Beauty School Directory Blog

Posts Tagged ‘beauty jobs’

Brilliant Business Card Ideas for Beauty Professionals

Posted on: December 10th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Business Cards for HairstylistsOne of our BSD blog posts in recent months names getting your own business cards as one of the top 5 ways to jump-start your beauty career.  That’s great advice! Just remember that as a beauty professional, you’re expected to be creative.

Now, don’t you wish you were the creative genius who first came up with these bad boys? These are business cards for Glammer Education Institute of Hair Design, via YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF. Brilliant!

So, where can I get some of those to play with? Glammer Education Institute of Hair Design suddenly seems pretty appealing, doesn’t it? Give your school and services the same kind of spark.

What’s the most creative marketing beauty marketing technique you’ve seen at a salon or school recently?

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India Empowers Former Sex Workers With Cosmetology Training

Posted on: October 7th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Women who have been victims on India’s sex industry are receiving an opportunity for a second chance at a career and at life. In India’s capital, New Delhi, sex workers are being offered free training in hair styling, beauty and makeup. Free transportation is also being provided for the women interested in the opportunity.

Spearheading this endeavor is beauty and hair expert, Amzadd Habibb. “This is my way of giving back to the society. I have always wanted to do something for these people and I was just waiting for right opportunity and right people,” Habibb said. He has organized a 24-hour haircutting event to raise money for all the equipment needed.

If you or someone you know are interested in a new career or second chance, perhaps you should consider cosmetology school training to start down a new career path.

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Top 5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Beauty Career

Posted on: July 30th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 4 Comments

tori-allen-brainchild-associates-marketingTori Allen is President and CEO of Brainchild Associates, with more than 10 years of experience as a communications professional. She specializes in experiential branding and consumer marketing for businesses and individuals. She has helped numerous clients in the beauty and cosmetology industry. Follow Tori on Twitter @brainchildassoc or visit her Facebook fan page.

You’ve looked forward to the day that you were no longer a beauty student for a long time now. Becoming a cosmetology professional is what you’ve been waiting for and now that you’ve graduated it’s time to build a name for yourself as a respected and elite professional in the beauty industry.

But how do you do it? Your talent is an art form. You look at each client as an empty canvas and you know exactly what to do to bring out the beautiful glamour queen or king that lies within them. YOU may know that you’ve got what it takes, but how do you transfer that into the minds of your potential clients?

Here are five solid steps to give you the definite edge when it comes to quickly position yourself in the cosmetology business through personal branding. Many of these tips involve social media, so get your computer out and prepare to join the ranks of the savvy marketer. It’s all about EXPOSURE!

1. Photos, Photos, Photos! Constantly Build Your Portfolio

Keep a camera with you at all times. Take photographs of every new style, color, cut, weave, or anything else you want to brand yourself with. Use your best photos to create a mobile cosmetology portfolio on your cell phone and online cosmetology portfolio on your dedicated website, blog site or social media profile. (Create a free online cosmetology beauty LookBook on My Social Beauty.)

Keeping photographs of your work will help you in more ways than just giving your potential clients an idea of your capabilities. A portfolio can help you to recognize your strong areas and may even drive you into developing a highly profitable niche for yourself. Furthermore, you can post your photos online or send them via email with coupons for your services.

2. Join Twitter Right Now! (Even Before Graduating)

Twitter is a way to network with individuals in the beauty industry as well as potential clients. Joining Twitter should be high on your list because you can start networking long before you have an online cosmetology portfolio. I suggest targeting PR professionals, salon owners, area business owners and brands that will help grow your business. Twitter resources such as Twellow and WeFollow are great for identifying key cosmetology contacts you’d like to network with, whether locally, regionally or nationally. If you’ve been Twittering the entire time you are in school you may have well over 5,000 followers! And guess what? You can post your portfolio link right on Twitter and invite everyone to check it out. This drastically increases the chances that people will visit your site and visit you for your excellent services. (Follow Beauty Schools Directory on Twitter @BSDiva.)

