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Cosmetology School Grad Finds Acceptance From Salon Team

Published: May 29, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

We return to Krissy, who graduated from beauty school last year and now works as a stylist at a Michigan ULTA Salon. Salons commonly require a training period that can

be as short as three months or as long as two years. But a cosmetology career often begins at a chain or franchise salon, where typically no formal training period is required. That was Krissy’s experience.

“Our manager, Denim, threw me right out onto the floor,” Krissy recalls. “But she always made sure I was working with either her or Emily, another experienced stylist. My supervisor has turned into a great friend and confidant. She has a very open-door attitude, and I feel really comfortable talking to her. She boosts my ego and helps me to see my potential, and she lets me know when I need to work on something without harping about it. She is a fantastic manager.”

With a small staff of four stylists plus the manager, the salon runs smoothly only if everyone gets along. “There were a couple of ‘pessimistic’ people within the salon, but they left and now we have a great feeling within the salon,” Krissy reports. “My coworkers are very supportive. We help each other out, and we’re honest and open with each other. It’s a very positive atmosphere; some of us hang out a lot outside of work as well, and many of my coworkers have become great friends!” More on Krissy’s post-beauty school adventures next time!

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Beauty School Teachers Help Launch a Student’s Amazing Career

Published: May 25, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

I was writing up an article on New York City hair stylist Jeremy Scheifflee, and I thought you’d be interested in hearing how Jeremy chose his beauty school and how his cosmetology school teachers helped him launch his stellar career as a member of the Sam Brocato Creative Design Team. Jeremy educates all over the world for Sam Brocato’s products and hair cutting system.

“Ever since I was 16, I’ve cut my own hair and my friends’ hair,” Jeremy told me. “Then more people started coming to me. Finally one girl asked me, ‘Have you ever thought of going to school for this?’ That was an aha! moment for me. I was living in Arizona, so I began traveling around Arizona and California, asking salon owners for their opinion on the best schools. Many said to me, ‘If someone came in from an Aveda school, we’d hired them on the spot.’ I moved to Minneapolis to attend the original Aveda Institute, and it was an amazing experience.”

At Aveda’s cosmetology school, Jeremy stood out as a highly passionate and talented student. “By the time I graduated,” he recalls, “my teachers already had arranged for me to work at Ficocello’s salon, where they knew I would get the best advanced education. They said, ‘We know what’s best for you,’ and I trusted them so I started there right after graduation. I guess I was born to do this, and I just can’t get enough!” For Jeremy’s story, go to firstchair.com.

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Future Beauty School Students: Sign Up to be a Hair Show Model!

Published: May 21, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

Anyone thinking about enrolling in cosmetology school should look into signing on as a hair model for manufacturers that exhibit at trade shows.

This is a great way to expose yourself to the inner workings of the industry. In fact, if you’re really destined to go to beauty school and become a hairdresser, nail tech or esthetician, being in the trade show atmosphere will set you on fire! It’s really fun.

As a model, you’ll get paid to work the show instead of paying to attend; the going rate is roughly $200 per day plus $40 for “prep” day for the hairdresser to look at your hair ahead of time and maybe condition or color it. These shows tend to run Saturday through Monday. You may be asked to walk the runway showing off a finished style, or you may be the model sitting in the chair as the stylist demonstrates techniques. Both men and women are needed; skin care and nail models are there also, but to a much lesser extent.

It doesn’t hurt to be attractive, but not all hair models must be super-tall and thin, so don’t worry about that. To start, email some of the product brands used in salons to see whether they’re casting in your area, or check craigslist.com periodically for hair model calls. Always tell them that you’re hoping to attend cosmetology school, because that may help you get selected. For more information, click here and here, and good luck!

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Large Beauty School Chain Stages Expo

Published: May 17, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

One perk you get from enrolling in a cosmetology school associated with a large chain is the opportunity to attend huge events. A good example is coming up on June 8, when

nearly 2,000 students from 88 Empire Beauty Schools all over the country will gather in Hershey, Pennsylvania, for the 2009 Future Professionals Expo. Competitions in hair, nails and makeup will give the students a chance to win prizes for their new skills. A trade show will offer workshops in the latest techniques, information on products and breaking industry news. By networking with professionals in the beauty salon industry, Empire students can gain a competitive edge in the job market.

“Our students are not just getting a great education,” says Frank Schoeneman, chairman and CEO of Empire Education Group. “They are getting the benefit of the entire Empire resource pool and support system that is a critical advantage when it comes to landing a job and even starting their own business.”

This is just an example of what’s out there for you. As you consider where you want to attend, I urge you to look at small, independently owned cosmetology schools as well as educational facilities that are part of a bigger organization. Ask the administrators about the support provided for attending industry events, even if they’re not sponsored by the school the way this expo is. Small schools are great, too, and you should explore all of your options before deciding on the right school for you.

Photo is courtesy of Empire Education Group.

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Cosmetology School Grad Recalls First Day of Work

Published: May 15, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

Because Krissy Simmons took a job right out of cosmetology school that she left for her current position as a stylist with ULTA Salon, she really had two frightening “first days of work.” If you’ve been following along with Krissy’s journey through beauty school and beyond, you’ll know that her nerves go raw easily!

