Position UK Club Recruitment Manager
Organisation Fitness First
What is the most common mistake made in applications and interviews?
Certain jobs need to have relevant qualifications, especially fitness jobs. It is disconcerting to read applications which start with " I know I have no qualifications or experience but I am really dedicated". If you really are dedicated, get yourself some relevant experience. This is easy enough to do by offering to work some hours a week, unpaid if necessary, at a local gym. In interviews it is a common mistake to be negative. We are looking for people to be positive from the start. If people cannot be positive throughout a short interview it is difficult to believe they are going to be positive while in the work place. This industry is based squarely on customer services and the personality of staff.
What is your top tip when applying for a job?
We receive around 250 applications when we advertise for a new club opening. We will interview about 80 and employ around 16. This means you have got to do something to make your CV stand out. Send in a photograph with your application as a good start. This means that after the interview we will be able to remember you. Just do something different! In the interview...SMILE!
What was your biggest nightmare interview?
People who say nothing are the worst. One word answers to open questions are difficult to overcome. I have had a few people who claim to be ‘outgoing, enthusiastic and friendly' whilst not smiling throughout the interview or giving any positive signs whatsoever.
What is your most embarrassing interview moment?
I have a very high embarrassment level! Accidentally interviewing the same person twice can be embarrassing.
What is your favourite interview question?
One question we ask to get sales people to think outside the box is, "a man is found dead in the desert and next to him is a package. If he had opened the package he would have survived. What is in the package?" Also asking people how they think others see them is always a good question, it makes them think of themselves, their personality and their impact on things around them.
What is your favourite form of exercise?
I do a lot of CV work to help my stamina when I play football.
How often do you get a chance to work out?
I work at our Head Office in Poole which is attached to a fantastic gym so I try to work out as often as possible.
What do you see as the biggest problem facing recruiters in the fitness industry and what measures do you think will help overcome them?
Finding good quality, qualified fitness staff can be a struggle in certain areas. However, we can overcome this as we have our own purpose built training academy in Chesterfield, where we can train people in the relevant qualifications, if they show the right desire and attitude. Membership sales is also an area that causes a few problems; we overcome this with focused advertising in more specialist press.
Is there anything you are aiming to implement this year for staff or management that you are not currently doing?
We are currently working on a number of new training schemes for our staff. We already have our training academy in Chesterfield. We also have training rooms in Luton, Bournemouth, Coventry, Sheffield and Shepherds Bush. We are in the process of bringing 4 new regional trainers into the company to bring even more training and development to enthusiastic and motivated staff.
How many staff are there working for your organisation?
6000 worldwide and around 2800 in the UK.
How did you get involved in the fitness industry?
I came from a recruitment background and actually used to recruit accountancy staff for Fitness First. I was amazed by their vitality and growth and the massive enthusiasm of everyone involved, so I joined them!
Approximately how many CVs does your organisation receive in the average week?
We receive anywhere up to 1000 CVs a week, or when we have a lot of adverts out, even more. We are in the process of opening around 50 clubs over the next 12 months, these tend to be grouped and we open 4-6 clubs at a time. With around 250 CVs per club, plus the CVs for adverts for existing clubs PLUS CVs sent in ‘on-spec' means we get a lot of CVs.
Approximately how many users does your organisation have?
400,000 worldwide.
What are the most difficult staff to recruit?
Sales can prove to be a stumbling block, people tend to do it just because they want to work in the leisure industry, where as we need people who are actually dedicated to the sales.
What is the thing you like most about the health and fitness industry?
The spark, the enthusiasm, the people.
What is the thing you like least about the health and fitness industry?
I have yet to find anything about this industry I do not like.
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