If you’re planning on enrolling in beauty school, or even if you’re just considering the possibility, you know who would be really interested? Your hair stylist. If you’re still on the fence about going to cosmetology school, your hair stylist is a great person to discuss with you what he or she enjoys about her job and what challenges were presented at beauty school. No one else can provide the unique "been there" perspective.
When you share your intentions, don’t be surprised if your hair stylist gets really excited about the idea! After all, you’re sort of following in his or her footsteps. It makes that person a role model, even a mentor. You had to get an idea of what it would be like to be a professional cosmetologist from somewhere, and your hair stylist may assume it was right in your current salon. If you’re aiming to become a nail tech or esthetician and use the services of one now, I’m betting that mentioning your cosmetology career goal to that person will generate the same enthusiasm.
Once you start your classes at cosmetology school, continue to keep your hair stylist informed of your progress. You’ll both find it fulfilling to "talk shop," and you’ll develop a bond that can benefit you in many ways, including free advice when you start looking for a job. You may even want to consider working in that beauty salon, but in any case your hair stylist can point you in the right direction as you begin your cosmetology career.
It’s great if you love doing hair—or nails, or skin care—but you don’t have to be good at it. Not yet, anyway. Improving your technical skills is what you’ll be doing the whole time you’re in cosmetology school. So think about the rest of your life skills, because beauty school graduates have a lot of options and it will help you to narrow them down if you’ve given it some thought.
Maybe in high school you were an athlete. That takes a lot of discipline. As a runner, member of the tennis team, gymnast or softball player you understand in every fiber of your being what goal-setting and practice are all about. You don’t start out hitting home runs. But you set your goals, practice that one skill over and over and soon you’re making progress. You also understand that the path has no end. There’s always room for improvement.
Or maybe you’re very good with puzzles or mechanics. You enjoy figuring out how things go together. That takes a lot of patience and trial-and-error, which could translate into becoming a terrific hair colorist, since you have to come up with the right formula for each client’s color and texture. Identify all the abilities you have, and then consider what personal qualities it takes to be good at those tasks. It will help you in choosing which beauty school classes to take and which cosmetology career direction to follow.