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Bulletin Boards > A day in the life of.... > advice??

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Posted By:bumblebeee on: 10/2/2007 10:33:26 PM

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Thread: advice??

bumblebeee
Posts: 2

advice??
Posted: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 10:33:26 PM

i am a recent cosmo school graduate. i feel like i learned absolutely nothing in school and am afraid to work on my own, so i found an assistant position in a small salon to get my feet wet. i make below minimum wage and get meager tips from the person i assist, but (the good part) if i bring in clients of my own, i get the commission from the service. i have been there a few months and i feel like a slave. im finding that it is harder than i thought to find clients and they never let me do walkins....EVER! also, i know i am there to help, but it feels like the other stylists are just taking advantage of cheap labor. for example, the other day one of the stylists was running waaaay behind and needed help. i applied a whole head retouch for her. at my salon that is a $60 service that she gets the commission for and i will never see a dime of. that is just one crumby example of many. im starting to hate working in the salon. any advice for someone who fills like they made a bad career decision?????

russnyc
Posts: 1049
Platinum Member

Assisting
Posted: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 5:51:47 AM

First, get fully licensed. Just because you put a color retouch on a head, the stylist is fully liable for anything that goes wrong, THIS is why they recieve commission. Assisting is a great way to do hair WITHOUT assuming any responsibility.

Secondly, EVERYTHING you learned can be applied to behingd the chair! You are becoming resentful because you are trying to squeeze a whole career into nothing more than an assistanceship, you will never get as mush sales as a regular stylist where you are now, so MOVE ON if they will not promote you.

Here's some solid advice- DO YOUR CLIENTS AT HOME and pocket 100%, stop trying to impress the owners, find another salon that will take you on as a junior stylist.

I cannot stress this enough though, UNTIL YOU HAVE THAT LICENSE in your hot little hands, you will stay a SLAVE, the only way to change this is to quit and move on. So stop complaining and do something about it because none of us here can get it for you!

Good Luck and let me know what happens, I've been in your shoes!

aireyden
Posts: 37

i feel your pain
Posted: Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:45:41 PM

be glad you aren't 40 yrs old and licensed and trying to break into this business. Imagine what that feels like! I'm shampooing hair and hate every minute of it. I do customers sometimes at home or at their houses (most of which work or have kids and can't get to the salon I am working at 30 mins away)...so I have no clientele -- and basically get stuck shampooing all day too! But trust me not for long...either they give me more to do or I move on!!

hairnette
Posts: 47

Slave Stylist
Posted: Monday, October 08, 2007 3:13:01 PM

My advice to you and the 40 year old trying yo break into the business is. Go to a chain salon where the are alote of walk in business. Alote of them pay hourly plus commision. Plus most of them have classes you can go to. The Hair Cuttery is a GREAT company to start with. They give you all the extra education you need to be confident and successful. I am sure there are other chains that are the same. But make sure it is a busy salon with plenty of walk ins and do yourself a favor stay out of the back room, stay up front and watch you WILL be successful.

bumblebeee
Posts: 2

Posted: Monday, October 08, 2007 8:03:14 PM

thanks for the advice =)

the chain salon thing is starting to sound like a good idea.

aireyden
Posts: 37

yes
Posted: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 5:21:33 AM

chain salons sounds like where I'm headed too

patreefan
Posts: 7

Soak it all in
Posted: Friday, April 10, 2009 9:38:19 PM

Just remember that the first place you work at will set a reputation for you. If you do haircuts for $12 than that's what you're worth. Most cosmo schools just teach you the basics so you can pass the state boards. You should really try to be an assistant for a GREAT, well known hairdresser. That's where you will learn the real skills and build some confidence. Pay attention! You can soak in all of the experienced knowledge that a real professional had learned over the years. You don't want to be thrown on the floor and expected to just know everything. You can do a great cut on someone and they will tell 2 of there friends who did it, but if you do a bad job, because you aren't ready, than they will tell 20 of there friends. Good luck and set the bar higher for yourself!

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