Reader’s Request: Fitness Interview Tips
Heyyyyy 😀 How are you?? Hope you’re having a lovely morning!
It felt good to sleep in our own bed -well, the bed the madre is lending us since ours is in the POD- last night. It was a breathtaking trip, but it’s always nice to come home 😀 The best part by far was a thousand Bella kisses.
We woke up early to take her for our morning walk, then stopped by the DP so she could get some running in.
There weren’t any small dogs on Bella’s side, but she was just happy running along the fence with the big dogs.
You can tell from the pic that she was SPRINTING! Little Bell definitely got in an am HIIT workout this morning 😉
We came back to the casa and I made b-fast:
Brown rice farina for me
(with decaf espresso powder, raw cacao powder, nutritional yeast, organic berries and a drizzle of maple syrup)
As I was drizzling the maple syrup, images of this came to my brain:
Heh heh.
Poached egg and cheese English muffins for the Pilot:
It was my first time poaching eggs, and even though it seemed a little intimidating, I just decided to roll with it.
I brought about 3 inches of water up to a boil and added a splash of vinegar,
reduced the heat to a simmer
and using a small measuring cup, gently dropped the eggs in
Covered the pot and left them in there for 3 minutes.
The Pilot said they were perfect, so I’d call it a success 😀 
Since I started the blog, I received quite a few questions about what to wear and how to prepare for an interview in the fitness industry (trainer, group fitness instructor, gym positions). I majored in Finance, so throughout undergrad, we were DRILLED on interview tactics and tips, but preparing for something in the fitness field is an entirely different animal. (For example, business professional attire doesn’t exactly fit the bill)
From my experience, here are some of my favorite tips for a fitness-related job interview:
1. Prepare to move. Generally if you’re interviewing for a teaching or training audition, you’ll be expected to do some sort of audition in the process. I’d double-check with your interviewer beforehand, but chances are that they’ll expect you to show your stuff. Make sure to have some material ready in advance:
-Group fitness instructors: have songs loaded on your iPod, and a combination prepared to teach during your interview.
-Zumba instructors: If the gym or studio is new to Zumba, bring your promotional DVD. Feel free to dress the part—deck yourself out in Zumba gear!
-Personal trainers: brush up on your basic training knowledge (you know, those tiny muscles we tend to forget) and have some sample workouts in mind.
2. Dress to impress. This is a little more challenging because the general rule is to dress like you want to own the business you’re interviewing for. If you’re expected to audition or teach, I’d wear your most professional-looking gym attire. New (or non-faded) black pants or crops –I wouldn’t roll with shorts in case you have to do some flexibility and don’t want to flash your interviewer- a modest tank top and a lightweight jacket are a winning (uh, winning) combo. Make sure the tank top doesn’t show too much cleavage or have too many crazy straps—you want to look clean and professional. For hair, pulled back out of your face is perfect, with light makeup and minimal jewelry.
I’d also recommend doing some research to see what the current employees in your desired position wear to work. Dress like you would fit in with them.
Tips for ANY job interview:
3. Do lots of research on the company you’re applying with. What’s their background and history like? If it’s a larger company, enter the company name into Yahoo Finance. Tons of background info and current news stories will appear and you’ll be able to ask educated questions and participate in company-related conversation. During your interview, be sure to throw in your new nuggets of information when it’s appropriate.
4. Know why you want to work for THAT particular company. What separates them from their competitors? What makes you believe that you’re a good fit?
5. Be ready to talk about your strengths and weaknesses. This one always pops up in interviews! A great tactic for this question is to think of a “weakness” that can also be seen as a positive. For example, I always say that my weakness is that I’m too much of a perfectionist. I focus so much on every single detail, but when you’re on a deadline, you may have to focus on the big picture instead of the tiny little things.
6. Ask questions. One of the biggest mistakes an interviewee can make is at the end of the interview when the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions?” and the interviewee says, “No I think you covered it extremely well.” FAIL. This is your last chance to prove your interest in the company. Ask the interviewer some questions like how long they’ve been with the company, what is their favorite part about their job, what their career path was like within the company, etc etc. Another great question is to ask about the next step of the interview process—they’ll let you know if there will be another round of interviews or when you can expect to hear back from them. AFTER the interview is your chance to get in some bonus conversation and prove that you’re genuinely interested in the position.
7. Be thankful. Always send a hand-written note to your interviewer to thank them for meeting with you. Let them know that you enjoyed speaking with them and look forward to hearing back regarding the next step in the interview process. Reiterate your interest in the position and the possibility of working with them.
