Hairstylists, also known as hairdressers, are trained professionals in cutting, coloring, and styling hair. They advise clients on new hairstyles according to their physical features, trends, and hair condition. They work in hair salons or barbershops but sometimes can be found in the entertainment industry as a part of a hair and costume department.
If you have the confidence to be a skilled hairstylist, then get started with a unique resume. Don't go with just any resume format; from the below examples, select the one that matches your expertise.
Looking for CV Template ideas? See our sample for Hair Stylist CV Template
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Job Duties of a Hairstylist
Hairstyling is all about manifesting your skills with every hair appointment and gaining your customer’s confidence.
Let’s see what their everyday duties are.
Providing different stylistic options to customers by matching trending styles and customer’s demands.
Attending to client preferences.
Introducing different hair care products to customers and sharing their benefits.
Cutting, coloring, shampooing, and highlighting hair.
Taking care of the manicure, pedicure, waxing, and facial procedures.
Carrying out scalp treatment through foams, sprays, and oils detoxifies, nourishes, and moisturizes the scalp, including treating psoriasis.
Selling hair care products.
Developing good relationships to ensure repeat visits.
Organizing bookings and managing clients based on availability.
Catching up with the hairstyle trends and learning how to implement them.
Ensuring safe and healthy conditions inside the work environment.
Providing high-quality service within standard local, state, and federal rules and regulations.
Hairstylist Median Salaries
As per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics records, a hairstylist earns an average of $13.28 per hour, and $27,630 per year. The money you make may also depend on your working location, the skills you possess, and how well you are marketing your services.
Top Skills for Hairstylists
A good hairstylist is passionate about their clients’ satisfaction. Below are the top technical and soft skills to transform yourself into a successful hairstylist:
- Customer service: Understanding your client’s hair needs and desires with clarity is the first step to providing optimal customer service. Winning client satisfaction nourishes a long-term bond that grows into customer loyalty.
- Creativity: Adding an extra bit of imagination to every service you provide helps to create a long-lasting impression. Try to match up with trends and give clients creative ideas for bringing uniqueness to their personalities. Hairstylists should be ready to try new hairstyles for their clients. Going that extra mile, experimenting with your skills, and surprising your customers with your eye for detail and thoughtful personality can set you apart from competitors.
- Strong physical stamina: A hairstylist stands for a long time to provide service. They often walk from one place to another for hours at a time. To improve your fitness, yoga is recommended to train muscles to withstand pacing for hours and develop proper posture.
- Precision and accuracy: This profession requires excellent hand-to-eye coordination for good trimming, styling, coloring, or any other service to produce desired results. Lots of practice helps develop precision in your hands and movements, which lessens the probability of making irreparable mistakes.
- Patience: Different kinds of clients mean different levels of tolerance. It's possible a client won’t like the result of their styling. Thus, hairstylists must be willing to make the necessary changes to leave customers satisfied. Hairstylists must be prepared to face rude or short-tempered clients calmly and professionally to protect the salon’s integrity.
Educational Requirements for Hairstylists
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A degree
Hairstylists must have a high school diploma or GED to be admitted into a state-accredited cosmetology school. Completing an associate’s degree or a certificate program can take nine months to a year, while a school can last about two years. In some states, the minimum age requirement to apply is 16. Both programs are focused on teaching students the basics of hairstyling and gaining practical experience to prepare for the state licensure exam.
Some states allow cosmetology apprenticeship training without graduating from a vocational program. However, these can take anywhere from 1,250 hours to 3,000 hours worth of practice in addition to hours of formal classroom education.
Apprenticeships are valid as long as training is given by a licensed cosmetologist or a “sponsor” from a licensed shop. Students must finish their studies within a specific time period and generally work 3,020 hours of hands-on experience and 480 hours of formal lessons for an average of two years. Hairstylists and employers benefit equally from this learning method — it produces highly skilled employees that can work with them for a long time. -
Certification
Most hairstylists prefer to do a certification because they are less time-consuming and results-oriented.
Various for-profit organizations provide certifications in varied hairstyling fields such as the Advanced Hair Styling Certification or the Color Expert Program hosted by renowned hair products brands such as Wella.
Other than this, if you are willing to take your salon to newer heights and want to go for certification, then consider getting your certificate from any of the listed associations such as International Salon Spa Business Network, Professional Beauty Associations, The Board of Certified Hair Colorists, or Associated Hair Professionals. -
Licensure
The law states that receiving compensation for any type of service within the field of cosmetology is illegal and should not be done without a license from the state you work in. General requirements are that the candidate should be at least 16 years of age, possess a high school diploma or GED, and have completed a program from an accredited cosmetology school.
License renewal is every one to two years. These are typically acquired online, and their expiration date depends on state regulations and renewal fees that can range from $25 to $200.
Hairstylist Resume-Writing Tips
Being a hairstylist, you might think your skills could be analyzed only in person. But what if you could craft a resume that showcases your skills? You can make this possible by following certain simple tricks while writing your resume.
- Showcase creative aspects: A recruiter may see a thousand resumes a day that displays the same set of skills. To stand out from the crowd, mention your special techniques for cutting, styling, or coloring. If you have experimented with styles and are successful, you can mention it. Adding the creative aspect to your resume leaves an impression that you are willing to evolve with the industry.
- Emphasize work experience and skills: Hairstyling is all about the practical expertise you gain through work experience. You can say how your experience helped you understand clients’ needs better and gain their trust. Putting it in terms of numbers will add credibility to your statement. Instead of simply writing, 'Increased client satisfaction,” you can write, “Boosted client loyalty and retention by 30%.”
- If you are a beginner, let your passion speak: Convince the recruiter you are a budding stylist and that investing in your development is worth it. Do this by providing links to a portfolio online that shows how you have developed and the types of new designs you have created.
Looking for Cover Letter ideas? See our sample for Professional Hairstylist cover letter.
FAQ
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Is being a hairstylist a good career?
It can be a fantastic career if you are passionate about it. Even though it may take a lot of practice to become an expert, you will get there eventually. Hairstylists also get paid well, though there are salary variations depending on where you work.
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Is the job of a hairstylist tough?
Every job has its difficulties until you get the hang of it. When you are a beginner, you might feel that it is hard to pick up cutting and styling techniques, but you may see progress in no time with dedication.
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What makes a good hairstylist?
A good hairstylist is reliable. They should build a deep trust between themselves and the customer so that they approach them again. Listening attentively to clients and meeting their needs should be the priority.