Step 2: Explore Employment Opportunities

When you started massage school, you probably had an idea about what you wanted to do with your training and license. During your massage school journey, it is likely that your plans changed as you learned more about the profession. As you get close to graduation, it makes sense that you should revisit, or begin, a career exploration to prepare yourself for transitioning out of school. Let’s explore employment opportunities in massage and bodywork as part of a larger discussion about planning a career.

The Basics of Being an Employee

An employee is a person that is hired by another person or company to perform particular duties for a set fee. The employer is required by law to withhold income taxes, withhold and pay social security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax on wages paid to an employee. As an employee, you agree to abide by the rules and processes of your employer. You may have to follow a specific dress code, work a fixed schedule, and perform other duties in addition to massage, such as laundry and answering phones. In many instances, employers pay an hourly rate for the hours you are on a shift and an additional fee for every massage you perform during your shift. The responsibility for marketing and promotion, abiding by state and local business ordinances, organizing and tracking inventory of retail items, and all other activities for running and managing the business fall largely on the shoulders of the employer.

The Basics of Being an Independent Contractor

An independent contractor is a self-employed person who contracts with another business to provide specific services. This is a common arrangement in the massage profession, where a massage business owner contracts with massage therapists instead of hiring them as employees. Independent contractors may be responsible for securing a specific number of client sessions per week, or they might share the responsibilities for marketing and promotion with the business owner. Independent contractors must keep their own tax records and report and pay taxes to the IRS.

The Subtle Difference between Employee and Independent Contractor

The difference between employees and independent contractors is subtle. An employer has the right to direct the means and methods an employee uses to accomplish a job. A person hiring an independent contractor has the right to control only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the job. Still, in many instances, the contract is written in such a way that the independent contractor must follow a dress code, keep to a specific schedule, and perform other duties in addition to massage, just as an employee would. Each situation has pros and cons that require careful examination.

Exploring Different Work Environments

Massage is practiced in a variety of environments, where you might work as an employee or independent contractor. These environments include:

• Chiropractor office
• Cooperative massage clinic
• Cruise ship
• Day spa
• Fitness center
• Franchise massage clinic
• Gym
• Hospice
• Hospital
• Naturopathic practice
• Nursing home
• On-site massage (e.g., dance studios, health food stores, corporations, etc.)
• Pain management center
• Physical therapy office
• Physician’s office
• Private practice
• Rehabilitation center
• Resort spa
• Salon
• Sports medicine clinic
• Veterinarian office (animal massage)
• Wellness center

Work at a Massage Clinic

Probably the most prevalent environment where you might work as an employee is a massage clinic. A massage clinic can take many forms. It often accommodates a number of massage therapists, a receptionist, and possibly a manager and bookkeeper. In one scenario, an employer owns the business and employs or subcontracts the massage therapists. In another scenario, a group of therapists join forces to share resources. Each is responsible for managing his or her own finances and pays a share of business expenses (e.g., advertising, cleaning, equipment, laundry, lease, phones, and receptionist).

Work at a Massage Franchise

Massage Envy was the first company to create a massage franchise model, in 2002. Since that time, other groups have founded similar businesses. A franchise is a type of license that a person acquires by paying an annual fee to allow the franchisee to have access to knowledge, processes, and trademarks in order to sell a product or provide a service under a particular business name. The largest massage franchisors (in alphabetical order) are:

• Elements Therapeutic Massage
• Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa
• Keep in Touch
• LaVida Massage
• Massage Envy
• Massage Green
• Massage Heights
• Massage Luxe
• Massaggiano
• My Massage People
• N8 Touch
• Zen Massage Center

Other Locations

Other common environments where massage therapists find employment include wellness centers, spas, medical establishments, and cruise ships:

• Work in a Wellness Center: Wellness programs emphasize the importance of paying attention to the body, mind, and spirit to promote and maintain optimum health. In this setting, the massage therapist is one of many different types of wellness professionals. Others working at the center may include a chiropractor, physical therapist, nutritionist, naturopathic doctor, meditation leader, spiritual counselor, allopathic doctor, fitness trainer, counselor, yoga instructor, life coach, hypnotherapist, or esthetician.
• Work at a Spa: Spas come in many shapes and sizes, including smaller day spas and large destination resort spas. If you choose to work for a spa, you may enjoy luxury surroundings and benefit from contact with an assortment of wellness professionals and exposure to numerous products and techniques. The work can be creative and varied, often allowing the therapist to offer different types of body treatments along with massage during the course of the day. At larger spas, there are often opportunities to advance into different positions, such as massage department manager, spa consultant, or spa director.
• Work in a Medical Setting: There are a number of different medical environments where massage therapists might work. These include a chiropractic office, hospital, hospice, naturopathic practice, sports medicine clinic, physical therapy office, or rehabilitation center. If you find you want to work closely with medical professionals, spend extra time studying medical terminology, soft-tissue pathology, assessment, insurance billing, record keeping, and medical conditions and their contraindications.
• Work on a Cruise Ship: Cruise ship work appeals to many therapists who want to travel and meet new people. Cruise ship work provides an opportunity to practice massage on a variety of body types, thereby building valuable experience. There are some benefits to this type of work, as compensation often includes room and board, medical insurance (required by maritime law), and reduced prices on cruise vacations for family members. However, it is important to understand that massage shifts on a cruise ship are particularly demanding, lasting as long as 12 hours, with back-to-back appointments. As with any job, research cruise ships carefully and compare rates of pay and work hours.

Can't Decide?

As you can see, you have a lot of choices to make when planning your career! If you feel confusion about the type of environment you want to work in, you might try job shadowing. This is where you learn about a job by walking through the workday as an unpaid “shadow” to a competent worker. You witness firsthand the massage work environment, client interactions, and skill sets required for the particular job. Some schools set up job shadowing opportunities for students. If your school doesn’t do this, you can call local massage businesses and ask if they would allow you to job shadow. You might also provide massage to the working massage therapists on staff for feedback.

Watch for upcoming newsletters, where we will explore private practice, blended careers, specialization, and other related topics.