Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

[Timmy]

It has reached the point where I need to generate more income and the only way to do so is to go to work for someone else. Massage Envy in my area is currently offering a sign on bonus and the clinic I'll be applying at is flexible with regard to therapists scheduling breaks between clients etc. So I'm submitting my application tonight. A friend works there and she has nothing but glowing reviews for the owner/operators.

All of that said, I'm still nervous. I've focused on chair massage almost exclusively for the past 3 years, only started back to doing table work in the last couple months. Not to mention I haven't interviewed for a job in years. And never for a massage job. I've done a couple searches and put together what I *think* is a decent resume. Just need some advice on the interview and interview massage portions. If anyone wants to relate their experience interviewing/working at Massage Envy that would also be more than welcome.

 

[momma31]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

It can be hard making the transistion from chair to table work.

Since you have a friend working there, definitely do a few sample interviews with her before you go in for the interview with the company manager.

I've also sent you a useful PM.

 

[GNET Uk - GNETUK.CO.NR]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I really do not support places like this even though I worked for one for about a year. I'm sorry you are struggling

Ok, the pros: Each clinic is usually individually owned, so if your friend is having a good experience at the clinic you will be working at that is a good sign. Sign on bonus is good! I haven't heard of that before, so that tells me they might be in need of quality therapists. They usually go for quantity... a lot of therapists doing factory-style massage, churning out bodywork as if it were on a conveyor belt.

The cons: Where do I start. I just wish there was another option for you...

During the interview just be yourself! State all the experience you have, people skills, client retention skills, modality skills, etc. ME wants to make sure you will drape how you want them to, attempt to rebook your clients, be on time, and assist with "team player" duties like refilling lotions, stocking sheets, attending to towel cabbies. Cleanliness/Sanitation is also obviously important and should go without saying. However, when working with so many other therapists you may find others may not uphold your same standards. Also, the more services you are willing to offer the better. When I worked for ME they liked it that I performed Hot Stone (their way, ofcourse), prenatal, Reflexology, and 2 hour massages.

For the practical massage portion of the interview just give a basic medium pressure full body Swedish massage using the draping methods that they will more than likely go over with you beforehand. Just be careful in offering Deep Tissue to clients... if you are any good at it you will get inundated with requests and you don't make any more money for doing deep tissue work than Swedish. Just be careful not to take on too much and burn out.

Be firm with your boundaries and practice self care daily!

Good luck!

 

[dukemack]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

Thank you! My husband and my best chic friend are both encouraging me to give it til the end of next week, step up the marketing, do some more in person advertising and see what happens before I commit to an hour & a half to two hour drive each way in the heat in an un-air conditioned car. So I'm taking advaneforum.xxxe of next week being ABMP's EveryBody Deserves A Massage week in order to do just that. I will still apply at the end of the week probably but hopefully for far less hours than I'm currently considering/fewer days.

 

[WOOT65]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

Thank you! My husband and my best chic friend are both encouraging me to give it til the end of next week, step up the marketing, do some more in person advertising and see what happens before I commit to an hour & a half to two hour drive each way in the heat in an un-air conditioned car. So I'm taking advaneforum.xxxe of next week being ABMP's EveryBody Deserves A Massage week in order to do just that. I will still apply at the end of the week probably but hopefully for far less hours than I'm currently considering/fewer days.

Yuck!!!

I was making a 50 mile drive each way when I worked at Massage Envy. It had its pros and cons of course, and while I wouldn't work there again, it was a good place for me to start out and I don't regret it. However, unless the one you are considering pays much better than the one I was at, it's not going to be worth the drive simply for the sake of gas money.

And seriously, no AC = YUCK!!

 

[sortma5ivci]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I was making a 50 mile drive each way when I worked at Massage Envy. It had its pros and cons of course, and while I wouldn't work there again, it was a good place for me to start out and I don't regret it. However, unless the one you are considering pays much better than the one I was at, it's not going to be worth the drive simply for the sake of gas money.

And seriously, no AC = YUCK!!

