How To Write A Personal Trainer Cover Letter

Whether you’re newly qualified or an experienced PT looking for a new role, perfecting your personal trainer cover letter is so important. It is the thing that can help you really stand out to a potential employer.

Don’t know where to start? We’ve compiled the ultimate step-by-step guide to help you write it, along with a personal trainer cover letter sample. 

We’ll cover:

• Step 1- Research And Preparation
• Step 2- Plan Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter Structure
• Step 3- What To Include In Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter
• Step 4- Formatting Trainer Cover Letter
• Tips For Writing Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter
• Personal Trainer Cover Letter Example
• Writing A Personal Trainer Cover Letter With No Experience
• FAQs

Before we get started, why not expand your knowledge and increase your employment prospects by taking a Level 5 Advanced Sports Nutrition Course with OriGym? Enquire today, or download our free course prospectus for more information on how our advanced fitness courses can help boost your income.  

Step 1- Research And Preparation

Before you apply to any job in any industry, you should always do plenty of research into the role and company that you are applying for. Writing a cover letter for a personal training job is no different!

Here are some things that you should find out before you start writing your personal training cover letter: 

• What does the role involve?
• What qualifications, experience and skills does the role require? 
• What are the company’s values and ethos? 
• When was the company founded? 
• What employee benefits do they offer?
• Do they target a specific area of fitness or demographic? 

Doing plenty of research will strengthen your cover letter, as it will allow you to tailor it to the role you are applying for. This shows an employer that you are really interested in working for them specifically, rather than just in the industry in general. 

It also shows that you can carry out detailed research, demonstrating your organisational skills and work ethic- all before they have even read the actual contents of your application! 

This research is also good preparation should you get into the interview stage of applications. For more job interview tips, check out these personal trainer interview questions and answers to help you prepare. 

The best place to conduct your research is online. Most of the information you need can be found on a company’s website or LinkedIn, such as its history, values, aims, current projects, staff and news. Here is PureGym’s LinkedIn page, for example:

As you can see, the ‘About’ section gives a good indicator of the company’s brand identity and ethos. You can also use the ‘People’ tab to view the staff that work there, or click on ‘Posts’ to see any recent activity from the company that you could comment on in your cover letter. 

If you are applying for a specific gym, you could even be proactive and visit the gym to speak to the staff in-person before you apply. This further emphasises your passion and desire to work for the company. 

Step 2- Plan Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter Structure

Once you have done your research, you can then start to plan the structure of your personal trainer cover letter.  

You may be tempted to just start writing and see where it takes you. Whilst this might work if you are writing a letter to a friend, for example, this is not the approach to take when writing a cover letter!

Instead, you need to plan each paragraph carefully to make sure that you include everything that you need to, whilst also being clear and concise. 

Here is the structure that we would recommend you use when writing a cover letter for a personal trainer: 

• Contact information 
• Employer contact information 
• Salutation 
• Body of letter 
• Sign off 
• Name and/or signature 

Next, we’ll take you through exactly what to include in each of these sections- as well as a breakdown of the paragraphs within the body of the letter. 

What To Include In Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter

Now that you have planned the structure of your personal trainer cover letter, we’ll outline exactly what to include in each section.

Contact information 

At the top of the page- usually on the right hand side, you should put your contact information. This should include:

• Your full name
• Address / location
• Email address
• Phone number 

It is also a good idea to include your social media links here. This is entirely optional, but marketing yourself on social media is actually a key skill for personal trainers to have, so we would recommend including it! Not only does it demonstrate your marketing skills, but your social media pages can help give the employer a more rounded view of you and your brand. 

Employer contact information 

Whether you include this next section of your personal training cover letter or not, really depends on whether you are sending your application via email or as a physical letter by post. 

If you are sending your cover letter in the post, you will need to write the employer’s contact information on the left hand side of the page. This should include the name of the employer (if you know it), the name of the company and the company address. It is also a good idea to put the date here too.

However, if you are sending your letter via email or via a company’s online job portal, you won’t need to include the employer’s contact information.  

Salutation

In letter writing, a salutation is simply how you address the person you are writing to. 

It is one of the first things that your employer will read, so getting this bit right makes a small but important difference to how your personal trainer cover letter is perceived. 

This is because it shows that you have made the effort to find out more about the job and the company, and that you aren’t just sending out duplicates of the same cover letter for every job you apply for.

The main thing to remember here is that you should always try and address your letter to exactly who will be reading it, i.e. an employer, or head of HR, using their full name. 

