As a health coach, effectively showcasing your ability to guide clients through personalized wellness plans and maintain consistent follow-up can be a complex resume challenge. Our guide provides clear strategies to highlight your client management skills and success stories, ensuring that your resume stands out to potential employers.
- Sample industry-leading professional resumes for inspiration and health coach resume-writing know-how.
- Focus recruiters' attention on what matters most - your unique experience, achievements, and skills.
- Write various resume sections to ensure you meet at least 95% of all job requirements.
- Balance your health coach technical expertise with personality to stand out amongst candidates.
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Designing your health coach resume format to catch recruiters' eyes
Your health coach resume will be assessed on a couple of criteria, one of which is the actual presentation.
Is your resume legible and organized? Does it follow a smooth flow?
Or have you presented recruiters with a chaotic document that includes everything you've ever done in your career?
Unless specified otherwise, there are four best practices to help maintain your resume format consistency.
- The top one third of your health coach resume should definitely include a header, so that recruiters can easily contact you and scan your professional portfolio (or LinkedIn profile).
- Within the experience section, list your most recent (and relevant) role first, followed up with the rest of your career history in a reverse-chronological resume format .
- Always submit your resume as a PDF file to sustain its layout. There are some rare exceptions where companies may ask you to forward your resume in Word or another format.
- If you are applying for a more senior role and have over a decade of applicable work experience (that will impress recruiters), then your health coach resume can be two pages long. Otherwise, your resume shouldn't be longer than a single page.
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If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
Don't forget to include these six sections on your health coach resume:
- Header and summary for your contact details and to highlight your alignment with the health coach job you're applying for
- Experience section to get into specific technologies you're apt at using and personal skills to deliver successful results
- Skills section to further highlight how your profile matches the job requirements
- Education section to provide your academic background
- Achievements to mention any career highlights that may be impressive, or that you might have missed so far in other resume sections
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Relevant certifications such as Certified Health Coach (CHC) or National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Experience with coaching, counseling or mentoring individuals on health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness
- Demonstrated ability to design and implement personal wellness plans tailored to client needs and goals
- Knowledge of motivational interviewing techniques and behavior change theory
- Strong communication skills, both in one-on-one and group settings, including workshop facilitation experience
Essential tips for crafting your health coach resume experience section
The experience section is indeed the core of your health coach resume. It's where you present your past and current job roles. But how should you approach this crucial part?
A common error is treating the experience section as merely a list of job duties. Many candidates fall into the trap of detailing what they did without illustrating the impact of their actions.
To effectively write your health coach resume experience section, consider these guidelines:
- Emphasize your achievements, supported by concrete metrics such as percentages, revenue increases, or customer satisfaction rates;
- Avoid using generic buzzwords like communication, hard work, or leadership. Instead, demonstrate how these skills added value in your previous roles;
- Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb, followed by a skill, and then the result of your actions;
- Tailor your resume for each job application by selecting the most relevant experiences, responsibilities, and successes.
We have an array of resume examples that illustrate how to optimally curate your health coach resume experience section.
- Designed and implemented individualized nutrition and fitness programs for over 200 clients, resulting in an average 15% improvement in client wellness metrics.
- Hosted weekly health education workshops focusing on stress management techniques, improving participation by 40% over 6 months.
- Collaborated with a team of healthcare professionals to develop a comprehensive smoking cessation program, contributing to a 35% success rate among participants.
- Led a corporate wellness program for a workforce of 500 employees, achieving a 25% increase in regular physical activity among participants.
- Initiated a digital health tracking initiative using wearables, enhancing daily data capture by 50% and improving client engagement.
- Facilitated a 12-week weight loss challenge that helped participants shed a total of 800 pounds, with an average loss of 8 pounds per person.
- Customized holistic health plans for 150+ clients managing chronic conditions, with 90% reporting better management of symptoms.
- Pioneered a virtual coaching program, reaching an additional 100 remote clients over two years, and doubling the program's revenue stream.
