Sports Massage Therapist CV Guide

What to include in a Sports Massage Therapist CV

What you will include in your CV will depend on your professional background and preferences. However, carefully preparing and considering what to add can maximise your chances of getting an interview invite.

The first thing to do is review the job description and identify the credentials the employer wants candidates to possess. You can then pick out your most relevant qualifications, experiences, skills and achievements to include so your CV is aligned with the job description. Once you have done this, you can think about the structure of your CV.

Most CVs have main sections – contact information, professional summary, education, work experience, key skills, achievements and references. You can divide your CV into these sections and focus on them one at a time, making the task more manageable. Let us now look at this in more depth.

Contact information

Your contact information is the first section in your CV, located at the top of the document, usually in bold, larger text size. It is crucial to add accurate and current contact details so potential employers can easily reach you.

There are some do’s and dont’s regarding what to include in the contact information section, for example:

• Do include:
  • Full name – clearly state your name, optionally followed by your professional title (e.g. Sports Massage Therapist).
  • Location – include your town, city or county.
  • Phone number – provide a reliable number where employers can easily reach you. Ensure your voicemail also sounds professional (if you have one).
  • Email address – use a professional email address. Avoid adding one with nicknames or overly casual handles.
  • LinkedIn profile or own website (optional) – only include links if updated and relevant.
• Don’t include:
  • Excessive personal details – omit sensitive information, such as your full home address, age, date of birth, marital status, gender, religion, national insurance number or any details irrelevant to your professional qualifications.
  • Unprofessional social media profiles – only include social media links if they add professional value. Otherwise, exclude personal or unprofessional accounts.
  • A photo – avoid adding any photos unless the job posting asks for them.

Keeping your contact information section succinct and focused ensures that potential employers immediately see how to connect with you without getting distracted by extraneous personal information.

Professional summary

A professional summary (aka a personal statement, executive summary, professional statement or career profile) in a CV is a concise, attention-grabbing section at the top of the document (under your contact information). It provides a snapshot of your qualifications, skills, experiences and career highlights – tailored to the job you are applying for. The goal is to give potential employers a quick overview of why you are an ideal candidate, encouraging them to read the rest of your CV.

A well-crafted and engaging professional summary is vital, as it will typically be one of the first things potential employers will read on your CV and sets the tone for the whole document. It serves as a good first impression, differentiating you from other applicants and prompting readers to explore your CV further.

Typically, a professional summary is about 3–5 sentences long and should convey your specialised skills, relevant certifications and experience working with athletes or clients suffering from sports-related injuries. Here are some examples of elements to consider including:

• Professional title and specialisation – clearly state your role as a sports massage therapist and any specific expertise, such as rehabilitation, injury prevention or performance enhancement. Begin your paragraph with a strong action verb, e.g. experienced, dedicated, passionate, competent, etc.
• Years of experience – indicate how long you have been practising and, if possible, highlight diverse settings you have worked in, such as sports clinics, teams or private practices.
• Qualifications – mention your credentials, such as NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Sports Massage Therapy, membership with professional bodies (e.g. The Association for Soft Tissue Therapists) or additional training relevant to the field.
• Key techniques and methods – specify your proficiency in techniques such as deep tissue massage, myofascial release and trigger point therapy, emphasising your ability to tailor treatments to individual needs.
• Client focus and outcomes – highlight your approach to client care, including conducting assessments, designing bespoke treatment plans and achieving measurable results like improved recovery times or enhanced performance.
• Soft skills and professional attributes – illustrate qualities like reliability and excellent communication skills. If you work in team environments, mention your collaborative skills and adaptability.
• Passion and commitment – reflect your dedication to the industry, helping clients achieve peak physical performance and your ongoing pursuit of professional development and industry knowledge.

Remember to tailor your professional summary to each sports massage therapist position. Here is an example:

“Experienced Sports Massage Therapist with 5+ years of expertise in injury treatment and performance enhancement. Skilled in deep tissue and myofascial techniques, delivering tailored care to clients. NVQ Level 4 certified and committed to achieving measurable recovery results. Proven success in reducing muscular tension and improving recovery times. Passionate about advancing client well-being through innovative therapies.”

Education

Your CV should also have an education section where you list your academic qualifications and any relevant training or certifications you have completed. It gives potential employers insight into your educational background and how it aligns with the role you are applying for.

Your education section can go after your professional summary or work experience. If you have recently qualified as a sports massage therapist and have limited direct work experience, it may be worth adding your education first. Here are some pointers on what to include in this section:

• Qualification name – give the degree, diploma or certification title, e.g. Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy.
• Institution name – state where you studied, like the university, college, school, academy or training provider.
• Dates attended – indicate when you started and completed the program, e.g. Month/year.
• Achievements – highlight relevant accomplishments, like graduating with honours or excelling in specific coursework.
• Certifications and training – include additional relevant certifications, workshops or professional training, e.g. NVQ in Sports Massage Therapy.

Work experience/employment history

The work experience section on a CV is also known as your employment history. It is where you list your previous professional roles to show your skills and accomplishments. As mentioned, add it before or after the education section.

A well-written work experience section is essential, as it provides tangible evidence of your qualifications, skills and career progression. Employers want to see how your past experiences align with the sports massage therapist role they are hiring for. This section highlights your career journey and demonstrates your suitability for the position.

