Best Massage Therapist Resume Guide + Tips + Example
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Being a massage therapist is incredibly rewarding. It involves providing physical and emotional relief to clients through the use of massage techniques. Massage therapists must have a thorough knowledge of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology. They must also have the ability to work with a variety of clients and tailor their massage techniques to meet the individual needs of each individual.
Want a job as a massage therapist? Then you need a great massage therapist resume. We’re here to help. Our guide shows you how to write a resumefor a massage therapist and make the most of your empathy and communication skills.
Start by editing this massage therapist resume template, or explore our library of customizable resume templates to find the best one for you.
Massage therapist resume example (text version)
Wendy Stevens
Ogden, UT 84404
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Knowledgeable massage therapist with a knack for client relationship building and customer service. Possess great physical strength and judgment. Active listener experienced in a wide range of massage healing techniques and methods, including shiatsu, trigger point and Swedish.
Skills
- Strong knowledge of body mechanics
- Hot stone massage
- Stress relief massage
- Trigger point massage
- Administrative support
- Time management
- Prenatal massage
- Organization
Work History
July 2018 – Current
Massage Wellness Haven – Ogden, UT
Massage Therapist
- Perform eight hours of massage per week for over 30 clients with a wide range of therapeutic methods, including hot stone, Swedish, deep tissue, sports and pregnancy.
- Prepare blends of plant-based oils to aid in massage through direct warming and aromatherapy.
- Grew sales by 20% in the first three months through repeat clientele and referrals.
January 2016 – June 2018
Wellness Bodywork – Ogden, UT
Massage Therapist
- Assessed clients carefully to determine massage needs and potential problems due to individual physical conditions.
- Provided up to 10 daily clients with individualized and detailed information on relaxation, postural improvement, stretching and strengthening after each appointment.
- Maintained clients’ treatment records and designed long-term care programs for return customers.
September 2013 – December 2015
Sky Spa Massages – Ogden, UT
Receptionist
- Learned details of types of massage treatments and procedures in order to answer questions from spa guests.
- Scheduled over 40 appointments per week for a team of seven massage therapists.
- Consistently kept the reception area clean and tidy and maintained a presence at the desk area.
Education
Renaissance College Bountiful, UT
Associate of Applied Science Massage Therapy
Certifications
Board Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB) – (2023)
5 essentials of a top massage therapist resume
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our sample massage therapist resume shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last.
Personal statement
A professional summary is a concise, three-to-five-sentence statement that tells the hiring manager who you are and what you bring to the table. It should tell hiring managers how long you’ve been a massage therapist and display some of your most notable achievements and relevant skills.
Here’s an example of a strong professional summary for a massage therapist resume:
“Experienced massage therapist with a proven track record of providing exceptional massage therapy services to a wide variety of clients. Adept at creating personalized treatments to meet the needs of each individual client. Expertise in various massage modalities, including Swedish, deep tissue, sports and hot stone. Skilled in developing and maintaining positive relationships with clients to ensure satisfaction and loyalty. Dedicated to providing effective and therapeutic massage treatments to promote overall well-being.”
Skills
Create a skills section so hiring managers can see your skills at a glance. Add a bulleted list of five to eight job-relevant skills in this section, like our sample resume for a massage therapist. Include hard and soft skills, such as knowledge of health and safety procedures.
It’s also helpful to include skills like providing a relaxing and therapeutic massage, communicating with clients to understand their needs and preferences, and maintaining detailed records of clients’ treatments.
Work history
A massage therapist resume must include a job history section. In reverse-chronological order, list your current and previous employers and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for them, plus two or three measurable achievements.
Your achievements might look something like this:
- Increased customer satisfaction ratings by 25% over a 6-month period at a high-volume massage therapy clinic.
- Achieved 97% treatment accuracy rate by using a thorough knowledge of massage therapy and anatomy.
- Reduced client no-show rate by 35% over a 12-month period through effective customer follow up and scheduling.
If you’re writing a resume with no experience, use this section to highlight extracurricular activities, coursework, presentations, volunteer experience and community service.
Education
A resume for a massage therapist job must include an education section, even if you don’t have a diploma or a degree. Like our sample massage therapist resume, display your education with bullet points. List the names of the schools you attended and the years you graduated. If you did not graduate, show the school or schools you attended and some of your classes.
The educational requirements for a massage therapist will vary depending on the state in which they practice. Generally, most states require massage therapists to complete a training program that is approved by the state and includes a certain number of hours of education, such as 500 or 600 hours. Additionally, some states may require massage therapists to obtain a license or certification in order to practice. Certification may involve passing an exam or completing a certain number of continuing education courses.
See why MyPerfectResume is a 5-star resume builder
Action verbs for a stand-out massage therapist resume
Use action words and numbers to add impact to your resume. Here’s a short list of perfect action words for a massage therapist resume:
- Assist
- Assess
- Provide
- Perform
- Prepare
- Maintain
- Organize
- Observe
- Report
- Advise
- Schedule
- Engage
- Plan
Check out our collection of resume samples to help you write the perfect resume for a massage therapist job. You’ll find massage therapist resume samples to inspire you!
Top skills for a massage therapist resume
Review the job description closely and match the required skills to the skills and traits that fit you.
Some massage therapist resume skills might include the following:
- Verbal communication
- Active listening
- Microsoft Office
- Attention to detail
- Interpersonal skills
- Advocacy
- Planning
- Assessing
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Persuasion
- Empathy
- Relationship building
Need a professional resume now? Our Resume Builder has all the tools you need to create a professional resume in minutes! Just fill in one of our templates and you can make edits as you go, download your finished resume and save it in any file format you want. It is that easy!