3. Get Your Own Business Cards

As simple as this sounds, there are so many hairstylists that either don’t carry business cards with them or don’t have them at all. Lack of business cards means lost opportunities. You can easily order full color business cards online for a minimal fee. I recommend fold-over type cards that have enough room to showcase some of your best work. In the beauty industry, seeing is believing. Individuals have a natural fear of trying new things and although hair grows back, no one wants a bad haircut or style. Proudly show off your work every chance you can and you will gain the attention of potential clients.

Another option for business cards is to give extra cards to some of your best customers. Tell them to sign their name on the back of the card and recommend you to others who comment on their hairstyle. After two or three recommendations that come in with these cards, give your faithful customer a free haircut and style. Always reward your walking, talking billboards. Verbal recommendations are the best and most sought after type of exposure. Take care of your customers and they will take care of you.

4. Build a Blog

Creating a free blog is an easy step to having your own little piece of web real estate. On your blog you can give advice on hair care products, certain styles, tips and trends. As you build up a following of readers, you will be recognized as an authority in your field. A blog is also another place to house your entire cosmetology photo portfolio. I don’t recommend putting an overwhelming amount of time on social media since it can become rather time-consuming. Set small goals for developing your blog and social media accounts. Posting one or two times per week won’t take long at all and after a year passes by, you can easily have 100 blog posts online.

5. Volunteer Your Services

Lastly, there is no more meaningful way to demonstrate your passion for hair then to volunteer your services. This is a very strategic way to expose your aspiring hair talents, network with prospective clients and be a part of premium initiative that might even be life-changing! Premium volunteer opportunities include makeovers for participants of nonprofit award ceremonies and charity events as well as local TV, film and theater productions. Volunteering with local photographers may also present the key opportunity to connect with target clients and expose your talents through a winning editorial feature!

Conclusion

These five recommendations are just a few ways in which you can build up a fast client base right after graduation from cosmetology school. As your business grows you must continue to brand yourself through networking opportunities, participating in charities and keeping yourself in the spotlight whenever possible. And since YOU are your number one selling tool, remember to always look your best and present yourself with an air of success!

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Are beauty careers recession proof?

Posted on: June 4th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 7 Comments

In troubling times, most people feel that their careers could be in jeopardy – but there are a few careers that are not seeing the ax. Cosmetology and beauty careers are among those seeing an increase in demand for skilled professionals.

Some people might feel that spending money on cosmetology services to make them look better will be put on hold in troubling financial times. But it turns out it’s the exact opposite! Since the baby boomers are aging, many feel the hands of time are ticking against them and some will do anything to erase Father Time from their faces, hands and hair. Also, many people can no longer afford those luxurious vacations, and instead take a luxurious trip to the salons and spas.

Many professional women want to make sure that they’re looking their best so that they’re ready for that last-minute job interview or looking polished when out networking.  And everyone still wants to look beautiful for the big events in their lives, such as graduation and weddings.  That means there is an ever-growing demand for licensed estheticians and cosmetologists.

Training to become a beauty professional might be a smart move in troubling times. The demand for cosmetology, hairstyling and esthetics professionals is increasing – even during the recession. And when the economy starts to take off again, studying to become and working as a beauty professional could secure your future even more.

We want to hear from you! Beauty professionals and students, are you worried about the pinch of the recession economy? Or do you have a steady stream of business in these troubling times?

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Salons Go Green – Just in Time for Earth Day

Posted on: April 22nd, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

These days, many of us care more than ever before about taking care of Mother Earth. Whether we use reusable grocery bags and energy-saving light bulbs, or get that old bike out of the garage instead of taking the car, we all can find ways to do our part.

Now salons and some cosmetology schools are joining the green movement, too. For example, Leon’s Beauty School in Greensboro, North Carolina has been taking steps to make some environmentally responsible practices a way of life. Many of the employees and stylists at Leon’s hope their efforts will inspire other salons and beauty professionals to find new ways to be more environmentally friendly.