- Organized and led a quarterly community health fair, attracting over 1,000 attendees and securing 25 new clients from the event.
- Orchestrated an employee wellness initiative with a $200,000 budget, netting a 20% reduction in healthcare costs for the company within a year.
- Spearheaded a mindfulness and meditation series for stress reduction, reaching over 300 employees and improving reported stress levels by 30%.
- Negotiated with local produce suppliers to introduce a fresh fruit program in the workplace, termed a 'key cultural win' by 95% of staff.
- Curated a suite of wellness initiatives, such as 'Walk-and-Talk' meetings, which increased staff mobility and contributed to a 10% drop in sedentary behavior.
- Implemented a 'Healthy Choices' menu in the company cafeteria, leading to a 70% increase in sales of healthier food options over two years.
- Generated monthly wellness newsletters with actionable health tips, leading to a 20% increase in newsletter engagement and positive lifestyle changes.
- Advised C-level executives on integrating wellness programs to boost employee productivity, resulting in a 15% uptick in overall performance ratings.
- Crafted a 'Quit Smoking' campaign that was adopted by the enterprise and reduced smoking rates among employees by 50% over two years.
- Developed a biometric screening program that identified at-risk employees, paving the way for targeted health interventions and reducing sick days by 20%.
- providing one-on-one health coaching sessions that increased patient adherence to treatment plans by 40%.
- Incorporated gamification in wellness challenges to increase employee participation by 50% and foster a culture of health within the workplace.
- Conducted comprehensive health risk assessments, leading to the early detection of prediabetes in 10% of the screened population.
- Cultivated community partnerships that expanded program reach by 200%, linking underserved populations with critical health resources.
- Implemented a teen health ambassador program, training 50+ youths in peer-to-peer health education, thereby amplifying our reach to the adolescent demographic.
- Authored a series of acclaimed articles on preventative health measures that were published in well-recognized health and wellness journals.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the total number of individual clients coached, demonstrating the extent of your direct impact and experience.
- Present the percentage of clients who achieved their fitness or health goals, showcasing effectiveness and client success rates.
- Detail the average health outcome improvements of clients, such as weight loss or blood pressure reduction, providing quantifiable health impacts.
- List any reductions in client medication usage or healthcare costs, reflecting the economic value of your coaching.
- State the number of group coaching sessions or workshops facilitated, evidencing leadership and scalability of your approach.
- Specify any client retention rates or repeat business percentages, indicating satisfaction and trust in your services.
- Report the growth percentage of your client base, highlighting your skills in business development and marketing.
- Quantify the number of professional certifications or continuing education courses completed, affirming your commitment to expertise in the field.
Action verbs for your health coach resume
How to shift the focus from your health coach resume experience section to your professional profile
If you're at the start of your career journey or transitioning industries, you might be concerned about the lack of professional experience while crafting your health coach resume.
How can you effectively present your health coach resume experience section under these circumstances?
Rather than a traditional, extensive experience section, demonstrate your expertise through:
- Emphasizing your education. Your academic background might impress recruiters, especially if it includes recent, industry-relevant knowledge;
- Creating a compelling objective statement. The first few sentences of your resume should map out your motivations and career aspirations, offering insight into your goals;
- Highlighting your transferable skills. For example, if you've honed communication skills through volunteering, illustrate on your health coach resume how these can benefit a potential employer;
- Detailing your technical background in certifications and skills sections. As a recent graduate, your technological foundations might be particularly attractive to employers looking to develop these skills further.
It's important to remember that employers sometimes prefer candidates with less experience but who are a better cultural fit for their organization.
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Bold the names of educational institutions and certifying bodies for emphasis.
Popular health coach hard skills and soft skills for your resume
Apart from assessing your professional expertise, recruiters are on the lookout for whether your skills align with the job.
