How To Write A Gym Manager CV

With our range of gym manager CV tips, including everything from structure to making yours stand out, you’re sure to land your dream job! This guide will cover:

• What To Include In Your Gym Manager Resume
• How To Format Your Fitness Manager CV Effectively
• Tips To Make Your Gym Manager CV Stand Out

Perhaps the best way to augment your gym manager CV is with OriGym’s Level 4 courses. With options including our industry-leading Level 4 Advanced Nutrition Course, you’ll set yourself apart from the competition.

Browse our full range of courses by downloading our course prospectus.

What To Include In Your Gym Manager Resume

Before we begin, as a general rule you should aim to keep your gym manager CV to one page, or two sides of A4 paper. 

Although it may seem like there’s a lot of information to consider, this helps you keep it concise and only include what’s necessary.

We’d recommend you follow this structure for your gym manager resume:

• Contact Information
• Personal Summary
• Work Experience
• Industry Related Qualifications
• Education
• Achievements (Optional)
• Hobbies & Interests
• References

By following this structure, you keep everything in order of importance, allowing employers to see the most relevant information first.

Let’s break these headings down!

Contact Information Comes First On Your Gym Manager CV

Whether you’re sending a gym manager or assistant gym manager CV, you should always begin with your contact information.

This section should include:

• Full name
• Address/Location
• Phone number
• Email address

Although entirely optional, you may want to include a link to your social media, particularly your Instagram handle if you have one. If you have an account dedicated to fitness and a large following, this can be beneficial on your gym manager resume.

It can show potential employers how passionate you are about your work, as well as your dedication to fitness in general.

However, this should only be included if you post regularly and you’re confident the content of your account is relevant to the job.

Next On Your Gym Manager CV Is Your Personal Summary

A personal summary should be written like a personal statement, and tailored to the gym manager job you’re applying for. Here you can demonstrate relevant transferable skills and demonstrate why you’re suitable for the job.

This is the section of your fitness manager CV where you can express yourself. To optimise this section, here are some quick tips to help you stand out:

• Keep it to just one paragraph by making points concise
• When mentioning skills, you should use evidence to back up your claims. Anyone can say they’re organised or can demonstrate leadership, but by providing evidence, you contextualise your accomplishments.
• As this is the area you can show off your personality, let your passion and enthusiasm for the job shine through here.
• Ensure the skills you mention are tailored to the job you’re applying for. For example, you shouldn’t have a large section discussing IT skills when applying to be a gym manager. If certain ones are mentioned in the job description, tailor your CV to reflect these!

For example, this job for a general manager with Total Fitness provides a list of ideal qualities for the role. 

While you shouldn’t just copy their listed gym manager skills or qualities into your personal summary, expand upon them by using examples from previous employment. You can also research the skills of a personal trainer, and combine these with general managerial skills.

If you still need help with this, check out our short gym manager personal summary example:

With 15+ years of industry experience managing fitness studios and working as a qualified personal trainer, I believe I would be a great fit for the role of Gym Manager with [COMPANY NAME]. This is reflected in my previous employment where I successfully managed a team of 10 staff, and helped double the number of members within my first six months of taking over as manager.

As you can see, it’s more effective to use evidence to highlight skills and let them shine through rather than outright stating them without backing it up.

List Out Your Work Experience On Your Gym Manager CV

This is the section you will highlight your professional history and why your previous work has made you most suitable for the role of gym manager. It should be the largest part of your CV, meaning you need to be concise and optimise your structure.

Getting the format and structure right for this section is crucial! Follow our tips below for help with this and secure your gym manager interview:

• Chronological Order - Your CV should be read chronologically with your most recent employment coming first.
• Dates - The month and year you started and ended your employment with each company should be at the top of each previous position.
• Summary - Include a brief overview of what the position entailed and what your main role was.
• Responsibilities - Bullet point your key responsibilities and any notable successes, such as workplace achievements. 

Here’s an example of how it should look:

May 2019 - Jan 2023                                                                                              Gym Manager

World of Fitness

I was responsible for managing a team of ten qualified personal trainers, overseeing the running of fitness classes and one-on-one sessions. To attract more members to the gym, I spearheaded creative successful marketing strategies and community events. Delivering excellent customer service was crucial and evidenced by maintaining a 100 percent positive customer reviews.