In this section, you will typically include the following:

• Job titles – clearly state your previous roles, e.g. “Sports Massage Therapist”.
• Organisation names – mention the clinics, sports teams, gyms, wellness centres or other establishments where you worked. Employment dates – provide the duration of your employment for each role (month/year).
• Responsibilities – highlight the specific tasks you performed, such as conducting assessments to identify muscle tension or injuries, providing pre/post-event massages to athletes, developing personalised treatment plans or educating clients on injury prevention and recovery techniques. Add your duties in bullet point form and aim for three to five examples.
• Specialisations – highlight techniques like deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy or myofascial release.
• Achievements – showcase accomplishments, such as successfully rehabilitating athletes from injuries, contributing to improved performance or recovery times for clients, building a loyal client base or receiving positive feedback.
• Collaboration – mention working with physiotherapists, trainers, or other healthcare professionals to provide holistic care.

An engaging work experience section creates a solid first impression and makes it easier for employers to envision you contributing to their team. Also, tailoring this section to the specific sports massage therapist job can make your CV stand out, showing that you have carefully considered aligning your experiences with the employer’s needs.

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

Work Experience

Sports Massage Therapist. Elite Performance Clinic. London. January 2022 – Present.

• Conducted pre- and post-event massages for professional athletes to enhance performance and recovery.
• Developed personalised treatment plans addressing sports injuries, muscle tension and mobility issues.
• Specialised in deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy and myofascial release techniques.
• Collaborated with physiotherapists and trainers to provide holistic care for clients.
• Achieved a 30% increase in client retention through exceptional service and tailored treatments.

Key skills and achievements

You can incorporate key skills and achievements in your work experience section or include them separately. They are crucial in your CV because they showcase your abilities and highlight your accomplishments. They help employers quickly understand how you can bring value to their organisation.

Key skills are specific abilities or proficiencies demonstrating your capability to perform tasks and succeed in sports massage therapy. They can be broadly categorised into two types:

• Hard skills – are technical, job-specific abilities often measurable or teachable and learned through education, training or practice. Some examples of hard skills for a sports massage therapist include assessment, various massage techniques, anatomy and physiology knowledge, treatment planning, sports injury management, use of equipment, etc.
• Soft skills – are interpersonal and behavioural traits that influence how you interact with others and handle tasks. They are trickier to measure but equally vital. Some examples of soft skills for a sports massage therapist include communication, empathy, adaptability, problem-solving, team collaboration, time management, etc.

You should combine hard and soft skills in your CV to make it compelling and give a comprehensive picture of your abilities. It will also increase your chances of your CV getting noticed, as many organisations use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen CVs. Therefore, incorporating skills mentioned in the job description in your CV can increase your chances of passing ATS filters and standing out to employers.

Achievements are accomplishments or milestones you have reached through your work, education or personal efforts. They showcase your ability to excel and create positive outcomes. We will look at how to focus on your achievements later.

Other information

You may find that you have other relevant information you want to add to your CV but are unsure where to add it. You can add extra sections if you think it will help your CV stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of getting that all-important interview invite. Here are some examples of additional ones you could add:

• Certifications – you could keep your certifications separate from your formal education section and include any relevant sports massage therapy certifications or first aid training.
• Specialised training – if you have undertaken specific courses or workshops, e.g. injury rehabilitation, kinesiology taping or advanced massage techniques, showcase them.
• Professional memberships – list organisations you are affiliated with, like the Association for Soft Tissue Therapists or equivalent.
• Volunteer work – you could include a separate section for volunteering if you have volunteered at sporting events or in community health programs, as it demonstrates experience and dedication.
• Client testimonials – if appropriate and relevant to your experience, you can include snippets of positive feedback and testimonials from clients (check with them for permission).
• Languages – if you speak multiple languages, highlight them, as it is useful when working with diverse clients or international athletes.
• Hobbies – perhaps have a section for relevant interests that align with the role, such as sports you participate in, yoga, or fitness activities, which emphasise your passion for health and wellness.
• Portfolio – for certain roles, adding a portfolio section with details about significant projects, events, or collaborations (like working with a sports team) could be impactful.

If you add additional sections, ensure they are relevant and tailored to the sports massage therapist. They should add value to your CV and not make it cluttered or difficult to read.

References

The final section found in most CVs is the reference section. It is where you choose two or three individuals (referees), e.g. former employers, supervisors or colleagues, who can vouch for your skills, work ethic and character.

Having strong and relevant referees is crucial, as they provide prospective employers with insight into your work style and can give them a clearer idea of how you operate professionally. They also reassure them about your abilities and reliability and provide them with an external validation of your qualifications and work history.

If the job description does not request specific referee details, add a simple statement under the section heading, “References available upon request”. If you do add referee details, include the following:

• Full name – write the referee’s name clearly.
• Job title and organisation – mention their professional title and the company or organisation they are associated with. For instance, “Clinic Manager at XYZ Wellness Centre”.
• Relationship to you – indicate how you know this person, such as “Supervisor”, “Manager” or “Colleague”.
• Contact information – include their phone number and email address, ensuring you have their consent.

Remember to gain the referee’s permission before sharing their contact details. You can also give them details of the job you are applying for so they can tailor their reference accordingly.