Group job interview tomorrow at doc's office

[Eloise]

I have a "small group interview" for an MT position tomorrow at a doctor's office. Has anyone had one of these? What should I expect? Thanks.

 

[Inc.2wks ago]

sounds interesting gessika! seems like it has the potential to be a more laidback, everyone discussing things kind of interview. i've never come across an interview like this before. be sure to let us know how it goes! btw, i don't mean AT ALL to alarm you but when i first read this i thought, uh oh, i bunch of people sitting around you drilling you with questions judging every word that comes out of your mouth! whoosh, that'd be a bummer! i'm totally kidding though. i'm sure your interview won't be like that! good luck to you and have fun!

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

Thanks terab. I didn't think of it as being just me and more than one interviewer, I was thinking it would be several candidates for the job all having the initial interview at once. Now you have me thinking...

Based on what the lady said on the phone I think it's the latter.

 

[secretly submissive]

I had an interview like this - not for massage though. I didn't know it was going to be a group before I walked in - SURPRISE! Boy, did I get nervous fast!

I can only tell you my experience. They gave us questions on paper, we had to write down our answers in 10 minutes. Then each person in the group had to explain what we answered and then the group had to come to a consensus about how to handle each particular question. We had 15 minutes to do all 4 questions as a group. During this, 4 administrative people observed the group and wrote notes. We then all interviewed separately.

One person immediately dominated the situation. Not saying that is good or bad. I never did find out who they hired. I personally didn't enjoy the experience but I understand it is become the standard now a days!

My advice - speak up but don't dominate the situation. Make an effort to involve everyone and make compromises - if you have the same situation.

Hope this helps! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Ava is Beastin!]

This does not sound like something I'd like at all! I vaguely remember a "group" interview when I was 14 and wanted to be a candy striper at the hospital....it must have really sucked since I only vaguely remember it.

A couple of years ago I answered an ad for a chiro asst. and they asked if I could come at such and such time on such and such day. I was thinking I had an appointment for an interview....apparently 20 other people did too. I was the first to show up then a few minutes later well dressed people started filing in for their appointment. It was evident none of us realized there would be a million others. The chiro gave a group intro to what the job entailed and then started individual interviews (at least that was individual).


I hate group interviews.


Good luck Gessika!

edit: striper is one p right?

 

[headz2ray]

oh my gosh i didn't even think of the group as being a group of people being interviewed! yikes! this is interesting. i'm curious to see how this goes for you. good luck.

 

[Controlled Enthusiasm? .]

Ok, so here is how it went, it wasn't really a group interview:

There was just me and one other person, we were taken to separate rooms and interviewed individually by an MT and then one of the doctors (1 interviewer at a time). They like me so far, and I am going back this afternoon to give the MT a massage to see if I have what they are looking for.

Anyone have any feedback on the job itself?

The job is at a "spinal care" office that seems to specialize in helping people with injury recovery and chronic pain issues. They have an MD, Chiros, a PT and MT's. The MT's give 30 minute "deep tissue" work to clients and on Fridays they give massages to promote the clinic. (Not sure exactly what that entails).

I would be part time 20-21 hours a week, employee status, hourly pay of $14.00 to start (since I am just out of school).

I like the idea of guaranteed money coming in, but since I am just out of school, I'm not sure if the pay would be considered competitive.

Feedback welcome and appreciated!

 

[Pompal 09.]

If it's "hourly pay" of $14 where they pay you for all hours spent in the office, that's not too bad. If it's "hourly pay" where they pay you "hourly" for each hour of actual massage, they are trying to take advaneforum.xxxe of you being new to the industry.

And the "free fridays" concern me a little bit. Will you still be getting paid for that?

Are your hours going to be bunched together so you have the time to develop your own private practice on the side?

On the other hand, working in a spine treatment office could be really good experience for you. You know, you have the right to interview them as well. Ask questions. Ask the massage therapist how long he/she has been there, if there's anything you should know to "help you be a better fit," why she chooses to work for this office, how much interaction do they have with the desk staff, how busy they are... ask to see the books for scheduling massage.

Make sure the massage table is adjustable. I can't tell you how many chiro offices have a non-adjustable stationary table for the LMT.

That's a start. Good luck!

 

[la la la]

What is expected of you when you are not doing massage?
Is it worth $14 and hour if you are massaging all day?

What breaks between appointments will you get?
I have heard many horror stories about similar places working you to the bone with no breaks.
30 mins. (IMO) is not enough to do much more than warm up an area and spot treat it. What if the condition calls for more work/time?
What are you expected to accomplish in that 30 mins.?

