Psychology graduate CV example

Psychology is all about understanding people, but when it comes to job applications, recruiters won’t spend much time analysing your CV – they need to see your value instantly.

Whether you’re aiming for a role in mental health, human resources, research, or beyond, this guide will help with writing a CV that arranges your qualifications and skills in a way that makes an impact.

A psychology graduate’s CV should be as well-organised as a well-conducted study. A clear, structured application makes it easy for recruiters to identify your strongest attributes, from research expertise to interpersonal skills.

Here’s the layout your CV should follow:

• Name and contact details – Keep these personal details at the top so a potential employer can reach out to you.
• Personal statement – Immediately draw in the recruiter with a brief summary of your skills and experience
• Core skills – Quickly list your key abilities such as research methods, data analysis, and communication.
• Work experience – Walk through internships, placements, research roles, or customer-facing experience that demonstrates your skills.
• Education – Detail your degree, relevant coursework, and any additional psychology-related certifications.
• Additional info – You can optionally list any relevant hobbies and interests which help to convey you suitability for a psychology role.

Presentation matters, whether it’s in a research report or your CV – keep it clean, structured, and easy to navigate. Hiring managers scan CVs quickly, so a clean format and professional layout, free from any avoidable mistakes, is absolutely essential.

To make sure your CV is easy to read and looks polished, follow these formatting tips:

• Bullet points – Help the recruiter skim your CV quickly and pick up the important bits with ease.
• Divide sections – Logically organise the information and make it easy to navigate
• Use a clear and readable font – Just make sure it’s a clear and easy font to read.
• Keep it 1-2 pages – This is the perfect length to cover the essentials without getting boring. If you’ve got no work experience, you should condense your CV to a single page.

Your personal statement (or profile) is your chance to introduce yourself as a psychology graduate with valuable skills. Since you may not have extensive work experience, this section should highlight your academic background, key strengths, and your overall aspiration in a matter of seconds.

It’s highly recommended that you attach a cover letter too – this should expand on the things that won’t fit into a short CV, and be tailored to each individual role.

Here’s what to include:

• Psychology degree and specialisation – Mention your field of study and areas of focus, such as clinical, forensic, or cognitive psychology.
• Research and analytical skills – Demonstrate your ability to conduct studies, interpret data, and apply findings.
• Communication and interpersonal abilities – Psychology is about understanding people, so showcase your ability to interact effectively.
• Relevant experience – Include any internships, voluntary work, or projects related to psychology.
• Career aspirations – Show enthusiasm for your field and indicate your intended career path.

Your CV skills section is a snapshot of your most valuable strengths – make sure it’s tailored to the role you want. Whether it’s research methods, data analysis, or communication, you should highlight your most relevant competencies.

Even if you have no experience in a psychology-specific role, focus on transferable skills gained through your degree, research projects, and internships. Whether it’s statistical analysis, counselling techniques, or behavioural research, tailor your skills to the specific role you’re applying for.

Recruiters look for candidates who can apply psychological knowledge in real-world settings, so make sure your skills reflect both academic and practical expertise.

A psychology degree is a strong foundation, so your education section should clearly outline your academic background.

List your degree, university, and graduation year. If you specialised in a particular area of psychology, such as clinical, forensic, or occupational psychology, mention it here. Any additional training, workshops, or certifications in mental health, behavioural analysis, or counselling should also be included.

If you wrote a dissertation or thesis on a relevant topic, it’s worth mentioning it to showcase your specific expertise.

Example education sections

What to include in your education section

For each qualification, add the following info:

• Qualification & organisation – Tell recruiters the qualification you studied and where you did it
• Dates studied – Then, note when you earned the qualification
• Extra details – If any qualifications you’ve got are especially pertinent to the role you’re applying for, you should expand upon it and if detail, give a brief outline of specific modules which convey your suitability.

A psychology degree equips you with many valuable skills, but employers want to see how you’ve applied them. Your work experience section should highlight real-world applications, even if they’re outside of psychology.

If you’ve completed research projects, internships, or work placements, emphasise your role, responsibilities, and the impact you had. If you have experience in customer service, tutoring, or support roles, highlight the transferable skills that relate to psychology – such as problem-solving, active listening, and working with diverse individuals.

For those without formal work experience, volunteer work, university projects, and even group research assignments can demonstrate critical skills that employers value.

• Outline – Provide a brief introduction to the organisation, research project, or company where you worked and your role in the team.
• Responsibilities – Explain key duties, such as conducting psychological research, analysing data, or working with clients. Use action words like “observed”, “assessed”, and “analysed.”
• Achievements – Demonstrate measurable contributions, whether through published research, improved patient support strategies, or data-driven insights.

As a candidate with less formal experience, the optional additional information section would make a good inclusion. Here, list off any extras that make you the right fit for the role. Only include things which relate specifically to the role: any unnecessary fluff will only take up space and distract from the good stuff.

Good additional info for Psychology Graduates

Additional info example