Personal Trainer Resume Examples and Tips
Personal trainers create customized workout plans for small groups or one-on-one clients. They provide physical and mental guidance, assess their clients’ bodily strengths and weaknesses, and help them reach their fitness goals. To excel at this job, having knowledge of different fitness methods and nutrition plans, and being an excellent communicator is a must. Having a bachelor’s degree isn’t necessary, but most employers require their trainers to hold a personal trainer certification.
Use our resume examples and expert tips to create your professional personal trainer resume.
Table of Contents
Featured resume example: personal trainer
Name: JARED KELSEY
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Spirited Personal Fitness Trainer with weight management expertise and ability to motivate others toward accomplishing weight loss goals. Designs classes to match skill and learning levels of all participants. Skilled in personal program development and individual life and body assessments.
SKILLS
- Fitness instruction
- Health and wellness
- Exercise program design
- Coaching
- Knowledge of human anatomy
- Nutrition principles
- Weight management
- Healthy living role model
WORK HISTORY
Personal Trainer, 05/2018 to Current
Company Name ,City,State
- Designed specific workout systems for 30 individual clients based on performance ability.
- Provided clients with safe and reasonable exercises to perform at home or at gym.
- Trained clients on a variety of strength training, cardio vascular exercises and stretching techniques.
Front Desk Associate, 09/2016 to 03/2018
Company Name ,City,State
- Greeted 70+ daily visitors upon arrival, offered assistance and answered questions to build rapport and retention.
- Increased membership enrollment by 20% using innovative sales and promotional techniques.
- Leveraged POS system to sell water, energy drinks, snacks, and other gym items.
Cashier, 06/2015 to 08/2016
Company Name ,City,State
- Replenished sales floor merchandise and organized shelves, racks and bins for optimal appearance.
- Completed sales in excess of $2,500 with near-zero error rate using POS system.
- Checked prices for customers and processed items sold by scanning barcodes.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts: Kinesiology, 05/2018
Company Name ,City,State
Top 4 characteristics of a best-in-class personal trainer resume
- Summary Read the job description thoroughly and identify the top skills and qualifications the employer is looking for that apply to you. In your resume summary, describe who you are as a candidate using your top skills and accomplishments relevant to the job. For example: “Hardworking and goal-oriented Personal Fitness Trainer with over 4 years of experience working with adult clients. Skilled in weight and endurance training, and nutritional plan development. Committed to providing a holistic approach to fitness and reaching client’s goals.”
- Skills Tailor your resume skills to the job you’re applying for by using keywords from the job description. For example, if the employer is looking for someone skilled in weight training and highly motivational, and these skills apply to you, include them in your resume. Make a list of six to eight hard skills (e.g., physical assessment, CPR or knowledge of physiology and biomechanics) and soft skills (e.g., patient, empathetic or good listener).
- Work history When discussing previous roles, highlight your accomplishments rather than daily tasks. Use numbers when possible to give your experience more impact. For example: “Customized workout routines for 30 individual clients based on their fitness goals and needs,” is more powerful than “Customized workout plans for individuals.”
- Education In addition to your highest academic credentials (e.g., bachelor’s degree in kinesiology or related field), include any training or certification you have, such as ISSA Professional Trainer Certification or CPR.
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Do’s and don’ts for your resume
- DO highlight your most relevant experiences.The most important thing to consider while writing your resume is to analyze the requirements for the job and include your top skills, experiences and accomplishments to show that you can fulfill that role. Do this by only including skills relevant to the position and focusing on previous work accomplishments that will give the employer an idea of what you can bring to the table.
- DO include soft skills.While hard skills are essential to perform the role, hiring managers also look for candidates with the right soft skills because these define your approach to your daily responsibilities. Make sure you balance out your skills set with intangible skills that give the employer a glimpse into your personality.
- DO keep your resume concise.Employers take only a few seconds on average to read through resumes. Keep your information within one page, unless you have more than 10 years of continuous work experience as a personal trainer — in this case, your resume can be two-pages long.
