How Do I Gain Experience as a Psych Major?

Inside this issue:
👉 🧭 Theme of the Week: How Do I Gain Experience as a Psych Major?
👉 💬 Office Hours Interview: Emma and Her Experience as an RBT
👉 💼 Career Spotlight: Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
👉 📚 Book Rec: Shift by Ethan Kross
👉 🌱 Mental Health Check-In
👉 📢 Free Webinar Announcement
👉 📱 Share & Succeed Referral Gift
👉 📬 Give Us Your Feedback

🧭 Theme of the Week: How Do I Find Gain Experience as a Psych Major?

Finding psych-related internships can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Fields like Business and Engineering have internships galore, and psych internships may take a bit more digging. There are many opportunities out there for psych students to gain experience (and get paid for it), but it may not always come with the label of “intern”. Some of the most valuable experiences come from places you wouldn’t expect.

The Reality Check: Traditional "psychology internships" are limited, especially paid ones. Most psychology students build their resumes through a combination of part-time work, volunteer positions, and research opportunities rather than formal internship programs. You can use this to play to your strengths and build a diverse range of experiences for your resume.

6 Types of Experiences to Add to Your Resume:

1. Volunteer Positions - Crisis text line volunteer, hospital patient advocate, or community center assistant

2. Part-Time Jobs - RBT, mental health technician, residential counselor, or research assistant positions

3. Practicum Experiences - Many programs offer academic credit for field placements.

4. Summer Research Programs - REU programs or faculty-led research projects

5. Community Service Roles - Peer tutoring, mentoring programs, or advocacy work

6. Administrative Support - Working in counseling centers, therapy offices, or research clinics.

5 Places to Start Your Search:

1. Your University's Career Center & Handshake - Don’t overlook the resources your university has to offer. Career centers have connections to the community, websites with opportunities, and hold job fairs that contain psych related experiences for students.

2. Faculty Research Labs - Reach out to professors whose research interests align with yours. Many labs have their own sites where they advertise openings for research positions. This is a great way to build your resume/CV.

3. Community Mental Health Centers - These organizations frequently need volunteers and interns to help with administrative tasks, group facilitation, and community outreach programs.

4. Hospitals and Medical Centers - Look for opportunities in behavioral health units, pediatric departments, or patient advocacy programs.

5. Nonprofit Organizations - Crisis hotlines, domestic violence shelters, youth programs, and advocacy organizations often welcome psychology students as volunteers or interns.

4 Strategies When Opportunities Are Scarce:

1. Create Your Own Experience - Approach organizations directly and propose how you could contribute as a volunteer or part-time worker.

2. Network Through Faculty - Professors often have connections with local practitioners and organizations.

3. Start Small and Build Up - Begin with volunteer work that can lead to more substantial roles.

4. Think Beyond Traditional Settings - Consider schools, community centers, rehabilitation facilities, or corporate wellness programs.

3 Application Tips That Actually Work:

1. Customize Every Application - Show you understand their mission and explain how your psychology background specifically helps their goals

2. Highlight Transferable Skills - Customer service, leadership, and communication skills from other jobs are valuable in psychology settings

3. Follow Up Professionally - A polite email a week after applying shows genuine interest and initiative

The Bottom Line: Getting experience as a psych major is more about consistency and interest than finding the “perfect” internship. Exploring a range of experiences will not only build your resume, but give you data on the direction you’d like to go after graduating.

💬 Office Hours with Emma

Real interviews with real students.

This week, I got the opportunity to chat with Emma, a rising junior majoring in psych at California State Polytechnic University to her experience working part time as an RBT during undergrad. Here's her perspective on what she’s learned!

What is an RBT and what do they do? 

An RBT, Registered Behavior Technician, is someone who helps young adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities. Teaching valuable lessons for growth revolving their academic, social, and verbal skills are key components of this work. 

How did you get this role while still in undergrad? 

I began this role in Summer 2024 before I entered my second year of college as a psychology major at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona! A high school diploma is needed to get started along with your training and testing, so I decided to apply for the position. I went through 40 hours of training containing videos and short quizzes followed by an entry exam that I must pass. This exam led me to the certification as a Board Certified Autism Technician! 

