Finding That All Important "First Job" After Graduation

Getting your first job after graduation from any type of school can be challenging to say the least, and it is no different after graduating from beauty school. Fortunately, cosmetology is a 30 billion dollar a year industry and shows no signs of slowing down. And there are many industry related career opportunities you may not even have considered.

Knowing yourself is key to finding your first job after graduation. If you know the direction you want your career to take, you can plan correctly. Unfortunately, to know the direction you want your career to take, you need to understand the directions it could take - in other words, you need to know your options!

Many students have a good idea of what they want to do from the day they enroll in cosmetology school, and for most, this involves working in a salon. But there are other options. If you enjoy travel and have a flair for talking to large groups of people you do not know, you could become a platform artist. Or perhaps a sales representative. Closer to home, you might want to become an instructor.

Consult with the job placement personnel at your school and do not wait until graduation to do this. They are there to help you find a job. Consult with them often during the months you are at school. Do not be concerned with bothering them. This is your future, you have a right to bother them. And if you bother them enough, they might find you a job just so you will stop bothering them! Do not forget, they have ties with the local community that you probably do not have and are not aware of. If you are applying to local salons, they are aware of your school, its faculty, and the quality of students they produce. In the same way, your school likely knows a great deal more than you about local salons - what they are looking for, the working conditions, and the experiences of other recent graduates to name but a few. And be aware of the tips your school can provide you on how to make yourself more marketable. This could involve clothes, hairstyle, make-up, personality - just about anything. You may have definite ideas about many things, but chances are the job placement people know what will get you hired and what will get you shown the door.

When looking for that first job, ask yourself these questions. Why should that owner or manager hire you? In what way/s are you better, or at least different, than all the other students who recently graduated knowing exactly the same things that you know, and all suffering from the same lack of experience that you are? Are you a better person to hire because you have taken additional and advanced training classes? If so, what are those classes, and does your potential employer knows this? Have you been an extern in a salon? Do you currently work in a salon, or have you worked in a salon before, even as a receptionist? If so, then you are at least familiar with salon culture. Have you been in an externship program while in school? You should try to set yourself apart from other job seekers by making yourself more valuable to your potential employer. This is best done by demonstrating your dedication to the field, and the examples given above are proven ways of demonstrating dedication to the industry.

Your success in finding that first job is largely the result of the research and effort you put in BEFORE you graduate.
1 - Ask yourself what type of job you want.
2 - If it is in a salon, what type of salon.
3 - Apply to salons in the area where you want to live and work.
4 - Increase your value to potential employers by going the extra mile (take an advanced class or two).
5 - Before graduation, get to know salon owners / managers in the community.
6 - If possible, try to work in a salon before graduation (as an "extern", a salaried employee, or even if you have to volunteer)!!!

The more of these things that you do, the bigger the advantage you will give yourself over others when looking for a job.

Everyone Has To Begin Somewhere

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for most licensed cosmetologists, that somewhere is beauty school. Some states have an Apprentice Program allowing you to gain licensure by working in a salon and not attending school, these programs can be excellent and will be saved as the topic for another blog entry.

Beauty schools provide a wide array of educational opportunities from which their students may choose. There is barbering, cosmetology, aesthetics, nail technician (manicurist), and make-up. Many schools will also offer advanced classes in such popular & profitable areas as color correction, hair extensions, and weaves.

Upon completion of beauty school, the next step is passing your State Board Examination. Certain to strike a note of fear in the hearts of many students, this exam is not that difficult to pass if you prepare for it correctly. Unfortunately, and despite all their hard efforts, many students do not prepare for the exam correctly and so - the failure rate nationally is about 40%. And for those mathematically challenged like me, that means out of every 10 students taking the exam, 4 will fail - or, almost half.

After passing your exam and receiving your license, the next step is finding a job. As a licensed professional you have many choices at this point, but once again, making the right choice is really important. To many people simply jump at the first position that comes along without considering if the salon is a good "fit" for them. Should it be a large salon, or a small one? Chair rental or commission? High-end, middle of the road, or budget? Will the clientele be primarily young, middle age, professional, trendy, retired, male, or female? Each has its pros and cons, and the right decision is simple: find the clientele YOU feel comfortable with, and enjoy working on. As an example, just because your best friend loves doing mens' haircuts all day long, does not mean you will. You might prefer color, or up-do's. There is no right or wrong answer here, this is not a test. The correct answer is whatever is right for you. The important thing is to choose wisely, because many a licensed professional has quit the industry after going off in the wrong direction - for them - for a few years, and then become disillusioned.

Don't allow this to happen to you.
Prepare properly for your exam so that you pass it the first time.
Think about the people you want to work with, on, and around.
Think about where you live, where you want to live, and how you feel about a commute to work.

With these things in mind, and your new license in hand, you will find the right position FOR YOU!!!