Writing a resume isn’t as simple as it used to be. Now the choice of fonts, colors, and styles ‒ even what experience you should include ‒ can vary wildly from industry to industry and job to job. To complicate things even further, hiring managers spend only about six or seven seconds looking at your resume before they decide if they want to interview you (this isn’t the norm everywhere, of course).

Your resume is the key piece of your job application. It can be difficult to explain all your experiences and qualifications without going overboard, but making sure it’s clear and concise yet informative can help you stand out from the crowd. So how can you make sure your resume shines when applying for health coaching jobs?

What Is a Health Coach?

Health Coaches act as guides for clients, helping them reach their health-related goals by providing guidance and accountability. Health Coaches support their clients with both health and general life concerns, from relationships to careers to finances.

Working with clients one-on-one or in group settings, in person or virtually, coaches offer services that complement those of more traditional health professionals, like nutritionists, dietitians, physicians, therapists, and personal trainers.

Health coaching also emphasizes that true wellness goes beyond diet. IIN refers to this as primary food ‒ the areas of life that impact your short- and long-term health just as much as the food you eat, like social and family connections, environment, work, spirituality, and physical activity.

Employment opportunities and salary prospects

The path to becoming a Health Coach will vary from person to person, and the same goes for where coaches work. Health and wellness coaches are often thought of as self-employed, but it’s becoming more common to see coaches working with and for small and large businesses alike.

The earning potential and salary for Health Coaches depends on:

• Whether you work full- or part-time
• Your health coach certificate
• The number of clients you have at any given time
• Overhead costs, like office space and technology costs
• Your geographic location – larger cities usually have a higher cost of living but also higher wages
• Whether you’re self-employed or you work for a company or corporation
• Your coaching niche or specialty

According to popular job listing sites such as Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a full-time Health Coach can range from $50,000 - $80,000 per year (based on over 1,000 salaries submitted to both sites). There are Health Coaches in the top 1% making seven figures!

Health Coach Resume Examples

See below for an example of what a Health Coach and Wellness Coach resumes may include, from education to work experience as well as sought-after skills that an employer will be looking for in a qualified candidate.

Emile Jones
415-555-5555 | emilejones@email.com | San Francisco Bay Area

SKILLS & TECHNOLOGY

• Health, wellness, and lifestyle coaching
• Active listening 
• Community outreach
• Critical thinking 
• Collaboration and interpersonal communication
• Holistic health 
• Time management
• Adobe Software Suite  
• Critical thinking
• MS Office 

EXPERIENCE
Health and Wellness Coach, May 2021 ‒ Current
Pearson Health and Wellness – San Francisco, CA

• Hosted 1:1 coaching sessions with over 15 clients each month, utilizing motivational interviewing skills and developing individualized plans to assist clients in achieving their health goals.
• Establish strong rapport to effectively communicate, guide, educate and support members on their health and wellness journey.
• Conduct health screenings and develop individualized program plans with members, catering to each client’s specific needs (dietary restrictions, health issues, and overall health and wellness goals).
• Provide client follow-ups and document all visits, track progress and results, and make modifications as needed for each member.

Supply Chain Coordinator, August 2018 – April 2020
Sirtex – San Francisco, CA

• Coordinated and supported global purchasing activities between intercompany and stakeholders.
• Updated and maintained database on purchases, materials, suppliers and costing.
• Coordinated receipt of invoices and delivery notes for approval.
• Communicated with customer service and production as necessary in relation to sales order requirements and shipments as needed.
• Analyzed orders and prepared weekly production plan for production facility.

Project Coordinator, September 2017 – July 2018
Benton Solar, Inc. – La Jolla, CA

• Worked closely with installation and sales teams to prepare comprehensive action plans, including resources, timeframes, inspections and budgets for projects.
• Continually met project requirements (kick-off meetings, deadline management, client status reporting and other necessary project communication) to deliver all project deliverables on time, within budget and at the highest quality standards.
• Participated in the development and implementation of practice standards by which all client service staff operate to create a best in practice culture.

