Do reviews on Google, Yelp, or any other search engine matter above and beyond deciding if you are going to purchase a service or product? I believe they do matter and once you know how to look for the gems and read between the lines, you might even gain a life long benefit that can guide you in the right direction. Imagine that you are searching for your next career and you came across this review I wrote recently about the New Zealand College Of Massage.
What have I boldly stated and what do I hint about but not state directly? How might you enter into your experience at any school you attend with better understanding than you might get from solely reading a brochure and sitting in an information interview? What haven’t I said? Do I leave you with a desire to learn more and a tool to be able to do so?
In the Spring of 2013, I had the honor of being invited to NZCM as a visiting tutor from America. Not only was the cultural exchange eye opening and a phenomenal experience for me, I was impressed that NZCM had the foresight to see how bringing the world together inside the classroom can have a huge impact on the students and on the Bodywork world-at-large. Any student that attends this school will have the opportunity to not only learn a phenomenal skill but they will be led by dedicated professionals from all over the world and including the most dedicated Kiwi instructors you will ever find.
As someone who could enter the school from a Bird’s Eye point of view, I could see that for those students truly dedicated to the art and science of massage and bodywork therapy, this school has all the elements of helping you build the foundation for a life long successful and international career.
Never without their challenges, all schools are living breathing institutions. The dedicated professionals that work at this school will help you navigate complexities so that you gain the most from your time at the school and obtain a fine education. It will take work on your part to get the most of the education; stay in touch with the director and tutors, don’t just take what’s given but ask for more, ask for help and clarification, have patience, and most especially, enjoy the experience. Be a part of the experience and be one of those professionals that makes a fantastic school all that much better for years to come.
I highly recommend this school for it’s continued dedication to education and professionalism. Should you want to join the international instructors at the school, attend as a student, or if you ever want to know more about my experience, look me up and contact me at Hands On Health in Raleigh NC. I’m happy to share.
My experience at NZCM was not easy. But it taught me so much about the world and affirmed that for anyone to truly get the most of their experiences, they must advocate for themselves. But the only way someone can advocate is if they know the ropes. Roses and sunshine were not the top of my experience at NZCM but it still doesn’t mean I didn’t learn and grow as a person and professional. If I had written this review right after I left, I would have carried a negative tone that came from culture shock, burnout after a 6-month marathon, and I wouldn’t have had the perspective I have now to wrap things up in a better light. A year out and I see the big picture. In my review, I did not want to give a potential student or visiting instructor the impression that everything was perfect and the ride an easy one. Instead, the best thing I could do for NZCM and its future students was to offer a hand in helping one navigate and push themselves to gain a valuable education. And to gain that education despite the institution not being perfect. After all, I find that I learn an enormous amount when I push myself to perform at the edge of my abilities and despite the uncertainty that can come with such a challenge.
Take your career in hand. Join a practice or a school that you aren’t so sure will offer you everything for your career and stay in a practice that despite your expectations, falls short. Use those experiences as an opportunity to reflect on what you want from your career, negotiate and advocate for change, stay as long as you are learning and yes, of course, as long as you are content and growing as a person and professional.
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