20090122 - 1330
A number of positive changes have occurred since my last entry here. Not only did I have a number of interviews for jobs with fitness centers, I was offered a position as a full-time personal trainer at LA Fitness in Palm Harbor! I start on February 3rd, and will have a full list of clients on day one. There is a trainer there that they can't wait to replace, so I'll have all of his clients. It should be pretty interesting, so I'm really looking forward to it.
The pay isn't great, but I don't care. This is what I wanna do. Eventually, the money will be there. Plus I have my coaching business on the side and I have been thinking of doing lunchtime boot camps in Downtown Tampa. Thirty minute workouts a couple times a week, and it still gives the client time to eat and shower before having to return to work.
I have 6 more work days at my current job before I can leave the engineering world behind...well, leave the full time engineering world behind anyway. I'll be staying on as an independent contractor to help out with a few hours a week of CAD work when they need it. Extra money for me, I'm OK with that.
Things are looking up! I just hope I can make this all work!
20090122
20090114
The Search Is ON!!
090114 - 1005
I sent out 22 resumes with cover letters yesterday. It feels strange to cold-contact potential employers...it's something I haven't done since 1999, and even then I was unsure of the results of such a search. I did have luck, however, and landed a good job with a marketing firm. Subsequently, I left that job and started on a road of regret, but it was a necessary step in my professional evolution.
I'm hoping that, with some luck, I'll start hearing from prospective employers within a few days to a week. I'm extremely motivated to get my business off the ground too.
I sent out 22 resumes with cover letters yesterday. It feels strange to cold-contact potential employers...it's something I haven't done since 1999, and even then I was unsure of the results of such a search. I did have luck, however, and landed a good job with a marketing firm. Subsequently, I left that job and started on a road of regret, but it was a necessary step in my professional evolution.
I'm hoping that, with some luck, I'll start hearing from prospective employers within a few days to a week. I'm extremely motivated to get my business off the ground too.
20090112
The Search Begins...
090112 - 0845
Almost everything is done.
The move...done.
The test...done.
The marathon...done.
Now it's time to focus on finding a personal trainer job so I can leave this awful engineering wasteland.
Today I will concentrate on making a list of addresses of all health clubs in the area so I can send out letters and resumes tomorrow. I am planning on sending out as many as I possibly can. Hopefully, at least one will respond with an interview request. I also need to call Robert, the owner of SoHo Health and Fitness, and let him know I've passed my test. I will need to take a meeting with him this week some time too, to discuss boot camp programs.
I would like to try to get as many clients as I can in as little time as possible so that I can establish myself and be able to leave Sprinkle Consulting in my goal time of 90 days from certification date. That makes it April 9th. Must stay focused!!!
Almost everything is done.
The move...done.
The test...done.
The marathon...done.
Now it's time to focus on finding a personal trainer job so I can leave this awful engineering wasteland.
Today I will concentrate on making a list of addresses of all health clubs in the area so I can send out letters and resumes tomorrow. I am planning on sending out as many as I possibly can. Hopefully, at least one will respond with an interview request. I also need to call Robert, the owner of SoHo Health and Fitness, and let him know I've passed my test. I will need to take a meeting with him this week some time too, to discuss boot camp programs.
I would like to try to get as many clients as I can in as little time as possible so that I can establish myself and be able to leave Sprinkle Consulting in my goal time of 90 days from certification date. That makes it April 9th. Must stay focused!!!
20090109
Jeff Giles, ACE-certified Personal Trainer
20090109 - 1430
I passed!! I'm very happy and very excited to start training client, but mostly SO RELIEVED that it's over. I didn't pass with "flying colors" but I didn't just pass by the skin of my teeth either. In the long run, I know it is because I decided to do this a few months ago, and threw myself headlong into studying for this test in 10 weeks, when ACE recommends taking up to 6 months to read the materials with enough familiarity to pass the test. I guess I learn quickly. I am ecstatic to say that I am an "ACE certified personal trainer" now. I'm "real". There are so many things I am excited to try and to begin.
This weekend, I have to get thru the Disney marathon, but on Monday I'm gonna start an onslaught of advertising and resume-sending. The sooner I can become gainfully employed by either a gym, or a private training studio, the better. I talked with the owner of SoHo Health and Fitness and he's willing to help me along the way. We will be taking another meeting next week to discuss programs and possible boot-camp classes. I'd love to be able to pick up clients that way. Things are looking up!
I passed!! I'm very happy and very excited to start training client, but mostly SO RELIEVED that it's over. I didn't pass with "flying colors" but I didn't just pass by the skin of my teeth either. In the long run, I know it is because I decided to do this a few months ago, and threw myself headlong into studying for this test in 10 weeks, when ACE recommends taking up to 6 months to read the materials with enough familiarity to pass the test. I guess I learn quickly. I am ecstatic to say that I am an "ACE certified personal trainer" now. I'm "real". There are so many things I am excited to try and to begin.
This weekend, I have to get thru the Disney marathon, but on Monday I'm gonna start an onslaught of advertising and resume-sending. The sooner I can become gainfully employed by either a gym, or a private training studio, the better. I talked with the owner of SoHo Health and Fitness and he's willing to help me along the way. We will be taking another meeting next week to discuss programs and possible boot-camp classes. I'd love to be able to pick up clients that way. Things are looking up!
