How To Land Your Dream Job As Personal Trainer

No, I’m not talking about getting a job as a personal trainer at a gym. That’s easy! Everyone can do that. 

Instead, I’m talking about landing your dream job as a personal trainer the kind of gig where you’re working for yourself, making good money, and doing what you love. It might seem like an impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be. 

As the owner of my own fitness business in Chicago, I’ve seen dozens of clients who have successfully made this leap into self-employment. 

And with some hard work and determination on their part (and mine), these former gym rats are now thriving as independent trainers who offer group classes at local studios or teach one-on-one clients from home studios or even gyms themselves!

Takeaways
Research various certification programs to become a certified personal trainer.
Gain practical experience through internships or shadowing experienced trainers.
Build a strong online presence through a website and social media platforms.
Consider specializing in specific areas such as sports performance or weight management.
Develop effective marketing strategies to attract clients.
Network with professionals in the fitness industry to expand opportunities.
Continuously update your knowledge and skills through ongoing education and training.
Provide exceptional customer service and personalized training to retain clients.
Stay motivated and dedicated to your own fitness journey as a personal trainer.
Seek feedback from clients and continually improve your training techniques.

Get Your Credentials!

The next step to landing your dream job as a personal trainer is getting your credentials. Your certification in fitness and nutrition will show potential employers that you’re qualified for the job and that you’re serious about being a personal trainer.

You can attain these credentials in several ways: by taking classes at a local community college or university, by working with an accredited program, or by taking an exam from one of the leading organizations in the industry.

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Network Like You Mean It

Networking is a great way to land your dream job as a personal trainer. But how do you start? First, you need to make sure you’re networking with the right people. 

Networking can be done in person or online and any network you build must be made up of people who are interested in what it is that you do. 

If there are others out there who share the same interests as yourself, those are the ones who should be on your radar when it comes time for networking and job hunting.

You also don’t want to limit yourself by only being friendly with people within one area or industry; no matter what field or region someone works in, there could be potential clients out there who could benefit from hiring them as their trainer! 

You never know who might have someone they know looking for a personal trainer themselves – so don’t just stick with one group that only represents one part of life: expand your horizons!

Join A Professional Organization

Joining a professional organization is one of the most important things you can do to prepare for your career as a personal trainer. These organizations offer networking opportunities and education, in addition to resources that help you advance your career. 

Joining a professional organization is one of the ways people get their first jobs as personal trainers!

Professional organizations are similar to trade unions or guilds they’re groups whose members have an interest in common, whether that’s physical fitness or something else entirely. 

Professional organizations allow their members to share knowledge and experiences so they can all be better at what they do; sometimes this means sharing tips for clients or teaching each other new exercise techniques during meetings at local gyms. 

They also provide support when it comes time for promotions or job openings within their field (which we’ll talk about later).

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Don’t Shy Away From The Competition

There are a lot of people out there who are interested in becoming a personal trainer, and you’re not alone. But don’t be discouraged by this fact. It makes your job easier! 

The more people that come into the field, the more competition there will be but it also means there’s an even greater need for qualified trainers. As long as you do the legwork and put in the hard work, you’ll find yourself at the head of the pack very quickly!

Get The Word Out

To get your name out there, start with the basics: social media. While Facebook and LinkedIn are well-known platforms for personal trainers, you can also find success by using Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to share your skills and knowledge with potential clients.

What’s more, connecting with other personal trainers and fitness professionals on social media is a great way to build a network of people who share your interests and goals. This will help you stay motivated as well as boost your confidence in pursuing this career path. 

If you don’t know any other trainers personally yet but are interested in meeting one or two in person before making a full commitment (or if you just want someone else who might be able to critique some of your workout routines).

Look into joining an online community like Fitocracy or Reddit Fitness (there are plenty more out there).

Another idea is finding a mentor someone who has already been successful at their job as a personal trainer for years and asking them questions about how they got started in their field of work. 

Mentors can help guide newbies through all the different steps involved in setting up shop while giving them advice on how best to approach those initial steps themselves when starting on their own; 

Since most people have never considered becoming self-employed before deciding that this was what they wanted from life anyway!

Offer To Teach A Class At Your Gym

The goal is to get your name out there and get people excited about you. If you can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and show that you’re ready to lead, this is a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants. 

And if the gym doesn’t have the resources to pay for a class? No problem! Offer up teaching duties for free in exchange for an opportunity to demonstrate what makes you great at what you do and don’t forget to put that on your resume!

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Make Sure You’re Doing It For The Right Reasons

Before you begin your journey to becoming a personal trainer, there is one important thing to think about. Are you doing it for the right reasons?

If you love what you do, are good at it, and can make a living from it, then that’s great! But if not if fitness isn’t your passion – maybe becoming a personal trainer isn’t for you after all.

You need to be able to commit yourself fully to this career path and stick with it for many years to come. 

You also need to be able to teach others how they can get results through exercise and dieting, meaning that if other things in life excite or interest you more than training does (and there should be), then this might not be the right job for you either.

Put Yourself Out There

Your job hunt is going to be tough. To land your dream job, you’ll have to 1) put yourself out there, 2) be proactive and 3) take initiative. 

You’ll need to be willing to take risks, fail sometimes, and work hard. You may also have some uncomfortable conversations or get rejected the first time around (or 20 times after that).

Of course, there are plenty of other things you can do and should do to find a job in personal training, but these three steps are the most important if you want to land your dream gig working with clients one-on-one in their homes.

