Finding massage jobs in a down economy can be very challenging. Just like any other job hunt it takes doing your research and being able to promote your skills as a massage therapist and also as someone who can build their massage business. Even though you will be working for someone else, you have to know what you are doing and be able to get clients to keep coming back. Many massage employers will give you a bonus when people call back and ask for you for repeat massages.
Finding a job in massage is in itself a full time job and should be approached seriously. So many start with the idea that they are looking for a job for themselves to provide financial/job security. I am here to tell you that there is no such thing really. Security is only something you can feel on the inside as a result of building your self esteem and self confidence. Even the most elite massage spa or business can not be depended on for financial/job security.
The first thing that many job searcher want to know is ‘How much is the salary?’ You really have to stop asking that question and start figuring out how much you need to make and how you will get them to pay you want you need to make. It is called negotiation. But it begins with telling them what you will do to increase the income and create a professional atmosphere for the massage employer.
To do that you will need to do your research and find out what the massage employers’ business is really like and what they need and what things could be improved upon.
I can tell you some things to look for:
- What kind of marketing they are doing? Go into the spa and get a massage there yourself. They will or should be asking for your email address so that they can send you info later. If it offers other services besides massage like facials or pedicures or whatever- go in and get one of those services. Full service places should be cross promoting their services and also promoting massage. You should soon be getting many emails on the benefits of getting regular massage. If they aren’t sending those out – they aren’t doing a very good job of marketing their services to keep your schedule filled. You can point that out to them and work with them to create a email marketing campaign
- Look for location and visibility of signs directing traffic to the location. If there isn’t any – suggest some. One spa I have been to is located next to a Whole Foods Grocery store but they are lost in the strip mall with a teeny sign and the store front just looks like all the others.
- What educational materials do they have to hand out to clients? Do they have stretching charts, ideas for after the massage care, a list of services to hand out to clients? Do they let you offer free adons like hot face towels or hand/feet warmers as an extra service (or something like that?)
- Their websites are also another place where many employers are lacking results. The website should come up at the top of Google when you type in the terms ‘massage, your city’. It should also have a list of the massage therapists with all of their skills and each massage therapists philosophy on doing massage and why they became a massage therapist. Their website should be full of information with research, articles on various conditions and stress and what massage can do. I have all of the information one needs to build a website that does get to the top of the search engines on my main site here.
The thing is that you really have to be passionate about your work and really love what you are doing. You have to start thinking and acting outside of the box. Start focusing on what you want to do for the massage employer rather than on what you will get out of it and the chances of you getting what you want and more will significantly increase.
Instead of complaining that can’t find a job in massage like these people on indeed.com (a job listing site) and blame your lack of finding a job on the economy rather than taking responsibility for your success or lack of success in the massage field will really take you nowhere. Taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions can be a very difficult and painful process but well worth the effort to get out of the victim trap of blaming your job troubles on the economy.
Additional Resources: Massage Job Guide : How to find or create your ideal job in massage. (from my other site -www.massagecareerguides.com)
How to interview a massage employer.
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