10 massage & fitness magazine
You’re hired!
And keep a few things in mind.
Treat your employment relationship with integrity. Enter a new job with the same respect you would any other new relationship by being honest and giving your best. Honor the work you bring by being professional, ethical, and mindful in your interactions with co-workers and clients.
Be sure to read over carefully all hiring and employment paperwork. Any good business or employer should provide you with an employee handbook or some other document outlining the policies, procedures, payroll structure, and human resources information as it relates to that company. Consult with your personal bookkeeper or accountant regarding the completion of your W-4 and any pertinent deductions based on your specific situation.
Don’t poach clients! Most employee situations will mean that you are working on clients or patients of another business entity. Don’t seek employment situations with the intention of marketing your private practice to guests of the company with whom you will be working. Do not steal or try to solicit client information in an employee/employer relationship with hopes of marketing to those people later and building your own practice. Doing so puts you and your employer at risk of liability.
If you are unhappy with your employer, make a change or express your concerns directly to management, but don’t steal information or make a poor ethical choice that could cause litigation or perhaps loss of your license. If you want to do your own thing, that’s cool. Reference the private practice considerations listed above and dive in on starting your own business!
In the age of the internet, it is very easy for people to find other people. If you leave an employment situation and go out on your own, you will be surprised at just how easy it is for people to find you, especially with a quality website and excellent SEO. You don’t need to poach clients from employers to create a private practice; you only need to offer a valuable service in your community and have good marketing and outreach.
Give notice if things aren’t working out. It is always professional and appreciated by employers to give a two-week notice, ideally in person, along with a letter stating your reasons for departure. If your reasons for leaving have to do with your safety, well-being, or unethical practices, then the above guidelines may not apply.
Remember, emotions are often fleeting, so think carefully before making permanent career decisions. Massage therapy is an amazing journey, and I wish you all the best!
Catie holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado and graduated from the Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado in 2007. After working in the spa/salon field, teaching, and then going on to private practice it seemed time to step away from full-time hands on work as a massage therapist. In 2013, an opportunity to move into a new role as owner and director of Amara Massage Therapy & Wellness in Fort Collins, Colorado, started a new journey and return home.
By Gregory Lehman, MSc, DC, MscPT
Free Pain Science Workbook for Patients, Clients, and Therapists
Pain is now easier to explain & understand
Click to download