Opinions on working within fitness management

[Skinnyrunt]

Looking for some input please. I've been offered a management job working in a gym - the position's basically second in charge behind the general manager. The salary isn't so great, but I was told that there's a lot of opportunity for promotion within the company.

I'm looking to see if anyone works or has worked in a similar position, and wanted to hear others' experiences /advice. E.g. Is it enjoyable, can the money get better, is it worth it, are there really bigger and better paying positions to progress to within the industry etc

I've also been offered an office position in a software sales company, so I'm deciding between the two.

Thanks.

[lartinos]

How much does the other job pay? Salary?

[Colin K]

Looking for some input please. I've been offered a management job working in a gym - the position's basically second in charge behind the general manager. The salary isn't so great, but I was told that there's a lot of opportunity for promotion within the company.

I'm looking to see if anyone works or has worked in a similar position, and wanted to hear others' experiences /advice. E.g. Is it enjoyable, can the money get better, is it worth it, are there really bigger and better paying positions to progress to within the industry etc

I've also been offered an office position in a software sales company, so I'm deciding between the two.

Thanks.

I have worked in the fitness industry in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and now i have just moved to Arizona USA.
I have been a fitness instructor, swim teacher and supervisor at an independent fitness center, a sales guy and personal trainer at a corporate gym and have worked independently as a personal trainer and swim teacher. Hands down working independently is most enjoyable.

Most people will probably say stay away from managing a gym but if its an atmosphere you enjoy (paperwork, shift planning, meeting budgets, managing other staff, etc) then go for it. But considering you would be second in line in the position you mentioned that means in that company there is only one other job paying more correct? the manager? Well to take his job most likely he will have to quite for another better job/retire/get fired.

Do you see any of those happening in the next 3-5 years?


On the other side if you gain experience and do a good job as assistant manager say after 2-4 years (the time considered experienced in management) you could move to a bigger gym/chain and be the actual general manager, staffing issues, more stress, more hours and more budgets.


I personally like the gym work atmosphere (hands on) and given the right gym (independently owned) I would take a managers job.
Run local promotions and advertising, working with schools and local partnerships to offer fitness services that make a difference to people with special needs, older adults etc and also the general average Joe.

Middle aged women and gym rats keep the bills paid but for a sense of reward other than money, getting to help those who actually need it is the best part.

If your the manager for a corporate chain (other than the YMCA maybe). You may as well work in an office building, it will give you the same feeling.

Most gym managers have very very little to do with the actual gym itself as opposed to the money the gym makes if that makes sense.


The money is anywhere from 35-60 per year, it may vary with commissions etc if available.

If you want to make more than that you would probably need to be high up in the corporate offices of a chain gym, again working an office job. Quite a lot of the biggest earners in the fitness industry wear a shirt and tie to work, and use a computer all day. To me that is not working in the fitness industry, that's an office job.

[data]

hmmmm ... economy collapsing and you're considering a career as a gym manager over software? stick with software bro. i know a few gym managers and they are underpaid janitors cleaning equipment and changing toilet paper rolls in the bathroom. i work in the IT dept for a university and know a few people in software sales who had enough experience to land jobs in related fields when times were hard.

[BigGreen1]

you can get out of the fitness industry what you put into it.

managing a gym, it all depends on what gym it is, weather they let you do personal training there etc really. can be very fun and rewarding depending on you enjoying that scene and lifestyle.

if you dont love the fitness industry please dont do it i see people in power in the fitness industry that dont have a cue (not saying you dont) and it just ruins it for everybody else!

[Skinnyrunt]

Some interesting experiences and views guys, I appreciate it a lot.In response to some questions, the jobs are here in the UK in London. Both jobs pay about 16,500 GBP before tax. The fitness role is a management position in a Virgin Active club, dealing a lot with member enquiries and finances and admin, so not directly sales or cold calling or anything like that.The other job offer is working for the purchasing dept of a software provider company.I guess I'm at a crossroads here.

[Colin K]

Some interesting experiences and views guys, I appreciate it a lot.In response to some questions, the jobs are here in the UK in London. Both jobs pay about 16,500 GBP before tax. The fitness role is a management position in a Virgin Active club, dealing a lot with member enquiries and finances and admin, so not directly sales or cold calling or anything like that.The other job offer is working for the purchasing dept of a software provider company.I guess I'm at a crossroads here.

Virgin active is a huge company, 16500GBP for full time? I know times are tough but to be second in line at a major international franchise for that money is crazy bad on the company's part.

Thats 26000 USD or 20000euro a year.


I cant believe they will only pay that much.

And to live on that money in london? For me at least, that would be tough to do.

If you worked your ass off and got promoted up through the ranks of the corporate part of virgin active im sure you could make a pretty good living but is all the work and effort and years of time to get to that point worth it?

[Skinnyrunt]

Virgin active is a huge company, 16500GBP for full time? I know times are tough but to be second in line at a major international franchise for that money is crazy bad on the company's part.

Thats 26000 USD or 20000euro a year.


I cant believe they will only pay that much.

And to live on that money in london? For me at least, that would be tough to do.

If you worked your ass off and got promoted up through the ranks of the corporate part of virgin active im sure you could make a pretty good living but is all the work and effort and years of time to get to that point worth it?

Yeah, tell me about it! That's kinda what I'm worried about.

I've also got a 1 year Work Visa for Canada, so I guess another option could be to maybe try my luck in fitness management over there if anyone knows if it pays better? I know that my challenge in that case would be convinving them that I'd happily extend my Visa after, so they wouldn't think I just shoot after a year.