When you’re considering a change in career, or still trying to find the right one for you, it’s important to think long and hard about what you value in a job. Salary is pretty much a given, of course (we’ve all got bills to pay), but as you develop in your career your priorities will probably change and you’ll realise that job satisfaction trumps remuneration.

I’m sure you’ve heard this saying…

“If you choose a job you love you’ll never have to work a day in your life”.

It was true in Confucius’’ time and it’s just as true today. Job satisfaction is vitally important and without it you may find that it has a detrimental effect on your motivation, and eventually your mental health.  

Job satisfaction varies from person to person but by rule of thumb you should aim for a career in something that interests, excites and inspires you.

If you’re a regular gym goer you’ve probably seen personal trainers and fitness instructors doing their rounds, sharing their knowledge and expertise and helping a huge variety of people achieve their goals and transform their bodies. Perhaps you’ve even been helped to achieve your own goals by a personal trainer.

You may feel that a career in fitness is beyond your reach but it’s actually a very achievable career path that’s easy to navigate when you have all the right training. Check out the link below for some really useful information on how to start your journey as an accredited personal trainer in the UK:

https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/how-to-become-a-personal-trainer/

As you’ll see it’s a career that offers a great deal of professional support and development from  starting out to gaining the skills, knowledge and experience needed to establish yourself as an industry leading personal trainer.

Is it the right career for you?

If any of the following apply to you then there’s a good chance that a career in fitness is right for you:

 

• You love to push yourself and keep testing your limits.
• You’re a people person and get a kick out of helping people and making them feel happy and fulfilled.
• You have great communication skills and find it easy to explain complicated things in an understandable, accessible way.
• You love learning new things.
• You follow fitness experts in blogs and on social media and regularly read fitness magazines.
• You like to keep moving and active and the thought of being bound to a desk all day makes you feel restless.
• You want variety and flexibility in your work.
• Family and friends often come to you for advice on their diet and exercise routines.
• You find it easy to make friends and socialise at the gym.
• You could talk for hours about the benefits of fitness and nutrition.
• You want a job with a transparent career path.
• You’re a self-starter and dream of one day having your own business.

 

If you’re nodding along while reading the above list then congratulations, a career in fitness could well be right for you.

What you can expect to earn

As with any career, your remuneration as a personal trainer will vary depending on your experience. The good news is that you’re in one of the most supportive careers out there and as you gain experience, skills and knowledge base, your monetary value will increase incrementally.

Starting out, personal trainers typically earn around £15,000 GBP / £19,000 USD per annum, with an average of around £19,000 GBP / £24,000 USD.

If you choose that the time is right for you to enter self-employment and start your own fitness business then your value will depend on  your experience, your knowledge and your quantifiable successes. Having a wide range of satisfied clients who are willing to add images of their body transformations to your website or social media presence will show potential clients that whatever they pay they will be getting great value for money.

Job satisfaction

The job satisfaction if one of the greatest benefits of a career in fitness. You’ll be making a phenomenal difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. It’s no exaggeration to say that personal trainers can also save lives. Not only will you be helping people improve their self-image by getting in shape, the act of exercising is a natural anti-depressant and seeing the results as your clients get in shape is a proven mood lifter.

You’ll be forming meaningful relationships with your clients as you listen to them share their fitness goals and ideals with you, and you can share in their joy when they achieve those goals. Hi-fiving the lady who is ready to look great in her wedding dress or the gentleman who’s jogged, lifted and cross-trained his way to beating heart disease.

Being a personal trainer is a relatively low stress and high reward career that can propel you into starting out on your own.

Going into self-employment

While your career may begin at a local gym or leisure centre, many personal trainers consider starting out on their own to be the endgame.

While opening your own gym may be prohibitively expensive as it requires enormous overheads in renting a premises and buying all of the necessary equipment but by no means is this the only way to start your own fitness business.

Many hospitals and physical rehabilitation centres benefit from good working relationships with personal trainers. If the idea of helping people overcome injury or illness through exercise appeals to you then becoming a qualified physiotherapist is a great way to further specialise.

The advent of digital communications technology has led to a huge increase in personal trainers taking their talent and experience to the masses online. Some clients, especially those with antisocial working hours or busy schedules, prefer to use online personal trainers to provide exercise and diet regimens that will help them to realise their goals without the face-time of a conventional personal trainer.

While this can be a great way to ply your trade from the comfort of your own home, though if you prefer the hands-on approach, it’s still an additional revenue stream worth considering.