Private Practice Therapist Resume Example
A career as a private practice therapist typically involves providing client support and conducting therapy sessions. If you want to stand out with your private practice therapist applications, you'll need to create a professional resume that makes a strong impression on employers. In this article, we'll highlight tips and examples for creating a private practice therapist resume that makes a winning impression on recruiters and hiring managers.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your private practice therapist applications. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your private practice therapist resume.
What to include in a private practice therapist resume
A successful private practice therapist resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header and Personal Information
A private practice therapist resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.
Luna Rodriguez
luna.rodriguez@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
linkedin․com/in/luna–rodriguez123
Resume Summary
Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for private practice therapist roles.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a private practice therapist, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for private practice therapist jobs below.
Good example:
Experienced therapist with a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and a background as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Skilled in providing individualized therapy, conducting psychological assessments, and developing treatment plans. Proven ability to support diverse client populations in managing mental health issues and achieving personal growth. Committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional ethics and fostering a compassionate, client-centered therapeutic environment
Bad example:
Therapist with some background in psychology and helping people with their mental health. Have done therapy sessions and assessments. Worked with various clients to support their personal development. Focused on maintaining ethical standards and creating a supportive environment for clients
On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your private practice therapist resume summary
Skills
The skills section is one of the main ways to show employers you've got the skills required for private practice therapist roles. Whether your skills include diagnostic assessment proficiency, empathy and compassion or any other useful skills for the role, you'll want to list them here. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a private practice therapist.
How to include hard skills on your private practice therapist resume
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a private practice therapist. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key private practice therapist duties and responsibilities. Include around four or five key hard skills that are listed in the job description. These skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you're a good fit for the position.
You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a private practice therapist resume.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Diagnostic assessment proficiency
- EMDR therapy certification
How to list soft skills on your private practice therapist resume
Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a private practice therapist resume, see below.
- Active listening skills
- Emotional intelligence (EI)
- Empathy and compassion
Education and Qualifications
In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to private practice therapist roles.
Opportunities as a private practice therapist and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your crisis intervention skills or cognitive behavioral therapy.
Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, 2017 - 2020
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Certifications
Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to private practice therapist jobs. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
Take a look at some example certifications for a private practice therapist resume below:
- Licensed Professional Counselor, 2022
- Board Certified Counselor, 2022
- Certified Clinical Trauma, 2022
Work Experience
Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a private practice therapist position. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to private practice therapist roles.
An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to private practice therapist jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Good example:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, January 2022 - Present
Serenity Counseling Services, Milwaukee
- Successfully implemented evidence-based therapy programs, resulting in a 40% improvement in patient outcomes over three years
- Authored five peer-reviewed articles on cognitive-behavioral therapy, contributing to advancements in clinical psychology practices
- Conducted over 1,000 hours of individual and group therapy sessions, achieving a 95% client satisfaction rate
Bad example:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, January 2022 - Present
Serenity Counseling Services, Milwaukee
- Implemented therapy programs with positive results for patients
- Contributed to clinical psychology through writing articles
- Conducted numerous therapy sessions with high client satisfaction
See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.
Jobseeker Tip:
Optional Information
There are several additional sections you could add to a private practice therapist resume, to improve your chances of success. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for private practice therapist jobs.
Hobbies and Interests
Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world private practice therapist experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.
Volunteer Experience
If you're lacking relevant private practice therapist work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard private practice therapist resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.
References are available upon request.
Best strong verbs for your a private practice therapist resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Counseled
- Evaluated
- Facilitated
- Guided
- Implemented
- Intervened
- Monitored
- Provided
- Supported
- Trained
Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.
Example of a private practice therapist resume
The private practice therapist resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
•
luna.rodriguez@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/luna–rodriguez123
Dedicated and compassionate therapist with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and extensive experience as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Proven expertise in providing individualized therapeutic interventions, conducting psychological assessments, and developing personalized treatment plans. Skilled in fostering a safe and supportive environment to facilitate client growth and well-being. Strong background in addressing a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and trauma. Committed to ongoing professional development and delivering evidence-based practices to enhance client outcomes
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
2020
-2022
Mindful Pathways Therapy Group (Seattle)
- Successfully conducted over 1,500 individual therapy sessions, achieving a 90% client satisfaction rate
- Developed and implemented a community mental health program, reducing local depression rates by 15% over two years
- Published 10 peer-reviewed research articles on cognitive-behavioral therapy, contributing to advancements in evidence-based practices
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
2017
-2020
University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Diagnostic assessment proficiency
EMDR therapy certification
Active listening skills
Emotional intelligence (EI)
Empathy and compassion
Licensed Professional Counselor
Board Certified Counselor
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for private practice therapist resumes
Key tips to help you craft a strong resume
- Create a positive impression with a well-written resume summary or objective that highlights your key strengths for private practice therapist roles.
- Use a clear, professional resume format to make your document as accessible as possible, including a readable font and appropriate headings, margins and line spacing. This will make your resume easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
- Adapt your resume for every job application for maximum impact. Review the job description to understand the specific requirements for the role.
- Quantify your successes by providing figures and other evidence that shows how your skills have made a difference to your employer.
- Showcase your key skills throughout your resume, as well as in your dedicated skills list, with each skill reflecting the job description.
Keep away from these common resume mistakes
- Don't use passive language because it's less engaging for the reader. Change phrases like 'the target was exceeded' to 'I helped the team exceed the target'.
- Don't include any personal details, such as a photo, your age or marital status. These can create unwanted bias in the recruitment process.
- Don't add hobbies and outside interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role.
- Don't forget to keep your header up-to-date with every application, to make sure you don't include old contact information.
- Don't exaggerate, lie or hide details about yourself as these can all undermine your chances of success with private practice therapist applications.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. When writing your private practice therapist resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
- Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
- Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
Frequently Asked Questions about a private practice therapist resume
As well as writing a professional private practice therapist resume, you'll need a cover letter to introduce yourself and emphasize your credentials.
Firstly, choose whether you're going to write a full cover letter, or whether a brief email confirming your application and drawing attention to your resume will be sufficient.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the private practice therapist job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
Jobseeker's HR-approved cover letter templates can help you produce a cover letter that really catches the eye of employers.
If you have plenty of experience as a private practice therapist, you'll want your resume to showcase your extensive career history and achievements. As an experienced candidate, your private practice therapist resume might include a work experience section that goes back beyond the standard 10 to 15 years. This will give you the chance to highlight your extensive experience and achievements. Include any optional sections that help to show your credentials and reputation in your industry. These could include awards, achievements and successful projects you've been involved in.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your private practice therapist application, a resume headline can help. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match the job description. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
Below you can see a resume headline example:
- Emerging Therapist in Private Practice
- Experienced Private Practice Therapist
- Experienced Senior Psychotherapist and Counselor
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. If, however, you have experience in your chosen profession, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format might be the way to go. This showcases your relevant skills and achievements in your work experience section.
Key takeaways for your private practice therapist resume
The key to a strong resume is to showcase your relevant skills and achievements through your work experience and other activities. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.
Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications
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