Assuming you have talent and skills worthy of compensation, will the beauty industry be your side hustle or career? What are your goals, and how much are you willing to work or compromise to reach them? How will you position yourself within a large and diverse industry? Determining what suits you can be a challenge, but rather than be discouraged, it’s best to view the process as a journey of personal and professional growth.
“A career is born in public – talent in privacy.” – Marilyn Monroe
As with any journey, we all start somewhere, and for many of us, that place is beauty school. The beauty school experience, while shared, varies considerably; some schools provide an excellent education and prepare students for the realities of salon work while others disappoint. That’s expected because beauty schools exist to provide the basic knowledge necessary to pass a licensing examination (written and practical, in most states). Given the amount of time and money invested, it’s not the most efficient way to learn, but you need to make the best of it if you want to be a licensed beauty pro.
Your commitment to being conscientious, to doing something well regardless of duration or compensation, will build good work habits.
“Doing nails” was never my career ambition, just a hobby developed during my high school years to cover my own weak natural nails. Entering college as a chemistry major, I intended to become a pediatric dentist until finding more enjoyment in my literature classes, I changed majors to become an English teacher. When faced with the time constraints and cost of graduate school, I chose to become a professional manicurist to work a flexible schedule, own a business and support my educational pursuits until I could begin my real career.
Over a summer break, I completed a 350-hour manicuring course financed by the federal Regional Occupational Program. Despite very low expectations, beauty school was even worse than expected. I resented the hours spent studying and practicing alone, and the few clients who frequented the school seemed unlikely to ever pay more than $5 for a manicure.
Ultimately, your success depends on your own initiative.
Upon licensure (1992), I committed to nails as if it were my career, even though I only intended to remain in the industry long enough to earn my Ph.D. in education. Paying my way through graduate school, I taught at every level from elementary school to university and continued to operate my salon business.
More than thirty years later, my journey as a beauty pro has proven more satisfying than I could have ever imagined. Given all my academic experiences, I did not expect to have a viable, rewarding career that initially required only 9 weeks of vocational training. Whether I’m providing services, advocating for the industry, evaluating new products, mentoring other professionals, writing articles or teaching classes, my work continues to excite me and I love that about this evolving industry. There’s so much to do, and do better.
An earlier version was published by Beauty Cast Network.