20090108
It's Been a WHILE!!
TH090108
Man, I've been away a while. I haven't written here in a while because I just haven't had the spare brain cells to put enough thoughts together to write here.
A great many things have transpired since my last post. I sold ALL of the stuff I needed to sell on craigslist. And then, I sold MORE stuff. Lemme just sing craigslist's praises for a sec. Yes, I do know that some shysters hang out there, and it is used for not-so-good things sometimes, but for me it has been an invaluable tool for getting all of the stuff I didn't need into good homes. There was an overwhelming response. So overwhelming in fact that people were getting mad because they came 5 minutes late for something that someone bought before they arrived. Oh well, not my problem! But anyway, what a great experience.
I have moved in with my other half, Brian, and moved all of the unneeded but keepable (is that a word?) stuff into my storage unit. It's easily accessible and even though it will need to be reorganized and thinned out, it's convenient if I need something from it. The move went smoothly although I do know that I hate moving, with a passion. Time consuming, confusing, and ultimately messy, but at least it's done and things in the condo look really cool.
I've completed all my studying for my personal trainer certification exam, and I've taken the practice quizzes and practice final exam. I didn't do so well on the practice quizzes. But I purposely took them with no review of the coursework. To see exactly what I retained and what I didn't. The results of the quizzes made me realize I had a lot of reviewing and a lot of re-reading to do. I took the final practice test last night, and though I passed it, I didn't pass with flying colors. So, I reviewed a bit last night. I re-read some of the course work. And I retook the practice quizzes today. I passed them ALL. I will retake the practice final exam tonight and hopefully I'll get a nice high score on it. Then, all I have to do is keep my nerves down enough so that I can take, and pass, the REAL exam tomorrow morning.
I've done all of this studying at an accelerated rate. ACE says that a person should take between 3 and 6 months to complete the course work and read the trainer manual. I did it all in about 8 weeks, and I read the trainer manual from cover to cover (550-something pages) in 4 weeks. It's basically a college text book, two columns per page, small type, etc. So...550 pages which is really more like 1000 pages in a regular book. OUCH. Kinda like reading a Harry Potter novel. I have learned a great deal, but I'm still very intimidated by the test. ULTRAintimidated!! I want to do well...but I'm nervous because, even though I know all this stuff, the test throws trick and confusing questions out there to mess you up. I have to be vigilant.
This weekend is also the Disney Marathon Weekend. I am excited and am planning on having a great time, no matter the outcome of my ACE exam. I am ready to run a marathon again, it seems like such a short distance now. I'm ready to attack the Disney course and finally have a top 5% finish there.
Man, I've been away a while. I haven't written here in a while because I just haven't had the spare brain cells to put enough thoughts together to write here.
A great many things have transpired since my last post. I sold ALL of the stuff I needed to sell on craigslist. And then, I sold MORE stuff. Lemme just sing craigslist's praises for a sec. Yes, I do know that some shysters hang out there, and it is used for not-so-good things sometimes, but for me it has been an invaluable tool for getting all of the stuff I didn't need into good homes. There was an overwhelming response. So overwhelming in fact that people were getting mad because they came 5 minutes late for something that someone bought before they arrived. Oh well, not my problem! But anyway, what a great experience.
I have moved in with my other half, Brian, and moved all of the unneeded but keepable (is that a word?) stuff into my storage unit. It's easily accessible and even though it will need to be reorganized and thinned out, it's convenient if I need something from it. The move went smoothly although I do know that I hate moving, with a passion. Time consuming, confusing, and ultimately messy, but at least it's done and things in the condo look really cool.
I've completed all my studying for my personal trainer certification exam, and I've taken the practice quizzes and practice final exam. I didn't do so well on the practice quizzes. But I purposely took them with no review of the coursework. To see exactly what I retained and what I didn't. The results of the quizzes made me realize I had a lot of reviewing and a lot of re-reading to do. I took the final practice test last night, and though I passed it, I didn't pass with flying colors. So, I reviewed a bit last night. I re-read some of the course work. And I retook the practice quizzes today. I passed them ALL. I will retake the practice final exam tonight and hopefully I'll get a nice high score on it. Then, all I have to do is keep my nerves down enough so that I can take, and pass, the REAL exam tomorrow morning.
I've done all of this studying at an accelerated rate. ACE says that a person should take between 3 and 6 months to complete the course work and read the trainer manual. I did it all in about 8 weeks, and I read the trainer manual from cover to cover (550-something pages) in 4 weeks. It's basically a college text book, two columns per page, small type, etc. So...550 pages which is really more like 1000 pages in a regular book. OUCH. Kinda like reading a Harry Potter novel. I have learned a great deal, but I'm still very intimidated by the test. ULTRAintimidated!! I want to do well...but I'm nervous because, even though I know all this stuff, the test throws trick and confusing questions out there to mess you up. I have to be vigilant.
This weekend is also the Disney Marathon Weekend. I am excited and am planning on having a great time, no matter the outcome of my ACE exam. I am ready to run a marathon again, it seems like such a short distance now. I'm ready to attack the Disney course and finally have a top 5% finish there.
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