The job blog – Love your job; make a career for yourself.

So you all know by now that Spa Sense is a recruitment company for the spa and beauty industry. I have told you many stories and accounts of what happens in our offices on a daily basis. I regularly get on my soap box and recommend to you how you can improve, do things differently and generally how to make yourself a better therapist.
Today is no different I want you to focus on how wonderful this industry of ours is and how badly we NEED you to stay engaged in it as you move threw it; out of the adolescence of your career and into adulthood. I WANT YOU TO LOVE YOUR JOB. We are seriously lacking experienced staff, not only skilled therapists. Staff who enjoy what they do, are passionate about the companies they work for and adore this fantastic industry of endless opportunity.
When this topic even came up as news worthy and worth writing about I must admit I felt a pang of sadness. Why does anyone need to be reminded to love their job? But we’re busy and man, we get tired! Especially at this point; if you have not had time off yet and worked the whole of December. You now you have to dig deep, be the picture of love and passion for all the lovie dovie clients coming in for their valentine’s packages. Your feet are aching and all you want is Ryan Gosling to be feeding you chocolate hearts and rubbing your lower back. Instead your man is out with his mates every Saturday and you are at work in need of an angle grinder to get through the dry skin under the feet of your client who only comes in once a year when his wife books him in for their Valentine’s Day pedicure.
I understand that it’s tough to stay hyped up and interested and LURVE what you do. Take a few moments and reflect…go back to the moment you sat in the office of you principle to be; as she ran through the course curriculum. Remember how excited you got when you heard all the fun stuff you’d be learning about and how awesome it was going to be to make other people feel good about them. You were going to learn how to treat and nurture your clients and make them look and feel amazing! This was your calling!!!
It’s very easy to be strayed far from our course, so that we do not even remember the fundamental reasons we decided to study beauty therapy. We forget that it was our love of making others feel fabulous that drove us to this profession in the first place. We work long hours and our pay is not always the best; the negativity of other pulls us down and sometimes our superiors are really hard on us or management is non-existent all together.
We have to rise above all of this and keep ourselves positive. Block out the bad and focus on the good that we do. You need to sit down and plan what you are doing. Have a 5 year plan and make sure that you achieve all the goals you set for yourself. You need to highlight what it is you are good and what you enjoy doing. What part of the job makes your heart sing?
I will tell you my story as an example; and let me just tell you if I had not done this I would have maybe lasted a month longer, not 15 years in this industry; before heading for the hills. For many the actual treatment is the calling – for me it was NOT. If I had to spend one more hour cooped up in a treatment room I would have gone batty! The four walls of my luxurious spa suite were seriously closing in on me. So I took some time out, evaluated what part of the job I loved and I honed in on that. I spent every spare moment I had in the office assisting and learning other roles that went into making a spa tick. I found what excited me, learned as much as I could about it; until I was ready to transition into a different role completely. I moved into the front office and that’s where I stayed. I grew into a manager and then ultimately into a business owner. But my feet are still firmly planted in the spa industry – this is what I know and what I love. I now make my own hours, do not work weekends and go to bed every night fulfilled and not only chuffed with what was accomplished in the day but SO excited to tackle tomorrow.
Is this not what you want for yourself? I cannot think of anyone who wouldn’t want this. Yes, it takes hard work but eventually you get there. If you look at the bigger picture work hard and develop yourself for 10 -12 years and then you are free as a bird and you will be an asset anybody will be dying to have in their establishment or you will be bold enough to go out on your own.
So here are my tips for helping you achieve great, deep seated love for your job; try them and see if you too can have the satisfaction and crazy love I have for my job;
1. Focus on what you like doing
Find that part of your job that makes you happy to be at work, the thing that you could do over and over and over and not get bored and focus on that. Develop that skill and make that your job.
2. Make a change, even if it’s a small one
Do not stagnate, boredom leaks out through every pore and it is contagious. It makes you miserable and makes being around you miserable. Change things up and make it enjoyable.
3. Declutter
No-one can work in clutter. Make sure your treatment room is neat and orderly and above all clean. Decluttering your surroundings declutters your mind. You leave space for free flowing thoughts and ideas.
4. Find inspiration EVERYDAY
Our job is tough and it is hard to always be the picture of happiness, it is like a relationship – one we have with ourselves. You have to work at it every day to be a success; otherwise being uninspired becomes the norm and you will spiral into darkness and the only way out will be out the door.
5. Celebrate EVERY success
You are not always going to be praised by your superiors – don’t wait for them; praise yourself for every success. Even if you just sold a really expensive product or maybe you just made a client extra specially delighted. Praise yourself for a job well done.
6. Learn more
I say this ALL the time and I am going to say it again; learn, learn, learn. If it is not extra training just read! Read blogs and articles on-line. Subscribe to trade publications and find out what is going on in the industry – it is SO awesome!!!!
7. Ask for extra duties
By asking for more work, you are learning extra skills. It will develop you into a more employable person and it will grow your repertoire of skills.
8. Complain less
STOP MOANING!!!!! Case in point.
9. Laugh more
Bringing joy into everything that you do will help pull you through the tough times. It will not always be plain sailing but if you shine love and laughter into the dark corners you will be always be able to recover from the stumbles and come out on top.
10. Appreciate what you have
The Dalai Lama says “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”
Without appreciation for what we have and what we do; we don’t have anything! Believe that what you do for people is a gift and be thankful you have been given the opportunity to bestow that gift on the world on a daily basis.
So go forth and prosper my lovelies. Grow yourselves into whatever it is you want to be. Stay positive and weather the storms that come your way. Do not turn heel and run at the sight of a storm cloud. Wade it out and you will come out on top – or sliding down a rainbow all the way to your dream job. Loving that job every day and spreading gorgeous beautiful energy through everything that you do.
Don’t forget we are here for you if you need help. Not only when you need to make a change but just for any support or advice you need.