Personal Trainer CV Guide

What to include in a Personal Trainer CV

Before deciding on what to include in your personal trainer CV, it is crucial to read the job description or client needs and tailor the document accordingly. If you are applying for multiple jobs, customise each CV to demonstrate attention to detail and passion for the role.

Consider your CV as an introduction to a book rather than a whole novel when deciding on the content to include. It should be a clear and concise overview of why you are the best fit for the position and not your entire life history. Focusing on the most relevant details will make it easier and more appealing.

Although each person’s CV is unique to them and their backgrounds, and in various designs and formats, there are certain elements that all CVs have in common, including contact information, professional summary, education, work experience, skills, achievements and references. Breaking down your CV into these sections provides a useful framework and makes the task more manageable. Let us look at these sections and suggested content in further detail.

Contact information

Your contact information should be at the top of your CV and include your full name, phone number and email address at the very least. You can also include your location, professional job title, LinkedIn profile, professional website or portfolio, where relevant.

Here are some things to consider when adding your contact information to your CV:

• Ensure it is accurate and up-to-date so employers and clients can easily contact you.
• Avoid including your full home address – town, city, or county are sufficient.
• Always use a professional email address rather than one with nicknames.
• Leave out personal details, such as age, date of birth, gender, religion, national insurance number and marital status.
• Only include a photo and personal social media page if requested.
• If your phone has voicemail, ensure it sounds professional.

Professional summary

A professional summary has many other names, such as a personal statement, executive summary and professional profile. It typically goes underneath your contact information at the top of your CV, and it is a concise and impactful paragraph highlighting your qualifications, key skills, experience, specialisations, passions and career goals.

It aims to quickly grab the attention of employers or clients by showcasing what makes you stand out as a candidate and personal trainer. It should give a snapshot of your value and expertise and is your chance to make a strong first impression.

Here are some examples of what you can include in your professional summary:

• Start with your current role or key identity and certifications – begin by identifying yourself professionally and use positive, action-oriented words, such as “Certified”, “Enthusiastic”, “Dedicated” or “Results-oriented”. For example: “Certified Level 3 Personal Trainer” or “Results-oriented Fitness Professional”.
• Highlight your expertise or experience – summarise your years of experience in the fitness industry and the type of clients you have worked with (e.g. beginners, athletes or rehabilitation cases).
• Showcase your key skills or specialisations – emphasise your unique skills or areas of focus. For example: “Specialised in weight loss, strength training and injury rehabilitation”.
• Mention core achievements – share standout accomplishments, like helping clients achieve specific goals or running successful fitness programs. For example: “Proven track record in transforming clients’ health and performance”.
• Emphasise your passion or goals – demonstrate your enthusiasm for fitness and dedication to helping clients improve their health and reach their potential. Briefly mention what you are passionate about. Do you love helping people reach weight loss goals? Build strength? Improve overall fitness? For example, “Passionate about helping clients achieve their fitness and wellness goals”.

Ensure you tailor your professional summary by adjusting your wording to align with the job you are applying for or the clients you aim to attract. Also, aim for 3-5 sentences to make a strong impression quickly.

Here is an example of a professional summary for a personal trainer:

“Certified Level 3 Personal Trainer with 5+ years of experience in creating customised fitness programs. Specialised in weight loss, injury rehabilitation and group training, with a proven record of helping clients achieve measurable results. Dedicated to empowering individuals to lead healthier, happier lives through motivation and expert guidance.”

Education

The next section of your CV can be your education or work experience. If you have more qualifications than experience in personal training, you may want to add this section first.

Your education section is where you provide a snapshot of your learning journey and detail the places you have studied or trained and the qualifications and certifications you have earned. It is important as it demonstrates your background knowledge, skills and expertise and allows prospective employers or clients to see that you can meet their needs. It also adds to your credibility and shows you are serious about your profession.

Here are some pointers to help you create a clear and easy-to-read education section:

• Start with your most recent qualification or training first – list your education in reverse chronological order (the most recent first).
• For each qualification, include the following:
  • Qualification/course name, e.g. “Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training”.
  • Institution name and location, e.g. “National Fitness Academy, London”.
  • Dates attended – the month and year you started and finished (or expect to finish).
  • Any relevant coursework, certifications or specialised training, e.g. sports science, exercise physiology, first aid or nutrition (optional).

Focus on education that is relevant to fitness and personal training, and avoid including unrelated qualifications unless they add value.

Tailor your education section to align with the job or client you are pursuing. It is all about showing you have the necessary knowledge to help people achieve their fitness goals.

Work experience/employment history

The following section is your work experience (aka employment history), which you can add after your professional summary or education. Here, you will highlight your previous roles, accomplishments and relevant practical experiences, i.e. what you have done in the past.

Providing details of your most relevant work experience and tailoring it to each role is crucial, as it showcases your practical skills applied in real-world settings and measurable successes and builds credibility that you can help people achieve their goals. It also helps set you apart from other personal trainers.

When writing your work experience, you should add your roles in reverse chronological order (start with your most recent or current position) and not just list your duties – describe your responsibilities. Here are some pointers on what to include in this section:

• Heading: Include a heading, “Work Experience” or “Employment History”.
• Job title: Clearly state your job title for each of your previous roles, e.g. “Personal Trainer”.
• Employer, client or organisation name: Include who you worked for or with.
• Location: Add where you worked, i.e. town, city or county.
• Dates of employment: Mention the month and year you started and ended each role. If you are still currently employed, add “present” instead.
• Key duties
  • Highlight your key responsibilities in bullet point form.
  • Start each bullet point with a strong action verb, like “assisted”, “organised”, “led”, “motivated”, or “provided”.
  • Focus on the most relevant duties, e.g. creating personalised workout plans, leading group classes or providing nutrition advice.
  • Keep it brief and aim for three to five bullet points.
  • Add your notable achievements and skills here or include them in a separate section. This is where you use specific metrics, such as how many clients you trained, weight-loss results or customer satisfaction improvements.

