What You Need To Look For When Hiring Health Club Employees

Question: Is it better to hire a trainer who can tell you the details of pulmonary function and ATP synthesis or a trainer who has a nice smile, is easy to talk to and never once mentions protein requirements for muscle building in your interview?

The answer -- go with the guy and his smile. Chances are, you’ll see a higher return with an employee who is friendly, member-oriented and nice to work with.

Obviously there are loads of details in running a successful health club. You may have top-of-the-line equipment, a great location and the best fitness management software around but staffing your club is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle and one you can’t ignore.

The process clearly begins with checking how much your candidates know about their discipline. But their flexibility and willingness to jump in on whatever task that needs to be done is crucial, too.

If you are struggling with staffing issues, try these 3 tips to be sure you’ve whittled your best crop of potential employees from the universe of candidates pounding the pavement:

Look for a motivated worker. Obviously you need skilled employees but just as important, you need workers who are motivated. As we all know, health club hours can be long and the job can be hard so you need a self-motivated individual who’ll start enthusiastically at 6 a.m. and finish the same way at 11:00 p.m.





This goes for every employee, whether they’re on the floor dealing with members or in the office handling health club billing.

When interviewing, ask them to share which part of the job they most enjoy. Watch them carefully to see if they are honestly excited about their work. Be sure to ask references if they had the staying power at their last place of employment. Former bosses can give lots of valuable insight.

Decide in advance which certifications you’ll accept. There are a multitude of training programs for trainers, tennis pros, group fitness and spinning instructors. You need to understand which certifications fit into your health club’s requirements.





For example, when hiring personal trainers, will you accept ACE (American Council on Exercise) and ACT (Athletic Certification and Training Commission) certifications or are you leaning more toward the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)?

Each program has varying degrees of rigor within their curriculum. Add to that the fact that many colleges and universities offer programs in athletic training, and sports and physical therapy and you get the sense that not all certification programs are created equal.

Obviously, you want the best-certified candidates you can find but if you hold them to the highest standards, you’d better be ready to pay for it.

Determine whether candidates are self or member-centric. We’ve all seen the beautiful trainers who parade throughout the club and can’t get enough of themselves in the mirror during circuit training class. They may be a walking billboard for fitness but if they don’t put members’ needs first, they’ll be a drag on your organization.





Examine candidates in person to decide if they believe that this job fits their passion to help others. The best trainers, teachers and pros have a desire to create change in people’s lives.

Just checking out a resume isn’t enough. You should have candidates meet at least two interviews (to get a consensus) and they should always have a professional attitude. Pay attention to their tone. Are they bragging about their own accomplishments rather than talking about how they can help members’ reach their goals? That may be a warning sign.

The best health clubs aren’t the ones with the newest classes; they are the operations that give members the best customer service encounter every single time they check in.

And that experience is dependent upon everyone on the staff, from housekeeping to aqua instructors to the front desk greeters to your spa attendants. Take the time on the front end to hire the right candidates and you’ll see rewards in the months and years to come.