I think that’s it!!
Do you have any general interview tips or one for a fitness-related job?
I have an interview at noon to teach group ex again… any good luck vibes you send would be mucho appreciated 🙂
See ya later this afternoon!
xoxo
Gina
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I seriously love bella…
Best of luck with the interview! 🙂
Thanks for the tips! Your dog is seriously the cutest pup ever she is sooo little 🙂
she is a tiny, but feisty, little thing 🙂
Other tips – be early/on time, give a good handshake and make eye contact (but not creepy eye contact) 🙂
Those egg muffins look delicious!
I think I’m going to try and make a poached egg… never had one before! Good luck today Gina!
Good luck Gina!!! I think you covered those tips really well. I agree with all of them, especially the one about asking questions and knowing why you want to work for THAT company in particular. It shows that you’ve done your research and are actually interested in what you can bring to them, as opposed to what they can do for you. When I interviewed for my instructor position, I did what you said and wore workout gear, but it wasn’t faded or old. I didn’t have to teach at the time but it was definitely part of my 2nd interview! 😀 😀 Sending you good vibes!
Good luck Gina! You’ll do terrific!
I can’t believe how awesome you did poaching an egg! I am way to intimidated.
it really wasn’t that scary- you can do it! 🙂
Good luck!! I hope the interview goes well!
Yah!! Good luck! those are great tips–when I interviewed to teach group x,I had to have a bunch of different songs and combos ready–plus, I like the tip of having questions for THEM. I need to work on that part. Good luck GINA!!
Very timely post as I have an interview this evening for a Personal Trainer job, and I was wondering if I should wear what I call my “formal lulu”.
Good luck to you!(and me!)
Good Luck and Thanks for the tips!! I hope to start interviewing after I pass my cert test in May 😀
General interview tip: Mimic the mannerisms of the person interviewing you. If they lean their arm on the armrest of their chair, do that. If they cross their legs, do that. It shows them that you are at the same level of comfort in the room that they are and offsets any nervous vibes you might be giving off. Look people IN THE EYE and don’t give a clammy, limp handshake!
I love that you posted this, these are things Ive been wondering about for a couple of weeks and was going to put in a readers request :)!!!
GOOD LUCK with your own interview!
sending good vibes your way!
these tips are nice to know for the future. I plan to get certified for a couple fitness things, so i’m sure i’ll be checking back here when that time comes around!
Elf is my all time favourite movie. i love it.
Yummm! Farnia.. blast from my past. I used to eat it all the time at my grandmother’s house when I was young. Something to add to my grocery list this week.. and espresson powder!
I love Elf! It’s one of my all-time most quoted movies.
Good luck with your interview. I know you’ll do great! 🙂
santa! i know him!!
Great info! I am applying to work at a gym part-time over the summer (I work in an elementary school). Good luck on your interview!
Gina-
This is kinda off topic but I took my second bikram class last night and i loved it! The downside is the only studio near me is downtown and is about a 30 min train ride away, which isnt awful but hard to do with my work schedule. In your opionion, how many times a week is neccesary to fully get the benefits of bikram yoga? right now Im trying to do it 2x week in addtion to my running, reg yoga and some strength training. thanks!!!
i think 2x a week is perfect! you don’t want to overdo it with bikram, especially when you’re first getting started. so glad you liked it!
Thanks for this informative post! While I don’t work right now (I’m a stay at home mama!), it’s nice to have this as a little reminder and help me stay sharp for whatever is to come in the future!
(and Bella is so cute) 😉
Little Bella is so cute. I have an off-topic question- what are your thoughts on the master cleanse? Have you written anything about it before? Thanks in advance!
say no to the master cleanse. that is all 🙂
good luck with your interview! these were some really great tips for interviewing for any job! 🙂
Thanks for the Bikram answer… you are always so helpful! 🙂
Good luck!
Would you say the same tips apply for a part time job at a department store or something?
yes but i’d wear business professional
I <3 the Charlie Sheen reference.
I love poaching eggs! I was surprised to find out how easy it is. I do it the same as you, except I don’t cover (<- one less thing to clean!)
Hope the interview went well!! Great tips too, especially #6. I think asking questions is so important and often forgotten about!
Had to laugh about the poached eggs! Jenna did a post on them a while back and I have been doing them the exact same way and they have been perfect!
jenna is a culinary genius 🙂
You don’t need luck! You have mad skills! LOL!
hahah! thank you 🙂
Bella is so cute trying to run with the big dogs!
