Sports Therapist Resume Examples & Tips
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Sports therapists (also known as athletic trainers) use advanced physical techniques and therapies to prevent and treat sporting injuries, manage injury prevention, and support sports rehabilitation. For this job, you should have good interpersonal skills, knowledge of physical therapy, and excellent decision-making skills.
To put together a standout resume for a sports therapist position, use these tips and our resume examples:
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Sports therapist example (text version)
Name: GAIL BISHOP
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Compassionate sports therapist with extensive knowledge in sports injuries and therapy. Five-year background working with coaches and trainers to implement effective treatment plans for athletes. Recognized for the quick and successful recovery of over 500 patients.
SKILLS
- Fitness assessment
- Program development
- Dry needling
- Manual therapy
- Laser therapy
- Teamwork
- Problem resolution
- Communication
WORK HISTORY
Sports Therapist
September 2017 to Current
Company Name, City, State
- Perform various therapeutic procedures on athletes including dry needling, manual therapy, and massage therapy.
- Treat 150+ patients with sports related injuries such as sprains, strains, and dislocations through carefully selected exercises.
- Work collaboratively with coaches and trainers to implement injury prevention programs and keep athletes in peak condition.
Sports Therapist
July 2015 to August 2017
Company Name, City, State
- Interpreted results and proposed therapeutic plans, including short and long-range goals, frequency and duration
- Administered a range of exercise programs involving active and passive ranges of motion and muscle reeducation
- Managed a patient load of 35+ per week.
Physical Therapy Student Intern
May 2013 to September 2013
Company Name, City, State
- Administered tests to assess nature of disabilities and limits of function and personal capacities.
- Provided support to help patients adjust to new physical or cognitive limitations.
- Implemented treatment programs for patients with arthritis and those in recovery from sports injuries.
EDUCATION
Sports Medicine Fellowship Program
June 2015, City, State
Doctor of Physical Therapy
May 2014, City, State
Bachelor of Science Exercise Science
May 2011, City, State
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Sports Therapist Resume FAQ
1. What are hard and soft skills that can be incorporated into a sports therapist resume?
| Hard skills: | Soft skills: |
| CPR | Communication skills |
| Injury prevention | Problem-solving |
| Sports specific-rehabilitation | Presentation skills |
| Conducting seminars | Client management |
| Tissue massage | Eye for detail |
| Traction manipulation | Active listening |
| First aid | Encouraging |
| Injury management | Relationship building |
| Treatment plans | Abstract thinking |
| Prenatal massage techniques | Empathy |
| Physical evaluation | Sensitivity |
| Coaching | |
| Motivation |
| Hard skills: |
| CPR |
| Injury prevention |
| Sports specific-rehabilitation |
| Conducting seminars |
| Tissue massage |
| Traction manipulation |
| First aid |
| Injury management |
| Treatment plans |
| Prenatal massage techniques |
| Physical evaluation |
| Soft skills: |
| Communication skills |
| Problem-solving |
| Presentation skills |
| Client management |
| Eye for detail |
| Active listening |
| Encouraging |
| Relationship building |
| Abstract thinking |
| Empathy |
| Sensitivity |
| Coaching |
| Motivation |
2. What resume format should you use for your resume?
If you’re new to the physical therapy industry or a first-time job candidate, use the functional resume format, which focuses on the skills and training you already have. If you have a few years of experience in the field, go with the combination resume format, as it focuses on both your relevant work history and skills. If you can showcase a lengthy career in sports therapy, choose the chronological resume format, which features a full rundown of your work achievements.
For more details on formatting your resume, visit our resume format page.
3. What should you leave off your resume?
- Don’t write an objective statement — employers are more interested in knowing how you can contribute, rather than what benefits you’re seeking from the job.
- Limit your personal details to your name, contact number and email address — for confidentiality, you should leave off your mailing address and other personal information.
- Skip adding references or adding the statement “references available upon request” to your resume — employers will request resumes separately, if needed.
