How to hire a clinical psychology internship

How to hire a clinical psychology internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step clinical psychology internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a clinical psychology internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical psychology internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a clinical psychology internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the clinical psychology internship you need to hire. Certain clinical psychology internship roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a clinical psychology internship to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a clinical psychology internship that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of clinical psychology interns.

   Type of Clinical Psychology Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Clinical Psychology Internship	Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and their environments.	$12-26
   Psychotherapist	A Psychotherapist's responsibility is to help clients who suffer from symptoms like depression, anxiety, and other behavioral problems. They work with individuals, couples, and families.	$20-53
   Research Psychologist	Research psychologists are psychology professionals who examine questions and test hypotheses by using scientific methods to understand human thought and behavior. These psychologists must conduct experiments in controlled lab settings as well as out in the field to examine the social behavior of people living in a rural town... Show more	$30-61

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Individual Therapy
   • Patients
   • Group Therapy Sessions
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Mental Health
   • Behavioral Interventions
   • Substance Abuse
   • Family Therapy
   • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
   • Clinical Interviews
   • Anxiety Disorders
   • Intake Assessments
   • Clinical Psychology
   • APA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement multiple curricula including mathematics, social studies, and literacy
   • Supervise cognitive behavioral therapy research bringing trend methods in the treatment of patients suffering a variety of anxiety disorders.
   • Provide individual prolong exposure therapy, as well as individual and group cognitive processing therapy to veterans with combat-relate PTSD.
   • Provide evaluation and treatment for hospitalize and medically ill patients who have developed psychological, psychiatry, or behavioral problems.
   • Preform intelligence testing, personality testing, and screenings for depression, autism, anxiety, ADHD, and other disorders.
   • Attend weekly seminars addressing issues relate to PTSD, traumatic stress, substance use disorders and other anxiety and mood disorders.

   More clinical psychology internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your clinical psychology internship job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A clinical psychology internship can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, clinical psychology interns' average salary in kentucky is 48% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level clinical psychology interns 53% less than senior-level clinical psychology interns.
   • Certifications. A clinical psychology internship with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a clinical psychology internship's salary.

   Average clinical psychology internship salary

   $38,471yearly

   $18.50 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level clinical psychology internship salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average clinical psychology internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$55,674	$27
   2	New York	$43,877	$21
   3	New Jersey	$43,308	$21
   4	Michigan	$41,536	$20
   5	Nevada	$38,742	$19
   6	Ohio	$34,554	$17
   7	Texas	$34,496	$17
   8	Utah	$30,935	$15

   Average clinical psychology internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UC Health	$69,162	$33.25	37
   2	Kaiser Permanente	$66,318	$31.88	172
   3	Providence Health & Services	$57,208	$27.50	117
   4	Hackensack Meridian Health	$56,700	$27.26	105
   5	University of Michigan	$52,836	$25.40	36
   6	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$52,311	$25.15
   7	The Ohio State University	$41,969	$20.18	21
   8	Rutgers University	$34,657	$16.66	79
   9	NYU Lutheran Medical Center	$32,716	$15.73	28
   10	Youth Consultation Service (ycs)	$30,176	$14.51	2
   11	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$29,748	$14.30
   12	Chrysalis	$28,786	$13.84
   13	Department of Public Social Services	$28,383	$13.65
   14	Chariton Valley Association	$27,405	$13.18

4. Writing a clinical psychology internship job description

   A clinical psychology internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a clinical psychology internship job description:

   Clinical psychology internship job description example

   At Centerstone, our mission is delivering care that changes people's lives. For over 60 years, Centerstone has been providing community-based behavioral healthcare, substance-abuse treatment and therapeutic foster care services across the U.S. We're committed to bringing passionate and customer experience-focused individuals to help us continue to provide the best care to our communities. If you think you're a good match to join our organization, please review the career opportunity below and submit your application. We look forward to hearing from you!
   
   Ensures continuity of care to clients through case management services Completes psycho socials and patient/family interviews, arranges discharge planning, and acts as an active team member Links clients and their families to needed resources to help improve the quality of life for the client.
   
   Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree in Social Work preferred but will consider BA or BS degree in other related field. Knowledge of community services. Strong communication, teaming and time management skills necessary.
   
   Preferred Qualification: Bachelor's Degree in Social Work preferred. Experience in a mental health setting preferred.
   
   Special Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Experience in a mental health setting preferred. Strong communication, teaming and time management skills necessary
   
   Perform screening and intake procedures. Complete psychosocial assessments on all assigned clients within 72 hours. Obtain collateral information, assessing and documenting appropriate discharge needs and plans on all assigned clients within 24 hours. Document status and progress and provide education to client/family. Acts as liaison between client, doctor and family. Provide basic case management services to clients. Participate in Treatment Team Meetings and updates treatment plan. Meet face-to-face with each assigned client. Finalize discharge plans; arrange for transportation, review with patient, contact family, provide follow-up plan, etc.
   
   Work Environment/Physical Demands: This position operates in a professional office environment and spends time in outpatient behavioral health settings. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to observe treatment environments and to use speech and hearing to interact with others in person, via telephone, using computer technology and in writing. Reasonable accommodations will be made as needed. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to occasionally loud.
   
   Position Type, Expected Hours of Work and Travel: This is a full-time position, and the expected work hours are 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday - 8:30-5:00. Early mornings, evenings and weekends are required to meet needs of client. Weekend on call may be required.
   
   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
   Time Type: Full time Delivering Care that Changes People's Lives starts with our employees. As a Centerstone employee there are many perks to enjoy. Below are just some of the great benefits you might be eligible for with Centerstone. Health & WellnessMedical CoverageDental CoverageVision CoverageFlexible Spending AccountHealth Savings AccountShort Term DisabilityLong Term Disability - Company PaidWellness Programs - Company Paid Financial WellbeingCompetitive Compensation PackagesLife Insurance - Company PaidAccidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance - Company Paid403b Retirement Plan with Company Funded MatchingRetirement and Financial Planning ServicesEmployee Discounts including Dell Computers, Verizon Wireless, Liberty Mutual, Costco, and Enterprise Rent-a-CarLoan Forgiveness options through federal programs (National Health Service Corps & Public Service Loan Forgiveness) Career Development and GrowthAt Centerstone training is one of our highest priorities. We provide company paid professional training for various skills, certifications, and continuing education Opportunities for growth and movement - We encourage our employees to consider new growth opportunities with us and have a 5 state footprint for those looking to relocate geographically Centerstone Research Institute and Center for Clinical Excellence teach provide staff with industry best practices and processes Work Life BalancePaid Time Off - Generous PTO for Vacations, Illness, Personal Days, Etc. (Paid Holidays) Flexible Work Schedules to promote a Healthy Work Life BalanceEmployee Assistance Program - assists employees with personal problems and/or work-related problems that may impact their job performance, health, mental and emotional well-being Centerstone is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or protected veteran status. At Centerstone, we use our values as a guide for what we do. Respect, Expertise, Integrity and Empowerment are at the heart of every interaction at Centerstone, and particularly rooted in our beliefs toward diversity and inclusion. Our approach to diversity is simple-it's about embracing everyone. Together, we continue to develop an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our employees. It powers our innovation and connects us closer to each other, to our clients and the communities we serve. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the growing world around us, and where everyone feels empowered, safe and welcomed.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find clinical psychology interns for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your clinical psychology internship job on Zippia to find and recruit clinical psychology internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit clinical psychology interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical psychology internship

   Once you've found the clinical psychology internship candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new clinical psychology internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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