Ah, the age-old question that I’m sure many of us ask ourselves when enlisting the services of any professional – Which is more important – Education or Experience?

Arguments could be made for both sides and obviously, it would be ideal if the person or person(s) you are hiring are both educated and experienced. However, as industries evolve, so typically does the education process it takes to become licensed, certified and insured. At the same time, someone who has years of experience working in their field of choice can usually problem-solve and troubleshoot more efficiently than someone who might be more educated but less experienced.

So when given the choice between education vs experience who should you choose?

As usual, I have some thoughts which I’m going to share below.

Education

As I mentioned above, most if not all industries evolve. Whether it be due to advancements in technology or more efficient working methods, companies are finding ways to become more productive in less time. And if you are unwilling to learn and adapt to these changes, there is a high risk that your methods will become dated, and as a result, you will get left behind.

The new generation understands this. More and more companies are now relying on online services and social media platforms to market and advertise their services. Having a website is no longer considered enough. If you’re not using at least one form of social media to market your company, then you’re already one step behind your competition.

It’s no secret that most if not all younger people are far more computer savvy than Baby Boomers, Generation X and even some Millennials. And this is because most if not all younger people grew up with a computer by their side. Many of these young people are using technology as an asset to allow them to work smarter rather than harder. Unfortunately, many of the older generations (including my own) continue to resist technology and are slowly fading out. Knowing this, if you are someone who needs to have a task/job completed in the  quickest and potentially effective manner, then you might be more likely to lean towards hiring the more educated person over the more experienced person.

Experience

I have always put more value on experience over education. Therefore my opinion on this topic might come off as a bit biased. I can speak on my behalf when I tell you that most, if not all of the training methods I use to help people build muscle, lose fat and become overall more healthy and fit have been learned through experience and not education. Sure, my education provided some essential fundamentals such as knowing and understanding basic anatomy and physiology. But there is only so much that can be applied to real-life situations through a textbook. Not everything is black and white when it comes to transforming physiques and bettering one’s health. What works for one person will not always work for the next.

The amount of knowledge and information that I have absorbed from working with real live people over the past two decades (not theory case studies) is what I feel has moulded me into establishing a reputation as a coach/personal trainer that helps his clients achieve their goals/results.

With that being said, I do understand that even my industry evolves and to remain on top of my game, I have to be willing to continue to evolve with it. Therefore I do continuously take continuing education courses. I am willing to question some of my methods that might now be considered dated and less effective than originally thought. And I will always strive to provide the absolute best care and quality service to every single client that decides to work with me.

Shirtless Selfies

As for the Personal Trainers and Online Coaches out there promoting their brands and marketing their services by posting scantly clad photos of themselves and links to join their OnlyFans pages?

I guess that does work for some people. Obviously it’s easier to trust and take the advice of a Trainer/Coach who is in good shape and takes care of his or her health and fitness. However in my opinion, this alone will only take you so far as a reputable and knowledgeable fitness professional within this industry. A true professional will rely on a combination of his or her experience, education, discipline and self motivation to not only attract potential clients, but help those clients achieve what matters most – their own health and fitness goals.

So Which Should You Prioritize – Education or Experience? 

I suppose this depends on the industry, service, and results you are expecting to receive/achieve. As I mentioned, I prefer experience. I like to see testimonials and have referrals before making an informed decision on any professional company I choose to hire. Someone else might decide that education is the greatest asset a person can have and therefore put more emphasis on this when choosing a company or contractor to work with. The decision is ultimately up to you to decide.

“Education is experience, and the essence of experience is self-reliance.”
T.H. White

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove
Forever Fit Performance