Table 1Transition record

complementary therapisttoaromatherapist

A complementary therapist already meets 45% of what the aromatherapist role asks for. The move turns on 16 required skills not yet in the profile.

From complementary therapist

45%

Overlap1

To aromatherapist

28 Skills carried over

16 Required, not held

65 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 65

This move: 65 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the aromatherapist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the complementary therapist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 28 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A aromatherapist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a complementary therapist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held prepare oils handling and moving
already held types of essential oils health and welfare
already held prescribe topical therapy assisting and caring
already held types of aromatherapy treatments health and welfare
already held energy therapy health and welfare
already held reflexology health and welfare

All 28 carried skills, including the 13 the aromatherapist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 35 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 7 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held advise on mental health required
required, not held apply context specific clinical competences required
required, not held identify customer's needs required
required, not held provide health psychological advice required
required, not held discuss the medical history of the healthcare user required
required, not held listen actively required
required, not held provide health education required

optional, not held communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields optional
optional, not held sell products optional
optional, not held sell services optional
optional, not held train employees optional

02 assisting and caring 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held apply massage oil required
required, not held comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice required
required, not held develop personalised massage plan required
required, not held empathise with the healthcare user required

optional, not held follow clinical guidelines optional

03 information skills 2 required, 6 supplementary

required, not held observe healthcare users required
required, not held record healthcare users' progress related to treatment required

optional, not held address side effects of menopause optional
optional, not held keep up to date with spa products optional
optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held oversee spa maintenance optional
optional, not held undertake clinical audit optional
optional, not held record healthcare users' billing information optional

04 health and welfare 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held massage theory required

optional, not held general medicine optional
optional, not held pathology optional

05 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held maintain work area cleanliness required

optional, not held work with chemicals optional

06 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held consultation required

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a aromatherapist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 28 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held acupuncture methods knowledge
already held apply aromatherapy skill
already held apply massage therapy skill
already held develop therapeutic relationships skill
already held ensure safety of healthcare users skill
already held follow-up on healthcare users' treatment skill
already held phytotherapy knowledge
already held prepare oils skill
already held promote mental health skill
already held relaxation techniques knowledge
already held therapeutic massage knowledge
already held types of aromatherapy treatments knowledge
already held types of essential oils knowledge
already held apply a holistic approach in care skill
already held apply acupuncture skill
already held carry out preventative internal medicine interventions skill
already held complementary and alternative medicine knowledge
already held energy therapy knowledge
already held etiopathy knowledge
already held fasciatherapy knowledge
already held homeopathy knowledge
already held homeopathy remedies knowledge
already held human anatomy knowledge
already held human physiology knowledge
already held prescribe topical therapy skill
already held reflexology knowledge
already held shiatsu knowledge
already held tai chi knowledge

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 social sciences, journalism and information 3 supplementary

optional, not held clinical psychological treatment optional
optional, not held types of spa optional
optional, not held psychology optional

08 management skills 2 supplementary

optional, not held apply business acumen optional
optional, not held manage supplies optional

19 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held address side effects of menopause optional
optional, not held clinical psychological treatment optional
optional, not held keep up to date with spa products optional
optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held oversee spa maintenance optional
optional, not held types of spa optional
optional, not held undertake clinical audit optional
optional, not held apply business acumen optional
optional, not held communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields optional
optional, not held follow clinical guidelines optional
optional, not held general medicine optional
optional, not held manage supplies optional
optional, not held pathology optional
optional, not held psychology optional
optional, not held record healthcare users' billing information optional
optional, not held sell products optional
optional, not held sell services optional
optional, not held train employees optional
optional, not held work with chemicals optional

45 held skills the aromatherapist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accept own accountability skill
not needed by the target role acupressure knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on healthy lifestyles skill
not needed by the target role applied kinesiology knowledge
not needed by the target role apply systemic therapy skill
not needed by the target role attend to sophrology clients skill
not needed by the target role auriculotherapy knowledge
not needed by the target role ayurveda medicine knowledge
not needed by the target role balneotherapy knowledge
not needed by the target role behavioural therapy knowledge
not needed by the target role breathing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role characteristics of plants knowledge
not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
not needed by the target role conduct a homeopathic consultation skill
not needed by the target role conduct cupping therapy skill
not needed by the target role conduct physical examinations skill
not needed by the target role deliver sophrology exercises skill
not needed by the target role dietetics knowledge
not needed by the target role electrical stimulation in acupuncture knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure safety of exercise environment skill
not needed by the target role first aid knowledge
not needed by the target role give massages skill
not needed by the target role give shiatsu massages skill
not needed by the target role identify energetic meridians skill
not needed by the target role inform clients of healthy lifestyle benefits skill
not needed by the target role iridology knowledge
not needed by the target role kinesiology knowledge
not needed by the target role kinetics knowledge
not needed by the target role movement techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role multi-professional cooperation in health care knowledge
not needed by the target role offer advice on diet-related concerns skill
not needed by the target role osteopathy knowledge
not needed by the target role pathologies treated by acupuncture knowledge
not needed by the target role play therapy knowledge
not needed by the target role prepare sophrology session skill
not needed by the target role prescribe exercises skill
not needed by the target role promote healthy lifestyle skill
not needed by the target role reiki knowledge
not needed by the target role safely instruct about fitness skill
not needed by the target role select acupuncture points skill

5 further entries not listed here

7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held consultation required
required, not held massage theory required
optional, not held clinical psychological treatment optional
optional, not held types of spa optional
optional, not held general medicine optional
optional, not held pathology optional
optional, not held psychology optional

Index

Other moves recorded from complementary therapist

Full index of moves from complementary therapist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.