If you want to become a personal trainer, you need at certification from an accredited organization. You can be a personal trainer without certification, but if you want a long term career as a personal trainer getting proper certifications will be a big help. There are various professional organizations that offer certifications to personal trainers. In the United States there are a number of certifications, but quite a few are not accredited. To get an accredited certificate a candidate is required to have a high school diploma, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification and some type of examination. The certificate should be recognized by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies in the United States.When considering getting certification to become a personal trainer, consider certain factors: Is the certification nationally and internationally recognized? What are the perquisites for getting the certification? Will you need to attend seminars, workshops, or training sessions? What will you need to study to keep your certification valid? What certifications are required by the club or fitness club that you plan to work for? How much will the certification process cost?There are a number of institutes in the United States that offer home study courses and accredited certifications. Some of the institutes are; ACSM, ACE, AFAA, AFPA, IFPA, ISSA, NASM, NCSF and NFPT. All these institutes have their websites on which the requirements, study material and other requirements are specified including the costs. Most of the courses do require attending some form of training, or acquiring a certification in that training. If you want to become a certified health and fitness trainer, you need practical training to get certification in CPR and AED. When deciding to take up a career as a personal trainer it’s always better to get accredited certifications. No matter how much experience you may have, it’s always better to be certified. It’s easier for a certified personal trainer to find a good job in any fitness center or as a personal trainer for an athlete, wrestler or weight lifter. It gives the employer a certain level of confidence when hiring a personal trainer who is a certified professional. If you want to become a certified personal trainer in a specialized field like aerobics, find out from where you can get a recognized certification.