My dream job would be to become a beautician. Initially, I wanted to pursue a career as a massage therapist, but later decided to change my career path. In today’s society, there are countless stylists and beauticians to choose from, but I opted for a distant relative of mine – Angel. She is actually my half-sister on my father’s side. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much success in meeting my siblings on that side of the family because he passed away when I was just two years old. He had many children who mostly reside in Tennessee and are all older than me.
So, I figured that since Angel works in the same field as me, it would be a great idea to interview her and get to know her at the same time. The interview was conducted over the phone on Friday, April 12th at 5 pm. It’s strange, but I learned about most of my siblings through Facebook. Angel was no different; she was actually the one who responded when I reached out to many of them after learning about them all through my sister who grew up near me in Toledo. Angel has been the owner and stylist at Angel’s Hair Salon in Kingston, Tennessee since December of 2011.
Before owning her own salon, she worked as a stylist at Serendipity-Do Salon. Some of her clients have given her titles such as The Best Down South,” “Miracle Worker,” or simply “Their Hairdresser.” Career aspirations have been on my mind lately. My fiancé and I both enjoy doing hair – he cuts while I braid, style, and do whatever else is needed. We’ve discussed the possibility of opening our own shop together, but we need to be certified and licensed before making it a reality. Therefore, I am currently working on obtaining the necessary qualifications.
After graduation, I plan on attending beauty school to complete all the necessary requirements for achieving my goals in the near future. Angel, the owner of a salon, is doing exactly what I aspire to do. While working at a salon would be great, I aim for something better and hope to eventually own one.
There are job requirements that need to be met in order to become a licensed beautician:
- All states in the US require beauticians to have a license.
- The specific requirements for obtaining a license vary depending on your state; however, having a high school diploma or GED is generally mandatory.
- You must be at least 16 years old and have graduated from a state-licensed program.
Cosmetology school is a program where students are required to pass a state licensing examination before graduating. It is important to have an understanding of fashion, art, and technical design since the work involves dealing with clients. Interpersonal skills, image, and attitude are also given great importance. Beauticians and cosmetologists should also be effective salespersons as client retention and retail sales contribute significantly to a salon’s revenue.
The interview went well for me. I sat in my bedroom with the door closed because I have a two-year-old.
Don’t worry, I didn’t neglect my sister. She played with dad while I conducted my 45-minute interview. However, we stayed on the phone for about two hours since she is my sister. At first, it was a little weird but after a while, it was almost like we knew each other well. I asked her questions and she answered to the best of her knowledge.
Ms. Pruitt struggled a little at the start of her career as we all do. When it’s time for me to start, I know it won’t be easy. She gave me some advice on how she did things so that maybe I could follow in her footsteps.
Keeping it professional with my sister wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to conduct ourselves appropriately, but it turned out fine. One of the things I enjoyed was learning more about a topic that interests me and getting to know my sister better. In the future, I would definitely try to do a face-to-face interview because seeing each other’s facial expressions would make the experience more enjoyable. Although there were some difficult moments during the interview, they didn’t occur to me until now.
Owning your own business involves working long hours and balancing family time, all while dealing with the challenges of starting up the shop, obtaining loans, purchasing equipment, and stocking products. But these are all part of the experience that I am ready for.
During my research, I came across some unexpected challenges that cosmetologists face. For example, a classmate in cosmetology school developed contact dermatitis from constantly washing her hands and shampooing clients. Another coworker developed a latex allergy from frequent exposure to rubber gloves during chemical services.
Choosing to become a hair stylist doesn’t limit you to working in a salon. You can explore more creative options, such as becoming a platform artist who does trade show demonstrations and competes in hair competitions worldwide. Specializing in wig-making and styling or special effects hairstyling is also an option. Additionally, you could work on films, television shows, or fashion shows doing hair and makeup for the entertainment industry. The possibilities are endless.
As a part of my past,” Angel began, “I started out at the Serendipity-Do salon as a professional with different levels. These levels were as follows:
- Stylists: The stylist level is achieved after receiving their cosmetology degree and license, as well as completing extensive training in all facets of hair care by training departments, Senior Directors, and new talent educators for up to 18 months.
- Designers: Designers have the above qualifications and have received a minimum of 12 to 18 months of experience at the stylist level. They have also fulfilled specified criteria in advanced education and training.
- Directors
Directors must possess the qualifications mentioned above and have at least three years of experience with the Company. Additionally, they should meet specific criteria in advanced education and training.
Senior Directors are a select group who have achieved Director status, served as trainers for two years, and fulfilled specific criteria in advanced education and training. On average, Senior Directors have 12 years of experience and have conducted extensive training throughout the United States.
The shop owner stated that she treats everyone equally despite having an assistant manager. However, some workers found the levels to be confusing.
Q & A: Which skills are most important to acquire?
Anyone can cut hair, but not everyone can be a good hairdresser. Learning the techniques of cutting and coloring hair is not rocket science, but it takes much more to excel in this exciting profession. Beauty school or an apprenticeship in a reputable salon can provide you with all the necessary tools, but what sets you apart from others and helps you succeed are your personal talents, skills, and inclinations.
Where might job listings be found?
- The internet is a vast resource for job listings these days.
To become a hair stylist, one can start out as the help by doing tasks such as cleaning and sweeping, then gradually move up. Another option is to look for job ads in the newspaper. However, contrary to popular belief, being a hair stylist is physically demanding. Although it may not involve heavy lifting or rigorous activity, it requires an individual to stand on their feet for long periods of time and often assume uncomfortable positions for extended periods. Additionally, there is a lot of repetitive motion involved in cosmetology. While you don’t need to be able to compete in a triathlon, it’s important to be aware of the physical demands of the job.
These physical demands include working with strong chemical compounds, some of which have an unpleasant fragrance. Even the required practices that don’t involve harsh chemicals can become problematic. In cosmetology school, I had a classmate who developed contact dermatitis from constantly washing her hands and shampooing clients. Another cosmetologist I worked with developed a latex allergy from frequent exposure to rubber gloves during chemical services. There are also many other stresses besides these physical ones.
When a client comes to you, they often have a picture in their head of what they want their hair to look like. However, they may not have a realistic concept of whether it is possible or even how to convey their wishes to you effectively. For instance, I once had a 60+ year old white woman with baby-fine hair come to me and tell me that she wanted her hair to look like Halle Berry’s. Despite my efforts to explain the limitations and approximate what she said she wanted, she still left my chair dissatisfied. Unfortunately, some people cannot be dissuaded, and you must learn how to deal with them.
Occasionally, you can make someone happy by fulfilling their request, or you can explain to them why it won’t work and they’ll accept it. However, those who get upset or cannot clearly communicate what they want may pose a problem in most cases.
Regarding salaries in my field, it varies depending on the path you choose. Generally, hair stylists make between $16,000 and $35,000 per year. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Dear Ms. Pruitt,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss the hair stylist career field at Angel’s Hair salon with you. I believe that this job would be an ideal match for my abilities and interests.
In addition, I am well aware of how busy you are, and I really appreciate that you gave me your valuable time to help me out with my interview. I look forward to having the opportunity to meet you in person and hope to hear from you soon. Again, thank you very much for your time and consideration.
