Massage Therapists are considered Social careers according to the Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment. This assessment was originally developed in the early 20th century to help job seekers find careers that leverage their occupational interests. This process has two steps. First, the assessment analyzes individuals’ personal preferences, and then it uses the results to direct the individual to one or more of six categories of careers, each of which is characterized by different features. For example, careers in the Social category generally appeal to people who genuinely enjoy caring for others, alleviating physical or emotional pain, and improving their quality of life.
Massage Therapists perform therapeutic massages that relieve tension or pain in clients’ soft tissues and joints. Their work can alleviate certain medical conditions, such as back pain during pregnancy, and quicken recovery after injuries or accidents.
Read about a career as a Massage Therapist including information such as a Massage Therapist Salary, daily tasks and other career information.
Massage can also reduce the likelihood of long-term health problems, such as herniated spinal discs or tension due to long hours hunching over a computer screen. Some Massage Therapists work in a professional setting and have their clients travel to them, while others forego the office and instead travel to their clients.
Before they provide treatment, Massage Therapists confer with clients to learn about their medical histories, any acute or chronic pain they may have, and how they think massage will help them. Based on these answers along with an assessment of joint quality, muscle strength, and range of motion, Massage Therapists can develop an appropriate treatment protocol. During the treatment itself, they may apply pressure using their hands, fingers, elbows, and even feet or knees. They may also provide their clients with techniques to improve their posture, stretch, relax or rehabilitate certain joints and muscles. Sometimes, they encourage clients to complete these exercises on their own time. Throughout the healing process, it is important for Massage Therapists to maintain careful records of the kinds of treatments their clients have received. If a Massage Therapist is not able to provide complete care themselves, they may refer clients to other therapists or medical professionals. They may also consult with chiropractors, medical doctors, psychologists and others to provide the best possible care for their clients.
To be successful, Massage Therapists must be able to use many different kinds of massage and therapy equipment. These may include standard equipment, such as bolsters, massage tables, massage chairs, heat lamps, heating and cooling pads, and hand or body lotion and oil. They may also need to use less standard equipment, like electric massagers and even fully body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks. In some cases, other rehabilitation equipment may be used. They should also be comfortable with basic software used by any business, including Microsoft Office Suite, email, web browser software and calendar and scheduling software. Some Massage Therapists may also need to be familiar with medical software to keep track of client files and treatment, and to communicate with other care providers.
Most Massage Therapists hold a post-secondary certificate (57%), earned after their high school diploma. However, some only hold a high school diploma (20%) or have completed some college without having earned a degree (10%). They need to have a basic understanding of biology, anatomy and physiology, and need to be able to communicate in English well enough to determine their clients’ needs and, if necessary, communicate those needs to other care providers. That said, a service orientation and drive are the most important factors in success.
Massage Therapists may be used in many industries, including personal care, medicine, and even professional or college sports. Massage Therapist Salary varies around the country, but the national median is just over $41,000 per year. The greatest earning potential is in the Pacific Northwest; in Washington and Oregon, the median salary is over $61,000 per year. However, in Louisiana, the Dakotas and Nevada, the median is closer to $20,000 per year. That said, employment rates are growing rapidly. Florida, Texas, and California are projected to grow at more than 30% in the next decade, adding over 7,000 jobs per year over the next 10 years.
Below are some employment trends for Massage Therapists:
- Massage Therapist Salary: $19.92 hourly, $41,420 annually
- Employment: 159,800 employees
- Projected growth (2018-2028): Average (22%))
- Projected job openings (2018-2028): 35,400
Visit Our Strong Interest Inventory® Resource Page
Visit Our Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Career Resource Database for Information on MBTI® Personality Type Careers
To Learn More About the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, visit our About MBTI Test Page
Gain access to your best-fit careers, occupational preferences and interests with these career based Strong Interest Inventory® and MBTI® Assessments:
-
MBTI® Career Report + Strong & MBTI Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use these reports to find a fulfilling career that matches with your personality and interests, and develop a plan for achieving that career.
Set yourself up on the path to a career that fits with your MBTI® personality type as well as your interests and preferences. With these three reports, you’ll discover the ideal career for who you are at a base level, offering you a future of satisfying and fulfilling employment. Read about each report below.
Download sample MBTI® Career Report
Download sample Strong & MBTI® Combined Career Report Plus Strong Profile
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® Profile Report
-
Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Profile
-
Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong Profile
Use knowledge about your interests, preferences and personality type to start your optimal career and formulate a plan to achieve your dream job.
With the information obtained about yourself from your MBTI® personality type and your Strong Interest Inventory® Report, you’ll learn about how your personality, as well as your interests and preferences, can be used in your life and career to provide fulfillment and happiness. Discover occupations that work with what you like and enjoy, and learn how your personality influences your mental processes and preferences.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report Plus Strong Profile
Download sample Strong Profile
-
Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Edition Profile
Choose a college major that works best with your interests, and then plan a rewarding career to follow your college career.
You’ll start college off right with knowledge on applying your interests and preferences to college majors and receive a detailed depiction of how your ideal career will mature if you work toward success. With the Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report and the Strong College Edition Profile, you’ll set yourself up for success throughout college and into your career after graduation.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & MBTI® Combined Career Report + Strong College Profile
-
Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report
Delve deeper into what your interests, hobbies, favorite topics, and locations can mean for your career and personal life with the help of this extensive and personalized Strong profile.
Your Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report starts with the same foundational information found in the Strong Interest Inventory Profile, but goes even further into analyzing your likes and dislikes by offering you a detailed look at how following your interests and preferences can help you lead a more fulfilling, satisfied life. The report presents you with the closest matched occupations for people with your interests, an in-depth breakdown of certain areas matched to your Strong Interest Inventory test results, and insight into your likes and dislikes.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® Interpretive Report
-
Strong Interest Inventory® Profile
Mold your future success by choosing a career that accurately reflects your interests, preferences, favorite topics as well as your likes and dislikes with the help of this profile.
Direct your future based on what you like and enjoy, providing you with a happier, more fulfilling life and career. The Strong Interest Inventory® Profile uses an extensive analysis of your interests and preferences to guide you towards a career that best suits who you are on a personal level. Depending on your likes and dislikes compared to others in specified fields, you may find a fulfilling career previously unthought-of, helping guide you down the road to success and happiness.
-
Strong Interest Inventory® & Skills Confidence Profile + Strong Interpretive Report
Discover your interests and preferences as well as your confidence in your abilities to use these interests to your advantage.
Your strengths, interests, and preferences, when understood and well known, can lead you toward a successful and satisfying career. With this custom package, you’ll learn which occupations, strengths, and skills work best with your likes and dislikes and how confident you are in your ability to fulfill the needs of certain occupations, allowing you to formulate a career path that you’ll enjoy for years to come with the help of the Strong Interest Inventory test.
Download sample Strong Interest Inventory® & Skills Confidence Profile + Strong Interpretive Report
-
iStartStrong™ Report
Plan your future career based on your interests and preferences, leading you down the path to a successful work and personal life.
Use your interests, preferences, and favorite subjects and leisure activities to assess which career or career field works best with who you are and what you like. Through the web-interactive and thorough iStartStrong™ report, you’ll get set off on the right foot toward finding a career that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Explore our Strong Interest Inventory® Blog Pages:
- Strong Interest Inventory Realistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Artistic Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Investigative Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Social Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Enterprising Theme Explained
- Strong Interest Inventory Conventional Theme Explained
Assessment Categories
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2018-2028 employment projections Onetonline.org