- DON’T forget to tailor your resume. Even if it’s for the same role in different companies, no two jobs are ever the same. Read the job description of each posting well and tweak your resume accordingly by including keywords from the description.
- DON’T lie in your resume.It’s pretty obvious that you shouldn’t make up information and lie on your resume — hiring managers will notice when something doesn’t add up. It’s better to be honest, and if you find that you fall short in some areas (like work experience), focus on your other skills and abilities that make you a great option.
- DON’T submit before proofreading.You only get one chance to make a good impression on hiring managers. Before sending out your resume, make sure you proofread it and edit out any grammar or spelling mistakes. You can also give your resume to someone you trust so they can cross check it and give you their feedback.
Personal trainer resume FAQ
- 1 What are hard and soft skills you should consider for a personal trainer resume?
- 2. How should you format your resume?
- 3. What if you have no professional experience to add to your resume?
- 4. What certifications can I include in my personal trainer resume?
- 5. What should you do to grow as a personal trainer?
1 What are hard and soft skills you should consider for a personal trainer resume?
Technical skills: | Soft skills: |
Physical assessment | Great communication skills |
Personal training techniques | Passion |
Designing exercise programs | Determination |
Operating equipment | Leadership |
Knowledge of human anatomy | Organization |
Knowledge of personal training software | Creativity |
Weight training | Patience |
Endurance training | Empathy |
Nutrition planning | Helpful |
Record keeping | Motivational |
Friendly |
Technical skills: |
Physical assessment |
Personal training techniques |
Designing exercise programs |
Operating equipment |
Knowledge of human anatomy |
Knowledge of personal training software |
Weight training |
Endurance training |
Nutrition planning |
Record keeping |
Tenant and eviction laws |
Inventory management |
Material requisition |
Soft skills: |
Great communication |
Passion |
Determination |
Leadership |
Organization |
Creativity |
Patience |
Empathy |
Helpful |
Motivational |
Friendly |
2. How should you format your resume?
The right resume format for you will depend on your years of experience and skill level. A resume format essentially determines the way the information in your resume will be presented and organized. These are the three resume formats:
- The chronological resume format: Ideal for job seekers with a lengthy work history as personal trainers. This format focuses on work experience and career growth, making the work history section the center of the resume.
- The functional resume format: Perfect for candidates with little to no work experience. It focuses on your skills and qualifications for the role, helping you highlight and explain everything you have to offer despite not having enough experience in the field.
- The combination resume format: A great option for people with a couple of years of experience. As the name suggests, it combines the chronological and functional formats by featuring both a work history section and a skills list.
3. What if you have no professional experience to add to your resume?
If you don’t have professional experience as a personal trainer, center your resume around your skills and the qualifications that you earned through training, extracurricular activities or internships even if they’re not directly related to the field. Relevant experience is just as important as professional experience.
For more tips and examples, read our article on How to Write a Resume with No Experience.
4. What certifications can I include in my personal trainer resume?
Many certification programs are available in this field, depending on where you want to specialize and what the specific job demands.
- ACSM Certified Personal Trainers
- Certified Medical Expertise Specialist
- Health Coach Certification
- Diploma in Fitness and Personal Training
Spinning Instructor Training
5. What should you do to grow as a personal trainer?
Keep these things in mind grow in the fitness industry:
- Include notable work examples of proactively helping people reach their fitness goals.
- Gain additional training and certifications that show your expertise in different areas of the field.
- Utilize different techniques and methods with your clients, tailoring the routine to their needs and coaching them accordingly.
Build a solid relationship with your clients and team members.
Resume examples for the next step in your fitness & nutrition career
- Dietary Aide Resume
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Cover letter examples for the next step in your fitness & nutrition career
- Dietary Aide Cover Letter
- Nutritionist Cover Letter
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- Wellness Activities Assistant Cover Letter
- Wellness Coordinator Cover Letter
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