Career Issues Articles

Your business is growing slowly but steadily, and you’ve reached the point where you’d like to rely less on accounting software and more on an actual accountant. A good certified public accountant is worth his weight in medicine balls and can save you time and money. According to an article written in the February/March 2003 issue of MyBusiness magazine for the National Feder...

I have been fortunate enough to help a diverse group of people achieve their potential. Each of them has fueled the desire in me to continue doing my best. Reflecting on the inspiring clients I work with at this time, I must confess that I have to “cheat” and select not just one but four, as they all highlight a certain something tha...

Are you thinking of becoming an independent contractor, but you’re not sure what to expect? Navigating the ins and outs of this path can be tricky. Here are tips from Nolo, an organization dedicated to disseminating legal information to consumers and small businesses. Choose a Name. It is a go...

Fitness professionals often work at several locations, which can entail a lot of driving. These days, that means high gasoline bills. Here, courtesy of www.howtoadvice.com, are several tips to help you improve fuel efficiency and reduce your payments at the pump: Purchase gas in the morning or evening. When outside temperatures are low, gasoline is dense. ...

During my working years, I’ve lived through at least three recessions—and survived them all. Surviving was not easy in my early days of personal training, but I did learn from each of the slow periods that my business experienced. I progressed from twiddling my thumbs and worrying in 1988 to planning and actively accepting the reality of slowdowns today. During the 20 years I&...

When interviewing job applicants, do you use standardized practices, or are your interview protocols as varied as the candidates? A study in the Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences (2007; 24 [1], 30–44) has discovered that many human resources (HR) professionals may not be offering applicants interview equality. As your personal training business or g...

Maybe it’s the coffee bar employee who always has a smile and knows your favorite drink. Maybe it’s the hotel clerk who follows through to ensure you have all the amenities you need. Or perhaps it’s one of your co-workers who seems to consistently anticipate the needs of managers and clients. Excellent service is easy to notice, yet is it easy to provide?

No new talent. A dearth of qualified instructors. Young people not interested in teaching. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone—many markets across the country lack qualified professionals to teach group fitness. How can we reverse this trend? By hand-picking our newest talent and molding them into the instructors we wish we had! Mentoring novice instructors can help revitalize a group fitne...

How long has it been since you’ve practiced your cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills? Recent findings show that the majority of people untrained in CPR, and even many trained emergency personnel, do not push with enough force. The research, detailed in the June issue of Cardiovascular Engineering, tested 104 adults untrained in CPR and 83 trained firefighters. Find...

Obtaining a full client load is a crucial aspect of a personal trainer’s job, but getting those clients can often seem the most laborious and difficult task of all. Whether working the floor at a large, full-service gym or striking out as an independent contractor, each trainer must find a way to attract new clients or all the hard work and dedication put into earning his title will be for naug...