Burnout would be a huge concern for me with this type of job.

 

[vivlor]

The pay is hourly, so I am paid for the time I am there inlcuding the promotional Fridays, even if there is no massage work to be done. The Dr. said that they are busy and there isn't much down time.

Since I would be only about 20 hours a week, I would be there for 4-5 consecutive hours at a time in the afternoons-evenings on weekdays.

The current MT has been there for a year and a half. She looks really young though, so I'm not sure if this is her first and/or only job out of school. I think she is full time.

The table appears to be an adjustable electic lift type table.

There would be 15 minutes between each 30 minute client.

Thanks everyone for your input! I should know more after I use the massage room to give the massage!

 

[Jabril]

30 mins. (IMO) is not enough to do much more than warm up an area and spot treat it. What if the condition calls for more work/time?

it could be that stim, ultrasound and heat have already been applied prior to the adjustment to ready the area for the massage.
i think it has to do with the billing.... something like one client appointment is an adjustment plus 4 treatment modalities: which can be 2 15-minute massages plus 2 of stim, ultra, and heat/cold.

 

[ilovejustinbieber(:]

OK, here is what happened when I went back for the practical interview:

Red flags started going up when the MT started asking me questions like "How old are you?" "Are you married?" and "Where do you live?" How much more illegal can you get? She might as well have asked me if I believe in God or if I was gay! She was really young so I'm not sure if she was unaware of what she was doing and trying to make conversation, or if she was asking with intention. She seemed pretty well groomed by what they have going on there.

Then during the massage, she starts talking about the other services the business offers and how she is really doing 3-4 different jobs right now within the office (only one of them massage related) and how they are looking for someone to "cross train" so she won't be so overworked.

More red flags, and now I'm getting thrown off my focus and angry at the way she is turning things around. After all, I answered an ad in the paper for a "massage therapist in a physician's office".

The massage ends, she critiques me and then goes to confer with the chiro who I had also interviewed with this morning. He finally comes to get me and takes me to an office where he tells me they are going to make me an offer. Then he basically tells me I'm not very good at what I do but they will train me to massage the way his MT works.

I'm getting more and more leery about the whole deal at this point and so I ask some more questions to be sure he knows where I stand. I ask him about the "cross training" that the MT mentioned and tell him that I am really looking to focus solely on massage, and that if they have the need for the person in this position (only 20 hours a week) to be doing other work, I am not the best fit for the job. He then tells me that for the part time job, he is looking for 80-90% massage work and a little office help when no clients are scheduled and that a full time position would involve the "cross training".

Then he launches into the spiel on the promotions they do, (which occurs throughout the week, not just on Fridays as I was originally told). Basically they offer 30 minute massages to anyone who will come in for $15.00. There is a script the MT is supposed to read to get them to sign up for more services (which means they have to give their insurance card to the office to be photocopied).

Why wasn't any of that explained to me during the initial interview??? BEFORE they lured me back for a practical???

Then he leaves and is gone awhile and sends the MT back who shows me the script and explains the process to me and mentions again that they are looking for someone to "cross train". (HELLO?? The chiro just said that wasn't what the job entailed). So I mention AGAIN, that I am only looking for massage work and that I would not be the right fit if they have other needs.

At this point, the chiro bursts into the room (he had clearly been listening at the door) and says, "Alright then, let's all get on with our day!" So I thanked them and left.

I am just really disappointed, and the more I think about it, angry. This was a classic bait and switch. I felt like they were doing this whole good cop/bad cop routine sort of thing, the way they kept leaving the room to talk to the other and switching back and forth. It felt like they were trying to talk me into the job.

So my questions are: Is this kind of stuff standard? Did I do the right thing by not taking it? Clearly, I would not have been happy there. They were going to give me the job and had the papers written up and wanted to being "training" me this afternoon.

I'm just feeling like they thought I was an easy mark, and eager to take anything since I am just out of school. Maybe I am expecting too much from a job as a newbie. Should I "pay my dues" at places like this and see it as a learning experience? I have had three interviews in the past week and a half, and there has been some sort of deal breaker for me each time. Am I just being too picky, or going with my gut and holding out for what's right? I just don't know anymore. I'm really very discouraged at this point.