Yep. It's 53 miles door to door, the last 30 or so could take an hour or more with traffic & construction. The pay is what I'm told is the ME standard, more or less one-quarter of the $60/hr we were told to charge at minimum at my massage school. The next closest place I could get a job would be on-call and they want a year of spa or other busy-studio type experience first. I have inquired and they will not take my two years of self employed work nor my pages of glowing reviews from clients and people who have received a massage at one of the events I donate time to into account.

There is another outcall therapist in my local area [only in my actual town 2 days a week] who charges 2/3 of what I do and I'm hearing she didn't include standing customers in her most recent price reduction. I can not justify having the same outcall radius she has at the rate she charges. I am in this to make a living as much as help people, at least enough to pay my share of the bills and put some back for the future, I can't further cut my prices and continue to do either of those.

I'm grabbing a notebook and pen and diving into the advertising suggestions here again and going back over my notes from Laura Allen's One Year book again. Got some introspection and planning to do.

 

[Summer099]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I saw you were in Indiana. Can you think of anything else that we may be able to come up with that would help keep you from needing to take the ME job. Do you have any other thoughts?

 

[Lev]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I saw you were in Indiana. Can you think of anything else that we may be able to come up with that would help keep you from needing to take the ME job. Do you have any other thoughts?

Aside from really pushing my marketing over the next week or so, not really.

You want to hear something weird? Like "God/fate/star trek was watching out for me" weird? My kids go to a chiropractor about a half hour from my home. While we were en route to the chiro today, I got a call asking if I had a studio or was exclusively on-site. I said on-site and that I book about 48 hours out for people paying via paypal, so that the funds are cleared & in my account prior to the appointment. The gentleman was looking for someone right.that.second. With no sitter and three kids with me anyways, even if that hadn't creeped me out a bit I couldn't have done it. When we got to the chiro and I was checking the girls in, I asked the office manager whom they refer local clients to for massage, as I try to have a list of trustworthy, quality therapists in each area I receive a call from for those looking for in-studio work.

Ready for this? She said they used to have an MT on staff but didn't currently. Then she asked if I had considered a room rental or IC situation. I said yes, that I'd been keeping an eye on the paper and craigslist looking for such a position. She said "Let me talk to the docs and see what they think." Now, nothing may come of it but just the way that went down gave me some hope that there could be more options out there.

Anyways, like I said, could be something, could be nothing. I'll know more on Friday when I go in to talk over the girls latest reassessment with the docs. I'm taking my resume with me, and I have the wallet sized copies of my state certification and ABMP card on me at all times anyways. Just the way it happened kind of gave me a rush of hope and something of a push to look beyond my normal area and step outside my comfort zone even more.

Gotta put the kids to bed. I'll be back to ask some questions about what to look for in a chiro space sharing situation and brainstorm other ideas in a bit.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

Ah - I LOVE the feeling of HOPE and OPPORTUNITY!!

While perhaps nothing may come of the chiro's office, it is far more likely that it could be the perfect option for you.

Sometimes the universe has a way of coming through for you just when you need it...but not before.
:grin:

Good luck!

 

[Dave87gn]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I saw you were in Indiana. Can you think of anything else that we may be able to come up with that would help keep you from needing to take the ME job. Do you have any other thoughts?

Then she asked if I had considered a room rental or IC situation. I said yes, that I'd been keeping an eye on the paper and craigslist looking for such a position. She said "Let me talk to the docs and see what they think." Now, nothing may come of it but just the way that went down gave me some hope that there could be more options out there.

Can I assume that "another thought" would be you looking for a room rent &/or IC position as well? 8)

If so, we all (MassagePlanetL) can be keeping an eye out for those kinds of places and positions within your area. Feel free to tell us your area (other than state) if you are comfortable. Or, you are welcome to PM me, and I'll keep an eye out or try to send some links your way.

