Career change - Fitness Instructor PT - Yolo

I'm stressed out atm. I have been wanting to enrol in cert 3 & 4 fitness/personal training for a couple of years now but the stress/fear of change and the cost of the course was holding me back. I was thinking that i'd do some casual shifts each week and keep my full time job. But now even before starting the course I'm starting to have thoughts about changing careers.

Like my subject line reads YOLO, you only live once!! Whats the point in living if you are not happy!! I'm not happy in my job... I told myself I'll do some casual PT work after I graduate and get some voluntary work during the next 6 months to see how I like it and if I love it which i know i will i'm seriously considering rezigning from the public service. I wish now I had applied for the redundancy package haha. I wonder if there will be more redunandy packages on offer hmmm.

Only thing is it would mean less money to begin with and the safety net of a secure government job but I tell myself money is not everything!! you only live once. It will work out. At first it would mean a $10 k drop in salary down to $50 k and I just hope I dont get stressed and I feel secure that I'll keep my job. Job security is really important to me.

I've planned well for this day. With the sale of my unit happening this year I'll have some savings buffer and I'm using some of the funds from the sale to cover my course expense (which is not cheap!)

I will also ensure I can afford next ip and buy before i quit my full time job and change careers otherwise you have to wait a minimum of 6 months to invest as you have a new job. I'll also make sure I buy it while still living with my parents.

I'm stressed right now because this is a huge life decision!! I just cant go on anymore the way im going!! I've been pushed in this direction for a while now. I'm following my dream. This is my purpose in life!! I want to help others to get fit and lose weight. To transform their lives the way I did.

I always thought oh yeah that i'd put this off till i was in my 50's and nearing retirement because thats when i could afford to do it but now i've reconsidered and maybe just maybe this could work for me. You have to live for today. Why suffer for years in a job where you feel you have no purpose.

Ok so i'll be speaking to the campus manager next week to get some direction and good news is a colleague in a different business unit in my department is also doing the course be it at another campus and i'll be meeting him for lunch next week to have a chat. What a god send that he is doing the course. Maybe he can buddy up with me. I sure do need a mentor/a guide. He also has some contacts in the industry. I have some contacts through my sports teams so thats good too and i'll be networking.

Gene.sis is a company that offer full time training/jobs for new graduates to the profession. I also studied sports science for 2 years so I have recognition of prior learning so i'll be exempt from some units. I quit uni as it was too stressful for me and couldn't do some subjects like physics.

Anyone got any tips for me to transition out of the public service to work full time in a new career?! I have 12 months to complete the course, but i'm going to try to finish the course as fast as I can. When I graduate hopefully early in the new year, I'm thinking I'll apply for annual leave and join ge.nesis or another organisation that will take me on full time. What happens after my ARL is exhausted ?

Do I take leave without pay from my public service job and will my manager and HR let me. I wonder what forms to fill out and if they'll let me do that. Maybe i need to lie to them and say i'm just having some time out, not tell them the truth???

Also when i become a personal trainer I want to work as an employee for a salary as I dont want to start up a business of my own. I couldn't handle that kind of stress. Does anyone know how this works?

Also I think rather than moving out of mum and dads like I planned in January I think I may have to stay a bit longer just to get through this stressful new period/phase of my life. Financially it makes sense too because i'll be able to save more money before I leave. I should have around $50 k saved by January and thats a good start for me seeing as I'll be in a new job. Its all very scary. Hopefully I'll have around $60 k before I move back to my place.

Thanks for your help! Im quite scared and stressed right now! Hope this post is not too long and you have read the whole thing.
 
do the course part time outside of business hours. Then start your own business with a couple of early morning personal training classes etc. Dont quit your job till your self employed income is more than your job income.
 
Talked to my PT about his setup.

Charges half his clients a rate per visit.
Charges the other half a lower rate, but they have to pay for 10 in advance.

This way he has the cashflow, and also the lump sum stashed away.
If you're savvy about it, you can make quite a bit from PT.
 
thanks for the reply... but i dont want to be self employeed

thanks for the reply... but I dont want to be self employed!

I agree though that it is vital I establish myself first, make the contacts, network and get some valuable work experience first. The next 6 months will be crucial as I know i'll need to get out there and be pro active so I can transition over smoothly and successfully!
 
I have inspired a few laid at work - future clients

Actually, I have inspired quite a few ladies at work over the last couple of years as they have seen me transform losing my 33 kg. They have mentioned on a number of occasions they would love for me to be their personal trainer. I even took one lady to lunch so she could pick my brains. Often I would and still do chat to people in the kitchen about diet/fitness. I have to/had to remind myself to get back to work because I easily get carried away and cant stop talking about the topic. I guess when you love what your talking about you lose sense of time dont you! I've now set an alarm clock so i know when my 10 minutes is up haha.

Maybe I could pick them up as clients after I graduate, they'll most likely spread the word as they have been doing in the past and in the future I could work for a full time salary in the gym and have a little business on the side just for some extra pocket money. I'd need to be insured, but I'd just have maybe a few clients, so nothing big.

What do you think?

Maybe my 9 year old niece when she gets older can be my manager and help me grow/run a business :D
 
One thing I learnt from starting my own business.

People seem very interested to chat about, and pick your brain on any given topic.

But when it comes to putting a dollar on the table they vanish into thin air.

It is very hard to make clients, and even harder to leave them with such an experience that they bring in more clients by word of mouth.

When it comes to fitness, having clients that come regularly is even harder. My understanding of the gym model is, sign up as many people as you can on cheap deals, because most of them won't come after the first month anyways. Is this really the best way to get someone fit which seems to be what you're passionate about? It is really more of a mental thing where they have to want it so so bad.
 
