Top Job Thursday

10 Steps to Become a Personal Fitness Trainer

1. Decide if You Have What It Takes-Personal trainers need to have a multitude of skills. You should be patient, analytical, persistent, nurturing, organized, an effective motivator and a good listener. You should love working with different kinds of people and be a self-motivator. You should definitely lead a healthy lifestyle to be a good role model for your clients.

2. Choose a Certification - There are a variety of certifying organizations, each offering different classes, workshops and exams for getting certified. You'll want to choose an organization that is nationally recognized and accredited. If you already have a club in mind, call and ask them what certifications they require. If you don't know where you'll work, take some time to research organizations: How much the certification costs, what the pre-requisites are, if they offer a workshop/exam in your area or a home study program.

3. Choose a specialty - This isn't required, but in this competitive market, many fitness trainers are boosting their resumes by getting specialty certifications. Getting a specialty certification means you have more to offer and, even better, you can usually charge a little more for your services.

4. Get a Job at a Club - Using your local phone book, call some clubs in your area and ask them if they employ personal trainers. If they say yes, ask about availability of jobs and the procedure for filling out an application. You can also visit some of the major clubs on the Internet and see what jobs they have open.

5. Setting Up Your Own Business - Briefly, setting up your home business requires: Choosing a business entity (i.e., sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.), choosing a business name, registering your company, getting liability insurance, setting up your gym (if you're training from your own home), targeting potential clients, and marketing yourself.

6. Market Yourself - Once you get things going, it's time to get your name out to the masses. This means making flyers, newsletters, business cards, a website or even setting up neighborhood seminars to bring in the business. Be prepared to hawk your wares anywhere you can: posting flyers in sporting goods stores,getting friends and family members to spread the word and sending out flyers and newsletters to people you know. Offering free consultations and seminars is a great way to get people in the door.

7. Improve Your Skills and Education - Continuing education. It's a dirty job, but if you want to keep your certification and be good fitness trainer, you'll have to do it.

8. Become Indispensable to Your Clients - Being successful at this job takes work, talent, skill and experience. Getting a certification is no guarantee that you'll either get clients or, more importantly, be able to keep those clients.

9. Other Options - You don't have to work in a gym or even work for yourself. Personal fitness trainers work in all kinds of different areas: corporate fitness, cruises, resorts, spas, online training and more.

10. Beyond Personal Training - Once you're an established fitness trainer, there are even more opportunities available to you. You can consider consulting, fitness writing, athletic coaching (with the proper education), group fitness instruction or even opening your own gym. Whatever you choose, you'll find that being a personal trainer provides everything you love in a job.

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