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Introduction
Massage therapists are professionals who manipulate the muscles and soft tissue of the body for pain relief, reducing stress, rehabilitation from injuries and relaxation. Massage therapists use different instruments along with their hands, fingers, elbows and feet. There are a variety of methods and ways massage therapists apply massage. Some therapists are specified in specific methods, whereas others may specialise in many.
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Similar Job Titles
- Massage Operator
- Spa assistant
- Rehabilitation technician
- Aesthetician
- Spa attendant
Common Job Responsibilities for a Massage Therapist
The common responsibilities of a massage therapist include the following
- Consulting the clients and identifying the problems they are facing
- Developing a therapy plan according to the needs and requirements of the client
- Applying massage techniques in the tension areas in order to give relief
- Applying specialised massage treatments
- Ensuring the comfort of the clients during the massage
- Keeping a record of the progress made after each session in order to determine if the treatment is working or not
- Advising the clients on how to maintain a healthy life through exercise and making changes in their lifestyle
Standard Work Environment
Massage therapists usually work in health clinics, spas, or massage salons. However, many other work opportunities are also available. Some massage therapist work on cruise ships, resorts, hotels etc.
There are also self-employed massage therapists. These therapists travel to the client’s homes in order to perform massages. In order to provide a relaxing massage, a quiet and peaceful environment is required. Therefore, the massage therapist’s work environment is mostly calm and chaos free.
Usually, they work in a relaxing temperature and wear a uniform while giving massages. However, if they are self-employed and provide massages in the client’s house, then the environment may differ.
Work Hours
There are full-time and part-time massage professionals. Therapists who work full-time generally work five days a week, which adds up to 40 hours. Thus, daily they work for 8 hours. On the other hand, there is no specific time allocated for part-time massage therapists. They can work several hours a day depending on their preferences.
Employers
For massage therapists, there is a good deal of employment opportunities. Interested individuals can learn about job openings through referrals, websites, staff agencies, social media etc. Massage therapists are generally employed by
- Fitness Centre
- Spa
- Hotels
- Resorts
- Health Clinic
- Massage Salons
- Individual Clients
Workplace Challenges
Like other professional massage therapy has its share of challenges. Here is a list of common challenges faced by professionals in the massage industry.
- A massage therapist has to do a lot of physical work. Therefore, they may suffer from body aches, back pain, sore hands and fingers and other physical issues.
- While providing massage, they are usually alone with the clients. Therefore, if the clients have ill intentions, it can put the therapists at risk. Those who work in clients’ homes are prone to even more risks.
- Sometimes, clients book massage sessions and cancel them at the last moment. This causes financial loss for massage therapists as they can’t get another appointment at the last minute.
- Another challenge is handling demanding clients. Sometimes the clients can be very demanding and ask for an extra massage or massages that were not discussed before.
Unions / Professional Organisations
The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) are organisations an aspiring massage therapist needs to know about for their professional development. These are the authorities that provide accreditation for massage therapists. Even though accreditation is not required, it plays a part in building credibility amongst the client.
Recommended Qualifications
There are no formal degrees required to become a massage therapist in the United Kingdom. In order to become a massage therapist, individuals can take training programs and learn the fundamental techniques of giving massages. These training programs will help them acquire the basic skills required to start their career in this industry. Along with that, there are many e-learning platforms that will provide quality training along with certificates of achievement.
Furthermore, taking up an apprenticeship in a spa or massage salon can be an excellent opportunity to learn the techniques and procedures of massages. It will help individuals grasp a practical understanding of how to give proper massages.
In-demand Job Skills
There are some core skills one needs to acquire in order to become a proficient massage therapist. Here is a list of the skills
- Communication skills
Effective communication is essential to understand the requirements of the clients. That is why communication is essential for massage therapists.
- Hygiene
There is skin-to-skin contact in massage sessions. As a result, hygiene skills are vital to prevent the contamination of disease.
- Physical fitness
There is a lot of physical movement, and the massage therapist has to spend long hours standing. Thus, it is important that they have the skills to maintain physical fitness.
- Time management
Time management skills help massage therapists maintain their schedule and keep everything on track.
- Patience
In massage therapy, professionals have to deal with different types of clients and their demands. That’s why it is important to have patience and fulfil the needs of each individual.