Here is an example of how you can add your work experience:

Work experience

• Personal Trainer – FitWell Gym, Birmingham (Jan 2022 – Dec 2024).
  • Designed personalised training programs for over 50 clients, resulting in a average weight loss of 5kg per client.
  • Conducted daily group fitness classes, increasing attendance by 25%.
  • Provided nutritional advice, boosting client satisfaction scores by 15%.
• Freelance Personal Trainer – Self-Employed, Birmingham (Jun 2020 – Dec 2021)
  • Managed a client base of 20+ individuals, achieving a 90% retention rate.
  • Specialised in strength training and injury recovery, with 10 clients regaining full mobility.

You can also add any relevant volunteer experience to this section, e.g. volunteered at a gym, helped coach a sports team or assisted with fitness classes.

Key skills and achievements

Your CV should also contain key skills, i.e. the abilities and expertise you develop through learning, practice and experience. Including your most relevant skills demonstrates your suitability for the role and helps prospective employers or clients quickly see your strengths and unique selling points.

You can include your key skills in your work experience section, achievements or an entirely separate section. Wherever you decide to put them in the document, it is vital to include both hard skills and soft skills to grab the attention of employers or clients.

• Hard skills – are technical, job-specific skills often measurable and learned through training, education, or practice. They tend to be more tangible and easier to quantify. Some hard skills for a personal trainer include health and fitness knowledge, fitness program design, strength training techniques, nutrition planning, CPR certification, proficiency in fitness tracking software, health and safety awareness, etc.
• Soft skills – are personal traits and interpersonal abilities that influence how you interact with others and handle situations. They are more about behaviour and character, often less tangible but equally important. Some soft skills for a personal trainer include communication, empathy, adaptability, motivation, organisation, resilience, customer service and time management.

Ensure you choose skills that match the job requirements and use bullet points to make it concise and easy to skim.

Some organisations use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan and pick out specific words and phrases. Tailoring your CV and using similar wording and language may help you pass through ATS filters and get one step closer to an interview.

You can also add your achievements alongside your key skills, demonstrating your skills in action and tangible impact. We will look at how to focus on your achievements later.

Here is an example of how to structure your skills:

• Fitness expertise – strength and conditioning, HIIT, weight loss coaching and injury prevention techniques.
• Technical proficiency – experienced with fitness tracking software and wearable devices (e.g. MyFitnessPal, Fitbit).
• Client engagement – excellent communication, empathy and motivational coaching to inspire client success.
• Organisational skills – time management, goal setting, and ability to tailor programs to individual client needs.

Other information

We have covered the main sections to include in your personal trainer CV. However, you can include additional sections and information if it adds value and makes your CV stand out to potential employers or clients. Here are some examples of other ones to consider:

• Certifications and training – include these in your education or in a separate section to spotlight relevant certifications, e.g. Level 3 Personal Training, First Aid, CPR, NASM, ACE, ISSA, etc. You can also add specialist certifications, such as strength and conditioning, kettlebell training, yoga, pilates, etc.
• Professional memberships – detail if you are a member of any professional bodies or associations, e.g. CIMSPA and the Register of Exercise Professionals.
• Professional development – list online courses, workshops, webinars, conferences or seminars you have attended to stay current in the fitness industry.
• Languages – if you are multilingual, mention it, as this can be a great asset for connecting with diverse clients.
• Volunteer work – include any volunteer experience, such as charity fitness events, sports coaching, gym support and community initiatives.
• Hobbies and interests – share relevant hobbies like participating in marathons, yoga or team sports where relevant. It adds personality and shows your commitment to fitness beyond work.
• Testimonials – if relevant, include one or two brief client testimonials, for example, “I would not have lost 15kg without [your name]’s personalised training program and motivational support”.

If you add other sections to your CV, be mindful of adding too many, as it can make the document look cluttered. Only include information relevant to the personal training job you are applying for or clients you want to attract.

References

The last section of a CV is typically the reference section. Here, you should provide details about individuals (referees) who can vouch for your skills, experience and character. For a personal trainer, references are crucial to build trust and credibility, especially when applying for jobs or attracting new clients.

When deciding on the referees to add, choose people who know you well and can speak positively about your skills and character. It could be employers, colleagues, satisfied clients, mentors, coaches and even teachers and professors if you are newly qualified. Once you have chosen your referees, ask for their permission before listing them. You should also tell them what job you are applying for so they can tailor their comments.

So, how do you write a reference section? First, look at the job posting or client inquiry to see if they require references. If not, you can add “References available upon request” under the section heading. It also saves space on your CV, protects your referee’s contact information and allows you to choose which references to provide depending on the job or client.

If you do add reference details on your CV, include the following information:

• Full name of referees.
• Job title and/or relationship to you.
• Organisation.
• Contact details (phone number and email address).

Here is an example:

• John Smith. Gym Manager. FitWell Gym. Email: john.smith@fitwell.com. Phone: 01234 567890.

Keep your referee’s information up-to-date and professional.