A Reader Asks: How Many Spa Management Jobs are Available in the US?

Check any website which maintains employment listings for spa jobs and you will notice listing after listing for spa management jobs. These listings can range from spa director positions, down to assistant spa managers. While the exact number of jobs is difficult to quantify, there are over 14,500 spas currently operating in the US (according to the latest industry statistics published by the International Spa Association). For anyone considering a career in spa management, the sheer number of US spas means a lot of opportunity. Also, keep in mind that 30% of the world’s spas are located in the US, outranked only by Europe at 38%. Using this statistic as the basis, it stands to reason that the US would then hold 30% of the world’s spa management jobs, making this a career path with enormous growth and potential. The question then becomes, how do you get a spa management job?

The spa industry has a lot in common with several other industries, hospitality and retail in particular, but it is much more specialized than either of those two fields. Customer service skills are not enough, hiring and development skills are not enough, financial acumen and sales forecasting abilities are not enough. Do you have knowledge of spa specific reservation software? Can you discuss at length the benefits of Thallosotherapy or the merits of a hot stone massage? Do you know how to train employees to up-sell products after they perform a treatment on a client? Can you handle managing employees who have professional qualifications that you do not have? Experience in hospitality and retail will benefit you in your job search, but what you really need is a spa management education.

A spa management education will put you on the top of the hiring pile for prospective employers. Why? Without specific spa industry experience and without a spa management education you have no qualifications to distinguish your application from all of the rest. A spa education shows prospective employers that you understand the special needs of the spa business and the needs of their clients. Take a course like the one offered by the Institute of Spa Management and you will learn how to manage spa facilities, understand spa pricing and treatment menus, learn how to run spa marketing and promotion campaigns, revenue benchmarking, front desk management, and extensive business operations skills. These are the skills that employers need their spa managers to have. If you take the initiative to educate yourself, prospective employers will notice this distinguishing characteristic on your resume.

Spa management jobs are readily available in the US and with the growing popularity of spas - knowledgeable industry professionals are in high demand. Take time to study the job listings on web sites like www.exeperinenceispa.com, www.spatrade.com, and the new job center at www.spacollege.org (for students and alumni only). You will find that spa management jobs are readily available, but that they all require the insider’s knowledge that only an education or experience will provide.

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