Changing careers...maybe

[PumpingIron]

Okay, so I am pretty damn young @ 23. I graduated with my BA in Business and Economics 2 years ago and have floated around the same company (a major US bank) in 3 different positions in those 2 years. My salary has gone up each move but the level of responsibility seems to have fallen off. Even so, this just doesn't seem to be working for me. I have been contemplating a move to go back to school and pursue my MBA in Finance and hopefully move into the investment banking realm. But I'm not sure that's right for me either.

The only thing I have been passionate about since I left high school 6 years ago has been Health/Fitness and Nutrition. I am thinking about taking a step back and looking into changing career paths, and I believe it should be much easier to do it at my age.

I guess the first step, without going back to college would be looking into getting my personal training cert. So what is the best one? And what would I be looking at in terms of compensation? Also, I would love to get my nutritionist license. I'm not sure what that would entail. Anyone out there have this? Whats the process in getting this? Whats the compensation like for this? And for both together?

I am kind of afraid to go back to school for Exercise and Sports Science (or something along those lines), to be completely honest with you. Although it could be a part-time option.

I am just looking to get some unbiased oppinions...

 

[bioman]

I've thought about the fitness option myself but I am not certain if I could put up with problematic clients (ie whiners) in a diplomatic way. 95% of personal training seems to be more about psychology than anything else, lol.

Hopefully, some of our cert trainers will chime in.

 

[jminis]

I'm a CPT through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) it's one of the better certs but there are more then a few that will get the job done. As for a career, I love it but I think it's a lot different then most think. Most of my buddies think oh I could do your job, I know how to lift, lol. Then I say fine I have a new client coming back from a torn ACL and has a ruptured disc in her spine. Then they shut up Most clients have issues whether it's their spine or knee's, usually something is wrong. Point I"m trying to make is it's very different then hey lets go squat, leg press, and hit the hamstrings.

Most people can't squat with proper form because they have existing issues that prevent them from doing so. You may have to work with someone for a few months before they can even safely execute a squat with proper form. The average joe is who your working with and average joe is in real bad shape today.

Not trying to scare you away just keeping it real so you have a good idea of what you would in for. Money is also good but it takes a while to build up a solid client base. Personality is huge in this business.

 

[PumpingIron]

Yea, but those are things that I think I would love...

What do you recommend for certification...I was looking at A.C.E.

 

[jminis]

Well NASM It's well respected wherever I go. ACE is fine as well but not as highly regarded in most circles.

 

[tattoopierced1]

theres NCSF as well...

 

[rysigpi]

theres NCSF as well...

Got my cert. in that earlier this year. It is starting to become a much more popular and well respected certification. From what I can see they are working with some colleges and getting their name in there and that how I ended up going that route as it worked into one of my exercise science classes.

I have only been doing the training for about 8 months as a part time gig while I am still in school and I like it. Like jminis said, the average joe is in poor shape and just getting them to execute some basic exercises with descent form can be a struggle. Also the hours can be kind of hecktic. Either later at night or early mourning is very common. Just make sure you seperate yourself from that "other trainer" who just has people doing the same boring thing. Gotta mix in new stuff everytime, little changes mean everything and it makes it more fun. Also little things like printing off a tasty but healthy recipe works wonders for client retention. Personality is huge like mentioned above to. You have to be ready/able to discuss just about anything out there and it makes your clients feel like you are human just like them. The more you can relate to them in different ways, the better.

 

[Chad]

how long is a normal time frame to get your cert?
and about how much $$$?

 

[supersoldier]

The school I'm going to in the fall has a personal trainer certification program.:woohoo:

Maybe I could even get Uncle Sam to pay for it!:bow28:

 

[MiKeY ReSp]

Okay, so I am pretty damn young @ 23. I graduated with my BA in Business and Economics 2 years ago and have floated around the same company (a major US bank) in 3 different positions in those 2 years. My salary has gone up each move but the level of responsibility seems to have fallen off. Even so, this just doesn't seem to be working for me. I have been contemplating a move to go back to school and pursue my MBA in Finance and hopefully move into the investment banking realm. But I'm not sure that's right for me either.

The only thing I have been passionate about since I left high school 6 years ago has been Health/Fitness and Nutrition. I am thinking about taking a step back and looking into changing career paths, and I believe it should be much easier to do it at my age.

I guess the first step, without going back to college would be looking into getting my personal training cert. So what is the best one? And what would I be looking at in terms of compensation? Also, I would love to get my nutritionist license. I'm not sure what that would entail. Anyone out there have this? Whats the process in getting this? Whats the compensation like for this? And for both together?

I am kind of afraid to go back to school for Exercise and Sports Science (or something along those lines), to be completely honest with you. Although it could be a part-time option.

I am just looking to get some unbiased oppinions...

Hey Pumping, it’s funny how you find people on this board who are very similar to yourself. The decision that you have at hand is very similar to something that I once went through myself. I myself am around your age and bounced around in college. I went from being Psychology, to Biology, to undeclared. I have been to a few colleges around the country and it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I am now currently finishing up my BA in Finance. As soon as I finish my BA, I am going to get my MBA in Finance, and try to land a job at an investment firm. It sounds like our goals really aren’t far apart.

For a long time I was very undecided in what I wanted to do in regards to college. After all, you’re career is what your going to be doing your entire life, right? Although I did well in all of the majors that I had chosen, I always wondered about switching to Nutrition as a major, and either a Nutritionist as well as a personal trainer. Taking a career path in Physical Fitness was something I considered because like you, it is the sole thing I have been passionate about since I discovered it. So it seemed very natural for me to want to choose this as my career. What it came down to was that it seems very hard to make it to the top doing something like this. Not that it’s impossible, and it certainly is for some people. But I decided since that I do well in finance and do enjoy it, I stay with it because I know down the road I can make it, and make a lot of money doing it. Although bodybuilding is more like a lifestyle and my biggest hobby, I realized that I want to keep it like that. It’s my escape from everything else, something so important to me that while I’m at the gym I can be almost mentally relieved from anything else going on. That is why I chose not to do it. Like I said, some people out there can do it and take it all the way, but it is a very difficult career path to make a lot of money in. So for now, I’m going with finance and going to try a land a job, like you, at some investment bank or company in Manhattan. There even may be options down the road to get involved with some type of business aspect that could merge your interest in finance and business together with your interest in Exercise. But I figured, hey I’m doing really well in what I’m doing, so I’m going to go with it. I hope this helps your issue, and I hope to learn more myself since we have a similar situation.

 

[PumpingIron]

Mikey, thanks for your words...

I think I am going to stick with my current position for a little while and attempt to get a Personal Training cert as well. I dropped this by the rents recently and they are pretty upset that I'm not going back to school (I am the only one in my entire extended family with a college diploma and getting my masters would have been bragging right for the rents). But they are open to things, such as moving home and trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, whether it's go back to school (undergrad) or whatever it may be...

But there is still much to think about.

Thanks all of you guys again...

 

[jminis]

I think that a good move pump

 

[MiKeY ReSp]

Mikey, thanks for your words...

I think I am going to stick with my current position for a little while and attempt to get a Personal Training cert as well. I dropped this by the rents recently and they are pretty upset that I'm not going back to school (I am the only one in my entire extended family with a college diploma and getting my masters would have been bragging right for the rents). But they are open to things, such as moving home and trying to figure out what I want to do with my life, whether it's go back to school (undergrad) or whatever it may be...

But there is still much to think about.

Thanks all of you guys again...

No problem Pumping...let us know how everything goes, I'm sure whatever you'll do you will do fine in.

You just have to remain completely focused and have tunnel vision with your goals. Good luck brother.