Experimental Psychologist Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Experimental Psychologist resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Experimental psychologists are scientists who study human behavior in controlled settings in order to uncover insights that can be used to improve the lives of individuals and society as a whole. They observe people in various situations—while they’re shopping, interacting with others, or working on a task—and record their reactions and responses.
Experimental psychologists use this data to identify trends and patterns, predict future outcomes, and test hypotheses. And they do all of this with a goal in mind: to help people make better decisions, feel more fulfilled in their jobs, or overcome an obstacle that’s holding them back.
If you’re intrigued by the idea of using science to solve real-world problems, then an experimental psychology career could be the right fit for you. Here are some tips and an example resume to help you write a compelling resume that will land you an interview.
How to Write an Experimental Psychologist Resume
Here’s how to write an resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. And the more specific and detailed you can be, the better.
For example, rather than saying you “conducted research on cognitive processes,” you could say you “conducted fMRI research on neural mechanisms underlying spatial memory in order to better understand how the brain processes spatial information.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did and the results of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for an experimental psychologist role, your resume is likely to go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This system will scan your resume for certain keywords related to the job. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
The best way to make sure you have the right keywords on your resume is to read through a few job postings and take note of the terms that are used repeatedly. Then, make sure to include those same terms on your resume. Here are some common experimental psychologist keywords to get you started:
- Psychometrics
- Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Quantitative Research
- Psychophysiology
- Research
- Psychological Assessment
- Qualitative Research
- Neuropsychology
- Psychological Testing
- Statistical Analysis
- Psychology Research
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Psychology
- Brain Imaging
- Psychological Experimentation
- Neuroimaging
- Adult Development
- Neuropsychology
- Psychotherapy
- Group Therapy
- Clinical Research
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Clinical Trials
- Social Psychology
- Psychological Assessment Instruments
- Hypnosis
- Stress Management
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an experimental psychologist, you rely on technology to help you run your experiments, analyze your data, and communicate with other members of your team. That’s why it’s important to list your technical skills prominently on your resume. By doing so, you’ll show that you’re a valuable candidate who is familiar with the essential tools and systems used in your field.
Recruiters are looking for experimental psychologists who are proficient in specific programs, such as SPSS, R, and MATLAB, and who have experience with data mining, machine learning, and modeling. They also want to see that you have a solid understanding of big data concepts and platforms like Hadoop, Hive, and Spark. So if you have experience with any of these programs or platforms, be sure to list them on your resume. And if you’re not familiar with them, now is the time to learn them!