• Continually retrained staff using workshops I developed to meet the changing fitness industry and constantly improve delivery of customer service.

• Created innovative marketing strategies to advertise the gym, including an annual charity fun run that is still being held each year.

• Attracted new members by developing creative referral schemes.

• Completed administrative tasks by dealing with all finances and optimised the gym work schedule to align with peak times.

As you can see, the opening paragraph provides an overview of the general gym manager role before moving onto more concise and specific aspects of the role. Skills aren’t outright stated, but rather evidenced by actual achievements and responsibilities. 

An employer can infer you’re organised and have leadership qualities by mentioning you created a charity fun run. The skill doesn’t have to be explicitly stated for them to get an idea of you as a person.

Other general tips for your fitness manager resume include:

• Including Other Experience - Always include volunteer work on your CV, especially if it’s relevant to being a gym manager.
• Explaining Any Gaps - If there are large gaps in employment on your CV, explain what you were doing during this time.
• Mentioning Skills - Rather than just stating skills you developed, use evidence and be specific about how you developed these skills through your responsibilities.

Include Industry-Related Qualifications To Enhance Your Gym Manager CV

You need to show employers you’re appropriately qualified and can highlight any additional qualifications that can set you apart from other applicants. It’s likely employers will look straight at this section to reduce the amount of candidates who don’t have the right qualifications.

These qualifications should be in reverse chronological order, with the most recent ones first.

Some general tips to optimise this section of your gym manager CV are:

• Keep it Concise & Relevant - Only include qualifications that are needed to become a gym manager, especially those listed in the job advertisement. You should keep it short by bullet pointing qualifications, you don’t need to include a breakdown of modules or course content. All of this information can be found on your certificates.
• Key Information - For each qualification, include the year you qualified, the awarding body, your grade if you can, and any expiry dates.
• Insurance - This isn’t a necessity but if you feel it can separate you from other applicants, there’s no harm including it.

This section on a gym general manager CV should look similar to this:

Industry Qualifications

• Focus Awards Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing (2019)

• Focus Awards Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training (2019)

• Focus Awards Level 4 Certificate in Nutrition for Weight Management and Athletic Performance (2020)

• CIMSPA CPD in Strength & Conditioning (2020)

• CIMSPA CPD in Kettlebells (2020)

• CIMSPA CPD in Group Training (2020)

• St John Ambulance Award in First Aid at Work - 2019 (Expires June 2023)

You may also consider adding in other qualifications or courses related to business and management. These can be vocational ones that don’t necessarily fit in your academic qualifications. 

For example:

• VTCT Sales Analysis Course - February 2018

• VTCT Business Management - September 2018

Again, you don’t need to break down modules or explain what you studied. Those employing gym managers will know what these courses and qualifications entail.

The key is to keep everything concise and show employers you have the qualifications they’re looking for. If you secure an interview, this is when you can expand on your studies.

List Your Academic Qualifications On Your Gym Manager Resume 

This section should be structured in the same way as the work experience section. However, it should be much more concise.

While educational qualifications are necessary, it may depend on the employer regarding which ones you should include. Some may ask for all your A-Levels and GCSEs while others may just require your English and Maths grades.

Here are some formatting tips to help with this section:

• Chronological Order - Your most recent qualifications should come first as it should be in order of importance with the name of the institution at the top. If you have an Undergraduate Degree, this should be first followed by A-Levels, etc.
• Dates - Similar to work experience, include the month and year you started and ended your education with each institution. 
• Make It Concise - Bullet point each subject with the grade you achieved beside it. There’s no need to go into detailed explanations of modules or course content.
• Keep It Relevant - You don’t need to include every single qualification you received, especially if it’s not relevant to being a gym manager. If you have a low grade or degree class, this doesn’t need to be included unless specifically stated.

Here’s a gym manager CV example of what this section should look like:

University of Liverpool

Liverpool, L69 3BX

(2014 - 2017)

Bachelor of Arts in Business Management - Graduated with a First Class

To keep everything concise, you should only provide your final overall grade. You don’t need to provide a breakdown of what you scored in each exam or assessment.

