A Quick Look At The Personal Training Industry - Statistically

I love looking over fitness industry statistics; so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon this great article from the National Council On Strength And Fitness (NCSF).

NB. This survey was conducted within the U.S, however I can confidently assume that the figures can be related to the fitness industry anywhere in the world. Besides, they did approach over 80,000 fitness professionals to come to the following conclusions, which is VERY thorough.

From the article:

The National Council on Strength And Fitness has recently completed its industry-wide personal trainer role delineation study. The goal is to define the scope of practice for the personal trainer and ensure the knowledge and skill set of the practitioner correlates with the required job tasks.

In order to achieve this, the organization reached out to over 80,000 industry professionals representing the various aspects of the profession including; academics, facilities management and ownership, corporate and independent personal training, and strength and conditioning.

One particular component of the study is to collect and process demographic information in efforts to best identify market dynamics and trends in the work force. Of the persons that completed the survey portion of the study this is what was identified.

What this basically means is that the NCSF asked a LOT of personal trainers and fitness professionals who they are, what they're doing now and how long they've been doing it for.

Some of the results are quite surprising as you'll see and some of the figures simply reiterate a lot of what we already know and that many personal trainers are really struggling out there.


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My conclusions from this first group of statistics:

It's interesting to note that around 31% of surveyed fitness professionals are currently working as personal trainers, around the same amount aren't.

It also seems that the 10 year mark as a personal trainer is the magic hurdle with over 20% of people surveyed having been in the industry 10+. Maybe they feel that it's too late to switch professions, or that's how long it takes the average fitpro to establish their personal training career?



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Males still dominate the industry (only just), however only 2.5% across the board are working as personal trainers 100% of the time.

I find that difficult to believe, though I'm not sure how pedantic they were with their questions...maybe they consider vacuuming to be not working as a trainer 100% of the time?

It's also very reassuring to see that we're a very well educated bunch of people with over 73% of those surveyed holding a Bachelors Degree or higher. Of those however, based on the statistics of how long trainers are staying in the game, I'm guessing not many of those degrees are business related...

If you enjoy this sort of thing as much as I do, maybe you have an opinion on some of these results. Do any of those statistics surprise you?

Leave your comments below and feel free to share this article on facebook and twitter by clicking the icons at the top...I know around 5% of you will. :)

Thanks for reading and thanks NCSF for conducting this awesome survey!

Ben

You can find the full article on the NCSF website by clicking here.

10 Mistakes Personal Trainers Make In Job Interviews

Would you agree that the whole purpose of applying for a job is to get an interview? So why is it that when someone does invite us in, we almost instinctively go out of our way to sabotage ourselves so we're NOT offered the position?

During my time as a personal training coordinator or while I was running gyms or club general manager-ing; (as they like to call themselves these days) I hired and fired millions of people (OK, not millions, but it sure felt like it at the time).

When applying for jobs, most people don't realize that for the employer or manager or whoever is running the vacancy search process; it's brutally time consuming, expensive and exhausting. If they even smell a hint of time wasting or notice a lack of enthusiasm, the 12 interview questions just became 4 and your resume just got put on top of the 'thanks, but no thanks' pile.

So without any further ado, here are 10 of the most common mistakes personal trainers and fitness professionals make during the interview process:

1. Inappropriately dressed: I thought I'd break this down into some of the most common fitness center jobs that are offered:

• Personal Trainer: Someone applying for a personal training position needn't wear a tie or an evening gown, but an ironed shirt and pants wouldn't hurt. You may be able to get away with a neat polo shirt, but leave the tank top in the socks drawer, at least for the first interview.
• Membership Consultant: I would expect an MC to look like a professional. Again, a tie isn't necessary, but it is definitely an option you should consider depending on the club. If the club is part of a large chain or franchise a tie would be a good idea.
• Group Fitness Instructor: 9 times out of 10 they're coming straight from a class so it doesn't really matter what you guys wear.
• Club Manager: Definitely a tie, again depending on the club, maybe even a jacket. Women should dress corporate.
• Child Minders: Maybe dye your hair bright pink the day after the interview.

2. Outdated Or Irrelevant Resume: Make sure your resume is up to date. There are plenty of online resources for tips on how to format your sales sheet to make it look pretty, but keep the content on topic or in the very least relate it to the position you're applying for. Make sure you highlight your achievements RELATIVE to the position or industry you're applying for. Mention your previous employment history regardless of your background to show employment consistency.

