Hairdressing is an exciting, unique vocation that’s universal and always consistently in demand across the world. In addition to assisting people with achieving a look, as a hairdresser, you have the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life every day and apply creativity. If you’re social, interested in keeping up with new trends, and have excellent manual skills, it could be the right occupation for you. It’s potentially a flexible career pathway as well, as you can work as an employee, hair salon owner, or freelancer. So how do you get started in hairdressing and what’s involved in becoming a qualified hairdresser?
A combination of education and experience could set you on the pathway to becoming a successful hairdresser. In the UK you can become a hairdresser without registration, training, or qualification. However, completing a formal course could assist with accelerating your new career by giving you the skills and knowledge you need to succeed as an employee or employer hairdresser. With a recognised, accredited hairdressing course, you can be exposed to all the essential topics to help you prepare for a successful pathway into the occupation.
These areas of study could cover client management and coordinating salon services and teams. They could include appointments and scheduling, workplace communication, and selling products and services. You might learn about hair treatments like how to remove chemicals from hair, diagnosing hair and scalp conditions, and treating hair and scalp. Other essential skills you could obtain include cutting hair, dressing and styling, perms and chemical services, and hair colouring. You could work as an employee, eventually own your own salon, or provide hairdressing and styling services for special events like fashion or stage shows. Salons, spas, resorts, retail stores, and beauty therapy clinics are just some of the potential employers you could work for.
If you commence your hairdressing career by taking a course, you could be ready for employment within months. A diploma-level course could take just 24 weeks to complete, while an advanced diploma just 31 weeks. These competencies and know-how could otherwise take three or four years to learn on the job as an apprentice.
Hairdressers and hair stylists have some overlap in what they do. Hairdressers have wide-ranging skills, and they’re basically hair experts. They cut, colour, perm, treat, blow-dry, maintain, and style hair to achieve the client’s preferred look. They can also treat hair with conditioning, straightening, permanent waving, and other techniques.
On the other hand, hair stylists usually start out as hairdressers but they focus on designing and arranging hairstyles. They’re involved in the initial stages of hair appointments, helping the client come up with a vision for their look while working completely independently or collaborating with hairdressers and colour specialists. Both hairdressers and hair stylists can give clients advice about using appropriate products.
To be successful at hairdressing, you need both soft and hard skills – and the time and experience to develop these competencies. In addition to mastering manual techniques like cutting, colouring, and treating hair, you need to be able to build client relationships. This can include being friendly and conversational and ensuring clients trust you. Soft skills that will see you providing great customer service include the ability to advise clients about their hair and styling; accurate client communication, including the ability to read client’s body language and expressions; and self-organisation and time management. You’re also on your feet for much of the day, so a degree of physical endurance is essential.
Being a hairdresser isn’t necessarily hard, but you do need to dedicate time and effort to mastering the soft and hard skills that will see you succeed in the space. Hairdressing is perennially in-demand, with interesting new trends and an opportunity to exercise your creative flair. As a career, it has the potential to be highly rewarding when you help people achieve their aesthetic goals. If you build strong client relationships, you’ll enjoy repeat business and excellent pay. Once you’re fairly established, you could specialise in your own niche, such as colouring or styling work. You can work across a huge range of settings, potentially in glamorous environments.
Ready to take the next steps to pursue a hairdressing career? With ICI’s Hairdressing Stylist course, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from very successful, highly qualified, and experienced professionals, to further your skills in an ever-growing profession. Contact us today for more information.
Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.
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