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Career Development and Job Security

22 Mar 2017
We are living in interesting times. The world is experiencing immense transformation throughout the social, political and personal areas of our lives. Many people are questioning what lays ahead for them with so many looming changes. How does this impact our families, job security and career direction? That mingled with the quest for freedom in a landscape of uncertainty, can be a challenging pursuit.

During times of growth and change, there are always wide windows of new opportunities in any industry that is swelling with steady progress. No matter how old you are or what your current mode is, a career in spa and wellness is a solid consideration for numerous reasons.

In January 2017, the Global Wellness Institute released the newest edition of the Global Wellness Economic Monitor. The report is full of exciting momentum in a variety of market sectors, pointing towards global market growth. In this, spa facility development worldwide is projected to be stretch over 6 percent within the next three years. This is great news for the spa industry.

However, by 2020 the spa segment alone will be facing a workforce and talent shortage, unprepared to meet the demands of this continued growth. This makes way for budding new talent and strong career advancement. If you’re someone who can read between the lines, the report also shares some hearty seeds for personal and professional growth.

Personal Happiness
The mindset of today’s workforce has evolved. People considering a new career also ponder the merits of new opportunities in different ways than they used to. With this, there is a stronger value and focus on personal satisfaction, agility and having new experiences.

Exploring a career in spa and wellness not only propels you into a booming industry, it also comes with unique choices and flexibility. There is something deeply inspiring and innately satisfying when professional growth meets personal happiness. Learning new skills and choosing to embrace the various aspects of a nourishing lifestyle industry, also introduces wonderful ways you can inspire your friends and family.

Getting Started
Unless you are seeking a new career as a technical operator, provider or educator your existing skills could be applied towards establishing a new career direction, right now... Just because spa and wellness might be a new industry for you, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to start from scratch. There can be meaningful value in having a diverse business background.

The first place to start is to identify what your essential interests are. If you are visual and creative, marketing could be a wonderful outlet for this. If you are a strong sales person and enjoy building new relationships, the vertical market is a promising field to consider. And so on… Once you narrow down which segments of the industry have the highest value for you, you can begin the process of seeking out opportunities that activate your core values.

Networking and Resources
One of the most productive ways to get to know the industry is to get to know people who are in it. There are many wonderful professional Associations and industry groups to explore. These resources are concentrated regionally, nationally and internationally. You can meet people first hand and learn about their own career experiences. This is also an outstanding setting to seek internships and/or a mentorship.

Taking the time to network and understand how the industry works beyond the services and environment it provides, is one way to discover if it is a good fit for you. While change is always certain, the stability and growth of the spa and wellness sector supports exciting career choices. The freedom to choose our own path, is one of our greatest gifts.

By Mia A. Mackman

About the author
Mia Mackman is Principal Consultant at MackmanES, consulting since 2001 she specializes in spa and wellness, strategic planning, valuation and forecasting. Founder and President of Arizona Spa & Wellness Association, Official Visiting U.S. Judge for the World Spa & Wellness Awards and U.S. Ambassador for Global Wellness Day.

Twitter @MiaMackman


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