Or at the gym where they train regularly without relying on hiring managers who might not know what they’re doing when it comes down it finding good candidates for open positions within their company’s fitness program

Read, Read, And Read Some More

As a personal trainer, you will be expected to stay on top of your game. To do so, you need to read as much as possible. There are plenty of books on the subject and magazines that can help keep you informed.

As a personal trainer, it’s also important for you to know how to maintain your own body and its fitness levels. 

You’ll need to know what foods are good for your body type and how often (and how) you should exercise. It’s best if these things come naturally by reading about them; however, many people find it easier just by doing them! 

So if there’s something specific that interests me like nutrition or exercise I’ll do some research into those topics first before setting out on my quest for knowledge about them through experience alone.”

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Smile, Dammit! Always Smile!

Smiling is one of the most important aspects of your job, and it’s also one of the easiest to forget.

Making sure you’re always smiling will not only make your clients feel good and more confident in their abilities, but it’ll also help them feel more comfortable with you and who wouldn’t want to work out with someone who’s smiley?

Plus, there are actual health benefits to smiling! A University of Kansas study found that smiling can reduce stress by lowering levels of the hormone cortisol. 

And if you don’t know what cortisol does: it makes you feel stressed out! So keep those pearly whites gracing your face at all times, even if they aren’t as white as they used to be (which leads me to my next point).

Only Take On Clients You Want To Work With

There are a lot of people out there who want to be trained by you let’s face it, you’re a good-looking person with an impressive body and lots of cool things to say! But not every client is going to be the right fit for your business. 

If clients have unrealistic expectations about their bodies, they may not stay committed when results don’t come as quickly as they hoped (or at all). Or if their schedules aren’t flexible enough for regular appointments, then training them will put stress on your schedule.

It’s also important that you only train people whose goals align with yours or who are in the same stage of life as yourself. 

If someone wants to get leaner but doesn’t want muscle, that’s not going to work well together because they won’t achieve their desired fitness goal without strength training. 

Similarly, if someone is older than 30 years old and wants more muscle mass but isn’t willing or able to eat enough food (which often comes with gaining fat), then this isn’t the right fit either.

Don’t Be Afraid To Leverage Social Media For Your Purposes

Leverage social media for your purposes. It may seem obvious, but it’s worth noting that many trainers don’t take advantage of social media as a marketing tool.

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of posting inspirational quotes and photos of the food you cooked or your workout from yesterday (which is great), but focusing on building relationships through social media can be a powerful way to help you land clients, too. 

You should always think about how you want to use social media first and then create a plan for achieving those goals.

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Be On Time For Everything

You don’t want to be late for anything, including the most important things. Being late or not showing up is a surefire way to ruin your chances of getting hired. 

This is true even if you are applying for a position that doesn’t involve any time management responsibilities if you say you will be somewhere at a certain time and then fail to show up, how do they know that you were ever going to show up?

Be on time for every appointment, meeting, and event. Even if it seems like something stupid and insignificant (like an interview), never be late. 

If there’s traffic in front of your house and it takes longer than normal for you to get out the door, take some extra time off from work or school so nothing gets held up because of traffic (or whatever). 

It may seem like no big deal when compared with other things about this job but being on time will make sure people see how responsible and dependable you are as an employee and these qualities matter more than anything else when hiring someone new!

Find Your Niche And Stick With It!

The next step is to find your niche. This is the most important thing you can do to land a job as a personal trainer.

Let’s say that you are good at weight loss, but not so good at nutrition. Do not try to be all things to all people – focus on what you are good at! 

For example, if someone wants to lose weight and get in shape, they don’t want their trainer teaching them about nutrition or how much water they should drink each day (good luck remembering!). 

They want someone who is an expert on weight loss! By picking up these skills, you will be able to provide an invaluable service for those who need help losing weight and getting into shape.

Once again: don’t spread yourself too thin!

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps to become a personal trainer and working your way towards your dream job. I hope that you found this article to be helpful, but if not, don’t worry. 

There are plenty of others out there who can give you advice on how to land your dream job as well. If this was all too much work for you then maybe becoming a personal trainer isn’t the right path after all.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources for further reading on the topic:

Tips for Getting a Job as a Personal Trainer Once Certified: Discover useful tips and strategies to help you secure a job as a personal trainer after obtaining your certification.

Starting a Successful Personal Training Career: Learn about the key steps and considerations to start a successful career as a personal trainer. This article provides valuable insights and advice from industry professionals.

How to Land Your First Personal Training Job: If you’re just starting out as a personal trainer, this resource offers practical guidance on how to secure your first job in the field. Gain insights into networking, building a client base, and standing out as a candidate.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about pursuing a career as a personal trainer:

Q: What qualifications do I need to become a personal trainer?

A: To become a personal trainer, you typically need to obtain a certification from a recognized fitness organization. This certification demonstrates your knowledge and competency in the field.

Q: How long does it take to become a certified personal trainer?

A: The duration to become a certified personal trainer varies depending on the program and individual study pace. It typically ranges from a few months to a year, including studying and completing the required coursework.

Q: How can I gain practical experience as a personal trainer?

A: To gain practical experience, consider interning or shadowing experienced personal trainers at fitness centers or gyms. Additionally, volunteering to train friends, family, or colleagues can provide hands-on experience and help build your confidence.

Q: What are some effective marketing strategies for personal trainers?

A: Effective marketing strategies for personal trainers include creating a strong online presence through a website and social media platforms, offering free workshops or seminars, partnering with local businesses, and leveraging client testimonials.

Q: How can I specialize as a personal trainer?

A: To specialize as a personal trainer, you can pursue additional certifications in specific areas such as sports performance, weight management, or corrective exercise. Specializing can help you attract clients with specific goals and needs.