- - - -

With our gym manager CV tips, you’re sure to land your dream job! Check out these articles below for more information about this exciting career:

• Gym Manager Job Description Explained
• 7 Key Skills A Gym Manager Needs
• How to Be a Good Gym Manager: 7 Tips for Success

Note Other Achievements On Your Gym Manager CV

While this section is optional, anything that demonstrates passion and skills should be included in your fitness manager resume. However, deciding what achievements are relevant can be difficult if you’re unsure how important they may be to an employer.

These are the achievements that don’t quite fit in the academic qualifications section, but also shouldn’t just be reduced to hobbies and interests. As everyone’s proud of different things, this helps personalise your CV.

This section can be a combination of both personal and professional achievements. Some tips to help with this include:

• Emphasise Skills - As mentioned earlier, highlights areas that reflect skills you can transfer to being a gym manager. Don’t outright state the skill this achievement required but rather convey it through your evidence.
• Use Evidence - Backup your achievements with evidence such as times, records, percentages, etc.
• Don’t Lie - Be honest about the things you’ve done. It’s likely employers will discuss this section of your gym manager CV if you’ve listed impressive achievements. The bottom line is, don’t outright lie just to make your resume stand out - you’ll likely come to regret this.

Here’s an example of how this section may look on a gym manager resume:

My Achievements

• I was shortlisted in the Fitness Manager category of the Fitness Professional Awards 2020.

• In 2018, I organised a successful climb of Mount Everest with a group supporting local charities.

• With World of Fitness, I developed a ‘Refer a Friend’ scheme which doubled membership within 6 months and is still being used by the gym today.

• I won the Men’s Singles Club Championship 2019 with my town’s tennis club.

Having achievements like these ones on your CV is great for giving employers a better idea of you as a person, as well as the positive impacts you’ve made both during and outside of work.

However, don’t let our example make you feel your own achievements aren’t ‘good enough’ to be included. Anything you’re proud of that highlights skills and positivity both inside and outside of work should be mentioned. 

Hobbies & Interests Should Be Last On Your Fitness Manager CV

There are a lot of conflicting attitudes when it comes to including a section about hobbies and interests on a professional CV. Some employers don’t believe they should be there at all while others like them because it makes an application more personal.

However, for a job such as a gym manager that is social yet demanding, it can be a good way to show an employer how you relax or spend your time outside of work. It can also be a conversation starter if you share a similar, niche interest.

The more relevant your hobbies are, the better! Here’s some tips to help you with this section:

• Be concise - Keep this section brief, providing a quick snapshot of your interests
• Be specific - Rather than stating ‘I like movies’, mention the kind of movies you enjoy such as documentaries, horror, etc.
• Emphasise sport related hobbies - As you’re applying for a gym manager position, put an emphasis on being part of any sports teams, clubs, or events such as running marathons. Especially prioritise these if you've captained or led a team.
• Mix it up - Unusual or unique interests can be a great way to show you as an individual and make you a memorable applicant. While most candidates will live a fitness lifestyle, hobbies such as beekeeping or origami are more likely to stick in an employer's mind.

An example section on a gym manager resume may look something like this:

Hobbies & Interests

• Marathons - I regularly train for marathons and recently completed the London Marathon, setting a new record for myself.

• I am passionate about woodwork, and have made several pieces of bespoke furniture.

• I run a popular yoga and meditation blog, discussing topics ranging from workouts to their physical and mental benefits. A link can be provided if you’d like.

Many people often dread being asked about hobbies because they don’t believe they have any. However, things that are part of your daily routine or that you may not see as a hobby certainly can be one.

These may include:

• DIY
• Reading
• Hiking
• Gardening or keeping houseplants
• Having a passion for a particular band or TV show

Any interest that can demonstrate transferable skills for a gym manager and can personalise your application should be included. 

For example, DIY highlights an attention to detail, while puzzles develop problem-solving skills.

References Are Important On Any Fitness Manager Resume

Referees are people your potential employer can contact for a personal reference about you as an employee or to verify aspects of your gym manager CV.

These can be educational references or previous employers. However, they should be people who know you well, and ideally be someone you’ve worked for or studied under within the past five years.

You don’t need to include their contact information on your CV. All you need to state is ‘References available upon request’ or ‘Available on demand’. If the employer is interested in taking your application further, they can ask for their details and contact your references.

How To Format Your Fitness Manager CV Effectively

The format of your fitness manager CV is just as important as knowing what to include in it. Getting this right is crucial for giving it a professional look and also making it easier for the employer to read.