At the first salon, Krissy recalls, “I knew that I only had to fill out paperwork, so it wasn’t too bad. But the first day I took clients—oh my! My heart rate rose 20 beats every time someone walked into the store. What if they wanted me to do their hair?! I was scared to death. But it got better.” At ULTA, Krissy watched educational videos her first day and went on the floor the following day. “I was scared speechless,” she says. “We’re supposed to approach shoppers and talk to them about the salon and hand out our business cards, but I was scared to go up to anyone. I didn’t know enough about the store yet to answer questions. Worse yet, they might ask me to do their hair! But, again, it got better with time, and now I cruise around the store talking to anyone about anything. My rate of converting store customers into salon clients has gone up a great deal, just because I’ve gotten comfortable within the salon.”

Next time, Krissy talks about her clients and team members, and in future posts she’ll reflect on her decision to attend cosmetology school.

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Rihanna’s Nail Tech Inspires Nail Technology School Students

Published: May 10, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

In the same way that some of the finest hair stylists work with celebrities, so do excellent nail techs. After you graduate from nail technology school, you may find your cosmetology career taking you backstage, on tour or in a salon frequented by well-known people. Nail tech Kimmie Kyees had the opportunity recently to do Rihanna’s nails for her new

music video, “Paranoid,” and the China Glaze nail product line reported how it went.

“Kimmie used China Glaze Liquid Leather and topped the black-out nails with actual gold flecks of glitter,” according to the company. “Just the week before, Rihanna wore Liquid Leather on her toes as well! After filming her video, and while jet-setting across the country, Rihanna made time to see Kimmie again so that she could give her another manicure using China Glaze White on White, which was topped off again with glittery gold flakes. Looks like she wanted to lighten up her look but decided to stay with the gold glitter concept. This time around, Kimmie applied the gold flecks of glitter around the base near her cuticle. With the other manicure done with China Glaze Liquid Leather, Kimmie applied the glitter more towards the tips!”

In nail technology school, you’ll learn technique. Practicing will help you get good and get fast. But while you’ll also learn something about artistry, your individual creativity will determine whether you can be a Kimmie Kyees someday. Maybe the next pop singer will be putting her nails in your hands!

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Scholarship Toward Beauty School Tuition Can Help!

Published: May 05, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

One thing about working in the salon industry after cosmetology school: you’ll mean tons of great people! A very dedicated and generous salon professional I’ve become friends with has decided to offer, out of her own pocket, a $250 scholarship toward tuition at any beauty school or advanced cosmetology program as her contribution to her profession. Isn’t that amazing?

Kathy Jager is the author of As the Chair Turns...Tips & Snips of Advice for Your Journey Behind the Chair, a member of the Cosmetologists Chicago board of directors and a frequent guest speaker at hair events. As part of her “Education Rocks” campaign, Kathy lists the scholarship details on her website, www.kathyjager.com. To enter, register on the site, and then click either on “scholarship” and fill out the form provided or on “message boards” to post your entry under the “students” category.

You will be asked to explain what your focus is within the cosmetology industry and how you intend to build a successful career. You also will be required to show proof of registration in a beauty school class or advanced program. Kathy will announce the winner on June 1. “I want to offer some help for passionate individuals interested in advancing their career,” Kathy told me. “This is about a dream they have for themselves. I will personally decide on the recipient; from reading their entries I believe that I will know who is deserving of the scholarship.” Good luck to entrants from beautyschooladvisor.com!

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Industry Consultant Shares Current Outlook for Beauty School Grads

Published: May 01, 2009
by Rosanne Ullman

Now and then I like to tap industry observers for their big-picture view of beauty schools and employment opportunities. Recently I was speaking with Cyrus Busara, president of Professional Consultants and Resources (www.procons

ultants.us), Plano, Texas, a leading salon industry data and strategic consulting company. Cyrus informed me he expects cosmetology school enrollment to rise this year.

“During years of high unemployment, many more students flock to beauty schools to pursue either a full-time vocation in cosmetology or extra part-time earnings, since many of them can qualify pretty quickly to get a state cosmetology license,” he said. That makes sense; by the time you’re licensed and ready to go, the recession may be wrapping up.

When I asked Cyrus what graduates will face in the salon job market, he cited a 2008 industry study indicating that chains like Great Clips and Sports Clips have staffing needs because they’re growing by leaps and bounds, while independent salons are experiencing more challenges to stay competitive. “Rentals are a burgeoning part of the salon industry,” he added, “and many of today’s beauty school students would love to be entrepreneurs and rent their own space in booth rental salons.” Further, when schools are associated with a product line—Paul Mitchell, Aveda and Toni&Guy are examples—the graduates often get preference in joining salons associated with the same company. “Usually a Paul Mitchell School student would love to go to work at a Paul Mitchell Salon,” Cyrus noted. “Even independent schools are usually approached by local salons.”

Photo is courtesy of Patrick McGivor Color Studio.

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