Octavio interviews a trainer…

Posted by Steve Hochman on Wed. Jul. 27th, 2011

20 comments

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If you've been following what I've been up to for a while, then you know that having the "do what I want when I want" lifestyle is one of my core values.

In other words I like to have my freedom, don't you?

But can you really be "free" if your boot camp depends on YOU to train all the clients.

If you REALLY want freedom, then you have to replace yourself with a super awesome trainer.

In fact, my coaching client and FBBC owner Octavio Fortia sent me the video above of him interviewing a potential trainer so I can give him my two cents.

But before you INTERVIEW a trainer, you first have to FIND a trainer.

Here are 4 ways to find trainers:

Way #1 - Post an ad in Craigslist under the Salon/Spa/Fitness section.

Way #2 - My all time favorite way to find a trainer is to convert one of my top clients into a trainer.

Way #3 - You can go to your local college and ask the head of the physical education dept. if you can offer internships to the undergrads.

Way #4 - You can go to the local huge chain gym, scout out the top trainer, and ask them to come to your boot camp to give you their "feedback".

Once you get them to your boot camp, you can make them an offer to "upgrade" their job by working for you.

How to do a trainer interview...

Invite the trainer to your boot camp to participate in the workout before the interview.

Here are some things to look for.

Did they show up ON TIME (or early)

Do they have positive energy?

Do they take direction well?

Did they get along with your clients?

Are they in-shape?

A few questions to ask the trainer after the workout...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One more thing....

Before ya go, be sure to watch the video above of Octavio interviewing a trainer and tell us what YOU think.

 

 

 

This entry was posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:41 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Boot Camp Marketing, Boot Camp Strategies, Uncategorized by Steve Hochman | 20 Comments

20 Comments "Octavio interviews a trainer…"

  • James Bond says:
    July 27, 2011 at 2:04 am

    I would definitely give her a trial - say two weeks and see how she performs. I've been interviewed and its nerve wrecking. I have friends who are trainers who give great classes but suck at interviews.

  • Dom says:
    July 27, 2011 at 4:00 am

    I would want to ask more questions and get her to give me a short training session before hiring her. From this clip, she seems to have good energy and engaging personality, but I'd want to see her in action.

    Some of the questions I'd ask would include:

    What would you say to a female client who was afraid she'd get too muscley if she trained with dumbbells?

    What would you say to a client who thought long cardio sessions were the best way to lose fat?

    What would you advise a client who was on a zero carbs diet, and eating just 900 calories a day?

  • Tina says:
    July 27, 2011 at 5:10 am

    Would not hire her...she has no direction, does not seem to know what she wants, has little to no training or experience (or so it seems) and she says she has passion but I don't see it. Not to mention the fact that she sees herself in a completely different job only a year down the road...I would definately pass on her...Good luck hunting Octavio!! I'm going through the same process myself right now.

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:10 am

    Hey Tina, thanks for your opinion... Appreciate the feedback 🙂

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:13 am

    Hey Dom, great questions... And I DEFINITELY always suggest using the phase out method... It's a slow progressive system for testing the trainer under progressively more involved training conditions... At any point, you can pull the plug on the trainer if they don't cut it, all without disturbing the clients... Maybe I'll do a post on how it works...

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:14 am

    Hey thanks for the feed back James...

  • alan says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:24 am

    I would not hire her until she took my boot camp and systems course and then I would deside .

  • Octavio U says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:32 am

    Hey Dom! We actually did a test workout, she seems to have good energy and hype.

    Great questions to ask, thanks!

    Thanks a bunch guys for the feedback, keep killing it!

  • Romen says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:36 am

    Steve please do a blog post on phase out I've been trying this bit it's not working my clients say if I quit they quit. I go ape shit during camps and can't find anyone thats goig to do the same especially right off the bat help. I m workin in the buisness not on it

  • Octavio U says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:37 am

    Hey Tina thanks for the feedback and good luck hunting too!

  • georgette pann says:
    July 27, 2011 at 6:47 am

    I usually take clients and bring them under my wing ,train them as interns...that would be what i would offer her..and as for hiring well that internship (up to 2-3 months) would be the deciding factor

  • Chris A. says:
    July 27, 2011 at 7:23 am

    Really good blog post. Nice to see an actual interview taking place.

    Hiring a client to become a trainer is OK as long as, as I'm sure everyone agrees, they get properly certified (ACE,NASM,NESTA,etc.)

    I love-love the idea of going to a community college and offering internships. You have students there that are itching to put into practice what they're learning and they're less likely in a position to command top dollar right off the bat. And if doesn't work out, there's another super eager group trainer in the making that's looking to make an impression.

    In response to why are you interested in this position:

    "I'd love to put something legit on my resume."

    (and what does having a prettier resume do for us?)

    In response to education and training:
    "I've done the P90X, the insanity, you name it, I've done it."

    "He's very-very...I think he likes to take control of his own settings. He's mostly in charge of everything that goes on there."

