Résumé or CV? It’s your Image!
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Fitness certifications are only official evidence of the professional knowledge and skill sets the certificate holder is claimed to possess. Certificates will help open doors to an interview – provided the candidate’s Résumé or CV
is impressive enough! It is in this interview that the fitness pro gets an opportunity to showcase his / her knowledge and the ability and confidence to deliver it to the client. So, which is the document which will help gain entry in the interview room?
Résumé or CV?
A Résumé is what you will submit (along with your application – or, covering – letter addressed to the particular company you want to work with) if you are trying for a job for the first time or you have limited professional experience.
The Curricula Vitae or CV is a more detailed document that should be used by a candidate who has many qualifications and has long experience in different positions – example, as personal trainer, functional trainer, strength & conditioning coach, etc.
A Résumé (ray-su-may) is a short summary of the candidate’s personal and professional information, not longer than two pages. It must include –
PERSONAL DETAIL: Full name (as per legal documents), permanent address, contact details – telephone number/s, email ID, date of birth – DDMMYYYY, Aadhar Card and, if available, Passport Number (with date of expiry and place of issue).
DESCRIBE THE JOB YOU ARE LOOKING OUT FOR: Developing personalized fitness schedules, keeping everyone motivated, demonstrating the correct way of using fitness equipment, training different age groups and special populations, taking care of safety issues, etc
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: List them with the most recent at the top and the oldest at the bottom. Do not forget to mention dates of issue and expiry. Include your FACPR certificate details. If you are trying for a job abroad, include the Skills India NSQF – RPL certificate.
EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS: List them with the most recent at the top and the oldest at the bottom. Minimum will normally be 10 + 2.
EXPERIENCE: Attach copy of experience certificate/s. Mention the number of years of working as trainer before and after certification.
REFERENCES: Mention name and contact details of any reputed person who will vouch for your good behaviour or good professional skills, etc.
PHOTO: Attach a clear passport sized colour photograph to the résumé
SIGNATURE: Always sign the résumé
FOLIO: Make it a point to file the documents in sequence. At the interview, we do not want the papers falling onto the floor or you “shuffling” the1 back and forth to find a particular sheet of paper. The folio or file must be new.
The Curricula Vitae can be a minimum of two pages and as long as 10 pages! In it, the candidate will detail his professional qualifications and experiences. The idea is to show to the interviewer in what manner candidate can contribute to the Fitness Organization. The CV can have a para on your hobbies. The résumé need not have it.
Paper and Printing
Whether it is the Résumé or the CV that you will submit, be sure to use A4 sized paper sheets; the paper should be of good quality – preferably, ivory 100 – 120 gsm – on the heavier side. In fact, over half of the interviewers assess the paper quality! The print layout should have the left margin of 3 to 3.5 cms while the top, right and bottom margins can be 2 or 2.5 cms. The left margin needs to be broader because once it is filed, the reader is still able to read the full text without having to remove it from the file and then replace it after use. We suggest use Times New Roman or Arial as the font; keep the point size at 12. Space the lines at 1.5 for easier reading by the interviewer.
Be exact, accurate and honest. Be prepared to be tested. If you have submitted a Pilates on Mat certificate along with your Résumé, then be prepared to teach some Pilates exercises during the interview. If you have mentioned singing as a hobby, be prepared to be sing a song for the interviewer! This will give you a hint: mention your strong points even if they are very few. Do not mention certificates in exercise formats in which you are weak. Do not “pad” up the résumé or CV! So, it makes sense to mention first your stronger skill sets.
Fitness is a profession wherein, abroad, it is mandatory to do continuing education (or career development) training programs and renew the professional certificates. In India, unfortunately, certification is not mandatory although fitness centre owners and clients are getting increasingly choosing fitness professionals with current and valid credentials.
Update the résumé or CV as soon as you earn the certificate and / or CEUs. You have got to show through the documents that you are a unique fitness professional – you have it in you what the others do not have.
Your résumé or CV project your image. When you enter the interview room, the interviewer who has read your document but has not seen you should at once feel comfortable – as if he has known you for some time!
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