Anyone heard of ESPA? possible job-need advice- PLEASE!!!

[TANK]

Ok, i just got back from my second interview at ESPA in Miami. they are an renowned spa inside of a 5 star hotel in Miami.

I have worked at a small dayspa for almost 2 years, took off to have a baby and am trying to find a better job where i don't sit around all day just to have 1 client if i'm lucky.
I was working only part time though and i'm nervous about transitioning to so many more hours.

At my first interview they told me the hours could be 9-5 or as late as 12-9, 5 days a week!
I have 2 small children and a husband in night school so i countered today with 9-3.
They really liked me and as long as the shorter hours aren't a problem I can probably get the job.

HOWEVER, at today's interview the Spa Director was telling me about the job and made it sound intimidating. I would be required to do lots of other things in between clients like folding towels, refilling the oils, ect.
They want everything done meticuliously according to procedure- i'm used to a more laid back enviornment (although laid back does not seem to equal well paid)
They require you to start off just doing massage but 4 times a year a trainer comes to teach you their signature treatments which include alot of eastern modalities, ayurveda, aromatherapy.

so i am really excited to get more free training b/c it's been awhile since i've been in school and this will give me alot more play in the spa industry.
at this point in my life i can't even afford to go to conventions to get CEU's so we really need the money too.
But i'm nervous to work in such a rigid enviornment. she said sometimes during the week there is little to no work- but the weekends make up for it by sometimes doing 4 2hour sessions! eek. is that too much to handle?
is it ok if it is tempered by less during the week.

does anyone have any experience in such an intense enviornment?? any words of wisdom.
i won't know about pay until my meeting with HR, but they have mentioned an hourly wage plus more per session.

thank you so much for any and all advice\\
Chani

 

[Caramel Eyes]

ESPA makes wonderful products. Most of their US linked spas brand the treatment menu but are locally owned. I would bet this is an all employee operation - Mandarin and Rosewood resorts are very picky and probably would not outsource it to a spa operator. ESPA is in a few Ritz spas, as well as the Peninsual Chicago. Very upscale, very uptight.

High End Hotel spas are pretty standard now with X per hour plus Y% Commssion.

The X is usually 10- 12 and the Y around 15, depending on how competitive your market is (Miami has a glut of therapists)

They are also pretty standard with keeping you busy to earn your hourly when not massaging. This also means you can be sent home on a slow day after all of your towels are folded and bottles are filled. Keep in mind Miami is going into its slow season for the hotel business - does not pick back up until late November.

On a higher level, it does not sound like this much structure suits you. Also, as an employee, you will be asked and expected to pick up extra shifts, stay late, etc. 5 star hotels like Aqualina hate to say no to a guest when there is a treatment room standing empty.

Your free training may also feel like you are doing it for free. Training wage is usually quite a bit less than you would expect to earn once you are trained.

They weren't trying to intimidate you, just making sure you understand what it is you are getting yourself in to. There is nothing worse than having someone leave in less than a month because the job was not what they thought it was.

 

[Pompal 09.]

more questions

ok. so assuming only a 30 hour workweek which I am looking for. that is 30 hours times around $11 an hour. That is $330 a week. the weekends are busy - so i'll add 8 hours of work for friday and sunday and 5 hours for the rest of the week. at $15 an hour that is another $195 a week

is this really the average for most hotel jobs? will the training put me ahead of the game or is training so specific to each hotel that it makes no difference at my next job?

in terms of working late and such I would only take the job if it was clear from the get go that i have to leave at 3 no matter what.
can i still expect tips at a place like this?
btw- the spa is called ESPA at aqualina. it is the first true ESPA full service spa in the US apparently. They seem to take themselves quite seriously and repeated that they do everything by the book
which book? meaning that every massage must be completely the same? any idea what that meant?

Relax and Rejuvinate, Is this around what therapists can expect to make doing outcalls for this amount of time or is this lower paying since you just show up and massage vs. carrying out equiptment?

Thanks so much for the imput
Chani

 

[Purple]

Aqualina is a Rosewood property - some of the snootiest around.

Plus you get around 15% commission on all services - about $15 - 18 per.

They probably do automatically tack on 18% gratuity, of which you will probably get 15 of the 18.

You need to be clear up front regarding your 3pm drop dead time. It is very difficult for employers to treat employees differently, so if you get the schedule you want, then they have to offer the same consideration to everyone else.

We have a little idea of the ESPA protocols. YOu can expect a certain amount of sameness in the massages. I know in their aromatherapy protocol is quite specific - something like start at the body's core and work your way out to the extremities in a circular pattern...

When you have a branded spa and a branded experience, most of it will be very structured. Elemis Deep Muscle Massage has the same 84 strokes to it if you have one in London, Miami or Virginia.

Can't really blame them -- that is what they sell. The experience.