Here’s some good vibes! (can you feel them?) 🙂
Great tips! I’m wanting to get my Zumba Instructor certification, and it’s nice to know what to expect when I start looking for a job teaching Zumba!
Great tips. I am a general manager of a fitness site and I have helped in the hiring process of over 15 trainers at my last job. I do disagree with a few things though, unless you specifically know you will be teaching something do NOT wear workout clothes. Any trainers that came to our interviews in workout clothes were not given a 2nd interview. If you aren’t sure, ask. And if you don’t ask wear professional clothing and then bring an extra set of workout clothes. Also in terms of a weakness you should try something else besides “I am a perfectionist” it is the most over used weakness in the interviewing world. Almost every single person I have ever interviewed has said that as their weakness and after hearing it over and over again it gets old. Try and think of something unique so you will stand out.
just wanted to share what tips have worked for me in the past 🙂
General job application tip – Don’t include a heart shaped photo of yourself with your resume. I still have that in my folder of “bad resumes” as its highly amusing.
#6 is a great tip. At a recent interview I was conducting, the interviewee asked “What do you like about working here?” which was a great question. She was hired.
HAHA! i can’t believe someone did that
Those eggs look fab! I have a random question since I know you used to teach spin…I LOVE spinning. It’s the only cardio I’m motivated to do (besides hiking)…how many days a week is a good amount to spin? Sometimes I go 3-4 times a week, is that too much? Thanks!
nope, i don’t think it’s too much- just be smart and your body will tell you if it’s too much
I overheard a spin teacher saying you shouldnt spin more than 2x a week bc your legs will get bigger and I got scared haha!
1. I love that picture of Bella playing with the ‘big kids’ My little dog always migrates to the big ones at the dog park.
2. So glad you posted about how to poach eggs, I was just going on the other day about how much I love them but how clueless I am when it comes to making them. Totally trying this now!
3. Good luck on the interview!
good luck good luck good luck! You’ll do great 🙂
This post couldnt have come at a better time! I just got an email today scheudling an interview for next week. I just got certified as a spin instructor and I had no clue what to wear to the interview, so much help Thank You!
Your poached eggs look perfect! But just a tip for a faster/easier way is to spray a small microwaveable bowl with cooking spray, crack the egg in the bowl and break the yolk, cover with Saran wrap, and pop it in the microwave for ~40 seconds! Perfect for a poached egg sandwich or english muffin!
Good luck!! Sounds like you know what you’re doing! And those poached eggs look beyond perfect. I’m mad impressed…they are NOT easy to cook!
Dude your poached eggs are PERFECT! I’ve tried to make them many times and they are never nice and round like that.
Also, at dog parks there are two sides based on the size of your dog?
Perfect time .. I’m about to go on a Group Exercise interview in the next couple of weeks. Thanks so much for your help Gina!! 🙂
GOOD LUCK TO YOU!! Xo
Gina I love this post…I totally agree w/ the strengths/weaknesses question. I swear it comes up at EVERY interview. I always have a rehearsed answer for that one, too. And yes, when I’ve interviewed for yoga teacher jobs, I always prepare to move and dress the role. I’ve had to teach classes as part of the job interview, too..talk about pressure!
Thanks for doing this post b/c I am sure tons of your readers are in the fitness industry or maybe thinking of it, so Im sure this is super helpful to them. The general interview tips are helpful to anyone 🙂
My best tip other than yours is to smile alot! People like happy upbeat positive people (I think you have this covered). My sister in law just got a new job. The other applicants had more experiance but the interviewer told her that he hired her because she had the best attitude, smiled, and ASKED for the oppertunity.
Good Luck!
Good luck!!!! You’ll do great!!
I’ve never tried making poached eggs but I think it’s about time I did. My husband is a pro so I’ll have to have him show me how it’s done.
Your husbands breakfast looks so good!
Judging from your tips, I think you’ll nail your interview today! You obviously know what you’re doing. In my experience as an interviewee for fitness positions thus far, it’s definitely been a little different from the more standard biz interviews I’ve been on, but the basic rules still apply, so it’s always good to refresh our memories.
Nice huevos. 🙂
gracias. haha
Thanks for the tips Gina 🙂 Also, I love how you always post pictures of the Pilot’s food 🙂
Good luck on your interview – I’m sure you did/will do fab!!
Thanks for the tips. What if you are interviewing for a personal training position and there is not audition component? What should you wear?? Thanks!
in that case, i would go business professional and bring workout clothes with you, just in case