Talked to my PT about his setup.

Charges half his clients a rate per visit.
Charges the other half a lower rate, but they have to pay for 10 in advance.

This way he has the cashflow, and also the lump sum stashed away.
If you're savvy about it, you can make quite a bit from PT.

thanks for the info!
 
One thing I learnt from starting my own business.

People seem very interested to chat about, and pick your brain on any given topic.

But when it comes to putting a dollar on the table they vanish into thin air.

It is very hard to make clients, and even harder to leave them with such an experience that they bring in more clients by word of mouth.

When it comes to fitness, having clients that come regularly is even harder. My understanding of the gym model is, sign up as many people as you can on cheap deals, because most of them won't come after the first month anyways.

thanks. Did you used to be a PT ?

Yeah and I wouldn't be able to cope with this kind of stress. The extra pocket money idea of mine could be a go er though! just a little something on the side.

I'd be happy to work for a salary even as a gym instructor on the floor doing programs, fitness appraisals for clients/that kind of thing. Not sure if I'd like to do group classes. If your injured from your sport it would severely impact on your earning potential, for instance i have 2 corkies atm from the game last sunday, theres no way in hell i could instruct a body pump class in the condition im in atm lol.

Anyway i better go i have stuff to do. i'll come back later.

thanks for your help!
 
Where did you get the figure of 50k as the starting salary working for someone else? I find it hard to believe as the number of fitness instructors/personal trainers has skyrocketed in recent years. There are university grads that don't get that when they start work.

One woman I work with was investigating running some classes at her local gym and the pay was something like $30 per class.
 
thanks. Did you used to be a PT ?

Yeah and I wouldn't be able to cope with this kind of stress. The extra pocket money idea of mine could be a go er though! just a little something on the side.

I'd be happy to work for a salary even as a gym instructor on the floor doing programs, fitness appraisals for clients/that kind of thing. Not sure if I'd like to do group classes. If your injured from your sport it would severely impact on your earning potential, for instance i have 2 corkies atm from the game last sunday, theres no way in hell i could instruct a body pump class in the condition im in atm lol.

Anyway i better go i have stuff to do. i'll come back later.

thanks for your help!

No, I just had one during the year I took off work. I have a different sort of business.

To be blunt, it sounds like you have a low tolerance for stress. Might want to get that looked at first if you haven't already.

You'll have some pretty serious financial stress with the income you'll be getting as a personal trainer. There are a lot of them around these days.
 
If job security is important to you - then don't quit your position in the public service to work in personal training.

Seriously, they are like completely opposing interests.
 
Where did you get the figure of 50k as the starting salary working for someone else? I find it hard to believe as the number of fitness instructors/personal trainers has skyrocketed in recent years. There are university grads that don't get that when they start work.

One woman I work with was investigating running some classes at her local gym and the pay was something like $30 per class.

Just something I read, but I'm not 100% sure, maybe salaries are higher now!? Anyone know ? I'll find out more next week when I speak to campus manager.

I have been researching on google that PT's and the fitness industry are in high demand and this industry has grown so much over the past 10 years. In the coming years with the growing amount of overweight/obese people there is going to be very strong growth in this field as people need help, not everyone has the discipline and motivation to do it by themselves. They know how important their health is and some are prepared to pay for it. Yeah so maybe I dont have anything to worry about in regards to salary and job security!!

I'm excited. I'll remind myself there is nothing to be afraid of, this career change. I'll be fine. Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone. I dont want to have regrets in life.
 
Also just a sidenote

When i went in to make something for lunch i turned the tv on, a story was featured on the tv doctors regarding a person who had surgery and the dietition in the audience was talking. Universe is smiling on me. The syncronicity of that story being featured just at the time of the day and I happened to have that channel set before turning tv on is just another sign from up above i'm on the right track in life. I do believe in all this stuff. A message for me!!
 
Anybody can be a PT, no license or formal quals required.
That means supply is unlimited.
That means you don't get much money !!! unless you go out and do your own biz, which you clearly don't want to.

Search the lifespan of the 10's of thousands of PT's who go through some quick course every year, by memory it's something between 6-18 months.
Stay safe if that's what your comfort level is.
 
I remember a couple of years ago my local genesis gym were looking for personal trainers. They put them on low wage then the rest is commission based - you get a % of the fee. Whenever I was there the trainers seems to have clients and I used to visit at odd times.

My cousin owns a gym and she started out by getting her cert and working at the local YMCA of an evening as she had a 'normal' FT job. She did the classes like Body Combat, Body Balance etc and then PT on the side. Eventually she got enough work to make that her FT job then when she built a network she opened up her own gym which is going nuts.
 
If job security is important to you - then don't quit your position in the public service to work in personal training.

Seriously, they are like completely opposing interests.

fitness instructor/personal training

this is my calling! I cant and wont continue where I am! I'm going through the motions, i'm dead there.

It'll work out im sure :D :D :D

arggh i better go clean the house now. mum and dad come home soon from their holidays haha
 
Anybody can be a PT, no license or formal quals required.
That means supply is unlimited.
That means you don't get much money !!! unless you go out and do your own biz, which you clearly don't want to.

Stay safe if that's what your comfort level is.

Ace in the Hole would know what he is talking about. He is somewhat involved in that industry.

Please don't take this as DON'T DO IT. It is more of a, get your facts together first and know what you're getting into so the shock doesn't make you run back to work.

I knew exactly what I was in for when I did my business, and when it started to get bad, I was cool with it as I was mentally prepared.

I have a HIGH stress tolerance mind you. I use to think everyone did.
 
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