Write a personal trainer resume that will put your career on the right track. Check our personal trainer resume example and read tips that will help you improve your application.
You’ll be tough on your clients, right? Guess what? Gym managers will be tough on hiring you, too.
So prove your knowledge and skills are no bro science. Write a personal trainer resume that’s all muscle.
This guide will show you:
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Before we begin, here’s a personal trainer resume example:
Agatha Gates
ACSM-Certified Personal Trainer
718-555-4321
agatha.gates@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/agathagates
Summary
Results-driven ACSM-certified personal trainer with 3+ years experience at large gym with multiple locations. Implemented new workout regime which increased muscle mass by an average of 12% and decreased recovery time by 22% over previous methods.
Experience
Certified Personal Trainer
Gyminus Maximus
June 2015–December 2018
Key Responsibilities
Key Achievements
Education
BS in Kinesiology
City University of New York, New York, NY
Relevant Coursework: Sports Nutrition, Exercise Science, Strength and Conditioning.
Key Skills
Certifications
Hobbies & Interests
Languages
Your personal trainer resume must be cellulite-free and sculpted like a Greek god. How can you achieve that?
By formatting the resume for personal training jobs just right:
Expert Hint: Section headings (e.g., “Work Experience”) must be labeled clearly to let the gym manager easily find what they’re looking for. Make these section subheadings bold and 2–4 pts larger than the regular resume text.
A compelling resume profile works like circuit training: it combines a series of strengths, achievements, and skills to blast maximum effect, i.e., landing you the interview.
Use the resume summary statement.
A great personal trainer resume summary:
Look at these personal trainer resume examples of summary statements:
Only the first of those personal trainer resume samples will impress the recruiter. It shows measurable achievements that prove core skills.
Use the resume career objective if writing a resume with no job experience with personal trainer jobs.
A great career objective statement for personal trainers:
Here are examples of career objectives for personal trainer resumes:
That second one is weak, but that first one is as solid as your gluteal muscles.
Expert Hint: The gym manager will read your resume objective or summary profile statement first, but it doesn’t mean you have to write it at the beginning. Instead, save it for the end so you can use the rest of your resume to build a better picture.
When you ask bodybuilders the most important muscle groups to work out, abs will no doubt be near the top of the list. Well—
Your work experience and skills for a resume are the “abs” of your application. They’re the core, so get it right!
To bodybuild a great personal trainer job description for resumes:
Remember: Most gym managers initially look at your PT resume for just 7 seconds, meaning you had better grab their attention from the very start!
Certified Personal Trainer
Gyminus Maximus
June 2015–December 2018
Key Responsibilities
Key Achievements
Certified Personal Trainer
Gyminus Maximus
June 2015–December 2018
Key Responsibilities
See the differences here? Don’t just list duties. This is as wrong as not stretching before hitting the weight room. The first example gives personal trainer duties, too, but they are tweaked like a perfect personal workout plan. On top of that, there are key achievements with numbers to prove you know what you’re talking about.
One other thing to remember is the ATS. Larger gyms with multiple locations, such as Equinox, get way too many applications. They will help out their HR staff by using applicant tracking system software to parse resumes for keywords.
Don’t have the resume keywords they’re looking for? You’ll get skipped like a Smith machine. Here is a list of popular skills to put on resumes for personal trainers:
To make the ATS happy, go word-for-word as the job ad lists them. Remember: Don’t just copy-paste any list of personal training skills you find on the internet. Hiring managers will quickly see through your trick.
Expert Hint: Stay relevant. Just because you have mad Photoshop skills doesn’t mean they belong on a personal or corporate trainer resume.
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You know those people who only work out their arms and have chicken legs holding it all up? Not dedicating enough time to your resume education section is just like skipping the leg day.
Here’s how to add your education for a well-rounded personal training resume:
BS in Kinesiology
City University of New York, New York, NY
Relevant Coursework: Sports Nutrition, Exercise Science, Strength and Conditioning.
That’s how you max out the fitness instructor resume education section. Our example skips using dates and adding a GPA, because too low (GPA) or too old (graduation date) may hurt. It also lists coursework relevant to personal trainer duties.
Finished a university degree? Then don’t add high school. Only add high school if it is the last full thing you’ve finished.
Expert Hint: Move your education section above your work history area if your past work experience is in a different field.
As a personal trainer, standing out among others is easy for you. But to stand out on paper among 250 other resumes is much harder. Make use of additional resume sections to set yourself apart:
Personal training certifications are more important than education. Here are some common certs for a fitness instructor resume:
The most valuable certifications for personal trainers come from these fitness organizations:
Also, most personal trainers must complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification programs.
Proficiency in a second language might mean the difference in getting hired, especially if the gym’s clientele have a strong minority presence.
Languages
Use hobbies and interests in a resume to show you’re not just muscle and sinew—you’ve got a human side, as well.
List those relevant to personal trainer jobs:
Hobbies & Interests
Other awesome sections to include on a resume for a fitness instructor include:
Expert Hint: Learn how to write a cover letter and do it. Attach a personal trainer cover letter to your resume when applying. Most recruiters expect it, but many applicants don't do it! So increase your chances of landing the job.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Here’s a brief recap on how to write a personal trainer resume:
Now that’s a ripped personal trainer resume!
Got any questions on how to write a sports resume? Not sure how to describe your fitness skills or training achievements? Get at us in the comments below and we’ll chat. Thanks for reading!
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