PLANNING YOUR FITNESS CAREER PATH

If you just have graduated from a university with a medical degree, obtained a fitness certification or in search of getting more out of your current position in the fitness industry, depending on the right career path is important. It’s good news that the fitness industry offers a lot of opportunities for a variety of personality types, skill sets, aspirations, and interests.

• STEPS TO DETERMINE YOUR CAREER PATH:

You should analyze your career decisions in the same way that people sometimes do in more traditional occupations. For example, you should ask yourself where do you want to work? Do you want to work for a large company or a small one? The answer may lie with what better suits your goals and vision.

Applying this knowledge in the fitness industry will help you discover, where you should build your career.

 You should consider your personality as well if you want to run a gym or you can run the company. They both are legitimate career choices.

• TRACKING YOUR FUTURE CAREER TRAJECTORY:

There are four popular career pursuits in the industry.

1. Group exercise
2. Careers in personal training

• Careers in fitness programming and management

1. Club ownership

1. GROUP EXERCISE:

Teaching group exercise is one of the most effective ways to enter the industry because it is not as competitive as it once was.

Group exercise is not an oversaturated market for employment so most fitness program directors are searching for new dedicated talent. 

1. CAREERS IN PERSONAL TRAINING:

It is one of the most diverse occupations in the fitness industry. You can choose to get hired in a gym, training members as employees or to work as a self-employed independent contractor.

If you have received personal training certification and new the fitness industry, it may be an advantageous way to gain skills, experience, and contacts.

Or if you are a self-employed personal trainer, you can work independently and train your clients at home or through the internet and online communication.

• CAREERS IN FITNESS PROGRAMMING AND MANAGEMENT:

This area of the industry offers a lot of promises for those who are seeking full-time employment with an annual salary, a regular paycheck, and medical/ dental benefits, depending on the size of the company.

Working part-time in fitness programming and management is the smart way to supplement your job and income while learning new industry-related skills. For example, if you have an interest in personal training and you want to train clients 40 hours a week, you can become a program director for a personal training department. 

1. CAREERS IN CLUB OWNERSHIP:

If you want to run your own club and you want your own business, you should choose to enter the fitness industry as an entrepreneur, starting a business from scratch or buying from the well-established franchise. You might first create the platform as a personal trainer, group instructor or fitness manager. Becoming the owner of one or more clubs can help elevate your profile in your community.