What to wear to an interview? - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[greeneyes23]

Hi everyone!

I am in the process of applying to gyms of my choice. I just started wondering about appropriate dress for an interview (personal trainer position.)

Not to sound cocky, but I think interview clothes should compliment my physique because I work hard on looking the way I do and I want the interviewer to take notice. However, I am totally stumped on the type of clothes to wear! I have googled this question and I keep getting conflicting answers. It's a split between wearing your best gym gear and wearing a suit. So what do you wear? I would feel silly getting dressed up in heels and a suit to interview for a gym position... don you have to dress the part of personal trainer?

I am applying to Gold's Gym... and maybe LA Fitness, Crunch Fitness, and Ballys. If anyone works there and knows of the acceptable interview attire, let me know.

Lets discuss!


8)

[rbd]

Always going in looking professional - business professional, unless they have otherwise told you. You always want to show professionalism and sorry this is wear the majority of personal trainers are missing the point. I would not be impressed if i had a personal trainer show up for a job interview in their gym attire. I would not hire anyone who came in looking like they are showing off their physique, so I would not take that approach if i was you. If you really have questions on this, call and ask the person interviewing you, just in case they want you to do some practical stuff. I have done this in the past with people I am interviewing, but I always let them knwo and it would never be on the first inteview. I hope this helps you.

Take Care,

Jeff

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

I think wearing a suit would be over kill as you will not be in a suit for 99.9% of personal training positions. (there is a SMALL chance you may land a gig where you sell equipment and/or supplements which may require a suit, but very slim).

As a hiring manager, here is what I expect:
1) Neat appearance (Shave and have your hair styled nice)
2) A polo shirt that is not 1 size too small, but just the right size for your build.
3) Khaki pants, but not cargo Khaki's I.E. the kind without 6 zillion pockets
and
4) A belt.

While it is important to me that your body shows you "lead the healthy lifestyle" be prepared to get asked questions on how to assess clients, what's the best way to reach XX goal, and where do you see yourself in 5 years questions. LOL

Good Luck!

Dave

P.S. - Do not show up shirtless in a santa cap, despite it being Christmas! LOL

[rbd]

I may agree with Dave on the suit for a personal training position and would not require trainers I interview to wear that, but I would expect them to come to the interview looking like they want the job. For a guy, shirt and tie, so polo shirt may be too casual in my opinion. Just because we live in sweats and shorts, doesn't mean you don't come to a job interview with any less respect then you would give any other job interview. Every facility has its own culture, so if this is really bothering you call the individual who is interviewing you and ask them what they expect.

[Christina]

greeneyes, personally I would never wear gym attire to an interview. If I were being interviewed for a job at a gym this time of the year I would wear a pair of dress slacks, a nice sweater (or long sleeve shirt) and nice shoes (nothing with really high heels), and appropriate accessories (nothing over the top). I think it's a given that a trainer should have a halfway decent physique so I do not see the point in showing it off. Also, as a woman, I would want someone to hire me for my knowledge (not my body) so I would not wear anything remotely tight fitting or low cut.

Good luck! Let us know when you start interviewing!

Christina

[greeneyes23]

Thanks you guys!

I didn't think heels and a suit would be appropriate for an interview for a personal trainer position.


Last Tuesday I emailed my resume to Bally's and within an hour I was emailed back by the fitness director (I think that's what his title is) and he told me to meet him the next morning so he can "get me in as a trainer." I was hired on the spot. Not much of an interview
woohoo

I walked in with dark denim trousers, a slim fitting tee/sweater and ballet trainer shoes... sporty casual but it worked for me. :wink:

[rbd]

Not to look down on your decision, but that is what I would expect from a place like bally's and too much of what is going on in our profession - unprofessional business practices.

How could he know anything about you (and I am not implying that you are not a good trainer)? How does he know what you can do on the floor?

Everyone can lie on a resume and paper shows you nothing. Most good places would be doing 2-3 interviews now if they are actually looking for great trainers. I can't believe this stuff still goes on in this industry and we wonder why other professions give us no respect.

I'm sorry but that is a joke if he didn't even take the time to interview you and shows nothing for that director as a professional in this industry. He actually showed you know respect by doing that because he didn't give you a chance to tell him about yourself, ask him questions and decide if that is the right place for you. How do you know that it is? I had a guy do that to me a LA Fitness a couple of years ago and I told the owner he should fire the guy, because that was a joke of an interview process.

I was a personal trainer manager for 6 years at a medically based facility before moving on and in the midwest not a lot of great talent to choose from, but you have to take the time to inteview them and let them show you what they can do. It shows you have professionalism and shows respect for the person you are interviewing.

I wish you the best of luck because based on what you have said thus far you are going to need it in a facility like that and I would be suprised if you last long there if you take what you do seriously.

Sorry for the rant, but I am sick of seing this stuff in this industry.

[pookie]

I'd like to join in here and let you know about something that happened to me today. I am not certified, but I e-mailed LA Fitness to ask what certifications they prefer in their trainers because I was curious what gyms around here look for. I do not workout there and have never been there, just curious. Someone wrote back and said that they take all the major certs and then asked me if I'd be interested in a job! I never mentioned I was looking for a job (I'm not) but replied anyway and told him I am not a certified trainer. Then he wrote again and asked if I'd be interested in interviewing for some other job there that has something to do with doing assessments, but it sounded more like a sales job. I haven't responded, but I just thought it was odd that he was asking me to interview when I have no certification and wasn't looking for a job. I considered it for about 10 seconds and then figured it was probably not worth my time, although it might be good for someone just starting out who needs experience.

Why is this sort of thing allowed to continue???

[greeneyes23]

"Not to look down on your decision, but that is what I would expect from a place like bally's and too much of what is going on in our profession - unprofessional business practices.

How could he know anything about you (and I am not implying that you are not a good trainer)? How does he know what you can do on the floor? "

Ouch.... Well, I definitely understand where you are coming from. In my opinion and call be vain if you would like, but if someone walked in for an interview the first thing I would notice is their physical shape if they were interviewing for a PT position. Second thing I would look at is their PT certification. THEN I would base the hiring decision on questions asked. If a persona trainer does not look the part then it's obvious they don't live and practice what they are supposed to be teaching. And yes, I was asked a couple of questions...

I would like to stress the fact that I am GLAD I did not have to go through 3 interviews and a long process to land my job. I say this for a few reasons. First reason is I have zero training experience so I am thankful I was hired and given a chance. Some trainers starting out need to start out somewhere so a grueling 3 session interview would not have done me any good since I have no PT experience to talk about during repeated interviews.

[pookie]

Ouch.... Well, I definitely understand where you are coming from. In my opinion and call be vain if you would like, but if someone walked in for an interview the first thing I would notice is their physical shape if they were interviewing for a PT position. Second thing I would look at is their PT certification. THEN I would base the hiring decision on questions asked. If a persona trainer does not look the part then it's obvious they don't live and practice what they are supposed to be teaching. And yes, I was asked a couple of questions...

I would like to stress the fact that I am GLAD I did not have to go through 3 interviews and a long process to land my job. I say this for a few reasons. First reason is I have zero training experience so I am thankful I was hired and given a chance. Some trainers starting out need to start out somewhere so a grueling 3 session interview would not have done me any good since I have no PT experience to talk about during repeated interviews.

Greeneyes, Just my opinion, but I think it's fine if you take the job. As you said, we all have to start somewhere and even if Bally's doesn't end up being your dream job, at least you will have your foot in the door and will have experience. I say go for it! Still, I wish the industry was better regulated and required internships or some type of field experience before sending people out to be trainers.