Taming Those Locks

Posted on: 20 August 2015

As soon as you graduate from high school, family and friends might start peppering you with questions about college. But what if you don't like the idea of enduring years of school only to sit behind a desk for the rest of our life? If the traditional path doesn't sound like your idea of a good time, you might be searching for other employment opportunities. Here are two great reasons to consider a career in massage therapy, and why you might adore your new profession:   

1: Work In A Variety of Settings

One of the most exciting benefits of becoming a massage therapist is working in a huge variety of settings. Unfortunately, since some people assume that therapists only work on cruise ships or at luxury resorts, they shy away from this exciting career because they don't want to leave their families behind. However, massage therapy is more diverse than most people realize. Here are a few other places massage therapists are in high demand:

• Physician's Offices: Some medical practices offer massage therapy to their patients to reduce pain and improve posture. In addition to working in a structured, comfortable environment, working in a doctor's office as a massage therapist might give you the opportunity to help struggling patients find relief from everyday ailments.
• Fitness Centers: To help their members avoid injury, some fitness centers offer massage therapy as part of wellness packages. For example, members might work with a personal trainer for a session, and then come to you for help with their sore muscles.    
• Sports Franchises: Nobody works harder in the gym than professional athletes, which is why sports franchises invest a lot of money into on-site massage therapists. In addition to working at collegiate sports franchises, you might even be able to go pro with your massage therapy career and treat professional athletes.
• At Home: Believe it or not, a career in massage therapy even gives you the option of doing work from home. By simply setting up your own practice and buying a few supplies, you might be able to turn that spare bedroom into your own massage studio. Can you imagine that incredible commute?

If you are considering a career in massage therapy, find a program in your area and talk with a counselor. Program lengths typically range between 500 to 1,000 hours, depending on which program you choose. 

2: Excellent Job Outlook

After witnessing the recent economic recession, you might be looking for a career that you won't have to worry about losing. Fortunately, because massage therapists work in so many different settings, they have an excellent job outlook. In fact, the Bureau of Labor statistics estimates that the massage therapy market will grow 23% between 2012 and 2022, which is much faster than average. To put that number into perspective, the same outlook for lawyers pales in comparison at 10%. This means that if you become a massage therapist, you might have an easier time finding a job than your buddy who endured years of law school.

If you are worried about spending the majority of your days grueling through long massages, you shouldn't be. Because massage therapy is physically demanding, the typically "full time" five day workweek is only about 17 hours. That means that for as little as 3.4 hours a day, you can enjoy full time pay as a massage therapist. The average pay for a massage therapist is around $35,970—which is an impressive number, considering the short workweek. 

By choosing an exciting career in massage therapy, you might be able to enjoy a reliable career that you look forward to every day. For more information, contact a massage school.