- Marketing
Marketing skills help massage therapists grow their businesses. Especially for the self-employed massage, therapists marketing skills are a must
Did you know?
Acupuncture is a massage form that originated in ancient China, and since then, this massage has been used for healing around the world.
Suggested Work Experience
The best way to acquire experience in massage therapy is by completing an apprenticeship. Working as a massage therapy assistant or joining an apprenticeship allows you to get hands-on training. When you are done with the apprenticeship, you can start looking for job opportunities. After working with the first few clients, you will gradually gain the experience required to become an excellent massage therapist.
Projected Career Roadmap
For career development, hard work, experience, professional qualification, and dedication is the key. Professionals who possess these qualities will be able to climb the career ladder faster than others.
With relevant skills and knowledge, you can start your career as a massage therapist. After you start your career, you can acquire adequate training and become specialised in a certain type of massage, like Thai massage or acupressure.
When you have gained a good amount of experience, you can become a massage therapy centre or spa manager. In addition, you have the chance to start your own massage therapy business.
Job Prospects
Individuals with a solid understanding of massage techniques, communication skills, experience and accredited training will have the best job prospects.
Tips for Professional Development
For professional growth, you can follow the tips given below
- Expand Your Knowledge
The more you will learn, the better you will become. That is why you should learn about different massages and their techniques. In order to broaden your knowledge and expertise, you can take online courses or offline training sessions.
- Enhance Your Resume
Even though there are no formal requirements to become a professional massage therapist, it is important to acquire training to build a good resume. You can enrol in CPD-accredited online courses to develop your skills and secure accredited certificates. These certificates will boost your employability.
- Provide Quality Customer Services
Give time and listen to your clients with attention. Make sure you maintain the schedule properly and respond to customer calls with etiquette. This will help you build a good reputation and expand your business.
Explore More
Average Salary of Massage Therapists in the United Kingdom
The massage therapist in the UK generally receives £18 per hour on average. For an entry-level position, a massage therapist can start with a £23,400 per year salary. With more experience, a massage professional can earn up to £58,500 per annum.
Average Time to Become a Massage Therapist
You don’t need a degree to become a massage therapist. However, it is preferable to get a degree or join courses to develop basic skills. The courses and diplomas have different durations. However, most of them are not more than six months.
After that, if you take an apprenticeship, it may take six more months to complete or less. Therefore, one should keep around a year in their hand for becoming a massage therapist.
Pros & Cons of Freelancing, self-employment and Full-Time Employment
There are both advantages and disadvantages to becoming a freelancer or self-employed massage therapist. Here is a list of the pros and cons of working as a self-employed therapist or a freelancer.
Pros of working as a self-employed therapist or a freelancer.
- You get to work according to your preferred time and schedule. You don’t have to answer to anyone and can make your own career choices.
- You have the freedom to choose your work area and your clients. In addition, you can set up your own massage therapy salon or provide services in the client’s home.
- All the profit you will earn will come to you, and you will have control over your service rates.
Cons of working as a self-employed therapist or a freelancer.
- As you will be working alone, building a regular client base will be challenging and time-consuming as you will be working alone.
- Along with providing massages, you have to manage the accounts, deal with marketing and other aspects of the business. Therefore, at a point, it may get overwhelming for you.
- While working under an employer, you will receive security, bonus, and other facilities which you will not receive as a self-employed professional.
Like self-employment, there are pros and cons for full-time employment as well.
Pros for full-time employment
- As a full-time employed massage therapist, you will just have to concentrate on your massages and don’t have to pay attention to other business aspects such as marketing, customer service etc.
- You will receive protection and different benefits while working for a company.
- As a full-time employee, you will feel financially secure as you will receive a certain amount every month.
Cons for full-time employment
- You have to work according to the schedule given by your employer. Therefore, work flexibility is comparatively less.
- The clients will be selected for you as well. As a result, you don’t get to choose your preferred clients.
Conclusion
Massage therapists help people heal and relax. Therefore, as a massage therapist, you must work on your skills continuously in order to provide the customers with the best service. When your customers are satisfied, they will come back to you, which will increase your demand in the massage therapy industry.
