Develop a professional resume that aligns with your individual goals and highlights your qualifications.

Develop a professional resume that aligns with your individual goals and highlights your qualifications.

Develop a professional resume that aligns with your individual goals and highlights your qualifications.

Introduction

As you near the end of your undergraduate experience, it is so important to start preparing for the next chapter—whether you're applying to graduate school, seeking employment in a psychology-related field, or exploring opportunities in other areas where your psychology background is helpful.

In this assessment, you will develop a professional resume that aligns with your individual goals and highlights your qualifications. This assessment is a chance to reflect on your academic journey, relevant experiences, and the skills you've developed throughout your psychology studies and related activities. This will also be your first step in formulating a larger career plan.

Note: The course assessments build upon one another and should be completed in sequence.

Preparation

If you haven’t already, using a job search site such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, or O*NET, select a job opening that sounds interesting to you, aligns with your career goals, and involves psychology. Even if you’re planning to attend graduate school first, you’ll eventually be applying for jobs—this exercise provides valuable practice in resume writing and preparing for the job search process.

Instructions

Write or update your resume to reflect the required knowledge, skills, and abilities mentioned in the job opening. Be sure your resume describes your current education, skills, knowledge, and experience, and how they are relevant to your selected job opening and the field of psychology.

Choose a resume format:

• Use a clean, professional format (you may use a template, but make sure it's easy to read and not overly stylized).
• Stick to 1–2 pages maximum if you have extensive relevant experience.

Your resume should include the following sections, as applicable:

• Contact Information (name, e-mail, phone number, LinkedIn).
• Objective or Summary Statement (tailored to your career goal related to the field of psychology).
• Education (include your degree(s), university, expected graduation date, GPA if 3.0 or higher).
• Relevant Experience (internships, jobs, volunteer work, research experience, etc.).
• Skills (technical, research, communication, languages, software, etc.).
• Certifications/Training (CPR, Mental Health First Aid, CITI training, etc.).
• Honors and Activities (Dean’s List, Psi Chi, leadership roles, etc.).

Customize your resume:

• Use action verbs and quantify achievements where possible (e.g., “Led weekly support groups for 10+ residents”).
• Tailor your resume to a specific audience: Are you applying for a job in human services? A research lab? Highlight the experiences and skills that match your goal.
• Avoid generic descriptions—show how your experiences connect to psychology.

Formatting tips:

• Use consistent font styles and sizes (Times New Roman, 12 pt.).
• Use bullet points for descriptions (not paragraphs).
• Avoid personal pronouns (e.g., I, me, my).
• Proofread carefully—no typos or grammatical errors.

Remember to consult the scoring rubric to make sure you cover all that will be assessed.

Submission Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is professional with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
• Length: 1–2 double-spaced typed pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 points.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 4: Apply psychology specific content to effective self reflection, project management skills, teamwork skills, and career preparation.
  • Describe current skills and knowledge, including how they are relevant to the field of psychology.
  • Describe experience and awards, including how those are relevant to the field of psychology.
  • Describe career objectives as they relate to the field of psychology.
• Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse recipients in a manner consistent with expectations for psychology professionals.
  • Write a resume appropriate for a specific job.
  • Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.