Massage Therapist: What is the cost of hiring?

Why recruit a massage therapist

A trained, qualified massage therapist will attract loyal customers to your business. This is because their knowledge and expertise gives you a chance to build your reputation in the local area. Customers are also likely to appreciate a massage therapist who can comfort and reassure them while talking them through their processes. 

Qualities of a great massage therapist:

• uses their vocational training to provide lifestyle advice and expert massage therapy to your clients or patients.
• is able to talk to your patients or clients about their injuries, taking them through possible therapeutic options according to both budget and personal preferences.
• is respectful of your clients, including their health concerns and any sensitive confidential information.

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance massage therapist

If you offer massage therapy services on an ad hoc basis to clients who require specialist treatment, then you might choose to employ a freelance massage therapist. This may also help you to save time and money training permanent massage therapists, as it means that you only have to provide one when your clients or patients have booked a session. However, if you run a spa or clinic that specialises in massage therapy, then having a permanent massage therapist will help you to keep on top of a busy schedule. If there is often work available for them and they will be busy, then recruiting a massage therapist full-time would be better suited to your practice.

What are the different types of massage therapist?

As different massage therapists have different specialisations, you need to make sure that the one you recruit is right for your practice needs. Each will be able to help your clients or patients with specific health or relaxation needs. Some of your clients or patients may be looking for a more spiritually guided therapy, while others may need deep tissue therapy for sports injuries or strains. Clients attending a spa day may be looking for massage therapy to unwind from stress.

• Reflexology massage therapist: helps to release tension in reflex points such as in hands and feet. 
• Swedish massage therapist: uses techniques like friction and kneading to reduce muscular tension and improve circulation in the body. 
• Hot stone massage therapist: uses heated basalt river rock stones placed across different points on the body to ease muscular tension.
• Sports massage therapist: helps guide patients through techniques to help with sporting injuries, and provide specialist massage treatments for injured areas.
• Shiatsu massage therapist: specialises in a kind of Japanese bodywork that involves kneading and pressing to relieve tension. 

Where to find a massage therapist

To find the right massage therapist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Searching for accredited practitioners through databases: find qualified professional massage therapists local to you via an online database. 
• Networking with organisations like the Federation of Holistic Therapists: contact qualified massage therapists directly and learn more about their services via relevant organisations. 
• Networking with local health clinics or sports facilities: speak to other sports or healthcare professionals to find out their recommendations for local massage therapists.
• Advertising in your practice or clinic: Post a job advertisement for your massage therapist role on your practice’s noticeboard, including salary information and contact details.

Post your job online: Try posting your job for a massage therapist on Indeed to find and attract quality massage therapist candidates.

Skills to look for in a great massage therapist

A great candidate for a massage therapist’s role will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• listening to and working with feedback from clients or patients
• having required medical knowledge to provide therapeutic services
• having a calm and patient manner
• friendliness and putting your clients at ease
• having knowledge of different suitable massage techniques

Writing a massage therapist job description

A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified massage therapist candidates. A massage therapist job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your  job description for a massage therapist, consider including some or all of the following keywords to strengthen the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms resulting in clicks on jobs for massage therapists, according to Indeed data:

• massage therapist
• massage
• sports massage
• sports therapist
• therapist
• beauty therapist
• spa therapist
• beauty

Interviewing massage therapist candidates

Strong candidates for massage therapist positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• how they avoid injuries
• safe best practices
• how to deal with difficult customers
• professional qualifications and on-the-job experience
• professional manner with customers and soft skills

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of massage therapist interview questions for examples (with sample answers).