Top 10 Massage Therapist Interview Questions To Prepare

Massage Therapist interview questions(at least 10 with sample answers)

Massage therapy manipulates the soft nerves, skin, and muscles, which provides relaxation to the body. We will present Massage Therapist Interview Questions. It helps reduce stress and physical problems through relaxation techniques and muscle tension, muscle pain, insomnia, and other problems such as sports-related injuries. In the United States, Swedish massages were popular in the old times. Nowadays, eastern techniques are more popular. Practices such as Thai massage, Ayurvedic massages, and acupressure techniques are practiced and popularized in the United States. Message therapy is one of the most demanding and advantageous jobs in the U.S. job market. There is a huge demand for a massage therapist in the States, where the importance of health is revered, and the job market for a massage therapist is expected to grow faster than for the average jobs in the coming years. To become a massage therapist, you need a high school diploma and more than 500 hours of therapy experience. In the United States, the massage therapist has to be certified and licensed. The job’s perks are that it is very flexible; you can offer your service in spas, clinics, or as a freelancer, part-timer. Through networking and building a client base and through years of experience, you can develop the business and ensure a steady income. There are many massage modalities such as deep tissue massage, sports massage, Thai massage, Acupressure, Ayurvedic massage, Swedish massage. Specializing and practicing more than one of these different modalities helps improve the client base, maintains the business steadily, and helps attract a wider client demographic. The average wage for a massage therapist is estimated to be $41,950.

Massage Therapist Interview Questions

These are some of the common interview questions asked for a massage therapist:

  1. Introduce yourself and explain yourself briefly about the time you were training and the various methodologies you have practiced in your experience.?

As this is a common question to all job interviews, you should explain your training in detail. The courses you have undertaken while in the training period, the methodologies you have perfected. You can expect to follow up with questions regarding the answers you provide. The interviewer measures your depth of knowledge and skill. So, it is always important to answer the course work you have completed during the training level, then move on to your work experience years. Always explain in detail the methodologies you are familiar with. For example, If you are good at deep tissue massage, incorporate in your answers the depth of your knowledge and demonstrate how you execute it. 

  1. As a professional massage therapist, how would you interact with the clients while providing a massage? How much interaction do you think is appropriate between a client and therapist, what was your approach concerning your previous work experience, what are your thoughts on the matter?

Proper communication etiquette is an essential skill for a professional massage therapist. They should properly communicate with the clients, know what bothers them, and suggest proper treatment plans. When providing a massage treatment, the medical history and convenience should be considered, especially before the massaging. You should be knowledgeable enough to be able to answer any concerns the client has about any procedures.

Interaction is significant between a client and a therapist. It should be friendly and, at the same time, very professional; the client should be comfortable enough to share his or her private ailments and what they want from them. The interaction is easier if the client is a regular customer. The history is easier to analyze. When a new client comes in, their medical history is accessed and verified personally with the client. I used to check and then verify if a certain step brought pain or if they used to consult somewhere else, what technique or method they used etc. It is always best if you constantly check in with the client during the massage.

  1. In your experience, how would you manage an inappropriate client?

Guidelines should be provided to every client about the dos and don’ts in the massage center. The consequences of behaving inappropriately should be made aware to the client before the service.  When a client behaves inappropriately, they should be handled properly through reporting to the proper personnel, if the problem persists and handled appropriately. In my previous work experience, there were guidelines to handle inappropriate clients. They would be banned from getting the service further if they misbehaved after the warning. Trust and proper behavior are expected from every client. 

  1. Tell us about your previous experience as a massage therapist?

Here the previous job experiences you have completed should be explained. The training programs you completed and the methodologies you are proficient in should be explained in detail. When explaining the work experience, it is essential to emphasize the interpersonal qualities you possess and have developed as a professional massage therapist, which has helped achieve client satisfaction and improved the business. The qualities you possess which made the client be a regular customer should be explained.

  1. Why do you want to work with us? Salary expectations?

The question is very common in all interviews. The atmosphere, workplace culture, inclusivity, and community you get to be a part of can be emphasized. You could also mention that the equipment and the facilities are available for a particular spa technique in which you are skilled. The salary for a massage therapist will be hourly, depending on the service you provide. So, you can mention the average of the salary which will be normally obtained. It can also depend on the different skill sets, methodologies you are an expert on.  This could increase the chances of demanding more than the average salary. Although a lot of massage therapists’ long-term goal is to start freelancing, it will be better if you give the impression that you will work in the clinic for longer years and mention that you want to expand your knowledge in the field, get familiar with new techniques and upgrade your skillset.

  1. What are the procedures as an experienced massage therapist you shouldn’t do before conducting a massage.?

It is very important to refer to the medical history of the clients. A client under medication such as blood thinners, pain killers, or blood pressure medications should be discouraged. It is very important to encourage clients to take a bath after a massage. Even though communication is essential for providing the best service, it is always best to keep it strictly professional, especially if they are a regular client. It is essential to approach the client with kindness. You shouldn’t be rude or even be slightly bitter towards them. 

  1. According to you what are the most desirable quality of a massage therapist? How did you use your ability to improve your quality of work?

For a massage therapist, networking skills are very important.  You have to be empathetic, friendly, communicative, and dynamic enough to see clients’ concerns and needs and resolve their issues. By creating a sense of familiarity can lead to frequent visits and marketing of your services which could further widen the client demographics. You have to be willing to expand your knowledge and widen your knowledge in different skill modalities.

  1. How did you manage clients who had a medical condition, especially older clients?

Extra care should be taken when dealing with older clients. As previously mentioned, you have to consider their medical history before providing service strictly. A client who is under medications should be prohibited. You should avoid direct pressure to joints, burns, scars, etc. Extra care should be taken when dealing with clients with varicose veins, kidney-related problems. Hardcore massage techniques such as deep tissue massage should be very much avoided. For pregnant women, the same care should be taken. Prenatal massages are available for them, which are gentle compared to other techniques. 

  1. You may have already experienced the disadvantages of working for longer hours. How will you manage hectic workdays?

Self-care for the therapist is just as important, especially in this line of work where you have to work long hours and stand for long hours. It is important to manage your own mental health. Explain the activities which you will do in your downtime to relieve stress. Activities such as exercise, yoga, cycling, walking, spending time with family and friends could be used as examples. Whatever stress relief activities you carry out can be discussed. It is essential to emphasize that you are a self-disciplined and active person.

  1. What drives you, what inspires you to go forward?

Here the interviewer wants to know your passion for the job. When answering such a question, it is always best to emphasize what you like about the job.  Show that you are a social person, empathetic, and loves providing service to people and making their day better. You can further elaborate on your answer by explaining an event or situation to prove why you love doing this. 

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Top 10 Massage Therapist Interview Questions To Prepare

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