Interviewing for Internships:
Tips on How to Shine
Co-Sponsored by:
Women in Neuropsychology,
Ethnic & Minority Affairs, &
Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training
Subcommittees of APA Division 40
Agenda
• Tips for developing your CV and other
documents
• Mock interviews:
– 8 interviewers
– Small groups
Curriculum Vitae
Your first major publication
Roddy Roediger
Association for Psychological Science President
www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1498
CV: General Tips
• Proof read! Use spell check and have several others
read your CV for spelling/grammar/formatting errors.
• Use normal margins and font sizes. Do not excessively
use formatting tools such as bullets, underlining,
italicizing, etc.
• Make it pleasing to the eye (use symmetry and balance)
CV: General Tips
• Don’t add fluff! No one wants to read it or
to have to store excess paper.
• Don’t list courses taken, conferences or
work shops attended, class presentations
given, or CE credits.
CV: General Outline
• Many available formats
• The type of format will depend on the
position you are applying for (clinical,
academic, research, etc)
• Check with your university and/or local
academic medical center
CV: General Outline
• Personal Information
• Education
• Professional Experience
– Clinical positions
– Research positions
• Awards/Honors
• Publications
• Presentations
• Skills
• References
CV: Personal Info
• Personal Information: name, address,
phone, email, fax, etc.
– Email: professional or nondescript
• Do not include: age, marital status, SS#,
photo, IQ, prior psychological treatment
(e.g., anger management or 12-step
program).
CV: Education/
Professional Positions
• Include dates (month and year)
• Report degrees/positions in chronological
order
• Include who your supervisors were in both
training and professional positions
CV: Education/
Professional Positions
• Do Not include “Ph.D. candidate”
(misleading according to APA ethical code)
For later in your career• Do Not list yourself as “board eligible”
• Never include vanity board degrees
CV: Education/
Professional Positions
• Descriptions of positions should not be
more than 2-3 sentences long (setting,
primary duties, populations served, primary
referrals, and collaborators).
CV: Publications/Presentations
• Use separate sections for published articles,
published abstracts, and presentations.
• Use “manuscripts in review” very sparingly.
• Manuscripts in preparation
– Early career: include manuscripts in
preparation, but only if they are nearly ready to
be submitted and be prepared to discuss them!
– After fellowship: Avoid including these on
your CV.
CV: Other
• Awards- only list those professionally
related
• Personal Interests- be very selective
• Skills- languages spoken, proficiency in
database or statistics software
CV: References
Predoctorally
• list names with contact information (tell
people you’ve listed them)
After you complete fellowship
• “Available upon request”
Letters of Recommendations
• Ask for letters in advance and be certain they will
be strong.
– Give the writer at least one month prior to your first
deadline.
• An average letter is likely to be viewed negatively.
• Verify that all letters have been sent appropriately
and received.
– In packet or separate depending on application
instructions.
After the Interview
•
Follow-up
–
–
–
Thank you notes or emails
Telephone calls
Reiterate your interest and what attracted you
to the program