    (uhh, if he owns/runs the place, yeah. What'd you expect? P90x doesn't mean you can be a trainer. Like saying I'm not a doctor but I stayed at a Holiday Inn. )

    In response to where you see yourself in 1 year:

    "I went to school for electronic media. So in the long run I'd love to incorporate both fitness and media. And maybe doing something like working for a show like a Biggest Loser type thing. I don't know, I'd love to be in front of the camera."

    (In 1 year? Really?)

    @James Bond...yeah there's probably great trainers that suck at interviews because it rattles their nerves...

    but don't you want a trainer that can be cool as a cucumber when the *bleep* hits the fan at boot camp or a pain in the butt client?

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 7:43 am

    @Chris A... Good points, thanks for your input!

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 7:45 am

    Thanks Georgette - Do you pay the trainer during the 2-3 months or is the experience the payment...

  • stevehochman says:
    July 27, 2011 at 7:46 am

    Hey Romen, sit tight, I'll do my next blog post video on the "Phase Out Method"

  • Tina says:
    July 27, 2011 at 8:12 am

    georgette, I'm curious if you pay during that training period as well? I love the idea of taking on an intern...I may look into that.

    I'm also having the same issue as Roman in finding someone that carries even HALF of the energy and compassion that I carry into my classes...I'm training in a small rural town in MO which makes finding that trainer even more difficult...craigslist does not reach ANYONE out here.

  • Chris A. says:
    July 27, 2011 at 9:18 am

    Steve-O. (Hochman)

    When I get to this point (phase out) is there a salary range that you'd strongly-strongly suggest?

    Because if it were up to me, I'd get an intern to instruct for like $20 per class (little under $500 a month for about 27 hours worth of work--unless they want a 15hr per week part time job at $9 to barely beat out what they're making with me--kinda silly)

  • Bronek says:
    July 27, 2011 at 9:39 am

    I agree with Tina! Spot on...
    In my opinion she'd be a drain on you, your time, money, without any future.

  • JJ says:
    July 27, 2011 at 1:13 pm

    Hey Steve...

    This blog post comes at just the right time because I've actually just started the process of looking for a trainer and so far I have 24 applicants who I am so not impressed with...(one guy actually sent me a email in ALL CAPS! .Which is a pet peeve of mine). But I've been at this for almost 9 years and have my degree in Kinesiolgy so in all honesty it is going to be tough to impress me.....plus this is my baby and I have worked my ass off to build it and so I want to make sure it is cared for by someone else as much as I have cared for it...I don't want to leave someone else with my clients if they don't have at least the skills to avoid injuries or even care for them....This hiring thing will be tough...but I plan to have a new trainer working with me within a month’s time.

    I'm also working part time on my Masters and I graduated top of my class at one of the community college PT programs back in 2003. So I've got a special relationship with the local Community College Organization as well as the State Colleges in my area and I've been working with Interns now for about 4 or 5 years in what we call the “Personal Trainer Development Program” They must complete a total of 40 hours with me to graduate the program and they do not earn a dime during this time. The internship is about 10 hours of “shadowing” and another 5 hours of meetings in which we go over skills sets and testing to see where they are every week for the 8 week period. Then they get to lead warms ups and cool downs for a while before they are left to lead a few classes and I phase them in and our as needed the same way you recommended. I supervise these very closely which is required by the school. At the end my clients collectively answer some questions and I give the intern a grade which I calculate from the average score of my clients. The whole program was a cooperative development between myself and the Colleges and this was a TON of Red Tape and a very long approval process.

    So I have given you that background on me just so that you know where I am coming from before I explain this next part. Truthfully, I have not had much luck with interns. While it is a great idea in theory...and this is my opinion...Someone that new to the game with no experience is rarely a good fit. It’s been my experience that Interns are really just trying to get the hours they need so that they can graduate. Most of them have no idea what they want or what types of clients they want to work with. Many are just exploring the idea of becoming a trainer and are not even sure if they really want to be one or not. Which makes it difficult for me as the mentor to guide them. Not to mention that in order to get approval from the Colleges to run the program I had to submit a lot of paperwork which was time consuming. So the hiring interns thing....well not been even remotely a possibility at this point...Interns in my program have been flakey at best and I’d say that less than 20% of them actually complete my program Seriously, 1 out of 10 (at best) finishes 40 hours needed to be completed in just 8 weeks. I even give them credit for showing up early and helping to set up and tear down so the hours are super easy to get. But still, most do not complete all of the hours and I’ve never understood why.

    If anyone else is having really great success with using Interns as hire on’s I would certainly love to hear from them and would like to know what they are doing that is really getting these interns fired up. Truthfully however, I really feel I need someone with more experience than an intern for my boot camp.

  • Jonathan says:
    August 23, 2011 at 7:17 am

    Truth is, you never know what someone has inside of them. You can never tell who has the right energy and further a lot of people have passion for a month and then they just start collecting a check. I'd say when it comes to hiring a trainer, always be on the lookout. The sad truth is, for most people, they don't motivate themselves until they feel their position is threatened.

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