How to build an effective personal trainer cover letter
Personal trainers help thousands of clients every year to reach their fitness and health goals. Whether you are looking for a position at a private personal training company or a larger gym or fitness center, having an excellently written cover letter helps you land interviews at your top choice employers.
In this guide, we discuss the 5 essential elements that make a personal trainer cover letter great. Read on to learn more about:
- Giving your cover letter visual appeal with a header and headline
- Providing the employer with personalized information in your cover letter
- Writing a compelling introduction that captivates employers
- Including skills and accomplishments to show you are a qualified candidate
- Concluding your personal trainer cover letter with gratitude
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1. Give your personal trainer cover letter visual appeal with a header and headline
Great first impressions are a must when applying for a position as a personal trainer.
Your first opportunity to make a positive first impression on an employer is via the visual design and structure of your cover letter. To do so, create a well-organized header and a compelling headline to place at the very top of the document.
A header should always come first, typically place in the top left corner. This header will include:
- Your name and professional contact information
- The name of the employer you are sending the letter to
- The address of the employer (this is extra important if a company has more than one location)
Here is an example of a well-formatted personal trainer cover letter header
Jack Adams, Personal Fitness Trainer
(123) 456-7890 | jackadams@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jack-adams
To: Golden Sun Gym & Fitness Center
Personal Trainer’s Department
1234 Street Address
Golden, CO 80401
Underneath your header is where you place your cover letter headline. Try to leave some space between the two elements to avoid making your letter look cluttered.
A headline helps to initially grab an employer’s attention by highlighting an important or main point of the letter. This could include a key skill, accomplishment, or methodology you use. To structure an effective headline, include:
- A keyword that is relevant to the position (typically the title of the position itself)
- A number or trigger word that hooks the employer’s attention
- A strong adjective or verb to make the headline more compelling
- A personalized statement that tells the employer the letter is written for them, specifically
Here is an example of an excellent headline from a personal trainer cover letter
My Top 3 Personal Training Client Success Stories & How These Successes can Benefit Your Clients
Trigger Word/Number: Top 3 Client Success Stories
Keyword: Personal Training
Adjective/Verb: Benefit
Personalized Statement: Your Clients
2. Personalize your cover letter effectively
The personalized statement included in your cover letter headline is only the beginning of the personalization process. Throughout your cover letter, it is essential to include key details and information that are highly relevant to a specific employer.
This information should directly things about an employer, such as the stated goals or values of their company. If there is a job posting for the position you are applying for, make sure to skim through it and look for keywords related to skills, credentials, or other qualifications the employer has described.
Additionally, you should take time to research which staff member at a company is responsible for reviewing applications and address them directly via a personalized greeting.
Here are 3 examples of personalized cover letter greetings
- Dear Head Coach Joanna Smith,
- Dear Ms. Joanna Smith,
- Dear Lead Trainer Joanna Smith,
3. Write a compelling personal trainer cover letter introduction
Your introductory paragraph falls directly beneath your headline and does a lot of heavy lifting to keep an employer interested enough to continue reading.
To make your cover letter introduction as effective as possible, make sure to include:
- A brief overview of your professional history and qualifications
- Any specialized areas of expertise you possess
- A mutual acquaintance (when possible) — a mutual acquaintance can help you establish a sense of rapport and friendliness with an employer
Here is an example of a personal trainer cover letter introduction
Dear Lead Trainer Joanna Smith,
I am a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with 5+ years of experience working in a Crossfit and Body-Building fitness center. As a long-time trainer for several pro athletes, I have the professionalism and experience your gym needs to attract high-status clients. Notable clients I have trained include Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman.
Pro Tip: Though not necessarily a mutual acquaintance, this introduction names notable clients they have worked with in the past, showing the employer their ability to work with big-name celebrities and the potential to bring such clients to the employer’s establishment.
4. Include skills and accomplishments in your personal trainer cover letter
Working in the role of a personal trainer takes many different skills, both physical and interpersonal. Moreover, it requires a strong sense of motivation and an ability to achieve set goals.
As such, you should use your cover letter as a place to describe your top skills and accomplishments.
When describing these qualifications, it is important to include details that are relevant, concise, and specific to the position. Before writing this part of your cover letter, skim back over the job posting and company website for any key skills or values the employer is looking for and reflect these in your writing.
Here are 6 skills to describe in a personal trainer cover letter
- Fitness evaluations
- Building custom exercise and nutrition programs
- Individualized client assessments
- Instructing proper use of equipment
- Monitoring and tracking client progress
- Ability to educate clients on fitness and nutrition
Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a personal trainer cover letter
In my 8 years as a personal trainer, I have experienced the joy that comes with client success time and time again. Having trained more than 200 total clients over this course of time, I have achieved a 4.9-star client satisfaction rating. Additionally, my customized programs have gone on to win multiple fitness awards, including the PCSFN Community Leadership Award.
5. Conclude your personal trainer cover letter with gratitude
When concluding your personal trainer, remember to express your appreciation for the time that the employer has taken out of their day to consider your application.
Along with expressing your gratitude, make sure to also include information on:
- How and when the employer can best contact you
- When you plan to follow up with the employer
- A formal sign-off
Here is an example of a strong conclusion from a personal trainer cover letter
It is with the utmost gratitude that I thank you for reading my cover letter. I am beyond excited to learn more about this opportunity and hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience. The best time to reach me is between the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at (123) 456-7890. I plan to touch base with you next Thursday if I have not heard back by that time.
With Appreciation,
[Applicant Name]
If you have ever wondered how a cover letter differs from a resume, this article will tell you everything about the key differences between the two.