How do you know if your trainer is good?

I have to say I have one of the best jobs in the world. Not just because I get to work outside all day in the summertime, or not just because I get to workout a lot and call it work. And not just because I get to wear workout clothes all day everyday and I am considered "appropriately dressed". No I get to help people change their lives for the better!! I have the ability to add years to peoples lives, to save them money and get them off of Cholesterol/Blood Pressure/diabetes medication. I help contribute to the betterment of their quality of life. I can help to give them memories they might not have otherwise had. With that being said, I have to say I am appalled and disgusted by the number of "trainers" out there that make false claims about their "expertise" or their experience, or for that matter decide that our job seems easy and fun so they go online and take a test and then start calling themselves personal trainers. Now don't get me wrong there are a ton of fantastic trainers out there, many of whom I admire and respect greatly. However there are also a very large number who have decided that our job looks like a good one, and they spend a matter of weeks studying and taking a test only to put initials behind their name. Years ago, our industry went about trying to weed out those certification agencies that were giving out personal training certs like they were candy. And to a large degree they have done that. But for the vast majority of the public out shopping for a trainer, none of those initials mean anything other than "my trainer is certified". The general public doesn't know which agencies are good and which are "fly by night". And unfortunately most people just trust blindly. As many of you know I work in a town that is extremely health conscious and outdoorsy. A lot of people in this town use trainers, and when the economy was booming, personal trainers were popping out of the woodwork at a steady stream. They still are and unfortunately the economy is not booming anymore and it is harder and harder to gain new business, especially with all the competition. I have seen recently advertisements for Running Clinics led by trainers who have no running background and have been training for a mere months. I have seen weight loss and nutrition clinics led by people who are teachers, but "have been training themselves all their lives". And I have seen trainers train without regard for their INDIVIDUAL client, putting clients through the same workouts over and over because they don't have the knowledge/background/and creativity to actually train to their client. It is called PERSONAL TRAINING for a reason. It is supposed to be personal. What works for the 50+ year old housewife should be different from the 30+ year old competitive Mtn Biker, and certainly should be different from what works for the 70 year old Grandfather recently retired. I strongly encourage everyone out there who is seeking the help of a trainer/yoga instructor/pilates instructor/masseuse, etc... do your homework. Make sure the person you are trusting your health and life with is capable. And I actually would say, make sure they are more than capable. Find someone with years of experience. Someone with a 4 year degree in Exercise Science or something related. Find someone who actually does what they are training you for, or have done it at some point in their life. If I wanted to learn to dance, I don't think I would hire a dnace instructor that runs marathons more often than they dance. And I want to stress too, that even those trainers with years of experience and degrees still may not be good trainers. So ask for references...ask to talk to other clients. Ask for a free session to "test drive" the trainer to make sure they ask questions about you, about your history, about why you came to them, and what success means to you. Make sure they are willing to invest in you before you invest money in them. I promise you will not regret the extra investigating. You may however regret it if you don't!! Happy Health and Fitness to you all!