How to hire a personal fitness trainer

How to hire a personal fitness trainer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step personal fitness trainer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a personal fitness trainer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new personal fitness trainer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a personal fitness trainer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A personal fitness trainer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, personal fitness trainers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of personal fitness trainers.

   Type of Personal Fitness Trainer	Description	Hourly rate
   Personal Fitness Trainer	Fitness trainers and instructors lead, instruct, and motivate individuals or groups in exercise activities, including cardiovascular exercises (exercises for the heart and blood circulation), strength training, and stretching. They work with people of all ages and skill levels.	$12-27
   Yoga Teacher	A yoga teacher is responsible for teaching yoga as an exercise to enhance general body wellbeing and fitness. Yoga teachers primarily focus on teaching students how to practice meditation, perform different body stretching poses and improve mindfulness, which leads to general body wellbeing... Show more	$14-44
   Strength And Conditioning Internship	Strength and conditioning interns are students, under an internship scheme, who provide assistance to staff in a comprehensive strength and conditioning programs' teaching and implementation. The programs integrate diverse curriculum focusing on the science and techniques associated with strength and conditioning... Show more	$13-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Program Design
   • Customer Service
   • Group Training
   • Cleanliness
   • Injury Prevention
   • NASM
   • Team Training
   • Fitness Assessments
   • Weight Loss
   • Fitness Programs
   • Fitness Training
   • Training Sessions
   • Yoga

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide market research and generate leads using social media (facebook) in order to target prospective clients.
   • Certify in basic CPR and emergency first aid.
   • Adhere to NASM and or NSCA conditioning standards.
   • Lead various group fitness exercises base on AFAA and NETA guidelines.
   • Monitor equipment maintenance and provide a range of aerobics, aqua, cycling, and stretch classes.
   • Organize Zumba fund raisers for members of the community with cancer, leukemia, autism and mental health disease.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your personal fitness trainer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A personal fitness trainer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, personal fitness trainers' average salary in south carolina is 53% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level personal fitness trainers earn 56% less than senior-level personal fitness trainers.
   • Certifications. A personal fitness trainer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a personal fitness trainer's salary.

   Average personal fitness trainer salary

   $38,198yearly

   $18.36 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level personal fitness trainer salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

4. Writing a personal fitness trainer job description

   A personal fitness trainer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a personal fitness trainer job description:

   Personal fitness trainer job description example

   Job DescriptionAre you ready for an amazingly different fitness career experience? It’s time to BUST OUT of the gym!
   GYMGUYZ is #1 in Home Personal Training nationwide. We are seeking to grow the team of one of our
   premiere franchises in your area. We're looking for someone to do personal training and marketing.
   JOB DESCRIPTION
   The Certified Personal Trainer will be responsible for providing one-on-one and small group personalized
   fitness instruction to clients while encouraging them to reach their fitness goals. A GYMGUYZ Trainer will
   provide professional instruction for each client's health, fitness and wellness goals while providing the
   highest level of customer service. A GYMGUYZ Trainer must adapt to various working type environments
   to include private homes, offices or an appropriate setting of the client's choice. BENEFITS/PERKS • No sales quotas or floor shifts
   • No cold calling or having to find clients
   • Flexible schedule
   • Competitive compensation rates
   • Bonus opportunities/incentives
   • Free & discounted recertification education
   • Opportunity for career growth
   • Great team to work with!
   RESPONSIBILITIES • Customize client workout programs developed from the initial assessment
   • Utilize the GYMGUYZ Fitness App for all client sessions, including programming & session notes
   • Demonstrate each exercise and ensure client is performing correctly with or without modifications
   • Conduct client reassessments every 4 – 6 weeks
   • Maintain client session appointments through GYMGUYZ scheduling software
   • Able to collect and secure payments from clients, as needed
   • Able to provide a flexible schedule to accommodate client appointments
   • Able to commute to and from client sessions QUALIFICATIONS • Certified Personal Trainer (NCCA, DEAC or NBFE accredited organization)
   • Certified in CPR/AED
   • High school diploma or GED equivalent
   • 1 year of personal training
   • Good communication skills; verbal, written, and technical
   • Have a basic understanding of nutrition and healthy living practices
   • Knowledgeable of a variety of exercise equipment and personal training methods
   • Clean Driver’s License
   • Able to lift, push and pull up to 50 lbs. and perform athletic calisthenics duties This franchise is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Your application will go directly to the franchisee, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this franchisee. All inquiries about employment at this franchisee should be made directly to the franchise location, and not to GYMGUYZ Corporate.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right personal fitness trainer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your personal fitness trainer job on Zippia to find and recruit personal fitness trainer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit personal fitness trainers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new personal fitness trainer

   Once you've decided on a perfect personal fitness trainer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new personal fitness trainer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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