Your profile would thus be assessed in regard to your:
- Hard or technical skills - your ability to perform on the job using particular technologies or software
- Soft skills - how you adapt, communicate, and thrive in different environments.
Both types of skills - hard and soft skills - are important for your resume, so make sure to create a dedicated skills section that:
- Lists up to five or six skills that align with the job advert.
- Integrates vital keywords for the industry, but also reflects on your personal strengths.
- Builds up further your skills with an achievements section within which you explain what you've achieved thanks to using the particular skill.
- Aims to always quantify in some way how you've used the skill, as it's not enough to just list it.
What are the most sought out hard and soft skills for health coach roles?
Check out the industry's top choices with our two dedicated lists below:
Top skills for your health coach resume:
Nutritional counseling
Fitness planning
Health promotion
Wellness coaching
Stress management techniques
Chronic disease management
Behavioral change strategies
Health assessment
First Aid and CPR
Healthcare knowledge
Active listening
Empathy
Communication
Motivational interviewing
Problem-solving
Adaptability
Patience
Leadership
Time management
Goal setting
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Listing your relevant degrees or certificates on your health coach resume is a win-win situation. Not only does it hint at your technical capabilities in the industry, but an array of soft skills, like perseverance, adaptability, and motivation.
Certifications and education: in-demand sections for your health coach resume
Your academic background in the form of certifications on your resume and your higher degree education is important to your application.
The certifications and education sections pinpoint a variety of hard and soft skills you possess, as well as your dedication to the industry.
Add relevant certificates to your health coach resume by:
- Add special achievements or recognitions you've received during your education or certification, only if they're really noteworthy and/or applicable to the role
- Be concise - don't list every and any certificate you've obtained through your career, but instead, select the ones that would be most impressive to the role
- Include the name of the certificate or degree, institution, graduation dates, and certificate license numbers (if possible)
- Organize your education in reverse chronological format, starting with the latest degree you have that's most applicable for the role
Think of the education and certification sections as the further credibility your health coach resume needs to pinpoint your success.
Now, if you're stuck on these resume sections, we've curated a list of the most popular technical certificates across the industry.
Have a look, below:
The top 5 certifications for your health coach resume:
- National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) - International Consortium for Health & Wellness Coaching (ICHWC)
- Certified Health Coach (CHC) - American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) - Precision Nutrition
- Health Coach Certification - Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC) - International Coach Federation (ICF)
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Mention specific courses or projects that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
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Adding a summary or objective to your health coach resume
One of the most crucial elements of your professional presentation is your resume's top one-third. This most often includes:
- Either a resume summary - your career highlights at a glance. Select the summary if you have plenty of relevant experience (and achievements), you'd like recruiters to remember about your application.
- Or, a resume objective - to showcase your determination for growth. The perfect choice for candidates with less experience, who are looking to grow their career in the field.
If you want to go above and beyond with your health coach resume summary or resume objective, make sure to answer precisely why recruiters need to hire you. What is the additional value you'd provide to the company or organization? Now here are examples from real-life health coach professionals, whose resumes have helped them land their dream jobs:
Resume summaries for a health coach job
- With over eight years of experience in the nutrition and fitness industry, I've guided hundreds of clients toward achieving their health and wellness goals. My expertise in personalized meal planning and motivational interviewing techniques, coupled with my instrumental role in growing a startup wellness clinic's clientele by 150%, demonstrates my ability to effectively drive client success.
- Transitioning from a successful 10-year career in behavioral psychology, I am equipped with a deep understanding of human motivation and habit formation. These skills, combined with my recent certification in health and wellness coaching, position me uniquely to help clients enact meaningful, lasting health changes.
- Dedicated to empowering individuals in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle, my extensive 15 years of experience in nursing and passion for preventative care transition seamlessly into the world of health coaching. My adeptness at patient education and advocacy foster a trust that encourages client commitment to health goals.
