The State of the Health and Fitness "Professional" Industry

... as told through the lens of a gym owner who has sifted through over 40 job applications YTD ...

The Health and Fitness “professional” bar Is set pretty low

I've reviewed 40+ personal trainer applications this year and conducted 15+ interviews. In doing so, I was rudely awakened to the state of the Fitness Professional industry. Based on this (painful) experience, I created a list of 4 ways to stand out as a Personal Trainer-Job Applicant.

1. Do your research!

• My first interview question is, "What about the Origin mission resonated with you and made you want to apply?" If I can tell the candidate did not do a simple Google search, the interview ends there.
• Why: One of our core beliefs is “preparation = separation.” Lack of preparation shows up in our daily performances.
• Story: I ended an interview in 4 min because a prospect clearly did not do this. I told him I'd be happy to restart this call after he did so, but he never got back to me... ??

2. Your Online Presence Matters

• Trainers tend to have a nomadic way about them, leading to them being a GHOST online, which is fine - I like privacy too.
• However, if what you put on a resume is not easily verifiable online, it makes it harder for me to trust what you put on your resume.
• In addition, you are likely losing prospective clients because the first thing they do after they find you is a Google search with your name.
• I've worked on my Google search so that when potential clients search "Dario Tejo," they find an abundance of well thought-out-fitness content I have accumulated over the years. If you’re awesome - make it easy to find online.

3. Be Reasonably Tech-Savvy

• Again, trainers tend to be nomadic and mysterious - COOL.
• But, your client experience AND your business will suffer if you are not tech-savvy. From calendar invites to invoices to bookkeeping - these things make or break the longevity of a bootstrapped, small profit margin business. Become great at these, OR delegate.
• Most interviews start online, so having a calendar and being familiar with Zoom and G-Meet are extremely important.
• Story: At least 5 candidates "didn't see the Google Meet" in the calendar invite, or "didn't see the calendar invite," to their interview, despite me explicitly telling them where to find it... ??

4. Read the JD

• At least 12 people didn't read the job title and description. Although it may seem like a no-harm, no-foul talk, mistakes like this show up in other areas of our practice. Attention to detail is a separator for those who become GREAT.

I hope this helped. If you've made it this far, you likely strive to run a great business that creates a great life for you and generates great results for your clients.

If you have questions about any of the content in this post, or anything Fitness-Business related, feel free to DM me.