Certifications for a massage therapist resume
Having a certificate for a massage therapist job is not required, but having at least one medical certificate on your resume will show hiring managers that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform specific tasks required for the job.
The following certifications can boost your resume:
- Board Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB)
- Certification Exam for Structural Integration (CESI)
- Zero Balancing Certification Program
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Massage therapist resume FAQ
What is the right way to include keywords in a massage therapist resume?
Having the right keywords in your resume is more important than ever, as employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes based on keywords. Browse through the job requirements and find words that spell out the job’s significant requirements.
What does a massage therapist resume look like?
There is no standard massage therapist resume template; you can use any of our templates and customize them for your desired job. A good resume for a massage therapist will look like the sample resume on this page. It must display the job seeker’s contact information, hard and soft skills, job history, education and certifications, if applicable. Your resume might also contain sections for awards and honors if the job candidate has them to display.
Here are some ways to make your massage therapist resume unique:
- Choose the correct resume format.
- Include technical skills like deep tissue massage.
- Knowledge of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology.
- Knowledge of different massage techniques such as Swedish massage, deep tissue massage and prenatal massage.
- Knowledge of the benefits of massage therapy and how it can improve physical and mental health.
- Knowledge of different oils, creams and tools used in massage therapy.
- Experience with providing massage therapy in a clinical or spa setting.
- Experience in working with different populations of clients such as athletes, pregnant women and the elderly.
- Experience in providing customer service and building relationships with clients.
- Experience in advertising massage services and building a client base.
What qualifications do I need to become a massage therapist
To become a massage therapist, you must typically have a high school diploma or equivalent, complete a massage therapy program and receive a license from the state in which you practice. Depending on the state, massage therapy programs typically range from 500 to 1,000 hours of instruction and include topics such as anatomy, physiology and kinesiology.
What is the correct format for a massage therapist resume?
The resume format you use depends on your experience and goals. If you have a few years of experience, choose the combination resume format, highlighting your remarkable work history and skills. If you’re a fresh college graduate or are just beginning your career, go with the functional resume format, which focuses on your job-related skills and training. If you have more than five years of experience, go with a chronological resume format, which leans heavily on your work achievements. Refer to resume examples for massage therapists to find the best format for you.
Do’s and don’ts for building a massage therapist resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your massage therapist abilities and experience. For example, “Provided therapeutic massage to an average of 10+ clients per week.”
- Use action words such as “sanitize,” “implement” and “apply” to make an impact on your massage therapist resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target massage therapist job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your massage therapist resume.
- Format your massage therapist resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your massage therapist experience and skills.
- Boast that you’re the “best massage therapist ever.” Instead, highlight work achievements like “Attended 10+ continuing education courses to expand knowledge in massage therapy.”
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience not about being a massage therapist.
- Forget to proofread. A massage therapist’s resume with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing a massage therapist interview
Research.
It’s vital to take the time to learn about the company’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. Doing so conveys interest, passion and commitment — traits that can set you above the competition.
Some things to consider:
- Variety of massage techniques: Make sure the company offers a wide range of massage techniques and modalities.
- Client referral program: Look for a company that offers a referral program or other incentives for bringing in new clients.
- Use of quality products: Ensure that the products used by the company are of a high quality and have been safety tested.
- Benefits: Determine if the company offers benefits such as health insurance or paid vacation.
- Professional environment: Look for a company that has a professional atmosphere and is respectful of its employees.
Practice.
Practice does make perfect. To prepare for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- How would your coworkers describe you?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Give me an example of how you juggle multiple deadlines.
Review possible massage therapy-related questions, such as
- What techniques do you commonly use when giving a massage?
- How do you assess a client’s needs for a massage and tailor it to their individual requirements?
- What do you do to ensure client satisfaction?
- How do you build rapport with your clients?
- How do you handle difficult clients?
- How do you stay up to date on the latest massage techniques?
- What do you do to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for your clients?
- How do you handle clients with special needs or medical conditions?
- What do you think sets you apart from other massage therapists?
Write down two or three possible answers for each question, then practice answering them with a friend.
Ask questions.
Always have at least three questions for each person you speak with during the interview process. Doing so shows that you’re interested and have been paying close attention.
Some questions you might ask for a massage therapist job are:
- Are there any particular massage modalities or techniques you would like me to specialize in?
- What are your expectations for client communication and customer service?
- Are there any additional services I could offer such as aromatherapy or hot stone treatments?
- What policies do you have in place to ensure client safety and confidentiality?
- What is the expected turnaround time for client intake and scheduling?
- Are there any additional job duties that I would be expected to perform outside of providing massage services?
- What type of clientele do you typically serve?
- How much autonomy do I have in setting my own rates and scheduling my own appointments?
- What kind of support do you provide for continuing education and professional development?
Prepare references.
Have professional references ready before you enter your interview — you never know if the hiring manager might want to contact them immediately. Ask a former manager and two former colleagues who can speak about your performance and who you know will give you an excellent review.
Cover letter examples for the next step in your physical therapy career
CV examples for the next step in your physical therapy career
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Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Massage Therapists
- Southern California Health Institute. The Top 10 Soft Skills For A Successful Massage Therapist
- International Association of Structural Integrators
- National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
- Zero Balancing Health Association
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Massage Therapist Resume Example
Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with extensive experience in digital media. She is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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