How do you become a massage therapist? If you have been thinking about the next steps in your career, you might have been considering studying massage therapy. Whether you're just coming to the end of your high school studies, or if you're looking for a change of career, becoming a licensed massage therapist could be right for you. It’s an ideal career for people who enjoy looking after others, and who are interested in learning more about how the body works. Practitioners can work in a wide range of settings from salons to physical therapy offices and hospitals. But what do you need to study to be a massage therapist? Find out what it takes to qualify and start your new career in this five-step guide.
Customer Service Skills
As an esthetician, you'll work with a lot of people, from existing clients to potential clients. You'll need to be friendly and welcoming to people who step into your spa or salon. That means greeting people when they come in and having a friendly phone demeanor.
Having good customer service skills also means listening to your client's concerns and taking them seriously. It helps to be empathetic so that you can put yourself in their shoes and try to see where they are coming from. Offering good customer service means doing as much as you can to make a client happy or to correct a misunderstanding or issue.
Sales Skills
When you work as an esthetician, you'll use certain products on your client's skin. To help them maintain their results and keep their skin healthy, you'll most likely recommend that they use certain products between appointments at your spa or salon.
You'll need to develop good sales skills to convince your clients to spend their hard-earned money on the products you're recommending. That means gently suggesting certain products but not being so pushy that clients feel stressed or pressured to buy. In some cases, you might earn a portion of your income from a commission on the products your clients buy, making developing sales skills essential to your livelihood.
Scheduling and Time Management
Good time management skills are crucial for any esthetician to have. Even if someone else handles booking appointments at your spa or salon, it'll be up to you to make sure you see clients in an efficient manner. One client's appointment shouldn't last so long that it eats into the time of another client's appointment.
In some cases, you might need to develop time management skills through a process of trial and error. At the start of your career, it might be better to give yourself more time with clients and to give yourself a cushion of time between appointments to avoid going over and making people wait.
Initiative
Being willing to take initiative is essential as an esthetician. It's particularly important if you want to open your own salon or spa one day. Having initiative means being willing to spot and pursue opportunities. You might see an opening advertised at a top salon, for example, and you'll need to pursue it if you want to move up in your career. Having initiative can also mean being brave enough to approach potential clients or to advertise your services and skills in new areas.
Managerial Skills
As you move up in your career as an esthetician, it's likely that you'll find yourself taking on supervisory or managerial roles. You might become responsible for training or supervising others, for hiring new team members, or for hiring professionals such as accountants or lawyers. You'll want to have good managerial skills, such as the ability to listen to others and to work with people to find a resolution to concerns and problems that come up.
If you're interested in skincare and beauty, your future can start today in the esthetician training program at Cortiva Institute Massage Therapy and Skin Care Schools. Request more information to find out more.