Is a Career as a Massage Therapist Really So Great?

On the face of it, working as a massage therapist sounds like a fantastic career. After all, you will be working for yourself, with all the freedom that comes with being self-employed. You will also be doing a job you enjoy, and helping people at the same time. At this point you are probably thinking that a career as a massage therapist sounds like a win-win situation and you can’t wait to sign up for a course at your local college. But before you embark on a training course, you need to consider the finer details of a thefitnessmosaic.com because it might not be the one for you.

Potential Earnings

The whole point of working is that you can earn money to spend on things you need and like. A lot of people assume that working as a freelance massage therapist is going to be a nice little earner. After all, massage therapy is in big demand and massage therapists can charge what they like, right?

The reality is slightly different and although it is possible to make a good income working as a massage therapist you need to factor in the cost of setting up a business. You can visit therapyessentials.co.uk for therapy couches and other essential equipment, but there are lots of other expenses to worry about, including advertising, insurance, and rent.

Flexible Hours

One of the big attractions of being self-employed is that you can work as many or as few hours as you like – and if you feel like taking the afternoon off, then you can. However, it is important to realise that most massage therapists work hours to suit their clients, not themselves. So if the majority of your clients work full-time, you can expect to work evenings and weekends as a matter of course. This will work well if you are fitting your career around another job, but it might not work so well if you have a family to take care of.

Finding Clients

Any therapist needs clients in order to enjoy a successful business. Working in a spa or clinic makes life easier because the clients are delivered right to your therapy table, but if you are freelance, you will need to advertise your services.

For those starting out, working in a clinic or spa is often the best way forward. Since you won’t have to worry about finding clients, you can gain valuable experience, concentrate on honing your skills, and even learn new ones. However, do make sure you are 100% clear on what is expected of you if you take a job in a spa or clinic, and if you are paid on a commission basis, what happens if there are no customers?

Massage therapy is physically hard work and it will take a while to get a new business going, but it can be a very rewarding career. And remember, if you are planning a career as a massage therapist, be sure to branch out into other therapies so you can maximise your earning potential.