Do you work in a salon or teach/study at a beauty school that is striving to be more Earth-friendly? Here are a few green ideas that have worked in Leon’s Beauty School and in other salons across the country:

• Bring in recycling bins! – Businesses like salons go through a lot of disposable containers. Recycling those containers is much friendlier to the planet.
• Switch from commercial cleaning products to home-made or natural cleaners! – For example, Leon’s Beauty School uses a natural water and vinegar solution to clean their windows instead of the traditional chemical-ridden glass cleaner.
• Ban Styrofoam cups! – Leon’s stylists and employees bring their own reusable cups to use throughout the workday.
• Offer discounts to customers who bring back empty plastic hair care bottles for refills.
• Replace old appliances with newer, energy-saving hair dryers or curling irons.
• Use natural beauty products like mineral-based makeup (try Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit), natural henna hair dyes and sugar and water solutions to set hair curls.

Leon’s Beauty School even took their green ideas to a more creative level recently by hosting a “RecycleRama” hair and fashion show. Instead of showing off clothing made of expensive materials by A-list designers, models in this show sported creations made of second-hand fabrics, cardboard boxes, magazine pages and soda cans to spread awareness about being green.

But even if you don’t go the route of designing your own soda can couture, you can still make green beautiful! Got other green tips that you’ve used on the job? We’d love to hear ’em!

Beauty Schools Go Green

Sephora.com, Inc.

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Graduating Beauty School – Now What?

Posted on: April 15th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

It’s almost that time of year – graduation season! For graduates of all ages, it can be an exciting, yet anxiety-inducing time. Some are preparing to complete their education from traditional institutions, while others are about to graduate with a more specialized skill set. If you chose to pursue an education in cosmetology, esthetics or makeup and you’re about to transition to the “real world,” you may have more career options waiting for you than you realized.

Here are a few outside-the-box career ideas for beauty industry job seekers from Marianne Bockheim, a columnist for The Michigan Beauty Examiner:

1. Entrepreneur: If you’re a no-nonsense, business-minded individual, you could become your own boss! Entrepreneurs with a cosmetology background could start their own salons, spas, schools or beauty product lines.
2. Platform artist: If you thrive in front of an audience, working as a platform artist at hair shows could be an exciting career choice. Many platform artists act as ambassadors for professional hair care companies. They often travel to hair shows around the country and demonstrate new techniques or products.
3. Makeup artist for a major line: This is a prestigious career choice for talented, dedicated cosmetology professionals. Many makeup artists pick a product line, and begin their career track at the retail level, and work their way up.
4. Beauty Educator: Many companies value educators with a background in retail or marketing. Earning your cosmetology license will most likely be the best way to get your foot in the door.
5. Cosmetology Teacher: If you thrived during your time in cosmetology school, maybe you’re cut out to help cosmetology students work toward their own career goals. If you like to teach, and love cosmetology, this could be a great career path for you.

Need some more tips for landing the perfect job? Marianne says it always pays to be assertive and ambitious. In the beauty industry, networking is key. Make sure your professional beauty connections know what you want – you never know who could help you get somewhere. Finally, discover your own traits and skills that set you apart from the crowd. When you know more about your own strengths you can make others see why you’re the right one for the job!

What’s your plan for after beauty school graduation? Have any beauty job search tips or stories of your own? We’d love to hear them!

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Beauty School = Fast Path to Success

Posted on: March 4th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Do you dream of working in the exciting field of beauty? Good news! There are more reasons to pursue your goals today than ever before. Thanks to the growing demand for personal appearance workers, beauty professionals are experiencing increased earning potential, greater job security and more employment options. According to the International Spa Association, despite the massive layoffs in the U.S., the beauty industry continues to experience significant hiring growth, with jobs rising 31 percent in 2008.

Of course, before you can start enjoying these benefits, you’ve got to go to beauty school and pass your state cosmetology licensing examination. It also means you’ve got to start thinking about covering tuition costs – and that probably has you scouring the city for beauty school on the cheap.

More good news! Many beauty schools offer niche-specific, specialized beauty training programs that cost less and take less time than typical cosmetology programs. For example, esthetician and nail technology programs can require less than 1/3 of the hours that cosmetology programs take. Shorter programs are roughly 1/3 of the cost, too. That means you can start working in the field – and earning money – faster.

And of course, if you are already enjoying the benefits of working in the field as a skin care specialist or nail technologist, there’s nothing stopping you from quickly getting the training you need to become a fully-licensed cosmetologist, right?

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