Advice on Career Options!

[Brodo]

Hi!
I am currently a student of massage, in it for one year and still have one more to go But when it comes to what i want to do when im done,i am still very lost. When i first started out i planned on working on a cruise ship for a few years, i heard the pay was good and i would love to travel and be on the water. But as many good things as i hear about it, there are just as many bad.
I guess what im asking is if anyone has any experience on a cruise ship or knows anything about it because i would really love to know more about how it is and how to get where i need to be!!

Thanks!
Kaileigh

 

[Devokwd]

Here's a thread on cruise ships, with good information as well as links to other "cruise ship" threads as well:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10108

 

[Pompal 09.]

Cruise ship

First question for me would be, do you feel comfortable about working below deck on a moving vessel, isolated and trapped into many, many working hours?

That's what I heard? (No exp', just a whisper)

It didn't sound too appealing for me...

And what you said about being lost? Wow! I remember that.

 

[tomboy]

My advice is to just focus on school.
When I first started massage school I wanted to strictly work in a spa nothing else. Well after school I worked at a few HATED IT. Figured I wanted the medical aspect worked at a PT clinic that was HELL. Then I finally figured out 4 years later what I am good at and what I love and that is specific work.I love when people come in with a problem and I get to figure it all out...what caused it, what muscles are affected, how to get them the best possible results in the least amount of time. I am in HEAVEN when I have clients like that.

Swedish I will do it but I dislike it. Give me tension!!

Don't search for which direction you want to go in..cruise ship...spa whatever... you will learn where your talent lays in time and when you do you will know.

 

[Linni]

Yes!

Shannon.

That was brilliant and well put.

You also have many a mile on your clock. I find swedish boring and too soft and fluffy for me. Having the constant challenge of working things out, trying new ideas and approaches and sollutions is where it is at for me also.

But the nice thing about this business is there are many roads to choose. I'm not putting Swedish down because it is effective and useful for some people. But you will find what's good for you.

Maybe go for a cruise. Hate it, love it? Find out, get the exp' and move on. The more wide your experiences are the faster and more clear you are on what you do and don't like.

 

[June Dafina May]

One of the things I love about this forum is the diversity. I never had much opportunity to do widespread networking with other MT's before here, and because what I love about massage is the quiet, the soothing atmosphere, the lulling music, the repeated rhythm..............I assumed that was what everyone else must love about it too! Ha!

So, Kaileigh, I must say I agree with all of the above posters - there's ample direction you can take your career once you graduate, and I wouldn't be too concerned at this juncture in the road..........just explore all the options you can. I know how hard that is to do, cuz when I was in school I was pretty topped out financially and time wise, but do what you can to obtain the best perspective. And this board is fabulous for hearing about all the variety of work environments you can spin off into.

Having been to "the spa" on a cruise ship, I have to say if the massage section is as commercialized as the salon section, I would hate it. The whole facial was built around "here's your lovely facial, now you need to buy $500 of this obscure product in order to benefit fully.........." If I was required to do that as a part of my job I would go nuts in about three days. But then, that's not my thing. Which is the point we're all making. What makes me nuts might just be what rocks your boat!

Old Dog's idea of a cruise is great if you've never been on one. It never appealed to me until I won a short cruise t026 t038 : about five years ago. I had a woderful time and hope to do another some time soon.

Now I'mgoing to go check out that thread Bliss suggested! savannah

 

[Jenny]

My advice is to just focus on school.
When I first started massage school I wanted to strictly work in a spa nothing else. Well after school I worked at a few HATED IT. Figured I wanted the medical aspect worked at a PT clinic that was HELL. Then I finally figured out 4 years later what I am good at and what I love and that is specific work.I love when people come in with a problem and I get to figure it all out...what caused it, what muscles are affected, how to get them the best possible results in the least amount of time. I am in HEAVEN when I have clients like that.

Swedish I will do it but I dislike it. Give me tension!!

Don't search for which direction you want to go in..cruise ship...spa whatever... you will learn where your talent lays in time and when you do you will know.

Very well said. I thought I LOVED spa type work until I actually worked in a spa. I even went so far as to become an esthetician, thinking that was going to be my route. Not so much. I am now working in a hospital, rounding in Womens Center and Labor and Delivery, and seeing post total joint replacements. Love it! Funny how things work out. You'll find your niche. Give it time.

 

[moderateprofessor]

My instructor said that you dont choose the modality.....it chooses you. I guess what he meant is that you will just naturally find what you want to do and where you want to do it. It may take some trial and error. My advice is to keep an open mind and not to be afraid to give something a try. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do after graduation, but I knew for CERTAIN there were two things I did NOT want to do and that was work in a spa, or to have my own practice. Well, I still have no desire to work in a spa, but don't feel as strongly negative about it as I once did. However, I DO have my own massage practice and it has been the BEST decision I made since getting out of massage school 6 years ago. It was not a plan of mine, but it just sort of happened. I kept following the path before me and this is where it led. I'm so glad that I kept an open mind.

 

[stargazer (lost in space)]

Instead of choosing a modality, I thought about what inspired me to choose to study massage in the first place. The idea of helping others become pain-free really motivated me, so I decided to focus on learning whatever would help me best understand how to efficiently help my clients.

This focus influenced my choice of massage school, the way I spent my study and practice time, the way I learned draping, etc. As the curriculum shifted from basics to advanced therapeutic techniques, I found myself enjoying it more and more, really loving the challenge of dealing with complex situations. This love stays with me, and I always want to become better, to move beyond where I am at now.

I also have ceased to believe in following any particular modality. I study those things that appear most likely to be of immediate use in my practice, and use whatever methods seem most appropriate at any given time. I also believe in challenging assumptions about WHY a technique works, as the process of truth-seeking is always a great education!!

 

[Sea Of Love]

Nail on the head

Excellent choice of words Jason.

I too have chosen a similar path. The last time I looked the drop out rate in MT was at average 3 to 4 years. One of the basic reasons why I'm here at this place aside from the opportunity to learn myself, I'd also like to show the younger therapists that once they get out of the basic glue and start to experiment, push the envelope a little just how rewarding a MT career can be. The level of interest and heights we can reach is only a firm decision on which path we choose as there are many.

 

[Lis]

Much like the original post, I too have year left of schooling. People often ask what I what to do once I graduate, but I don't really know either. My first thought was a spa atmosphere, but the more we get into massage and the being able to diagnose and help fix a particular problem has become more appealing. Reading everyone's post, I guess it is alright not to have a defined path that I want to follow at this point. The thought of working with a chiropractor as been going through my mind lately. Like a previous post, working in a calm, relaxing environment is definetly something I am looking forward too after work much is the fast paced, no reward business world. I just know what I have learned and been able to so hands on so far..has been far better then what I have imagined.

 

[cmeduck]

The school I graduated from (http://www.nwhealth.edu) includes internships and visiting different types of employers to get an idea of what different types of work environments are like. They also offer an optional course in hospital-based massage, which includes a number of supervised shifts at a regional hospital that employs massage therapists.

This summer my business is participating in the school's program by offering internship opportunities. Students will learn about all facets of working at a large massage center (including reception), will observe MTs with real clients, and do short massage shifts where they will work on our employees rather than paying clients. Since this has never been done in our area before, we're having fun blazing a new trail! Right now we have one intern, and she's enjoying the experience. By the end of the term, she'll know for certain whether she'd like to work in our kind of venue or not.