Fantastic Tips for a Fantastic Future
In beauty school, they taught vital professional skills. But, once you begin working in the beauty industry, there are other skills you need to develop beyond physical services. The professional tips listed will help you not only survive as a stylist but also help you grow and succeed – regardless of where you are in your career.
Finding a love I never knew existed; I found myself, I found confidence, and I found a love for people, hair, and creativeness. – Paula C.
Time Management
One of the biggest differences between beauty school and a real-world salon is the pacing. Salons, especially in busy seasons, are bursting with activity. You no longer have the luxury of long periods of downtime between clients. Time management becomes a vitally important skill. While you never want to rush through services, there are tasks that can be hurried or done together, including clean up, scheduling, planning, and more. When the salon is busy, keep talking and catching up with co-workers to a minimum. It’s also important that when you do have down time, you pitch in and lend a hand, helping other stylists with small tasks such as laundry makes a big difference in the overall mood and efficiency of the salon.
Get Organized
Organization skills go hand-in-hand with time management skills. It begins with keeping your station and supplies tidy and organized. This not only helps you, but your clients will appreciate a neat, professional station. This allows both you and your clients to relax, making for a greater experience overall.
You also need to find a scheduling system that works for you. While each salon may have its own methods, you can also keep a personal calendar – either in a date book or dutifully on your phone to keep you on track, so you don’t overbook or look over appointments.
Prioritize Self-Care
A career as a stylist is exciting and rewarding, allowing you to be creative and help others. However, it’s also extremely physical. You’re on your feet all day, providing services while also chatting with clients. It can become overwhelming. It’s important for you to do what you can to prepare by taking good care of yourself. Getting plenty of sleep, exercise, eating right… all of these self-care habits will also help you to have the energy and stamina to perform well at work.
Part of learning the endurance to getting through a hectic day at the salon is to think about what you’re wearing – especially shoes! Of course, you want to look your best, and maintaining a professional appearance is important to your job. But, before choosing what shoes to wear, imagine what it will feel like standing in them for eight hours or more. It’s smart to invest in a good pair of shoes that are designed for standing. You can find practical – and stylish – choices online or by asking other stylists.
Learn to Listen
Good communication skills are vital to success as a stylist. You need to learn how to get the information about of a client about what they really want and, just as importantly, what type of style will work for them. However, it’s just as important to learn to listen. This is much harder than it may seem!
When meeting with a client, ask them questions, but let them talk more. Chances are, you’ll get a better idea of what they want without leading them to a preconceived idea you may have. You also don’t need to fill every moment of their appointment with mindless chatter. Some people love to make small talk, while others want to relax in the quietness. By actively listening overall, you can build a better relationship with clients.
Practice Patience
Tight schedules, late clients, canceled appointments, and everyday struggles can cause you to become irritable and upset, which generally leads to even more frustrations. Practicing patience will help you remain calm during hectic situations. You should also remember to be patient with yourself as you are learning how to handle difficult days. Breathing exercises, trying to see the humor in situations, and enjoying the good days all help. In general, complaining and “venting” to co-workers while in the salon often has the opposite effect, making you more prone to impatience. Blowing off a bit of steam after work may help, as long as you don’t get mired down in constant complaints.
Learn These Skills and More
Fantastic Sams is a great place to learn all these skills and more. That’s because when you join Fantastic Sams, you join a family. Everyone from owners and seasoned stylists to other “newbies” helps you grow and succeed. We do everything in our power to ensure that Fantastic Sams Minneapolis is a place you’ll want to work and grow in your career, so be sure to check out our job listings and apply online today.
FS has been my favorite place to work compared to any other salon I’ve ever worked in. From the owners to the team, and the clients to the variety of services; I love it all. – Sylvia H.
