Career Paths
- Personal Trainer
Personal trainers are exactly what their title says they are. In a way personal trainers are kind of like a special coach/mentor for people trying to reach specific fitness goals. Personal trainers basically oversees a person’s fitness programs usually at fitness facility. Personal trainers have knowledge and skills revolving around fitness and have the ability to design safe and effective fitness programs. These designed programs are specific to each individual and their personal fitness or health goals. Personal trainers can also work in numerous different settings such as: a gym, the beach, parks, clients home, and even over the phone & web.
Education
No advanced degree is required to become a personal trainer but having some educational background in anatomy, physiology or kinesiology would be very helpful in this particular field. IN order to become a personal trainer, one must acquire a personal training certification. Having a personal training certification lets people know you are qualified to work as a trainer. There are several types of certifications but any of them will do if the goal is to simply become a personal trainer. Having certifications in basic life saving and AED is also fairly common among personal trainers. Since there are several programs to become certified, some takes days to complete, while others take weeks or months. Just like most jobs, having more experience will most likely put you ahead of others. SO having some sort of background in fitness, sports, exercise education (BS in kinesiology for example) may be helpful to bolster your resume. But entry level personal training positions are not difficult to find. Some companies will hire employees with no prior experience or background in fitness. Entry level positions would be looking for a personal training certification and the following qualities in there potential new trainer:
- Energetic & Attractive Personality
- Dependable
- Coachable
- Great Work Ethic
Since some entry level positions do not require any experience nor any sort of school degree, there are plenty of opportunities for students to become and work as a personal trainer before they graduate college. Acquiring one of the easier accredited certifications would be enough to get an inexperienced college student hired at a gym or personal training company. And as far as the documents that will need to be provided during the hiring process, a resume, cover letter and specific hiring questions is all that is needed.
2. Exercise Physiologist
Exercise physiologist are specialist that work more in the medical field. Generally, EPs analyze the effects of exercise on the human body. An exercise physiologist’s job consists involves the study of muscle composition, cardiorespiratory capacities and how energy is used and expended during exertion. They help develop fitness and exercise programs that help patients recover from certain chronic diseases. These programs often have the goal of improving cardiovascular function, body composition and flexibility. Physicians often prescribe patients with cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases to exercise regimens so exercise physiologist usually work close with primary care workers. Essentially one can view these healthcare professionals as doctors that use exercise to heal or help patients with their diseases.
Education
Interestingly, despite this career important place in the medical field, there are no standardized academic, certification or licensure requirements to actually work as an exercise physiologist. So far the profession is unregulated because it is kind of a new branch amongst the official profession in healthcare. That being said, a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, kinesiology or another related major is what is considered the only real entry-level requirement to be an Exercise physiologist. A large amount of universities in California for example offer 4 year undergraduate programs for kinesiology or exercise science. UC Davis offers a minor in exercise biology for those interested in this career path but are majoring in another area. More and more employers are preferring or even requiring a masters degree in exercise science or exercise physiology though, so it may be in your interest to just go for that.
Although not necessary in order to get hired, the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP) offers a 200 question test called the EPC exam which essentially credentializes and adds legitimacy and growth to the newly emerging health profession. In order to even sit in this exam, you need an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science or Exercise Physiology and be a member of the ASEP organization. By now it may seem obvious that the clear requirement for this career is a bachelors in the field or a field related to it. So there are definitely some entry positions at hospitals or exercise facilities with the sole mandatory requirement being having the appropriate bachelor’s degree. Again higher paid positions at better locations may prefer individuals with more hands on or voluntary experience but it is not 100% required to get started in this career path. If you want to get some experience that would help, universities such as Davis offer internships in various medical fields. Volunteering at a hospital or shadowing an exercise physiologist or simply even working hands on by leading exercise classes for older adults can all help in the hiring process.
The standard resume, cover letter and appropriate degree would be the only types of writing that you will need to present. The resume should nicely present information about your education, special qualifications, and experience. A resume should be pretty concise and clean to read and is usually nor more than a page long. The cover letter on the other hand is supposed to be written in a way that is more geared towards the employer. Some employers will even ask you to answer personal questions about yourself, why you the job and not others, “why should we pick you?”. You essentially want to sell yourself to the employer in a professional demeanor.
Exercise and Health 