Athletic Trainer Resume Example & Writing Tips for 2022

Athletic Trainers offer preventative exercise programs to avoid injuries, but if they do happen, they then rehabilitate injured athletes, soldiers, and even everyday people.

According to the United States Labor of Bureau Statistics, jobs for Athletic Trainers are growing at 16% -- which is much faster than average!

Nevertheless, we still need to get your resume in shape so you can wow those interviewers.

In this article, we’ll discuss

Which format is right for your resume
How to write a resume summary
Describing your work experience
Listing your skills
Including your education
Naming your certifications
Choosing the right template

Athletic Trainer Sample Resume

Head Athletic Trainer, Utah State University

Evaluated the physical condition of 50+ athletes and used knowledge of sports-related injuries to diagnose and treat players
Established 25 dietary plans in accordance with athletes’ preferences (e.g., vegan, vegetarian) and fitness goals
Tracked progress towards health and fitness goals
Motivated athletes in a positive and enthusiastic manner
Worked with coaches, athletes, and medical professionals to evaluate the players’ conditions, taking advice and offering suggestions as appropriate
Created personalized exercise plans that aligned with players’ sport needs and fitness goals
Collaborated with coaches and athletes to set reasonable and attainable health and fitness goals
Designed strength training and cardio plans for 60+ athletes a month
Drafted rehabilitation programs for injured athletes, specializing in Achilles Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow and other overuse injuries
Consulted with doctors and medical staff members for more serious injuries
Monitored injured players as they healed and progressed towards recovery, ensuring they followed rehabilitation programs and performed their exercises
Maintained electronic records relating to athletes’ conditions, trainings, diets, and treatments plans
Performed inventory reports and completed monthly ordering of supplies totaling $10,000
Assisted the Athletic Department with drafting budgets in order to secure the necessary equipment
Interviewed and selected 13 resident athletic trainers
Maintained professional competency by successful completion of Continuing Education Units to retain Athletic Trainer Certification by the NATA Board of Certification and athletic training licensing requirements for the state of Utah.
Ensured training rooms and equipment were in clean and in working order
Reviewed assistant trainers’ treatment programs to ensure accuracy and provided feedback
Performed taping and other injury prevention activities during training and before games
Assisted in games by providing first aid as needed
Reviewed athletes’ performances and consulted with coaches to create personalized training programs
Decreased recovery time by 20% due to improved exercise techniques and close monitoring of athletes’ progress

Assistant Athletic Trainer, Los Angeles Lakers

Created personalized training programs for 27 athletes in accordance with their fitness goals and sports needs
Assisted Head Trainer with rehabilitation programs by demonstrating exercises, consulting on plans, and supporting the athletes during recovery
Evaluated 25 athletes’ diets and recommended nutrition programs for their body types, health goals, and food preferences
Collaborated with team physicians, coaching staff, and mental health practitioners to ensure optimal player health and performance
Supported the day-to-day operations of the training room by scheduling sessions and maintaining a clean and safe training room
Served as point person for training room inventory management, packing, and organizing medical supplies for road trips
Assisted with accurate and timely daily documentation of all player treatments into EMR and other medical documentation
Oversaw medical coverage of NBA officials for all home games
Assisted in referrals and appointment scheduling to team physicians
Supported evaluation of vendors of equipment and technology; helped to identify products that would be valuable for players and assisted with the implementation of sports science solutions
Attended training camps, Summer League, all practices, all home and away preseason, regular season and playoff games
Supported pre-draft testing evaluations and additional coverage as needed
Adhered to all team and League rules and reporting including Health and Safety Protocols

Fitness Instructor, Utah State University

Developed exercise program plans and instructed 8+ group exercise classes per week, including indoor cycling, strength training, and bootcamp training
Conducted regular exercise equipment check and maintenance to ensure safety
Educated students on proper form and practices for various types of exercises
Promoted relevant fitness courses, programs, and promotions to appropriate customers
Created safe and effective exercise programs for clients
Personalized fitness programs tailored to clients' fitness levels, abilities, and needs
Provided clients with fitness, health, and nutrition-related information and advice
Educated clients on proper exercise practices according to clients' fitness levels

1. Choose the Right Format for an Athletic Trainer Resume

The first step to drafting your resume is deciding which resume format to use. This depends on your career experience and skillset.

You have 3 main options for your resume:

Reverse-Chronological -- this is the most commonly used resume format. With this structure, place your most recent jobs first, followed by the next most recent job, and ending with your oldest position.

Tip: only include jobs relevant to the position to which you’re applying, so leave out any former jobs that don’t fit. For example, do include your former jobs as a Personal Trainer or Fitness Instructor since there is considerable overlap with an Athletic Trainer.