 

[poo.]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I'm hoping for either staff or IC with a perceneforum.xxxe split type setup so I'm not paying for a space when I'm not using it, kwim? I've been cruising blogs and a 60/40 split seems to be the average for this sort of set-up? I have been reading and thinking about it, and if offered/asked, I am thinking the set-up that would work best for me would be:

60/40 split on all table hours, tips are mine alone.
They supply linens & linen service, biofreeze {They already use it in bulk and retail it as well}
I supply my own oil & cream. I have a favorite brand and types of each and it's different from what they use.
They allow me space in their existing towel cabinets for my therapeutic heat pillows {taking Pillossage I & II in November} I provide the pillows & certification to use them.
They provide scheduling services within my stated hours of availability and promote my presence & hours in their materials & advertisements.
I cross-promote my presence and hours at their facility in my social media presence, website and advertising {I may be getting a 'wrap ad' or back-glass ad applied to my car this fall}

Thoughts? Anything else I should specify? Anywhere I'm overstepping?

As of right now I'm in west-central Indiana, an hour west of Indianapolis city limits pending traffic. We are looking to relocate closer to 45 minutes west of Indy but w/i 20 minutes of Terre Haute is also on the table as hubby is going to school there for another year and gas prices being what they are.

 

[citrine_dream]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

Yay! I work for a chiro part time as an IC and its great! Congrats!

I would follow up right away, sounds like an awesome opportunity!

 

[jif]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

I'm hoping for either staff or IC with a perceneforum.xxxe split type setup so I'm not paying for a space when I'm not using it, kwim? I've been cruising blogs and a 60/40 split seems to be the average for this sort of set-up? I have been reading and thinking about it, and if offered/asked, I am thinking the set-up that would work best for me would be:

60/40 split on all table hours, tips are mine alone.
They supply linens & linen service, biofreeze {They already use it in bulk and retail it as well}
I supply my own oil & cream. I have a favorite brand and types of each and it's different from what they use.
They allow me space in their existing towel cabinets for my therapeutic heat pillows {taking Pillossage I & II in November} I provide the pillows & certification to use them.
They provide scheduling services within my stated hours of availability and promote my presence & hours in their materials & advertisements.
I cross-promote my presence and hours at their facility in my social media presence, website and advertising {I may be getting a 'wrap ad' or back-glass ad applied to my car this fall}

Thoughts? Anything else I should specify? Anywhere I'm overstepping?

As of right now I'm in west-central Indiana, an hour west of Indianapolis city limits pending traffic. We are looking to relocate closer to 45 minutes west of Indy but w/i 20 minutes of Terre Haute is also on the table as hubby is going to school there for another year and gas prices being what they are.

If you haven't done so yet, I would suggest adding your info to this Section: Practitioners seeking Opportunities. You never know - maybe you'll get a bite. You can also check out the therapist employment finder links there.

You might want to also look around in the Employers seeking Practitioners section, if you haven't already found it.

And, this thread ( http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=28220 ), although links for room rentals, may have something useful in it. It's worth a shot.

One small item that I can mention is that you may have to be flexible on the sheet situation. I have seen a number of people who are IC's who end up being the ones who take care of their sheets. I am not saynig it is right or worong, just that you may need to be a little flexible on that if it ends up being a yes/no for getting a job.

I hope more people will respond and help you.

 

[anonon]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

You may also want to start your search here ( http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/memberlist.php?sk=b&sd=a&start=4050 ), which is at the point where Indiana shows up in our member list (just scroll down a bit). Maybe there is someone on the forum that can be of help to you, who doesn't frequent MassagePlanetL on a regular basis and hasn't seen your thread.

In the past that we all put our country/state first (before the city) on our "location", so it's easier to locate people by location in the member list, as is exampled here. I hope it helps you out.

 

[A G]

Applying To Massage Envy- Experience/Advice Wanted

Just wanted to update a bit. The chiro gig didn't work out. And honestly I'm okay with that. Not a full week after requesting my resume with the main chiro/controlling partner, they put an ad on craigslist looking for an MT. t017 This is without ever responding to my resume submission or anything. So in a way I feel like I dodged a bullet in that if that's what they consider proper business conduct, I really wouldn't want to be associated with them anyways.

I did 3 days of chair massage at Gen Con Indy and somehow managed to slip on the carpeting and torque my wrist a bit. It's almost 100% better now so I'll be applying to massage envy as planned, just a bit later.