Font: We advise using either Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri as these are the most professional and easy to read fonts.

Font Size: For the body of your fitness manager CV, 12pt is best. This size is legible but also gives you enough room to include everything on one page. Headings should be slightly bigger, anywhere between 14-16pt.

Spacing: You’ll want either single line spacing or 1.5 as this leaves enough room for employer’s to make annotations without there being too much white space on the page.

Align Everything Correctly: We recommend using 0.5 to 1 inch margins all around the page as this allows you to fit more information on. Ensuring everything is aligned correctly increases the overall professional look of your CV.

Colours: While colour isn’t necessarily a bad thing on a gym manager CV, you don’t want to overload it with bright colours as this can look unprofessional. You’re best sticking to neutral colours such as grey or blue for borders. However, the font should always be in black!

Avoid Large Blocks Of Text: You shouldn’t write a CV like an essay, it should be quick and concise. Avoid long paragraphs by utilising bullet points and short sentences as this makes it both easier to read and follow.

Avoid Images: Even if you have a professional headshot readily available, it’s not necessary to include a picture on your gym manager CV. You already have limited space on the page so should be saving it for things that help not hinder your application. 

Tips To Make Your Gym Manager CV Stand Out

Now you know how to structure your gym manager CV and what to include in it, here are some tips to really set yourself apart from the crowd!

#1 - Include A Gym Manager Cover Letter

When sending off your fitness manager CV, you should pair it with a gym manager cover letter to separate your application from other people who may have the same qualifications and background.

A cover letter is used to introduce your CV and should be personalised to the job you’re applying for. It allows you to highlight things you may not have included in your fitness manager resume but are specific to the role you’ve applied for.

Although it’s digital, it should still be written like a traditional letter. This means you should:

• Include your contact information at the top of the page
• The date you’re submitting it
• Address it to the name of your employer if you have it
• Sign it off with your own name

The body of the letter should be personalised to the company or gym you’re applying to, meaning you shouldn’t use the exact same cover letter for multiple employers.

#2 - Proofread Your Fitness Manager Resume Multiple Times

With tools such as spellcheck being available on all writing programmes, you should limit mistakes by doing multiple proofreads of your gym manager CV.

Multiple spelling and grammar mistakes throughout your resume isn’t a good reflection on you. It shows an employer you aren’t meticulous and may even give them the impression you don’t care.

If you’ve rewritten your CV, the best thing to do is leave it for a few hours or even a day before you proofread it again. Reading it with ‘fresh eyes’ can help you spot things you may have missed earlier, especially if you’ve been staring at it for a long time.

#3 - Keep Your Gym Manager CV Concise

As mentioned earlier, you should aim to keep your gym manager CV to one side of A4. While this may seem impossible if your resume currently takes up two pages, you’ll be surprised at how much you can cut out!

Although you may have worked in many jobs, only include the most relevant ones and those containing transferable skills for the gym manager job you’re applying for.

Two sides of A4 means an employer can see all the relevant information in one place without having to scroll down to find it. They should be able to see each section clearly and spot anything that may catch their attention on that one page.

#4 - Don’t Lie On Your Gym Manager CV

Although people often embellish aspects of their gym manager CV, you shouldn’t outright lie about previous career experience or qualifications. 

It’s likely you will be found out and this could lead to more serious consequences, even if you’ve already secured the job. Being honest on your CV means you don’t have to worry about awkward conversations during the interview.

#5 - Follow Up With Your Fitness Manager CV

If you’re sending your gym manager CV off to major cities across the UK, it’s possible applications can be missed or left unread. This is especially true if a lot of people have applied for the role.

After a few weeks, there’s no harm in sending an email about the progress of your application if you’ve heard nothing back. Job sites like Indeed often tell applicants if a high number of people have applied, making it more likely your application could be lost.

Emailing about your job application shows employers you’re driven and interested in the job.

Before You Go!

Now you know what should be included in your gym manager CV, it’s time to polish it up and secure your dream job today!

With OriGym’s Level 4 Fitness Courses, most notably our industry-leading Level 4 Advanced Nutrition Course, your CV is sure to stand out from the crowd and help you secure your dream career.

Find out more by downloading our course prospectus, or enter your details below!