If you are having trouble recruiting top talent for your spa or massage practice, you’re not alone. Manpower reports that one-third of employees globally are experiencing difficulty filling jobs. Specifically related to massage therapy, the demand for professionals will increase because of the growing interest in massage services. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that massage therapists' employment will grow 22 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
Especially in a tight labor market, you’ll want to make sure your spa or massage practice is ahead of the recruitment game. A recruitment program needs to be ongoing. If someone asks to meet with you, do it n if you don’t have an open position. Relationships you establish may serve you down the road when an opening comes up. Even if someone interested is no longer available, they may contact other professionals who may be good candidates.
When candidates come in, make sure that your spa or massage practice comes across as a highly desirable place to work. Here are some things you’ll want to do to put your best foot or “hand” forward during an interview:
Establish your Market Position
Recruiting talent is really no different from attracting new clients. During the interview process, don’t just talk about the job and benefits; tell candidates about the things that make your spa or massage practice stand out from the competition and the type of clients that you serve. Talk about the range of massage or skin treatment services you offer and why clients keep coming back.
Market All You Offer
A study by PwC found that today’s millennial employees, n particular, ant to know about career progression. If you have programs in place to assist employees in gaining new skills, you’ll want to talk about them and why you consider education and training important to the growth of your spa or massage practice.
A good reputation for ethical practices, diversity, and social responsibility also are attributes that employees seek, the PwC study found. This means you’ll want to talk about your client service philosophy and what your business does to ensure clients have a positive experience. It would help if you also talked about why having a diverse team helps you understand a greater range of clients' needs and values. If volunteerism is part of your business culture, explain how you work with community groups.
Highlight your Culture
Culture is more important than it ever was these days to employees. Talk about what type of culture you have and how you work to keep it alive – with regular meetings, getting together after work, brainstorm sessions,and so forth - so that everyone feels part of the team and that their opinions and input matter.
Ask Questions and Listen
Interviewing is as much about listening as talking. Candidates will remember when you ask questions about their future growth plans, what they love about their work, and what other expertise or skills they would like to acquire.
Be the spa or massage practice that everyone in your market wants to work for by making recruitment as important as client acquisition.