If you don’t know who that is already, it is worth taking the time to try and find out. Most gyms or fitness facilities will list their staff on their website or LinkedIn. You could even call their offices and ask a member of staff for the name of the manager or head of HR. This shows great initiative and that you are dedicated, passionate and proactive- skills which will really help you stand out as a personal trainer. 

If you really can’t find the employer’s name, then you should use a general term of address such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. 

First paragraph

So, now it’s time to start writing the body of your personal trainer cover letter!

In your first paragraph, you should state why you are writing the letter. Clarify the specific role you are applying for, why you are applying for it, where you saw it advertised and when you would be available to start.

In this paragraph, you could also summarise some of your key personal trainer skills that make you suitable for this specific role. After all, this is the first impression an employer will have of you and is an easy way to grab their attention and make them want to continue reading the rest of the letter!

Second paragraph 

This paragraph is where you should highlight any relevant qualifications, experience, and skills that make you suitable for this job. This is your main opportunity to really sell yourself!

Arguably the most important thing you should mention here are your qualifications. This is one of the first things that an employer will look for in any job application. 

If you’re wondering what qualifications you need to be a personal trainer, there are two essential qualifications that you will need:

• Level 3 Gym Instructor Qualification. This qualifies you to work as a fitness instructor in a gym, leisure centre, or fitness club. It also gives you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for a career in fitness, learning the basics of human anatomy and physiology. 
• Level 4 Personal Training Qualification. Once you have completed your Level 2 course, you can then qualify as a personal trainer. This will expand upon your fitness knowledge, providing you with an in-depth understanding of the human body and how to create one-to-one tailored programmes for clients. 

If you don’t already have either of these qualifications, our CIMSPA endorsed Personal Training Diploma gives you both in as little as 4 weeks!

As well as qualifications, you should also talk about any work experience that qualifies you for the role. A good way to do this is by looking at the skills and experience listed in the personal trainer job description, and thinking about how you meet each of the criteria. 

For example, if a job description states that you need good organisational skills, it is not enough to simply say: 

I am very organised.

This is a generic statement that anyone could make. But most importantly, it is not backed up by any evidence to show how and why you are organised. 

Instead, you should use a PEE structure, standing for Point, Evidence, Explain. 

• Point - Your claim
• Evidence - An example/ evidence that supports your claim 
• Explain - Explain how and why this qualifies you for the role

So, using the PEE structure on the above sentence could look like:

I have strong organisational skills, demonstrated in my 2 years’ experience working in administration. In this position I was responsible for managing enquiries via phone and email, as well as creating reports and filing documents. This required a high level of organisation and multi-tasking. These are all skills that would directly transfer to this role, as I would be able to take on the administrative side of being a personal trainer and manage multiple clients at once. 

As you can see, this example gives specific evidence to back up their claim. Although their evidence isn’t directly fitness-related, they link it back to the job they are applying for by saying how these skills can be transferred to working as a personal trainer. We’ll talk more about how to write a personal trainer cover letter with no experience later! 

In a way, this paragraph of your cover letter can be largely based on the ‘Work Experience’ section of your personal trainer CV. However, a cover letter differs from a CV in that you are simply picking out the most relevant parts of your experience and expanding upon them, whereas a CV is essentially just a chronological list of your work history. 

You could also use this as a chance to talk about extra skills and experience that aren't necessarily listed in the job description, but make you suitable for the job. This is where you could mention any extra qualifications you have that may help you stand out amongst other applicants- but only if they are relevant!

For example, if you are qualified to work with children, this would not be a relevant thing to mention unless working with children is part of the role you are applying for!

However, things such as a Level 5 Advanced Sports Nutrition course are relevant to most fitness roles, so are nearly always worth mentioning. This is because the more qualified you are, the better a personal trainer you will be! Plus, it shows that you are dedicated to a career in fitness, as you have taken the time and effort to expand your knowledge.  

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• How To Write A Fitness Instructor CV
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Third paragraph

Where the second paragraph focuses on your experience and skills that make you suitable for the role, the third paragraph of a personal trainer cover letter is all about demonstrating your knowledge of the company you are applying for.

This is where all the research and preparation you did in Step 1 of writing your PT cover letter will come into good use! 

Using your knowledge of the company, you can talk about how you would fit into the company and what attracted you to them specifically. 

