bachelor of Arts, May 2006
Major: Psychology GPA: 3.85
RELEVANT COURSE WORK:
Group Dynamics and Developmental Psychology, Multicultural Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Research Methods, Behavioral Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology of Gender
COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft Office (Outlook, Publisher, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, FrontPage, Access)
RELATED EXPERIENCE:
School Counseling Office Intern September 2009-present
West Lincoln Middle School, Austin, TX
Developed supportive relationships with students and staff members, observed counseling staff during student meetings, facilitated junior high group counseling sessions on conflict, support, family dynamics, and student experiences.
Community Employment Specialist July 2006-August 2008
Delta Employment and Consulting Services, Portland, OR
Assisted people with developmental disability and/or disadvantages find employment. Constructed website regarding about the program services as directed by supervisor. Coordinated workers and schedules, provided leadership, training and support to employees.
Camp Counselor Summers June – August 2005, 2006, 2007
Multnomah Outdoor Education Association, Portland, OR
Taught outdoor sciences to sixth grade students at sleep-away camp.
Teacher's Assistant September-December 2005
Portland Community College, Portland, OR
Assisted with classroom exercises, translation, grading homework, etc. Tutored Spanish-speaking students in English vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, conversation.
ACTIVITIES:
Psychology Club, Environmental Club, Varsity soccer team
________________________________________________________________________
Making the Most of Your Work Experience
Internships: Internships are a great opportunity to learn about the field and gain skills that will be applicable to future positions. Have a positive attitude, exude an air of professionalism, take advantage of opportunities to learn more, set and work toward defined goals, and learn to solve problems as they arise. Being proactive, helpful, supportive, and hard working will help you get the most out of your internship.
Volunteering: Volunteering is a great way to make a difference and gain valuable knowledge at the same time. Pick a job that fits your interests – would you prefer to work with the elderly? Children? Animals? The homeless? While volunteering, engage and interact closely with your fellow volunteers and the people you serve. Be sensitive and useful. Learn how to be an asset to the organization you serve because learning how to maximize your ability to help will be applicable in any future career you undertake.
Networking: In any work environment, networking is a crucial part of success. Interns, volunteers, and employees should develop new relationships and record the names and contact information of people they meet. Keep in touch with these people after you leave an organization, because they can serve as resources to you from afar as well. Take initiative in developing connections and always be gracious, professional, and a good listener.
Top 10 Job Boards
American Psychological Association
Association for Psychological Science
Society for Human Resource Management
TopUSAJobs.com
JobsinPsychology.com
Nonprofit Career Network
AcademicCareers.com
SocialService.com
The Federal Government's Official Job Site
PsychWatch.com
Article Resources:
Trinity College
University of California, San Diego
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Wellesley College