If you love being fit and want to get paid for your passion, then being a personal trainer may be the perfect career for you. Being a personal trainer can be amazingly rewarding and pays very well, generally from $50 to $250 an hour, while helping people craft the body they have always dreamed of having. The job is fulfilling, meaningful and well respected.
Here is how to get started in this career:
Step 1: Get Certified by a Well-Recognized Organization
There are many ways you can get certified. Generally you should receive at least one or two certifications before applying for work.
The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) examination is perhaps the most widely recognized exam you can take. You can study the course at home, and take the test at home as well. Other organizations include ACE, AFAA, IFPA, ISSA and the AFPA. These are all nationally recognized certification programs.
One popular way of getting certified is to get one general fitness certification and one more specialized certification.
Step 2: Build Credibility and Get Experience
In general, the first step in a physical training career is to get a job in the field. You can try to make it on your own without experience or clients, but it is much easier to get experience by first getting a job.
Places that hire personal trainers include gyms, fitness centers, spas, high-end resorts and sometimes medical facilities. Apply to one or two of the big name brands, such as 24-Hour Fitness or Crunch in the United States, and Bannatyne’s in the United Kingdom. You should also apply to several smaller or local locations. The larger gyms often have stricter hiring requirements and may be less inclined to hire someone just entering the industry.
Needless to say, you need to be in top personal condition before becoming a personal trainer.
Step 3: Next Steps
Once you have a year or two of experience in the industry, along with a handful of loyal clients who will follow you wherever you go might be the time to think about breaking out on your own.
Personal trainers who do so can earn a lot more than personal trainers working at a gym. As the perceived value is higher, you can charge higher rates and you don’t have to split it with the gym.
Of course, the position comes with its own challenges as well. You need to market yourself and get your own clients, and you need to handle all the business aspects, including insurance, accounting and setting up a formal business.
If you love fitness, getting started as a personal trainer can take as little as a couple months and about $300 for certification. The job will be rewarding and challenging, with tremendous potential as you get more clients and even explore starting your own business.