For example, say you are writing a cover letter to be a personal trainer at David Lloyd. Under the ‘About Section’ of their website, they list their values:

You could therefore say something like:

I particularly resonate with David Lloyd’s aim to provide a relaxing environment for people to have ‘We Time’ with family and friends. I believe that my friendly and approachable nature would allow me to create a positive atmosphere in the gym, and help people escape the stresses and worries of their everyday lives through exercise. 

This not only shows that you have taken the time to look into the company, but also you have given specific evidence for how your skills would help you to uphold their values. 

Although adding a personal touch to your cover letter can help you stand out, make sure to keep any personal anecdotes brief. Avoid cliches such as “I’ve always wanted to work for this company since I was a child…” They are overused and don’t give the employer a specific reason why you want to work for them!

Last paragraph 

The last paragraph of your cover letter to be a personal trainer should be a brief summary of why they should hire you. It is the final chance to leave a lasting impression on the employer!

Make sure to reiterate your passion and recap a few of the main points from the body of your letter. But remember not to overly repeat things that you have already said- this paragraph should be no more than a few lines.

You should also thank them for taking the time to read and consider your application. 

Your letter should also end with a ‘call to action’. For example, you could state when you are available to interview, or invite them to call or email you at any time. Ending in this way puts the ball in their court and encourages the employer to push your application forwards. 

Sign off

Finally, you should end your personal trainer cover letter with a formal closing.

If you know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you have used their name in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours sincerely’.

If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you used a general term of address in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours faithfully’.

Many people wonder if they should sign your signature at the bottom of a PT cover letter. This essentially depends on how you are sending your application. 

If you are sending a paper letter, you should put your signature above your typed name. But if you are sending your application via email or an online job portal, you don’t need to do this.  

Step 4- Formatting Trainer Cover Letter

Now that you know what to include in your personal trainer cover letter, you should now make sure that it is formatted correctly. Even if you write the best cover letter in the world, if it isn’t formatted well, it can seem unprofessional and put an employer off!

Here are some points to consider when formatting your cover letter to be a personal trainer:

Font: Classic fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri are best as they are professional, simple, and easy to read. 

Font size: We’d recommend using size 16pt for your titles, and 12pt for all other text. 

Paragraphs: Split your letter into paragraphs either by indenting to the left, or leaving a line in between each paragraph. An employer will be put off by a big chunk of text! 

Continuity with your CV: Whichever font and font size you use on your CV, try to match it to your cover letter. If you have used a colour theme, ensure that this is the same across the two documents. This may seem like an insignificant detail, but it can make your application look so much more professional! 

Tips For Writing Your Personal Trainer Cover Letter

#1- Be concise!

When it comes to writing a personal trainer coach cover letter, try to strike the balance between including enough detail, whilst also being as concise as possible. 

Although you may feel like you have a lot that you want to say, remember an employer will likely have a lot of job applications to get through. This means that they will likely not want to spend their time reading a long cover letter. 

With this in mind, aim to keep your cover letter within one side of A4. 

#2- Check your spelling and grammar 

It may seem obvious, but spelling and grammar mistakes are incredibly common in personal trainer cover letters. But they are actually one of the easiest mistakes to avoid! 

Even if the actual content of your cover letter is strong, making careless spelling and grammar mistakes will instantly make it look unprofessional and suggest to the employer that you haven’t taken much time or care over it. 

To avoid this, simply use a spelling and grammar checker on whatever application you are writing your letter on. You could also get a friend or family member to read it over, as they may be able to point out errors that you may have missed. 

#3- Give examples to back up your claims

As we mentioned earlier in this article, you should use the PEE paragraph structure to ensure that you are giving examples to back up your claims in your personal training cover letter.

This is important because employers will want to see exactly how you match the skills and experience that they are asking for. 

For example, anyone can say something like ‘I have experience in body weight training'. But if you want to stand out, you need to follow this statement up with details of this work experience (where, for how long, what you did), and any qualifications to back it up, such as a CPD course in body weight training. 

#4- Follow up

You may think that all of your work is done after you’ve sent off a job application. But in fact, the process doesn’t end there!

Most employers will likely receive hundreds of applications for one single role, particularly if you are applying for a leading commercial gym. As such, there is a high chance that your application could get lost in the post, or your email could go unread.

To avoid this, if you haven’t heard back from an application in a few weeks, why not send them a quick email to check if they have received your application? This shows to an employer that you are proactive and really interested in the job. 

Even if you find out that you didn’t get the job, it is worth asking for feedback as to why you didn’t get it. This will help you know exactly how to improve your personal trainer cover letter for the next role you apply for. 

