Questions to Ask to Get What You Want

Interviewing – whether for an article, a job, or a family history – is a skill. Some people were born with the gift. Most of us weren’t.

We most often engage in interviewing when we’re looking for a job. As I wrote in response to a poster on this blog: too many MTs interview like sad puppies hoping for a treat. They act as though the power is all on one side of the desk (and it’s not theirs) and their only goal is to please the interviewer.

They are wrong.

There are two interviews going on in “an interview”. You need to interview the company as much as they need to interview you.

You may be scoffing. You may be rolling your eyes. Maybe you’ve heard this advice before but you’re saying “yeah, sure but they have a job and I need a job, so the power is all with them since I’m the one with the need.”

Really?? Why would they be interviewing you if they didn’t have a need also -- the need for a reliable, experience, talented massage therapist? Managers and owners don’t interview for fun. Most of them don’t enjoy it any more than you do. They do it because they have to, because they have a need. And they are hoping hoping hoping that you can fill their need.

I’ve been on both sides of the desk. It’s tedious to review resumes and schedule appointments and ask the same questions over and over and over. It’s time-consuming and it’s frustrating. Frankly, it's depressing to look across the desk at timid, desperate, trying-to-say-whatever-they-think-I-want-to-hear-so-I’ll-hire-them people.

The only time interviewing candidates was fun was when I had someone who really engaged in the process and brought something unique to the conversation. You need to be that person. And you need to do it not just to impress the interviewer but to take care of yourself. Nothing sucks like realizing, 2 weeks after you get there, that this is the wrong place for you.

How do you do that?

First of all, decide what you are looking for in a place of work.

Ÿ  A full schedule?

Ÿ  Comraderie?

Ÿ  A chance to use that specialized training you got?

Ÿ  Scheduling flexibility?

Ÿ  A minimum take-home pay (and make sure you know what that number is).

Ÿ  Co-workers you can learn things from?

Ÿ  To quit worrying about marketing and let someone else do it?

Ÿ  A place where you can have a say in how it's run?

Ÿ  Stability -- somewhere you can expect to be for years?

Ÿ  Excitement? Serenity?

Also think about the "personality" of the kind of place you'd like to work. High-energy? Casual? Sharply professional? Laid back? More medical or more woo-woo? Steady-as-she-goes or always trying a new thing? Spa-like? Slick or down-home?

Maybe you're saying "I want all those things!". Yeah, and I want everything on the Dairy Queen menu but I can't have everything if I don't want to burst out of my pants!

So, get clear with yourself about what you want and prioritize the list. You can rank your needs (#1 - #10) or you can group them (A-level, B-level, C-level). Whatever works for you.

Then figure out the questions to ask that will help you determine if this place really meets your needs. That's probably the trickiest part.

You can't just ask, for example, "is this a stable place where I can expect to work for years?" because what interviewer is going to say "no"? Think, instead, of the hallmarks of, say, a stable practice and ask that question.

If I were looking for a place that's stable and good to its therapists, I'd ask how long have each of the MTs currently on staff been there (if it's a multi-therapist practice). Lots of turnover or (worse) lots of recent turnover suggests there's something not working for the MTs. Beware.

Here's some of my favorite questions to ask when I'm considering joining a practice:

Do you have a business plan? What are your biggest goals as a practice in the next 1-5 years? Tells me that they plan, both short-term and long-term. Compare their goals with your own.

What are your most effective marketing techniques? Tells me whether they understand their business or if they're floundering around. It also lets met know if they're keeping up with social media or if they're relying too heavily on cut-rate coupon deals. If they know what marketing works best, it suggests they have some idea of how to get clients in the door and fill your schedule!

What are your busiest and your slowest days? On average, how many client-hours does an MT see on [day of the week you expect to be there]? A decent business owner should be able to answer this question without even looking at the schedule.

What type of work do your clients request most often? What would you like to be able to offer that you can't currently offer? A good business owner will know what people like and have some idea of what new offerings would make a difference. This means they know their client base. It also gives you some idea if what they'd like to offer in the future matches up with what you'd like to study.

What are the traits of the MTs that thrive here? Apart from technical skills, what makes one MT a better fit for you than another? Look for answers that are more useful than "they're professional and on time" because everyone thinks they're "professional and on time". If you get that kind of vague answer, ask them to get specific. What are the hallmarks of a "professional"? Do you have a lot of problems with MTs arriving late for their shifts or do you have a problem with them running behind schedule? Why do you think that is?

Have you ever fired a therapist? What are the most common conflicts you have with MTs? No practice is a perfect fit for everyone and no one does such a perfect job of hiring that they never have someone leave. Pay attention to how comfortable they are answering this question. Be honest with yourself if they kind of problems they identify are going to be problems for you.

(multi-therapist practice) How long have your current MTs been here, on average?

(solo therapist practice) How long was your most recent MT here?
How long have you worked here?

As I said earlier, if they have trouble keeping MTs more than 6 months, there's a problem either in their hiring practices or in their operations. Also, interviewing with someone who hasn't been there very long (or isn't the owner) means they may simply not know enough to give you a truly solid picture of the place.

 

(multi-therapist practice) May I meet with one of your MTs? This could be a real "tell". Is the interviewer willing to let you meet with another MT one-on-one? If so, ask the MT questions about their most favorite and least favorite aspects of working here. Ask them what they think are the traits of an MT who can thrive there.

 

What is about me -- apart from my technical skills -- that makes you think I would be a good fit here? This forces the interviewer to look at you beyond "check the box" (licensed: yes, pregnancy massage: yes, available on Fridays and Saturdays: yes) and really think about you as more than just another interviewee. Be careful, though, a smart interviewer may turn the question right back to you!

  

This is not an exhaustive list but it gives you a flavor for how to ask questions that help you meet your needs and how to get the most out of an interview.