3. Lack Of Enthusiasm/Not Taking The Interview Seriously: As I mentioned, if you're not into it, don't waste the interviewers and your time by applying.

4. Haven't Researched The Company/ Fitness Centre: Take 10 minutes to look at the companies website to get a feel of the culture and their history. If they don't have a website, direct them to my business is fitness so I can straighten them out, but before that call them, speak to the receptionist for some background information. Better yet, pay the club an anonymous visit or train there.

5. Talking Too Much: I'm sure you're a superstar, but unless I'm mistaken; an unemployed superstar. It could be nerves, but try and relax and go with the flow.

6. Bad Mouthing Previous Employers: I'm sure there are things you didn't like about your last jobs besides your manager. Was it a lack of career progression, maybe you're taking a change of direction or you have always wanted to work for the company you are interviewing at. NEVER bad mouth a previous employer, the fitness industry is a VERY small space.

7. Not Preparing Questions: Surely there are things you would like to know about a potential employer. I'm not talking about the salary and holidays, ask your interviewer a bit about their background, what they love about working for the company etc. etc.

8. Not Calling In Advance: A lot of job advertisements name the person who will be conducting the interview, most even have a phone number with a very clear invitation to call them if you have any questions. If you can build an ounce of rapport with your potential employer before you send your resume, you can rest assured they will read it. It's so easy to apply for jobs online these days and it is not uncommon for an employer to receive hundreds of applications, so make sure you stand out!

9. Lying: Simple, don't lie, not on your resume, not in the interview, you will be found out sooner or later.

10. Not Communicating Effectively: Speak up, don't mumble, answer questions accurately, make eye contact, uncross your arms, smile; all of these things are so important. You have to think that this person is not only judging you on your qualifications, but whether they will be able to work with you, so be human and most importantly, be yourself.

Good Luck!

Ben

People Who Enjoyed This Article Also Read:
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How Much Do Personal Trainers Make?

How much do personal trainers make? How long is a piece of string?

Fortunately, there's no concrete answer to either of those questions; in fact, I don't care how long a piece of string is and if you found this article trying to figure that out, you might as well try somewhere else because we talk about personal training 'up in here'!

We could look at average wages and the income trends within the fitness industry, but I prefer to base an individuals earning potential on the qualities that they can bring to the industry via their personal brand and then present those credentials to potential employers effectively.

It's not about 'how much do personal trainers make?' It's about how much can YOU make as a personal trainer?

Trainers need to stop listening to what the industry is telling them they can achieve. If you settle on what you may be able to earn, you will never earn any more than that.

In the US, the average salary of a personal trainer is approximately $28,000, in Australia it's slightly higher, around $35,000.

This graph is taken from a popular Australian employment website based on personal training position advertisement values, however, it's not a true reflection of the actual salaries being offered in the open market.

After coming straight out of personal trainer school, many people are happy to take the first poorly paying, over promising position that they're offered without considering their true personal value.

Gyms and fitness centers take advantage of this situation and that's how they're able to pay such pitiful wages; working with the mindset that if you won't work for that money, someone else will.

The inevitable result of this type of business is gyms full of sub-par, industry ruining personal trainers and a disheartened gaggle of unemployed top quality fitness professionals.

Personal training is an unregulated industry, so your negotiation abilities can influence your earning capacity significantly.

Since you're reading my business is fitness (thank you), it's safe to assume that you take your career a little more seriously than most and not only intend to make a difference in your community teaching the health and fitness lifestyle, but earn a decent salary along the way.

In order to determine a newly accredited personal trainers worth, I decided to simplify things and group these guys into two categories:

1. Newly Accredited Personal Trainers With Zero Industry Reputation Or Experience
2. Newly Accredited Personal Trainers That Have A Strong Reputation Within The Fitness Industry

A newly accredited personal trainer with zero fitness industry experience or reputation: These guys generally come from another industry, may have been training for sometime but have no real connections within the fitness business; however, want to earn a living doing something they're passionate about.

A newly accredited personal trainer with a sports specific reputation: Maybe you're an athlete, a champion bodybuilder or high level sportsperson. People coming into the industry with this type of background may have more credibility than the aforementioned type 1 personal trainers as they have a basis from which to brand themselves and their personal training business.

Consider which of those best describes you.

