Career Advice for a Personal Trainer

As a Personal Trainer, you will work with clients to improve their physical fitness and overall health.

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How to Become a Personal Trainer

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Personal Trainer

Should you wish to work as a Personal Trainer you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Personal Trainer

  • Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing.
  • Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training.
  • First Aid at Work qualification.

Key Responsibilities for a Personal Trainer

  • Designing and delivering personalised exercise plans for clients.
  • Providing nutritional advice and guidance.
  • Monitoring and tracking client progress.
  • Motivating and encouraging clients to achieve their goals.
  • Ensuring clients exercise safely and effectively.
  • Continuing professional development to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.

What to expect as a Personal Trainer

As a Personal Trainer in the UK, you could work for gyms, fitness centres, or as a self-employed trainer.

You will help clients achieve their fitness goals through personalised exercise plans and nutritional advice.

Recommended Personal Trainer Jobs

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How to get Personal Trainer Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Personal Trainer job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Personal Trainer application. If you have not held a Personal Trainer position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Personal Trainer role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Personal Trainer CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Personal Trainer application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Personal Trainer in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Personal Trainer 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Personal Trainer and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Personal Trainer experience.

How to get Personal Trainer Experience

What does it take to be a Personal Trainer? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Personal Trainer jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Personal Trainer through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Personal Trainer Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Personal Trainer part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Personal Trainer or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Personal Trainer freelance work

If you have impressive Personal Trainer qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.