Just got an interview at LA

Sup brahs .. got my first interview at a local gym.. just wondering what I should expect from a typical commercial gym interview.. seems pretty laid back.. Expectations for display of competence? Form demonstration/exercise testing, design, amd prescription? Or is this thinking too big.. should I expect to be following a structured system? Or will I be expected/able to use my own hra / questionnaire forms that will be more personalized and directed towards my personal style of developing a goal oriented program?

Honestly I dont know what to expect.. I was certified through my university in route to getting my BA in kinesiology.. a lot of what I have learned has come from very well educated professors/successful business owners. The gym I train at goes through trainers weekly.. I feel like every other time in in there, there is a new trainer.. most of them seem to lack the dedication, motivation, and passion to me almost as if they are just going through the motions, telling people what they want to hear... Is business really all that matters? Keeping clients coming back? Or would a commercial gym appreciate someone of my level of passion and desire to genuinely help people achieve their physical goals..

Dude... I'm not going to ruin it for you lol.

Let's just say there is a reason that this gym is having such a high turnover rate of trainers. And I'm willing to bet my last dollar that it has absolutely nothing to do with the trainers' lack of any of those traits or characteristics.

Honestly, my interview consisted of telling them my testimonial, showing them that I was competent at designing programs and I was hired. When the gym needs a trainer they need a trainer.

And I'm sure they really need a trainer with the New Year Resolutions. Honestly dude, go in there with confidence, let them know you are there to stay and you are reliable and you love training. They'll hire you and this is a great chance to get a lot of experience in a few months.

[QUOTE=Maynard311862;1002903253]Dude... I'm not going to ruin it for you lol.

Let's just say there is a reason that this gym is having such a high turnover rate of trainers. And I'm willing to bet my last dollar that it has absolutely nothing to do with the trainers' lack of any of those traits or characteristics.

Honestly, my interview consisted of telling them my testimonial, showing them that I was competent at designing programs and I was hired. When the gym needs a trainer they need a trainer.

And I'm sure they really need a trainer with the New Year Resolutions. Honestly dude, go in there with confidence, let them know you are there to stay and you are reliable and you love training. They'll hire you and this is a great chance to get a lot of experience in a few months.[/QUOTE]

Pretty much this. If a gym is going through trainers week by week I recvkon there's an issue somewhere. I don't know the LA Fitness deal in the states. Do they pay you a base salary? Do you have to pay them rent? etc. If it's on a "You have to pay us to work here" kind off deal and Trainers leave all the time I'd be sceptical about joining them. If they pay you then great as it will give you experience.

You're right in that quite a few PTs are just not very good at being a PT. This is because they thought the job was going to consist of them being in a gym, working out all the time and looking cool. If you're willing to put the work in for your clients you can be successful, if you just plonk them on a treadmill, or do the same exercises every week, you will fail.

Hope you get on well at your interview, if you're enthusiastic that is all that matters to most gyms as Personal Trainers, generally, are just nuisances to them and they really don't care who they hire (unless they pay you a salary)

Until you work there for 3 months or something I'm pretty sure you get paid like $6 per 1h session or something like that, and after that is $13 per session if I recall correctly... :(

My buddy works at one in North Hollywood, CA. They pretty much just hired him because he was certified. There wasnt much to the interview. Then he was let loose to train. No structure to follow. They don't even let the trainers do the assessments with the clients. $7 per session and sessions are half an hour. They don't get paid for floor time or meetings. Seems like a bad deal; he hates it. I'm not sure if ALL the LA's are like that. I sure hope yours isn't.

[QUOTE=Kataz;1003559013]Until you work there for 3 months or something I'm pretty sure you get paid like $6 per 1h session or something like that, and after that is $13 per session if I recall correctly... :([/QUOTE]

$13 per session after3 months? WTF? I would leave the gym immediately if someone offered me that!

You wont be satisfied working for them or any other chain gym in the United States. Personal Training is not so hard that you need to slave yourself out for experience. So many trainer go the route you are speaking of, and leave the industry because the gyms suck the passion out of their trainers, and make them feel like an easy job is impossible. Stick around for a month and then strike out on your own.

if you willing to accept low pay go for it

I guess it depends where you live but I would say anywhere 13 $ a session is low

I guess its better than stocking groceries

[QUOTE=JohnSmeton;1006345703]if you willing to accept low pay go for it

I guess it depends where you live but I would say anywhere 13 $ a session is low

I guess its better than stocking groceries[/QUOTE]

^^^this. The quotes of $7 and $13 seem low. A former body builder works out of a local LA Fitness as a PT and I seriously doubt he's working for that amount. :)

OP. You can always check out your local Y as their pay rates are posted in the employment ad and then email several gyms to see what their pay rates would be. I'm sure it varies a great deal. I would think you would gain more meaningful experience working under someone in a smaller private studio as they will have a vested interest in your success. Good luck

[QUOTE=JohnSmeton;1006345703]if you willing to accept low pay go for it

I guess it depends where you live but I would say anywhere 13 $ a session is low

I guess its better than stocking groceries[/QUOTE]

I stock groceries for $13h guaranteed money, not sessions. lol This is low to me.