At a glance it may appear that number two type trainers will have a distinct earning and employable advantage over the number ones, however, number ones simply need to identify and present their strengths in a different manner.

Imagine yourself as an employer for a moment and then decide what you would consider valuable qualities a new staff member should have coming into your club.

For me, a personal trainers' employable qualities could include:

• Versatility: Ability to undertake a variety of tasks: Personal training, sales and administration.
• Appearance: Are they well presented and professional?
• Personality: Will they get along with other staff and my club members?
• Relatable experience: Do they have specific relevant skills?
• Motivation: Why do they want to work in my gym?

Nowhere in that synopsis have I mentioned 19" arms or a rock-hard backside as pre-requisites to work in my awesome club.

Employers please note:

Exercise prescription and nutrition can be taught and developed; motivation, initiative and drive on the other hand are up to an employer to identify in an individual.

Please don't get the wrong idea; I'm not encouraging personal trainers to walk into a job interview, demand six figures and leave if your requests are not met.

I want you to present your strengths in a relatable manner, pertinent to the type of club and the position that you're applying for and establish a professional relationship with your potential employer from your very first encounter.

If you spend some time evaluating the unique qualities and experiences that you've gained over your career regardless of the industry, you can present yourself to potential employers in a much more appropriate and desirable light and position yourself whereby you can better negotiate your value at interview level and during your employee review period.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it on facebook and twitter by clicking the icons at the top of the post and to never miss an update; subscribe by entering your email address below and click "Sign Me Up"!

Ben

Additional Reading:
How Much Do Personal Trainers Earn In 2010
Personal Training Marketing Plan

How To Choose Your Next CEC Course

Who and how you choose your continued education course (CEC) providers, can determine what kind of personal trainer you will eventually become and essentially determine what kind of income you can make in the fitness business.

If you look at it this way: If you're continually doing the same kind of training, with the same kind of instructors, you're going to end up being fairly closed minded in the type of training that you offer your clients, not to mention, drastically narrow your target market.

Like it or hate it, personal trainer's have an obligation to continually update and/or refresh their education by completing a certain amount of CEC points each year or 24 months, depending on your governing association.

Some trainers see this as an expensive waste of time, while others use this opportunity to develop themselves and their businesses...as readers of My Business Is Fitness, I am assuming you are in the latter group.

Have you ever noticed the personal trainers plaques in fitness centres with 2 or 3 competencies listed? Doesn't the profile that is full of skills and a variety of experiences just scream out fitness professional?

Other benefits of adding variety to your resume is that you make yourself more desirable to employers. The more versatile you are, the more opportunities for work will exist.

Most, if not all CEC courses are tax deductible. The government rarely steps in to help small business, so take advantage of their generosity on this one and do some top notch training.

Schedule a more expensive course towards the end of your financial year to take advantage of tax breaks, but this is a topic best discussed with your financial advisor or accountant.

The more services you can advertise or promote in your business, the more clients you can possibly attract and therefore the more sessions are booked and consequently the wealthier you will become.

My Business Is Fitness

Don't Stop Educating Yourself

There's an old joke that goes something like: "What do you call the guy that comes last at medical school...Doctor".









The question I want to raise today is; should personal trainer's or other fitness professional's expertise be judged purely by their appearance?

The answer is of course, no.

Anyone who knows a top athlete knows how much time they have to put into their training and diet, especially if they plan on staying there. At that elite level of sports, athletes really don't have the time available to train regular folks like you and I, in fact they all have coaches and trainers who take care of them.

Watching and competing in sport most of my life, I've seen a lot of top trainers and conditioning staff and it's VERY rare to see one that looks remotely as fit and strong as the athletes that they're training.

Do you think Usain Bolt's coaches can run as fast as him? Is Tiger Wood's caddy as good at golf as him?

The problem with our industry is that expertise isn't necessarily recognised by the credentials on the wall, but by the size of your arms.

Now I'm not saying that you don't have to train, or you shouldn't have to eat sensibly, that wouldn't make sense, but what I am saying is that so many trainers get caught up in their own appearance and forget about continually striving to learn more and diversify their skills to create a fitness career.

Train, eat, live the lifestyle, but continue to educate yourself and you will find that your career will have longevity, because although you might be able to get away with attracting clients just by flashing the guns now, old personal trainers in tight clothes are just downright creepy.

My Business Is Fitness