#5- Tell the truth 

If you really want a job, it can be tempting to tell a few white lies about your experience or qualifications on your personal trainer job cover letter. But trust us, it isn’t worth it!

No matter how small it is, if an employer finds out that you have lied in your application, even after you’ve started the job, it puts you in a very unprofessional light. 

It is therefore always best to stick to the truth when it comes to writing your personal trainer cover letter. This avoids any potential problems in the future and means that you can apply for jobs with a clear conscience! 

#6- Let your personality show 

Although we have given you a structure to follow when writing your PT cover letter, it is good to let your own personal voice shine through too! 

Confidence and creativity are both important traits of a personal trainer, so use your cover letter as a chance to show that you have these qualities. Whether it's including some personal anecdotes or using a creative structure, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

When someone is choosing a personal trainer, prospective clients will be looking for someone who is passionate about what they do. So you can use your cover letter to show that you fit that criteria.  

Personal Trainer Cover Letter Example

If you’re still looking for guidance, these personal trainer sample cover letters might help steer you in the right direction. 

We would still recommend following the 4 steps outlined above when writing a cover letter for a personal training job. These personal trainer cover letter samples are merely here to give you a point of reference and guidance.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in response to your advertisement for a Level 4 personal trainer position via Active Careers, and I would like to express my keen interest in the role.

I am a fully qualified personal trainer with over 4 years’ experience working in the fitness sector. I took a CIMSPA-accredited Personal Trainer Diploma with OriGym, and gained further CPD qualifications in spin, kettlebells and suspension training. I would therefore be qualified to train gym members or take classes in specialist areas of fitness if required. 

I am passionate, hardworking, and reliable, which I have demonstrated through my 99% attendance rate during my employment thus far with GL Leisure. I have won a customer service award, which stems from my ability to consistently engage with members on the gym floor. This demonstrates my strong communication skills, which aligns with your company’s core values and aims to make all members feel welcome and comfortable in the gym. 

Furthermore, in my current role, I have demonstrated my strong sales skills by hitting and exceeding my monthly targets for 6 consecutive months, by selling supplements and upselling membership packages. I hope to transfer these to this gym instructing role to boost member retention, increase class numbers, and help members achieve their personal fitness goals. 

In conclusion, I feel that my skills, experience and passion for health and fitness make me a perfect fit for the role. I would be available for an interview, and I am available via my mobile number (INSERT NUMBER) between 9am – 3pm Monday to Thursday, or alternately anytime on the weekend.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Yours Sincerely,

(FULL NAME)

Writing A Personal Trainer Cover Letter With No Experience

You may be wondering, how can I write a personal training cover letter with no experience in the fitness industry? After all, we all have to start somewhere!

Although having experience in fitness behind you can indeed strengthen your application, there are always ways that you can link the experience you do have to personal training. When writing a cover letter for a personal trainer with no experience, remember to keep things positive. 

For example, avoid saying negative sentences such as:

I don’t have any experience in personal training, but I do have experience in (x)...

This highlights your lack of experience, putting negativity into the employer’s mind. Even if you go on to say the experience you do have, you should avoid starting with a negative statement. 

Instead, don’t mention your ‘lack’ of experience at all. Simply highlight the experience you do have and link it to the job description. For example, you could say:

My experience in (x) is directly transferable to this role because…

This shows the employer that although you may not have experience in the sector, you have relevant skills that will help you excel in the role, which is the most important thing that they will be looking for.

FAQs

Where can I find a job as a personal trainer? 

Now that you know how to write a cover letter to be a personal trainer, we bet that you’re keen to start sending out your applications.

Online is the easiest way to find personal trainer vacancies. General job listing sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor will list PT vacancies. 

You could also advertise your services on a gym noticeboard, or network with staff and members of your local gym or fitness centre in-person. ​​

If you take your personal training course with OriGym, you’ll get access to our award-winning post-course support. As well as CV advice from our team of experts, we guarantee an interview with a gym from our extensive network of partner gyms across the country! 

Before you go!

So, we hope that you now feel confident in writing the perfect cover letter for a personal trainer. Along with a strong CV, skills and qualifications, you’ve got everything you need to land your dream job! 

If you think you need something extra to strengthen your personal trainer job application, taking OriGym’s Level 5 Advanced Sports Nutrition Course will do just that! Enquire today, or download our free course prospectus here to browse the full range of fitness courses that we offer.