[Rivière]

At my workplace there's this new PT who joined us after lockdown. He transferred from another gym. The gym he transferred from was one nearby, where my previous gym manager (one I've complained about before) is. He transferred because gym manager there treated him like crap (surprise surprise). The new PT is actually a really nice guy. However, there's something I can't help but feel bitter about.

I've worked my butt off to even get one client at the gym. I allowed that old gym manager to treat me like crap because I felt like I'd lose my job otherwise. I put in 10 hours a day. In total I was working 62 hours a week. I forced myself to become social even when I hated it. I made sure to advertise myself on social media. On the gym's website. The gym's in-house advertising. My mother spent money so I could purchase professionally made business cards. I would try and market myself as much as I possibly could. It has taken me 8 months (including lockdown) to get a single client.

Yet, this new PT comes along after spending just 3 weeks here. He puts in zero effort to be at the gym outside of his assigned shift hours. He has no advertising. No business cards. No online or in-house profile. No social media. He spends his time hiding away from gym members by cleaning areas of the gym where there's no one around. He used his time off during lockdown to work on his acting career. He hasn't bothered preparing anything for when he got back. He didn't even know when he should run a consultation.... he gets a client. Just like that.

I can't help but be bitter.

I like the guy as a person. I think he's great. But I can't help but be bitter at the fact some guy walked up to him, without even knowing who he was or where he came from and said, 'I'm looking for a PT and want 3 sessions a week'.

The PT comes rushing into the staff room, where I was sat just 10 minutes before my shift was due to start, and started panicking to me about how he didn't even know how much to charge the guy. He spent an hour on the phone with our new gym manager who tried to give him a ton of advice. Then as soon as he got off the phone, wanted to know how much I charge clients. He wanted to take all my hard work, and knowledge I had gained, just so he can quickly form a plan of how to get this guy to pay him.

I felt so bitter and annoyed underneath. I know I should be happy for him. But I can't. I can't be happy for somebody who has been there for barely any time at all, who doesn't even know who he is, and suddenly gets a client. Yet there I was working my backside off, having to deal with a lousy gym manager who crapped on me so hard I nearly reconsidered my stay there.

It makes me feel like hard work and effort mean nothing. I know that there are 2/3 men at the gym, so it's easier for male PTs to get clients. But I can't help how I feel. It's such a smack in the face.

Previously my mother made comments saying, 'You watch <PTs name> get a client right away while you've had to work hard to get yours'. Sure enough it happened, and she can't help but feel like it was all too convenient. More so because the PT met the gym manager whilst doing a first aid course so they were rather pally with one another. I want to stay objective and just say it was really good timing for him and that it's just a coincidence... but I can't help but just feel so bitter.