If it's time to ace your job search, you'll need to serve up a great resume that scores points with the hiring manager. Volleyball coaches are not only experts in the sport, they're also motivators, mentors and team leaders. Your resume will need to convey all of these attributes to help you land your dream coaching position.
Luckily, Resume.io is here to help. With 300+ resume examples and writing guides, we're experts in helping job seekers craft stand-out applications, no matter their field or experience level. This guide, along with the corresponding volleyball coach resume example will cover the following topics:
- What does a volleyball coach do?
- How to write a volleyball coach resume (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a volleyball coach resume
- Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional resume layout and design hints.
What does a volleyball coach do?
A volleyball coach is a professional who instructs athletes on how to improve their performance in the sport of volleyball. Volleyball coaches help to improve the performance levels of athletes by designing and implementing powerful conditioning and practice programs that help them prepare for matches. Volleyball coaches work one-on-one with athletes to address issues, problems, or concerns, and work to create and maintain a positive team-oriented environment. They help athletes foster pre-season, season, and post-season skills. Volleyball coaches introduce helpful techniques that maximize performance and minimize risk of injury. They typically work to effectively run and manage a volleyball program, schedule practices and games, and work with other division professionals to enhance programs. A volleyball coach might work in a school, a sports facility, or be self-employed. Most volleyball coaches are accomplished athletes themselves, adding to their understanding of the sport.
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How to write a volleyball coach resume
A winning volleyball coach resume will contain many of the sections found on traditional resumes. Here's what your CV should include:
- The resume header
- The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The resume skills section
- The education section
A successful volleyball coach resume should clearly convey a candidate’s ability to help volleyball players improve their performance and ability through practice, conditioning, and the use of techniques. You should call attention to your ability to instruct players about the rules, regulations, equipment, and techniques used in volleyball. You should note your ability to properly evaluate players and run effective practices. Highlight your ability to improve your team’s offense and defense skills. Your resume should highlight your ability to help players improve their form, serving, passing, and blocking. Be sure to specify what level athletes you are capable of coaching. Your resume should highlight your ability to develop individual or team oriented programs.
It is important to create an impressive skills section with a strong combination of both soft and hard skills useful in volleyball coaching. Some examples of impressive skills are: Effective Coaching Skills, Ability to Communicate with Players, Team Management Skills, Knowledge of Proper Form, Knowledge of Volleyball Techniques, and Organizational Skills. Your resume should showcase positions you are proud of, with an emphasis on positions with transferable duties and required skills for a volleyball coach position. While an advanced degree is not usually required, a Bachelor’s Degree may be preferred in some higher level academic settings.
Choosing the best resume format for volleyball coaches
For the majority of job seekers (including volleyball coaches) the reverse chronological resume format will be the right choice. This resume format centers on an employment history section where the candidate can list their previous roles and expand on their achievements. Jobs should be listed starting with the most recent and work backwards through 10 years of experience. This format is preferred by both hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) making it the ideal choice whenever possible.
However, in certain circumstances some candidates may opt for alternative formats such as the functional or hybrid structures. You can read more about them in our overall guide to resume formatting.
Squeaking past the ATS
Before your resume gets read by the hiring manager, it faces the possibility of getting double blocked by the Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS in use at most medium and large companies and educational institutions. These algorithms scan the resume for keywords and rank them against the other candidates. Only the top-scoring resumes move on to the HR department for review. While there's no surefire way to avoid the ATS' net, you can increase the odds of making it through by following these tips:
- Read the job description closely and look for duties and skills emphasized by the employer.
- Place these keywords and skills throughout your resume when relevant to your experience.
- Use common section headings so that the ATS can easily find the information it's looking for.
Resume summary example
The resume summary is to your resume what the warm-up is to a great practice. The summary gives the hiring manager a taste of what's to come by highlighting your biggest accomplishments and attributes. Use powerful action verbs and numbers to quantify achievements wherever you can. For a volleyball coach, you may want to name drop the most impressive programs you've coached for or the school you played for to encourage the hiring manager to find the details further down. Make sure to add a touch of the charisma and personality that makes you a great coach to your summary as well. Here's the summary from our adaptable resume example.
Seasoned and accomplished volleyball coach with an accomplished background of coaching effectively and leading teams to victories. Wholeheartedly committed to helping student athletes realize their greatest athletic potential. Highly skilled in all aspects of volleyball, and adept in instructing athletes regarding serve techniques, blocking techniques, and passing techniques. Bringing forth the ability to skillfully help players make conscious decisions to improve their form, technique, and performance level, while also enjoying the game of volleyball.
Employment history sample
The employment history section plays libero on your resume. Even if you've crafted a great summary, this might just be the first place the hiring manager's eyes will land. This section is flexible enough not only to describe where you worked but also to offer insight into your coaching skills and style. Start with your most recent position and offer the job title, employer name, dates worked and location. Remember to use powerful action verbs and volleyball terminology that showcases your knowledge of the sport. Check out the bullet points from our adaptable resume sample below.
- Coached Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyballs teams, with a two year Championship record.
- Collaborated with Athletic Coordinators to enhance the Volleyball programs each year.
- Coached players about proper form, performance-enhancing techniques, and sportsmanship.
- Assisted players with physical setbacks or injuries by offering modified conditioning programs.
- Worked to recruit and retain promising players by promoting a happy and peaceful team community.
- Continuously honored my commitment to the guidelines and mission of the college.
CV skills example
The skills section of your CV is the best place to highlight areas of expertise that you want to stand out in the hiring manager's mind. Since this section usually takes bullet point form, it's best to stick with abilities that can be highlighted in a sentence or two. Make sure to avoid clichés here and include a mix of hard skills and soft skills found on the job description. This might be the hiring manager's lasting impression of your CV so make sure to built a coherent picture with all the other sections.
Below you'll find the skills section from our resume example.
- Effective Coaching Techniques
- Advanced Communication Skills
- Complete Knowledge of Volleyball
- Program Management Skills
- Conditioning Skills
- Scheduling Skills
- Mentoring Skills
- Professional Enthusiasm
Education Section Example
While no formal education is required for volleyball coaches, many have university degrees from the schools where they played. Make sure to list those in reverse chronological order. Any honors or distinctions should be noted here as well. If you hold a degree higher than a bachelor’s degree, you may leave out your high school. The education section is also a great place to add certifications or memberships you hold. Check out our resume sample below.
- 2012-2016 Manhattanville College, Bachelor of Sports Management Purchase, NY
- 2008-2012 Rye High School, High School Diploma Rye, NY
Resume layout and design
The resume layout and design speaks volumes about your experience and professionalism and can set you apart from other candidates, especially when applying to local positions. Make sure to create a header that emphasizes your name and contact information while offering some attractive yet appropriate visual elements. You may also want to align your color scheme or style with the look and feel of the university or school (the right colors can go a long way!) Luckily, a professionally-designed resume template can make this quick and easy. Here are some other layout tips:
- Make sure to keep a balance of white space to text
- Use the right font size – 12 point is best
- Stick with one or two professional font styles
- Go overboard with color or too many cutesy design elements
- Submit a resume with typos or grammar mistakes
- Spill over onto a second page unless you're a volleyball hall of famer!
Key takeaways
- A resume is the key job search document that will help you land your dream volleyball coaching job.
- Make sure to include the essential sections found on most resumes.
- Use the summary to add a touch of your personality as a coach.
- Don't forget to use numbers and action verbs to quantify your accomplishments.
- Check out our volleyball coach resume sample for ideas on creating a great page layout.