How has this experience shaped your understanding of psych and your future career plans?

This experience has further deepened my understanding of psychology and how important the field is, especially in our world today. In the future, I will obtain my masters degree to begin my career as a therapist revolving around working with children and teenagers struggling with their mental health. As a Middle Eastern woman, I would love to guide my fellow multicultural people to peace and overall well being. 

What does a typical day on the job look like? 

On a typical day, I will have 1-2 clients for no longer than four hours at a time. My company, CARD, does an amazing job at ensuring quality hours and diversity with multiple RBT’s per child. Maintaining lessons that have been considered mastered and collecting data on behaviors noted throughout the session to report back to our BCBA, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, leads to better daily progress. Each child has different lessons depending on their needs and their treatment plan is implemented by the BCBA for the RBT to follow. These tasks can be anywhere from verbal commands, greetings, or social cues. 

What advice would you give to other psych students who are thinking about becoming an RBT?  

If you are thinking about it, follow your gut! This is the most fulfilling job I have ever had. Helping others is a huge passion of mine and seeing children gain these lifelong skills with the guidance of myself and my work family is beyond incredible. The experience you gain in the ABA field is worth it!

💼 Career Spotlight: Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)

What it is: RBTs work directly with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, implementing behavior intervention plans under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This is one of the best part-time jobs for psychology students wanting hands-on experience.

What you'll do:

• Implement behavior intervention plans and skill acquisition programs

• Collect data on client progress and behavior patterns

• Assist with daily living skills training and social skills development

• Work one-on-one with clients in homes, schools, or clinical settings

• Support families in implementing behavioral strategies

• Collaborate with BCBAs and other team members

Why it's perfect for psychology students: RBT work gives you direct experience with evidence-based interventions, data collection, and working with diverse populations. You'll learn about autism spectrum disorders, behavioral principles, and therapeutic techniques that are valuable for any psychology career path.

Qualifications needed: High school diploma, completion of RBT training program, and pass the RBT certification exam. Most employers will pay for your training and certification.

Typical salary range: $15-22/hour for entry-level positions, with potential for increases based on experience and additional certifications.

Career advancement opportunities: Many RBTs pursue BCBA certification, which requires a master's degree and supervised experience. Others use this experience as a stepping stone to graduate programs in psychology, special education, or related fields.

Getting started: Search for ABA therapy companies, autism centers, or developmental disability services in your area. Many organizations hire regularly and provide comprehensive training programs.

Hidden benefit: You'll gain experience writing professional reports, attending team meetings, and working with insurance systems - practical skills that are valuable in any psychology career.

📚 Book Rec of the Week

"Shift: How to Transform Your Mindset and Mental Health Through Science" by Ethan Kross

This book explores how we can harness the science of emotion regulation to manage stress, anxiety, and overwhelming situations. Great reading for those feeling the stress of building your resume.

Why it's good for psych students: Kross presents evidence-based strategies for dealing with rejection, uncertainty, and self-doubt that inevitably come with the competition of a career in psych. He shows how small shifts in how we talk to ourselves and frame difficult situations can dramatically improve our resilience and performance.

This book helps to build the emotional resilience needed not just for the internship search, but for your entire psychology career. Understanding how to manage your own mental health is fundamental to helping others with theirs!

🌱 Mental Health Check-In

Rejection emails (or worse, no responses at all) can feel deeply personal, and they’re not a reflection of your worth or potential in psychology. The competitive nature of psychology positions means that many qualified students face multiple rejections before finding the right opportunity.

Focus on what you can control: your effort, your attitude, and your willingness to seek out diverse experiences. Your psychology journey is unique, and there's no single "right" path to success.

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How it works:

1. Share your referral link below with a friend

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📢 Coming Soon: Free Webinar on Careers in Psychology

We’re hosting a completely free live Zoom event on “Therapist Paths 101: Your Guide to Psych Grad School” We’d love to see you there!
🗓️ Date TBA—stay tuned!

Keep learning, keep asking questions, and remember, you can do anything you set your mind to.

With guidance,
The PsychMentor Team