Can’t Find, or Unhappy with Work? Read On

Many massage therapists have found great success in this profession.  Many more have struggled, but make ends meet.  Yet some have never found their way and are struggling to find work, to get their career off the ground.

In this article, I want to share my perspective as a teacher, a school administrator, employer, and as a successful massage therapist.  My hope is that those of you that are successful will choose to share your knowledge as a mentor, or an author of articles for this newsletter.  For those of you that are making ends meet, I hope to share ideas on how you can move up the ladder of success.  But most of all, I want to offer ideas for those of you that are struggling to get started in the rewarding career.

So let me start from an employer’s perspective.  What does an employer want from their employees?  If you are a therapist trying to get started in the field, you had better start asking this very question, plus one other very important one…..Why would an employer want to hire me?

Employers are in business to make money.  In order for them to make money, they need employees that are committed to the business’ mission statement.  In massage, that statement will be related to offering the best possible massages to the clients with a total commitment to professionalism shown at all times.  This is the first step I feel many students, and later, beginning therapists miss when trying to find a massage job.  If the therapist puts their interests and concerns first, then the business will have an employee that will miss work, will start to complain about doing things like paperwork, and will create discord with the rest of the employees.  No employer wants that, and an unhappy therapist will have that unhappiness come through in their work.  So, if you want to work for an employer, be prepared to be the best employee you can be.

From a teacher’s standpoint, I see students constantly arriving late for classes, leaving early, or just barely making the minimum attendance requirements.  What students don’t seem to understand is that 80% attendance may sound good, but when you look at it from an employer’s point of view, they will see someone is missing work 20% of the time, or one out of every 5 days.  So if you were one of those students, you will need to commit to being on time and at work on a consistent basis.

When it comes to interviewing, beginning therapists often forget that they should prepare before going to an interview.  The therapist should know about the business and have an idea of the position they are actually applying for before sitting across from a prospective employer.  So do your homework.

I see therapist report for interviews dressed poorly, as if they are getting ready to go out with friends on a Saturday night.  The way you present yourself in the interview is more than just answering questions.  The employer will look at your attire, the manner in which you answer questions, as well as the little things like confidence and your willingness to smile.

The last main component that needs to be considered by the therapist when looking for a job is your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.  Therapists seem to think that because they can do massage well, an employer should immediately hire them.  Doesn’t work that way!  Employers will hire you for your personality.  If you have massage skills, they can always train you more if needed.  But it is hard to change someone’s personality.  So smile, be polite, be confident without being cocky, and above all else, demonstrate in your answers that the client is, and always will be, your first concern.  If you do that, you will find work.

My guess is, those of you that are very successful already understand what I am talking about, and employers reading this will likely agree with me.  For those of you struggling, take my advice, put the client first EVERY TIME if you are already working.  If you are looking and not finding work, search inside yourself, and realize employers want employees that will make them money and make the client a happy customer.  If you realize these facts, and adjust your thinking accordingly, my bet is you will have a better time finding the right job for you.

By Mike Hovi