How to Write a Cover Letter for a Massage Therapist Position

Cover letters and resumes can be a difficult task to master, no matter what career you’re looking to venture into. As a Massage Therapist, you’re able to apply your skills to a variety of professional settings, from clinics to spas and fitness centres. Whichever job you apply for, there’s one thing you can’t do without and that’s a winning cover letter. A resume will be able to give details of your past work experience and your qualifications, but a cover letter helps a potential employer to get to know you, how you fit the role and how you can work well for them. The cover letter almost works like a pre-interview introduction, so is a very handy tool to use when applying for jobs. Here are the essentials for crafting a cover letter that’s both polished and professional.

Formatting

In general, a cover letter for a massage therapist should focus on providing the details of your core strengths, abilities and past experiences. The cover letter has a little room to show some personification in order to give the potential employer an idea of who you are as a person. However, it’s also important to stay professional in your letter. It goes without saying that your cover letter should be free from spelling errors and grammatical mistakes and be well-written. Always proof-read your finished product (three times would be best) and if possible, get a friend or family member to read over it as well. Sometimes, even if you’ve read over it a few times, a mistake might not be noticeable without another set of eyes.

Introduce Yourself

Start with an upbeat introduction, referring to a specific job opening if there is one or expressing your personal interest in joining that particular company. Try to work in your experience in this all-important opening paragraph, for example: As a Massage Therapist with over a year’s experience at a medical practice and day spa, I’m very interested in any available opportunities to join your team. The cover letter should entice the reader to want to know more about you and to encourage them to read over your resume to find out the details of your experiences and qualifications.

Focus on Credentials

Potential employers will want to see your credentials straight away, so be sure to cite your Massage Therapy qualifications and the Massage Therapy modalities that you’re qualified to practice. You can mention your qualifications in your cover letter and if the reader wants to know further details (such as when and where you had completed the certifications), they can then take a look at you resume for more information. If you are applying in response to a job listing and they request particular sets of skills, knowledge, qualifications or experience levels, these should all be referred to within your cover letter.

Add Depth with Patient Details

Take this opportunity to describe your most recent positions and the number of patients you treat daily or weekly. This type of detail is very important as it shows a strong patient focus as well as what kind of patient load you’re used to managing. If this is your first massage position, you should list any work experience or events you have volunteered at and how your other experiences will benefit you in your new role. Even without experience, you can provide information on what you are capable of and how you can handle the workload they may have in stall for you.

Personalise

Describe the personal characteristics that make you a great Massage Therapist. Maybe share a personal success story you had with a client or patient, or what inspired you to become a Massage Therapist. You may come from a long line of massage therapists in your family, you may have worked for a particular employer that is well known or you may have had a client describe you as the best massage therapist in the state. Either way, these small touches will give your potential employer some insight into your personal attributes and ultimately help your cover letter stand out. If providing anecdotes like this, keep the language professional in your letter to ensure you are still taken seriously in your job application.

Summarise

Wrap it up with a summary on how you think you can contribute to the organisation, and why you’re best suited for the role. If anything else is mentioned by the employer in the job description or advertisement that you think you should mention, add this information into your cover letter. If the advertisement says they’re looking for someone with a friendly smile, and you have a great one, be sure to mention it. It may seem like an insignificant part of the letter, but it shows you’ve read the job description and advertisement and are able to provide the employer with what they’re looking for. Finally, thank them for their time and consideration for the position and offer to answer any questions they may have for you at an upcoming interview. Be sure to add in some basic contact details, even though this information (should) be included in your resume. Your cover letter will be able to give the potential employer an idea if you’re a good fit for the business, if you’re suitably qualified and experienced and who you are as a person. Although they’ll be able to determine this at a job interview, giving them a glimpse in a cover letter is a great way to get your foot in the door and get yourself an interview.  

If you’re thinking of becoming a Massage Therapist, check out the massage course on offer at the Australian Institute of Fitness.

• Bio

AIF

The Australian Institute of Fitness

The Australian Institute of Fitness (AIF) is the largest and longest established fitness training organisation in Australia, with dynamic training methods and expert course coaches nationwide - spanning fitness, massage and nutrition. The AIF qualifies more fitness professionals than any other provider in Australia, as well as offering a broad range of continuing education courses (CEC), upskilling resources and partnership programs for existing industry.