EDUCATION
University of California, San Diego – La Jolla, CA
Bachelor of Science, May 2017
Business Administration / Technology, Innovation, and Supply Chain

Institute for Integrative Nutrition – Online Training
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate, March 2021

Julie Smith
212-555-5555 | julie.smith@email.com | Greater New York City Area

EXPERIENCE
Health Coach, January 2019 ‒ Current
Unique Health Coaching Practice – Brooklyn, NY

• Create health and wellness plans for a set number of personal clients based on their individual goals and concerns
• Support full practice’s clients during biweekly office hours in general wellness, nutrition, sleeping habits, stress management, and other health-related topics
• Provide regular phone communication with clients as well as in-person and virtual meetings
• Lead monthly workplace wellness workshops at multiple restaurants in and around Brooklyn
• Lead monthly virtual workshops on relevant health topics with a corporate partner located in Chicago
• Write and publish monthly blog posts, on Unique Health Coaching Practice’s website, about the most frequently asked health questions from clients

Health and Nutrition Coach, November 2014 – January 2019
Sweeney Coaching – New York, NY

• Coached more than 500 clients, specializing in stress management and sleep hygiene
• Improved client retention by 25% over five years by providing relevant and useful client resource materials, supporting staff with website updates, and implementing protocols for seamless client onboarding and three- and six-month follow-ups
• Spearheaded corporate wellness partnerships, including establishing workplace wellness workshops with two Fortune 500 companies in New York City

Digital Marketing Intern, September 2013 – September 2014
Technology, Incorporated – New York, NY

• Conducted search engine optimization (SEO) research across portfolios, including performing keyword research intended to differentiate related landing pages from one another and optimize SEO for web pages
• Reviewed global web content, including page content, structure, and metadata, for optimization opportunities
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to recommend and implement SEO updates
• Analyzed data for all digital channels, including bounce rates and conversions

EDUCATION
New York University – New York, NY
Bachelor of Science, May 2013
Media, Culture, and Communication / Psychology

Institute for Integrative Nutrition – New York, NY
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate, May 2014

SKILLS

• Health, wellness, and lifestyle coaching
• Leadership
• Collaboration and interpersonal communication
• Time management
• Organization
• Critical thinking
• SEO marketing and Google Analytics
• SEO writing and keyword research
• Adobe software suite

Tips for Writing a Health Coach Resume

Keep your resume short and direct.

Unless you have decades of relevant experience, your resume should be only one page. It’s meant to serve as a snapshot into your career history and highlight the achievements you’ve had during each job. Resumes that are too long can show hiring managers that you can’t give a good career summary or may be including experiences that aren’t relevant.

Optimize your text.

Most job-application software utilizes an applicant tracking system, or ATS, which collects and scans applications and resumes for keywords. These systems can count you out before you ever reach a human hiring manager. Make sure you mimic the language of the employer’s job description in your resume, as those are likely some of the keywords that an ATS looks for. You can also include these keywords in your “skills” section, to make sure they’re caught.

Describe achievements, not just job duties.

While explaining what you did in your day-to-day is important, showing potential employers the value you brought to your previous job – and what you can bring to this new company – is arguably more meaningful. Show concrete examples of your accomplishments in previous positions that demonstrate how you can make a difference in this new position. For example, “Brought on seven new clients in my first six months by implementing targeted email campaigns” is more impactful than “Brought new clients to the practice.” These achievements are also great to mention in your cover letter.

List your social media profiles.

This might be controversial to some, but including social media profiles on your resume may actually help! If you’re running your own business or are an influencer (in a way that relates to the job you’re applying for), showing off your profiles can allow hiring managers to get a peek into who you are in a less formal setting. If you’re going to include them, make sure the content on them will help your chances of getting the job, not scare employers away.

Proofread, then proofread again.

Before sending your resume, you should proofread it thoroughly to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Once you’ve read through it several times, ask a friend or colleague to take a look. After a while, we become so used to seeing what we’ve written that we may glaze over errors. A fresh pair of eyes can help catch any mistakes or find things that could be more clear or concise. You can also use a proofreading program, like Grammarly.

The Bottom Line

Writing a resume doesn’t have to be as complicated or daunting as it seems. When applying for health coaching jobs, make sure that your resume focuses on how you brought value to your current or last employer – and your clients!

Before you apply, optimize your resume to get past any screening software; include quantitative, relevant information; and carefully review for errors. Once it's polished and finalized, a well-structured Health Coach resume should help you get more interviews (and, ultimately,) job offers.