Career is getting started!

Things are really starting to happen!  I have been enjoying my fitness screening class in that I have been having interaction with clients.  I have done fitness testing, fat analysis, and movement screenings!  This is all the first steps to personal training.  Next week will mark my 6th month of the program!  Only 8 more months to go.  I just finished up my paper that defines my code of ethics.  This got me to thinking.  Having ethics is one thing, but defining them and writing them down really helps bring to light the way I want my behavior to be.

Today I finally got a hold of the man at YMCA and he had some good news for me.  He said they already have an internship deal with the college, but he would ask the higher ups about letting me get on board.  He asked me to send him a resume and a cover letter explaining my desire to internship at the YMCA, and some other stuff that I would have to check my notes about.  I see this as an opportunity to get a jump start on not only my resume, but my career!  I know it will be a push doing that along with school and family, but I think it will make a great impact on my knowledge.  Blessings are being poured out as advantages!!!!  My mentor with the college said to send him a copy of my cover letter and resume and he will look it over as a trainer and give me advice.  WOOHOO!!  So maybe next week end I will have time to work on that.  Meanwhile, here is a copy of my code of ethics paper.  This paper is not about thinking I am such a great person with no issues in my life, because believe me I mess up all the time, it is just what I plan to maintain as a decent human being.

 "I believe that change is always possible. Being liked for whom I am is great, but only if that is the person who I want to be."

 Professional Code of Ethics and Personal Code of Ethics.

Professional Code of Ethics

I chose availability, compassion, communication, commitment, and straight-forwardness for my professional code of ethics. These values all help to enforce my ethics as a professional, and will propel my career as a personal trainer through reputation.

Availability to me means being available to my client. My clients will have questions, and it will be my job to be available to answer them. I expect my clients to do what I ask of them; therefore I want them to be knowledgeable about what is expected.

If a client is struggling with achieving their goal, whether the struggle be in nutrition, or maintaining a fitness regimen, I want to have compassion for them in their struggles. I want them to know that I understand what they are going through.

That being said I also promise to be straight-forward. When I see that a client is making excuses rather than giving it their all, I plan to let them know the areas they show weakness. I will be compassionately straight-forward. 

The commitment I will make to my profession will be diligent and organized. I will maintain an unmatched level of responsibility. I will be committed to detail within each session of personal training, not leaving out or skipping steps.

Having a professional code of ethics is important because it provides a template for which to be responsible. There are so many ethics and virtues that are important to being a personal trainer. I believe writing them down and making them my own, sets a standard for how I will run my business. It also gives my clientele something concrete to which they can hold me.

Personal Code of Ethics

I chose passion, integrity, honesty, loyalty, and fitness for my personal code of ethics. These values help me to be a well rounded trustworthy person. They give me credibility in life and help me to be the person I should be. It is important in life to set a value system by which to live. Without values, ethics, and morals, we are prone to do things that are unacceptable not just to society, but can also hurt personal relationships.

Integrity is so important to me it goes right along with trustworthiness. The word integrity means moral uprightness. It is the difference in cheating on my taxes when I know I will not be caught, and doing the right thing even though I may face a penalty.  Integrity to its core is unacceptable to society, but for me it shapes my life in a way that I can live with myself and face my Father in prayer every morning.

Honesty to me means not being a liar. When I am honest, then I am forthright and truthful. I do not believe in being honest to a fault, or in other words "telling it like it is" when I have not even been asked. I am speaking of the honesty that goes without scheming, cheating, and lying. 

Sixteen years ago I made a promise to be my husbands wife for the rest of my life. Along with that promise came the duty to be loyal. When my husband makes a decision that is inline with the word of God, I will be firm and constant in my support of his choice. Serving God is my most unwavering strength. I will be fervent in furthering His kingdom, showing loyalty to its depths.

Passion for me means doing things with maximal effort. When I chose to go to college in my latter part of life, I knew it needed to be done with passion. When I decided to start running, and ultimately decided to be a long distance runner, passion soon took over. I will do whatever it takes to succeed no matter how much it hurts me. That being said, I will not sacrifice my family's needs for my success.

Fitness is, at this point, a very significant value. It is a value that I must work very hard at maintaining.  I train with fervency and vigor.  I am committed to completing my training no matter what obstacles I face.  Being physically fit means pushing my limits, and by doing that, I gain respect for myself in my achievements.

Having a personal code of ethics is important because it brings value to the person I am and strive to be. I can be confident in my relationships with my husband, daughters, friends, and family. My ethics are very important to me. They shape the way I live and conduct my life.  I believe that change is always possible. Being liked for whom I am is great, but only if that is the person who I want to be.