4. How do you get the right keywords in a resume?
As we mentioned above, employers often use ATS to scan your resume, looking for the right keywords. To make sure your resume can hold up to such a scan, review the job description for important phrases such as “strong organizational and operational skills,” or “compassionate care,” and feature skills and experiences that address these needs in your resume (e.g., providing a work history example where you provided compassionate care). See this resume keywords article for more tips on how to use them.
5. How should you use action-based verbs in your resume?
Describing your experiences and actions with energetic action verbs like “managed,” “led” or “oversaw” makes a better impression than using passing language like “was tasked with,” For example, “was responsible for customized treatment procedures” has less impact than writing “Implemented customized treatment procedures.”
Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO add industry-relevant training and certifications. In a profession such as sports therapy, having the right combination of knowledge and training is key, so don’t hold back from featuring certifications and training programs you’ve completed, such as “Advanced Exercise Therapist Certification,” or specialized courses (e.g., “Science in Sports Medicine”). You can include these details in your education section, or create a separate “Training and Certifications” section if you have more than a couple of credentials.
- DO keep your resume concise. Since employers usually take just a few seconds to scan a resume, keep your document short and sweet. Stick to information that directly relates to the specific job, using punchy phrases and bullet points rather than long-winded sentences, and limit your work history section to the past ten years. Aim for a resume that’s two-pages long at most.
- DO add measurable terms to your work achievements. Highlight your work achievements using numbers and metrics. For example, a general statement like “Coached undergraduate students, implementing injury prevention techniques” can be buffed up with some details: “Coached 500 undergraduate students for more than 200 hours each semester, implementing injury prevention techniques.”
- DON’T use a single resume for different job applications. Sports therapy jobs can cover a wide range of treatments and sports, so don’t sabotage your chances by using one resume for every job. Create different versions of your resume for each job opportunity by reading through the job description, picking out the job’s specific requirements (e.g., treating soft-tissue injuries, or developing appropriate profiling, screening and injury prevention protocols), and then update your summary, skills and work history section with qualifications and experiences that fit these needs. For example, you could list “soft-tissue injury treatment” as a skill, or describe your work experience with setting injury protocols. For more tips, see our article How to Create a Targeted Resume.
- DON’T get too fancy with your layout. While it’s important to have a resume that makes a good visual statement, using extravagant fonts or unusual graphics in your document can throw off employers, and the applicant tracking systems (ATS) they use to scan it. Focus instead on having the right content in your resume, and a straightforward resume template to showcase it.
- DON’T submit your resume without proofreading it. Before submitting your resume, review your information to make sure it’s both relevant and accurate. This is also your chance to catch typographical or grammar mistakes as well as misspellings. To save yourself time, use our Resume Builder, which checks for these types of errors.
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Sports Therapist Resume
Summary
Describe who you are as a job candidate in your summary statement, identifying top work achievements and relevant skills. For example: “Dedicated sports therapist experienced in working with individuals of all ages. Well-versed in therapeutic techniques, and familiar with health fitness programs.”
Skills
Browse through the job description to pick out skills the employer needs, then feature your own matching abilities in this section. It’s good practice to create two subcategories here: one for hard skills (e.g., CPR, injury prevention, massage techniques) and soft skills (e.g., empathy, critical observation or adaptability).
Work History
Mention current and previous jobs in reverse chronological order, specifying dates of employment, and name and location of each organization. Use descriptive bullet points to explain accomplishments and responsibilities where you made an impact, rather than typical everyday duties. For example: “Created and implemented one-on-one massage techniques to improve flexibility and range of motion.”
Education
List out degrees and diplomas you’ve attained, as well as any special awards or honors that are related to physical therapy. For example: “Master of Science in Sport Rehabilitation and Therapy,” or “Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Science and Sports Therapy.” Also feature related certifications you’ve earned, such as “Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.”
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Sports Therapist Resume Example
Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with extensive experience in digital media. She is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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