Personal Trainer Resume Example & Writing Guide (2023)

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:

• Great personal trainer resume examples that get physical trainer jobs.
• How to ace your personal trainer resume description.
• How to write a personal trainer resume that gets the gym interview.
• Expert tips and examples to boost the power of your fitness instructor resume.

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Before we begin, here’s a personal trainer resume example:

Personal Trainer Resume Example

1. Choose the Best Personal Trainer Resume Format

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:

1. Stay reverse-chronological. Your most recent work history and education entries get listed first, and go back from there.
2. Be strategic with section order. If you’ve never been a personal trainer or corporate trainer before, place education and fitness certifications above work history.
3. Style it right. Use the perfect resume fonts and make good use of white space so the gym owner can easily scan your resume and get to the section they want fast.
4. Write a one-page resume, unless you are as experienced as Gunnar Peterson.
5. Save it in the correct format. To be sure your gym resume renders right on any device, save it in the PDF resume format.

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.

2. Start with a Personal Trainer Resume Objective or Summary that Turns Heads

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.

Got Some Personal Training Experience?

Use the resume summary statement.

A great personal trainer resume summary:

• Summarizes your training history into a brief paragraph
• Shows the gym how your fitness history fits their employment needs
• Gives quantifiable accomplishments to prove your fitness for the job
• Lets the gym manager easily imagine you as their new trainer.

Look at these personal trainer resume examples of summary statements:

Personal Trainer Resume Summary—Example

Ouch.

Only the first of those personal trainer resume samples will impress the recruiter. It shows measurable achievements that prove core skills.

What If You’ve Got No Training Experience?

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:

• Tells them where you’re coming from.
• States your career goals and the position you’re applying for.
• Lists your key skills which are relevant to being a personal trainer.
• Makes it simple for the gym to see how they’d benefit from hiring you.

Here are examples of career objectives for personal trainer resumes:

Personal Trainer Resume Objective With No Experience

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.

3. Write the Perfect Personal Trainer Resume Job Description and Skills Sections

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:

• Refer to the personal training job description as you write
• Find resume keywords the gym manager is looking for in the job requirements
• Work those keywords into the skills list and work history sections of the resume
• Start each bullet point entry with powerful verbs
• Quantify your experience using numbers in your resume achievements.

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!

Personal Trainer Resume: Job Description Example

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—

—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:

Personal Trainer Resume Skills

• Anatomy & Physiology
• Aerobics Training
• Interpersonal Skills
• Communication Skills
• AED/CPR Certification
• CrossFit
• Diet & Nutrition
• Personal Training Techniques
• Exercise Equipment Operation and Maintenance
• Fitness Programs
• Empathy
• Adaptability
• Physical Stamina
• Time-Management Skills
• Customer Service
• Goal Setting
• Leadership Skills

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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4. Mention Education in Your Personal Trainer Resume

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:

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.

5. Enhance Your Personal Trainer Resume with Extras

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 Trainer Resume Example—Certifications

Personal training certifications are more important than education. Here are some common certs for a fitness instructor resume:

• ACTION Personal Training Certification (NCCA)
• Certified Personal Fitness Trainer (CPFT)
• ACSM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
• National Certified Personal Trainer (NCSF)
• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
• NASM Personal Training Certification
• International Fitness Professionals Association Personal Fitness Training Certification (IFPA - PFT)
• Personal Training Academy Global Certified Personal Trainer (PTA Global CPT)

The most valuable certifications for personal trainers come from these fitness organizations:

• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA)
• American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

Also, most personal trainers must complete cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification programs.

Personal Trainer Resume Sample—Languages

Proficiency in a second language might mean the difference in getting hired, especially if the gym’s clientele have a strong minority presence.

Languages

• English—Native Proficiency
• Spanish—Professional Working Proficiency

Personal Trainer Resume Example—Hobbies & Interests

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

• Triathlon participation
• Captain of local rugby team

Other awesome sections to include on a resume for a fitness instructor include:

• Volunteer experience
• Conferences
• Fitness awards
• Resume certifications
• Weightlifting honors
• Health and safety licenses
• PT association memberships

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.

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Key Points

Here’s a brief recap on how to write a personal trainer resume:

• Use the reverse-chronological format to keep it toned and well-defined.
• Write a compelling personal trainer resume summary or resume objective.
• Add quantifiable achievements to your personal trainer resume's work experience section to beef up your job description.
• Sprinkle relevant keywords around, and list personal trainer resume skills which pertain to the gym.
• Include relevant coursework in your resume education section to keep it in shape.
• Add personal training certifications and licenses to beast it up.

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!