Health Coach Resume Guide (With a Resume Template)

A health coach is an individual who advises clients on how to actively make healthy changes to their lives. There are many interpersonal and technical skills that health coaches can include on their resumes when applying for a career. By reviewing an example resume, you can develop an effective job application to help you gain employment. In this article, we discuss what a health coach resume is, list tips for writing a resume, detail a guide on how to write one, share a resume template and provide a resume example.

What is a health coach resume?

A health coach resume is a formal document that lists your notable credentials as a candidate for a job. Hiring managers review your resume to determine your suitability for the role's responsibilities and the organisation's culture. Your resume can include a variety of credentials, such as technical skills, certifications, formal education and work experience. The type of content you include on your resume can depend on your expertise as a health coach. For example, you might have minimal work experience but have a completed bachelor's or master's degree.

Related: What Are the Roles of a Workplace Coach? (With Definition)

Tips for writing a resume

Below, you can find some tips to consider when writing a resume:

• Read the job listing. The job listing can be an excellent source of information when determining employment requirements and candidate expectations. By reviewing the job listing, you can identify these requirements and ensure your resume addresses the employment aspects.

• Research the hiring organisation. It can be beneficial to relate the content on your resume to the hiring organisation's values and ethics. You can gain this information by researching the hiring organisation.

• Only include relevant information. When you write your resume, it's usually a good idea to only include information that applies to the job vacancy. For example, if you have work experience unrelated to health coaching, you might exclude it from your resume.

• Proofread your resume. By proofreading your resume, you can ensure there are no mistakes or grammatical errors. These types of errors might reduce the level of professionalism in your job application.

• Create multiple copies. If you're applying for jobs at different organisations, it can be a good idea to create several resumes. You can make slight alterations and tweaks to cater for the different organisations' values and employment requirements.

• Create an ATS compatible resume. Depending on the hiring organisation, they might utilise an applicant tracking system (ATS) that automatically scans job applications. An ATS can sometimes struggle to process complex resumes, so it can be a good idea to ensure your resume is relatively simple.

Related: ATS Resume Format Guide (With Template and Example)

How to write a resume for a health coach

Here, you can find a helpful guide on writing a resume for a health coach position:

1. Include your contact information

The first step in creating an effective resume is usually to write your contact information. The contact details you might include are your phone number, email address, city, state and postcode. Your house or apartment address is usually unnecessary to include. It can be a good idea to write each piece of contact information on a single line. This can ensure hiring managers can contact you if your application is successful. Proofreading your contact details can be important after you complete your resume. If the hiring managers have the wrong details, they might not be able to contact you.

Related: How to Write a Resume Heading (With Template and Examples)

2. Write a professional summary

A professional summary is a brief paragraph detailing the credentials you believe make you a suitable candidate for a health coach vacancy. Depending on your individual expertise in this industry, you might focus your professional summary on your skills, qualifications, experience or academic achievements. The purpose of the summary is to gain the attention of the hiring manager, so including your most impressive credentials might be a good idea.

3. Detail your skills

Some hiring managers may prefer candidates with extensive skills rather than qualifications or experience. On your resume, you can include your technical and interpersonal skills. As a health coach, most hiring managers might value your interpersonal skills more than your technical skills. This is because the role of a health coach typically involves mentor-ship and leading by example. Some interpersonal skills you might include are communication, motivation, social awareness, leadership and teamwork. Technical skills can include knowledge of medical procedures, first aid, human anatomy and motivation strategies.

4. Include your qualifications

Qualification requirements for the role you're applying for can depend on the job's responsibilities. Some health coach positions can require registrations in nursing to ensure the legal provision of health advice. If you're applying for a health coach role with formal qualification requirements, it can be important to include them on your resume. You can also detail the name of the institute where you completed your qualification, along with the date of completion. Some health coach careers might not require any formal qualifications. In this situation, you can focus your resume on your interpersonal skills rather than your qualifications.

5. Mention prior work experience

Some hiring organisations might favour you as a candidate if you have extensive work experience. This is because you can gain excellent practical knowledge of industry procedures and job-specific processes. When applying for the role of a health coach, there are typically many professions with transferable skills. You can include details about your prior employment, provided the responsibilities or skills related to a health coach's position. For example, if you have experience as a social worker, you can detail how you utilised empathy to improve the mental wellbeing of clients.

6. Incorporate certificates

Certificates can be an excellent method of showing your initiative and dedication to the industry. You rarely require certificates to become a health coach, so if you have some, it can show that you're willing to develop your expertise on your own accord. Certificates can also serve as proof of your competencies and skills. There are typically many certificates related to a health coach. Some might be short online courses, while others are several weeks long.

Resume template

A resume template can be an excellent resource to help you develop an effective resume. Depending on your employment circumstance, some aspects of the template might require alterations to benefit you the most. For example, if you have no qualifications, you can remove the qualification section and focus on your other credentials. Below, you can find a detailed template for a health coach's resume:

[Full name]
[Location address]
[Email address]
[Phone number]

Professional summary

[The professional summary section is where you detail your most notable credentials. This summary essentially serves to gain the attention of the hiring manager and encourages them to continue reading your resume. The content you include in this section can depend on your skills, qualifications, experience and achievements. A professional summary is usually between three and five sentences long.]

Certifications

[You can include your certifications in this section using a bullet-point format. Your certifications may refer to online courses or workshops you've completed. It can be important to ensure they relate to the job's responsibilities and industry.]

Technical skills

[You can include your technical skills in a bullet-point format. Depending on the hiring manager and your skill set, you might focus your resume on your technical skills rather than your soft skills.]

Soft skills

[Expanding on your soft and interpersonal skills can be a good idea when applying for the role of a health coach. In this section, you can include your soft skills in a bullet-point format.]

Work experience

[Job title]
[Organisation's name]
[Organisation's location]
[Employment duration]

• [job responsibilities in bullet point format]

[Job title]
[Organisation's name]
[Organisation's location]
[Employment duration]

• [job responsibilities in bullet point format]

Qualifications

[Name of the educational course]
[Institute name and date of course completion. For example, Johnson University – 2021]

Related: Finding the Best Resume Template (With Tips and Examples)

Resume example for a health coach

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

Here, you can find an example resume for a health coach:

Dane Todd
189 June Circuit
Pierce Street, QLD 3225
+61 7 6451 9756
Todd@email.com.au

Professional summary

I'm a recent graduate from Hilltop University with several years of experience as a social worker with Alexander Care Services. I have an Undergraduate Certificate in Lifestyle Coaching that I believe provided me with the skills and knowledge to become a health coach at Health Living. As a health coach, I hope to develop advanced strategies to help me provide the best care that I can to my clients.

Certificates

• Tops Nutrition Introductory Course

• Foundation Exercise Course

• Active Leadership Online Program

• Inspire Wellness

Technical skills

• planning nutrition requirements

• developing exercise routines

• analysing feedback

• human anatomy knowledge

• customer service

Soft skills

• empathy

• communication

• collaboration

• creativity

• passion

• motivation

• teamwork

Work experience

Social Worker
Alexander Care Services
Payton, QLD
February 2017-2021

• assisted clients with physical activities

• provided professional care to vulnerable clients

• mentored youth

• planned social activities

• liaised with client's guardians

• developed motivational strategies for clients

• supervised clients during outdoor excursions

Qualifications

Undergraduate Certificate in Lifestyle Coaching
Aim College of Natural Health – 2021