Functional -- this format is best for people who have been out of the workforce for a while, perhaps because they had to care for children or an elderly parent. This format will have headers like “Training Programs,” “Specialties,’ and “Administrative Support” with their respective skills listed in bullet points below. At the very end of the resume, include a brief timeline of your work experience.

Tip: Read our advice on How to Explain Employment Gaps on a Resume.

Hybrid / Combination -- this format is a mix of both Functional and Reverse-Chronological. It provides more detailed work experience descriptions that would typically be seen in the latter, while still offering a bulleted list of skills.

Tip: When in doubt, choose the Reverse-Chronological resume format. For more details, check out our guide on How to Write Your Resume in Reverse-Chronological Order.

For an Athletic Trainer, hiring managers want to glance at your resume and get a sense of the following:

Your accreditation and years in the industry
If you are a former athlete or if you specialize in a certain sport or certain injuries
Your ability to create training programs, dietary plans, and rehabilitation programs

The best format for an Athletic Trainer is the Reverse-Chronological resume format. This is because it shows the trajectory of your career -- how you’ve grown professionally and expanded your work experience and knowledge base. Check out our advice on How to Show Your Job Promotions on a Resume for more details.

2. Write a Strong Athletic Trainer Resume Summary

Did you know that employers spend less than 10 seconds per resume?

While this is certainly an optional section, your resume summary is one of the best ways to succeed in that short glance.

But first --- what is a resume summary?

A resume summary is one or two sentences at the top of your paper that summarizes your entire resume. It’s the punch line that gets the resume reviewer wanting to know more.

For an Athletic Trainer career, include the following points in your summary

The amount of time you’ve worked in the industry, as both a trainer and an athlete
Any injuries or sports you specialize in
An accomplishment or two, something that sets you apart from the crowd and shows your competency.
An adjective or two conveying your personality, such as “passionate, “driven,” “devoted”

Here is an example of a bad resume summary:

Experienced Athletic Trainer with former experience as a basketball player.

This is a bad resume summary because it is incredibly vague. It gives no sense of who you are as a person or what makes you stand out as an Athletic Trainer.

Here is an example of a good resume summary:

Enthusiastic Athletic Trainer with 7+ years of experience helping athletes recover from overuse injuries. Decreased recovery time by 20% on average due to improved exercise techniques and close monitoring of athletes’ progress. Former collegiate basketball player with a passion for helping athletes reach their performance and nutrition goals.

This is a good resume summary because it gives specific details as to what you do -- you specialize in overuse injuries. It also helps you stand apart from other Trainers because you’ve added an accomplishment -- that you decrease recovery time. Lastly we get a sense of YOU -- you’re a former basketball player, you’re “enthusiastic” and “passionate.”

For more information, checkout our guide on How to Write a Killer Resume Summary. Or, browse our Resume Summary Examples.

3. Describe Your Work Experience as an Athletic Trainer

The next step to drafting your resume is to list your work experience. This includes the name of your position (See: The Right Way to List Job Titles on a Resume), the name of the location at which you worked, and the length of time in which you worked.

Your work experience should include the following:

Company name
Job title
Years worked
Location
Job description

Be sure to use strong action verbs in each of your bullet points. Here are a few to get you started:

Assess
Assist
Collaborate
Consult
Create
Design
Ensure
Establish
Evaluate
Motivate
Perform
Perform
Plan
Review
Support
Track

Tip: Don’t start every bullet point with the same verb -- that will get old real quick! Instead, mix it up a bit. If you do use the same verb often (e.g., “Design”) don’t put those bullet points next to each other.

Furthermore, write your resume experience in a way that anyone in your industry will understand. Don't use company-specific language.

For example, let’s say you worked at a place that called athletic tape “stretchy tape.” Not everyone is going to know what this means, so it’s best to stick with the common name, otherwise a hiring manager may not know what you’re talking about, and if the manager is confused, they’re more likely to throw out your resume and move onto the next.

You should also quantify your resume whenever possible. This means adding a number -- such as a dollar amount or percentage -- to your accomplishments. Quantifying your resume gives the hiring manager a more concrete idea of your workplace performance. For example, say that you “interviewed and hired 14 assistant trainers ,” “decreased recovery time by 20% due to improved exercise techniques and close monitoring of athletes’ progress,” or “saved the business $30,000 by investing in stronger exercise equipment.”

Tip: One way to quantify your resume is by listing your accomplishments and awards. These can be from your workplace (e.g., “Employee of the Month”) or from your industry (e.g., “Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer (MDAT)”).

For more information on how to format your work experience, check out our guide on How to Describe Work Experience.