Thanks for listening to me rant, I hope this all makes sense. :

 

[uwaiu]

Gessika, I vote that you're just listening to your gut. Honestly, if you feel during the interview process that it was not a good fit and you didn't feel it would be a good working environment for you, well I'm inclined to believe that your gut knows what's right for you.
We've already agreed that the pay was pretty low... and with their whole "bait and switch" routine... you probably thought walk, no RUN to the door!
And yes, I do think there are certain people who think that new massage therapists should work for an incredibly low amount of money... I myself having been out of school for about a year, had a "lovely" offer from the salon where my niece worked as a nail tech. She received 50 percent of each $40 set of acrylic nails she applied.
While the same employer offered me 45 percent of each $40/hr massage I did. Huh, what's wrong with that picture? Oh, and let's not forget the non-compete he wanted me to sign!
Yeah, right dude... See ya! *zoom!*

 

[Te Quiero Mucho MI Vida]

Thanks, Maestra. So, did you end up holding out for something that you felt was right and fair? I hope this all works out, and soon. I NEED a job.

 

[Ashley:)]

You should take the job that best suits you and your needs. If you take a job that doesn't, you will most likely be miserable and end up leaving. Then you will be out looking for other jobs anyway.

I agree with my cyber-twin - go with your gut. I think you did the right thing. They seem to have been playing around with you and insulting you also.

Hang in there - the right job will find you. First instincts are usually proven to be right.

 

[Dark Diva]

I think you did the right thing. I myself wouldn't have taken the job. I would rather be jobless than miserable at a place and I think that is what you would have been had you taken it.

It took me 2 and 1/2 years to find a job I loved after finishing school. I didn't settle for just anything. And you shouldn't either!

Hang in there when you find the place where you fit, you won't regret being picky. After all its you that has to be content with a place to give the best massages you possibly can.

 

[moo goo gai pan]

I ended up working "seasonally" at a salon about 15 miles north of me for 2 summers... and doing "housecalls" where I could... trying to build my business.
That salon owner was nice to me, though one of her other stylists used to have me unpacking product and doing all kinds of stuff SHE was supposed to be doing... anyway, it was just too hard doing massage in a space where there wasn't quite enough room.
Those were some lean times for my mom and I... but we lived simply and I eventually I heard about a new salon opening up in town and that they might be wanting to interview for a MT because they wanted to become a "day spa" within the following year.
One of the spa owners briefly interviewed me alone, and then I was sort of invited back for a "group interview" as well... there were 3 other MTs who interviewed for the job at the time.
One girl who interviewed pretty much took herself out of the running right away by saying she wouldn't work for less than $40/hr. (The salon wanted to charge $50... and their commission would have been 30 percent. Therapist got $35 per massage.)
So anyway, I got the job and not long afterward the salon upped their commission to 35 percent... saying that they needed the extra 5 percent to cover the MC and Visa fees. :roll:
Eventually I got them to raise the price of the massage to $55 per massage. I had one client complain... but honestly it only meant I was making $1 more per massage than before! LOL
I worked for them for 4.5 years... and their commission was 40 percent of $60 when I quit in March 2004. Honestly I put up with a lot of stuff over those years that tried my patience. But I believed them when they said they were going to improve the place... I figured they should have had time in 4.5 years to put up some walls, or slap a coat of paint on the place... :roll:
But it was the fact they treated me like a money making machine rather than a person which finally "got my goat" so to speak. So I quit because I thought I was moving to Alabama. However, a couple weeks later my Mom suddenly died and I decided not to move away.
I'm still in the same city... many of my local clients from the salon have my # and are able to schedule with me at the health food store I work out of... or I provide some of them with in home massage. So my practice is partly outcall and partly out of the treatment room at the health food store.
They don't care about the $$... they told me I can pay them whatever I want... I've been working out of their space for over a year. And they treat me pretty well and are always glad to see me. And that itself makes a HUGE difference to me... even if I am charging less than they did at the salon, I'm 'bringing home' more.
I have "befriended" a few chiropractors and they've sent clients to me who they thought I could help... yes, even while I was at the salon!
Don't give up hope! Something will happen!
t109

 

[Merl]

You made a very good choice. Dishonesty in the interviewing process is NOT a good sign!!

 

[paradoxical.lustre]

i agree too! great decision. you don't need this job! you'll find something. keep looking and being positive.

 

[Tracy Max]

I would be part time 20-21 hours a week, employee status, hourly pay of $14.00 to start (since I am just out of school).

20hr per week or massage is generally recognised as full time for a massage therapist - do a 40 hr week and see the quick burn out rate.....