- As an award-winning sales executive with a passion for health and wellness, my 12-year career has been marked by exceeding sales targets through building strong customer relationships. The skills honed in strategic planning and client coaching are transferable assets I bring to transitioning into a health coaching profession.
- Seeking to leverage my enthusiastic approach to fitness and nutrition, coupled with a recent Health Coach Certification from a renowned institute. Eager to apply my dedication to holistic wellness and my keen interest in helping others achieve their health goals. My commitment is to develop personalized strategies that cater to each client’s unique lifestyle.
- Armed with a fresh Health Coaching Certification and a deep-seated passion for holistic wellness, I am poised to begin my journey in helping others achieve optimal health. My objective is to provide clients with the support, education, and motivation necessary to foster sustainable lifestyle changes, drawing on my background in public health education.
More sections to ensure your health coach resume stands out
If you're looking for additional ways to ensure your health coach application gets noticed, then invest in supplementing your resume with extra sections, like:
These supplementary resume sections show your technical aptitude (with particular technologies and software) and your people skills (gained even outside of work).
Key takeaways
At the end of our guide, we'd like to remind you to:
- Invest in a simple, modern resume design that is ATS friendly and keeps your experience organized and legible;
- Avoid just listing your responsibilities in your experience section, but rather focus on quantifiable achievements;
- Always select resume sections that are relevant to the role and can answer job requirements. Sometimes your volunteering experience could bring more value than irrelevant work experience;
- Balance your technical background with your personality traits across various sections of your resume to hint at how much time employers would have to invest in training you and if your profile would be a good cultural fit to the organization;
- Include your academic background (in the form of your relevant higher education degrees and certifications) to show recruiters that you have the technical basics of the industry covered.
Health Coach resume examples
Explore additional health coach resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Role
Dietary Aide
The role of a Dietary Aide often comes with a deep understanding of nutrition and dietary needs. Hence, why trends in the food and health industry can greatly affect your job prospects.
Highlight your knowledge of dietary planning and preparation methods, as these can set you apart from other candidates. Be sure to emphasize your understanding of dietary restrictions and allergies. In your resume, demonstrate your skills beyond simply listing them. For example, 'improved patient health by...', 'contributed to significant weight loss...', or 'managed unique dietary needs...'. Stay result-focused and follow the 'skill-action-results' pattern.
Dietician
As a Dietician, your knowledge in food, nutrition and planning diets are crucial. Highlight experiences that demonstrate these expertise.
Ensure to focus on your scientific understanding of nutrition and its effects on health. Show how you used your skills by stating things like 'helped to reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases...', 'guided in losing/gaining weight...' et cetera. Follow the 'skill-action-results' pattern. Always be result-oriented.
Massage Therapist
Massage Therapists come from a background of wellness and health. The industry trends can have a significant impact on how you present your skills.
Focus on your knowledge of different massage techniques and how they improve health and wellbeing. Show your ability to assess the needs of the client and alleviate pain or stress. Don't just list your skills, demonstrate them with statements like 'improved range of motion...', 'reduced pain levels...', or 'enhanced overall wellbeing...'. Remember, stick to the 'skill-action-results' pattern.
Mental Health Coach
Mental Health Coaches often have a background in psychology or a related field. Your understanding of human behavior, mental health disorders and counseling techniques can greatly influence your job opportunities.
Emphasize your skills in providing support, developing coping strategies and improving mental health. Demonstrate the impact of your work by saying things like 'improved patient happiness scores by...', 'helped clients develop effective coping mechanisms...' or 'reduced patient anxiety levels...'. Always follow the 'skill-action-results' pattern.
Therapist
Therapists are rooted in the mental health field. As such, trends in psychology and counseling can greatly affect your job application.
Highlight your skills in counseling, psychotherapy techniques and patient assessment. Show how you've made a difference by saying 'improved client mental health by...', 'helped reduce symptoms of depression...' or 'facilitated better patient communication...'. Remember to follow the 'skill-action-results' pattern for a result-oriented resume.