Don’t have any work experience? We have a guide for Writing a Resume with No Work Experience!

4. List Your Skills

Skills show the hiring manager what you can do for the company -- without taking up too much space in the “work experience” part of your resume.

There are two types of skills -- soft and hard. “Soft” skills are those that are not quantifiable and are more indicative of your personality. Examples include leadership, problem-solving, and communication. In contrast, “hard” skills are those that are learned through formal education. Examples include computer technology, programming languages, and certifications.

Athletic Trainers need a combination of soft and hard skills. While the nitty gritty of creating nutrition and fitness plans, and diagnosing and treating injuries are certainly hard skills, you also need soft skills like patience and communication.

Relevant Soft Skills

Communication
Enthusiasm
Organization
Patience
Persistence
Interest in Sports

Relevant Hard Skills

First aid
CPR
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Physical Assessment
Fitness Program Planning
Personal Training
Group Fitness Instruction
Nutrition Counseling

Tip: When completing this section on your resume, review the employers’ job requirements. Try to incorporate some of the language they use. For example, if the job description states they need someone who has “exceptional communication skills, good organizational skills, and the ability to work independently and within a team,” then be sure to include some of these keywords. List “Communication” and “Organization” under the skills section.

If you want a more complete list of skills, read our guide on 100+ Key Skills for a Resume in 2021 with Examples for any Job.

5. Include an Education Section

Athletic trainers need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, though some employers may prefer master’s degrees. The program you choose must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

Additionally, Athletic Trainers need to be licensed or certified by the state in which they practice. For specific requirements, contact the particular state’s licensing or credentialing board or athletic trainer association.

The Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC) offers the standard certification examination that most states use for licensing athletic trainers. Certification requires graduating from a CAATE-accredited program and passing the BOC exam. To maintain certification, athletic trainers must adhere to the BOC Standards of Professional Practice and take continuing education courses.

When writing your education section, be sure to include:

The name of the school — e.g. “Utah State University”
The location of the school
Your degree (high-school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, etc.)
Graduation year (if applicable)
Major field or department of study (if applicable)
Minor field or department of study (if applicable and relevant)
GPA (If you're a student or graduates who held lower GPAs, this bit of information may be good to omit unless specifically requested by the employer)

Still uncertain on what to include in this section? Review our guide on How to List Education on Your Resume in 2021.

6. Mention Certifications Relevant to the Job

Certifications show employers that you’re expanding on your skills and diversifying your experiences. Not only are you more knowledgeable, but you’re also more employable.

Certification programs include:

National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Certification
State Licensure
CPR/AED/First Aid certified
Blue Ocean Electronic Medical Record experience
Fitness Certification

Popular Fitness and Personal Training certifications Include:

For more information on certifications, check out our guide on How to Include Certifications on Your Resume the Right Way.

7. Pick the Right Template

Now it’s time for the fun part -- picking the aesthetics of your resume!

Here at EasyResume, we offer several different templates.

Academic: these resumes are professionally structured with minimal aesthetics in order to provide a clear and concise glimpse of your experiences. This is best for current students or those looking to pursue a career in an academic field as a researcher or teacher.
Creative: these resumes are bold and colorful with eye-catching fonts to help you stand out from the crowd. This is best for those in creative fields like marketing and art.
Elegant: these resumes are contemporary and stylish in a way that highlights you and your experiences. This is best for those in fields that prefer austerity, such as the healthcare and finance industries.
Modern: these resumes have sleek designs that are fresh and bold with tasteful fonts and clean lines. This is best for individuals applying to startups or to companies with a young audience or product.
Professional: these resumes have a clean, crisp look that incorporates only one or two accent colors. The focus is solely on the text, pulling the recruiter into your experiences and accomplishments. This is best for individuals applying to straight-laced companies that mandate a suit-and-tie dress code.

Your resume template should reflect the job to which you’re applying. For an Athletic Training career, try a Professional or Modern format.

If you want to create your own template, read how with our Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create a Resume Template in Microsoft Word.

8. Takeaways

We’ve done it! Almost.

Now it’s time to get down to business -- actually creating the resume.

Here’s what you need to do:

Research the job description to locate keywords
Use a Reverse-Chronological resume layout
Write your resume summary, including the length of time you’ve worked in the industry, and any injuries or sports you specialize in. Also include an adjective or two about your personality and list one of your top accomplishments
Include your education and relevant certifications
Write your experience section in a way that any outsider could understand. Talk more about the how and why of your responsibilities. Quantify your results.
Pick a resume template that fits the position to which you’re applying.

Start from our resume example to save time.

You’ll be well on your way to training the next stars of sports!