Hi i'm Michelle

I'm fairly new to the field (2years) and I feel like I just cant find the right salon for me.I have been shampooing hair for four years now and I have a lot of experience assisting but not a lot of hands on training what should I do?I'm getting sO frustrated because I feel like I'm not getting anywhere.

Chelle1011 why don't you see if there is a Supercuts in your area? they have hands on training and teach you there own technique in haircutting. they hav good benefits, steady pay, medical/dental/vision,401k, vacation and ongoing training. the tips are usually very good i usually make about 400 dollars a week and thats just in tips but i've been there for 5 years and hav my own clients. but believe me you wont be frustrated the way you are now you'll be gaining valuable experience and confidence. good luck!

Lily 

Well if you know you hav alot of potential then keep your eyes and ears open for new oppertunities. its a big world out there and there are alot of salons. just keep going and think BIG! and in the meantime take alot of advanced classes. Good Luck!

Lily 

ofcourse you will!

Lily 

Dear chelle1011

Welcome to the BTC Talk Back Boards!  Please take a few moments to read over the board rules in the green box above.  It sounds like it time for you to get out of the shampoo bowl and get behind that chair.  Much success to you!

Cindy Farr Hester  Asst Moderator

Dear michelle,

  If you have been assisting for two years and havn't been trained to go on the floor (training program) you need to find an employer that offers this.  Go into the salons in your area and find one that when you walk in everyones hair looks fabulous, they are dressed well and its busy.  That is were you are going to want to apply for an interview.  When going on interviews-make sure you ask about thier training program.  If they don't have one move on!  Best of luck to you.  Dawn 

Dear DylanT

Welcome to the BTC Talk Back Boards!  Please take a few moments to read over the board rules in the green box above.  Nice to have you with us.

Cindy Farr Hester  Asst Moderator

Michelle

STAY AWAY FROM THE CHAIN SALON. Your invested time in full service will have been wasted. Sounds like you may need to express your feelings at work and get some feed back from co workers.

I agree with all of the wise people in this strand, it is time for you to get behind the chair.

Finding the place you feel comfortable is tougher than it would seem.  It sounds like you have done what a lot of people have done, gone to the upper scale salons that look promising on the surface, but may not be the best fit for you. 

First and formost, be true to yourself about what you want and continue to go after it, no matter how long it takes, you will find it as long as you do not give up.

Keep searching,

Schrlau

Thanks,

Amalia

I have been doing hair for about 12years now and really love it. Just started doing booth rent about 5years ago. Try finding a salon that is in a good location and if you sign a contract make sure you read it well  and make sure it has everything you need. I am just getting ready to leave the salon that I am at now for reasons that things were promised and nothing is happening the owner is not there on Sat. and expects me to wait on people that come in to by her products and gift certificates and then if they buy a gift certificate with a hair service added in the gift certificate she will take 10 percent off of  the service that I do!!! She says if she advertises and a new client comes in that this is her client and she will take another 10 percent. If I use her credit care machine she will take another 10 percent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I pay 800.00 for booth rent do you think I am staying around!!!!

The contract or I should say it is more of how to conduct your self in her place of business. she never signed the so called contract and I went on line and downloaded a real contract to show her want a real rental agreement looks like.

I think it is sad that all my clients that came with me and that I sent to this owner which is a facialist  and I sent them to get manicures and massages and she then turns around and if one of her clients comes to any of us she will take another 10 percent and this is not in the contract!!!!! Do you think I am maDDDDDD!!

But !! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!  Will be moving to a new salon in March!! I have contacted 6 people that I use to work at in a comission salon and we all will be moving to the new salon, we have met with the builders and salon owners to make this work for us and for them!  Everyone has to work together!!!  Make sure when you go booth rent go get something done in the salon a couple of times or send a friend if you have to too see how things really are.

Have a great Holiday everyone!!!

been out school for it will two yrs in June, I worked for SmartStyle, loved it until we through two managers in six months, I reapplied thinking I was ready, and I would still be there if I hadn't felt like after everyone walked out leaving me with a nine to nine shift for the second time in wks time, I flipped. i had called told area supervisor what was going on since she was the manager while we were in free fall. basically told me there wasn't much she could do. I looked around, and felt a feeling i had only felt when i worked at McDonalds i called her voicemail told her if she wanted the store open she would have to come and open it. counted down the cash register lock the gate threw my keys on the desk. I was getting calls from friends fifty miles away who worked for the same surpervisor, I said yep, i have had enough foot marks on my back not putting up with it.

Had this job for six months, it amazes me how in the begining everything seemed so perfect and hindsight i feel i was put up for a downfall. I understand why my boss did what she did, but i told her french twist and up do's are not my thing, i can cut, hilite, low lite, color and perm, but i am horrible at up do's even in school. which is funny yet not cuz those are money makers. she put a french twist in my colomun  I thought cool maybe i can pull this off. lol, no such luck. she ended up fixing it.  thought okay she knew the lady and was just trying to get me some business so i could earn better commission. well, the weddin thing happened, and that is when i knew she did not believe in me or my ability. you can tell, by how certian phrases are worded or saying i called the church cuz i forgot to take numbers for the wedding dos to have them come in at seven in the morning to get them all done.

So, i decided, I have people that want me to cut and do their hair but have said they would rather pay me than my boss, ok, but i won't do that cuz that is against the rules. Or they don't want to go into the old lady shop as it is called, okay, I know i clientelle at smartstyle people who would only come in when they saw me working. so I am figuring on doing a chair rental, i know it isn't going to be easy, but it is better than fighting with a boss if my daughter gets sick, or if my sitter and mom are sick cuz i have no back up sitter, this way i can work the hrs I want and my clients that want to come to me can and the ones who followed me will follow me here. And than there is my family like grandma mom, mom in law and dad, and friends they refered to me.

There are a lot of people who want your sympathy vote but when it comes time for them, it doesn't come around when you are due for it. And I understand money is time and time is money but I can't control my babysitters dad dying on the day I work, I can't help my mom doesn't feel in control of her nerves and doesn't want to watch my daughter, but what I can do is put my family before my career, cuz that is always there people aren't. And I only plan to do two days a week so I am not paying too much out of pocket, what I am going to do is promote myself like I work for SmartStyle again, I was happy there, I just wish I would have not been so burned out cuz I would be there still. But it is a matter of finding where you belong and maybe this is it right here for me. I pray so.

Working for a chain provides good opportunities, not to mention the benefits, but they're usually strict, and like you've noted, pretty fast paced. I don't know their salary ranges but sounds like you did find your niche. Platinum on already fried hair, I don't know that I would've attempted it. I don't know why your boss was so upset. I'm amazed at what I hear some managers and salon owners do and how they treat their styllist.

Hi...I am not sure where you live, but ulta salon is a fantastic starting point.  You will be behind the chair immediately, walk ins are usually in abudance due to the large variety ulta carries.  Also, Ulta and Redken are partners.  I work in a salon in Ga.  Not only do I get to work behind the chair, but through the company I applied to become a Redken educator.  They send us all over and we have access to the best trainers in the industry.  Hope this helps...sometimes a fresh start is just what you need!!