The Rising Popularity of Hairdressing Jobs
Hairdressing jobs are said to be the happiest jobs you can have, with hairdressers regularly topping the ‘happiest at work’ polls across the world. It’s not hard to see why, either; hairdressers are usually passionate about what they do, have studied hard to get where they want to be, enjoy the diversity of their day-to-day work, and like building and maintaining relationships with their clients. Becoming a hairdresser is a common career choice for many young people and with the right skills, attitude and dedication, you can go on to have a very successful career in the hair business – just look at all the celebrity hairdressers on TV, behind the scenes of film sets, or offering hair advice in magazines! There are many different types of hairdressing jobs but the one that seems most popular is a hair stylist. Here we have a look at just what a hair stylist does and how to get there.
What Exactly Does a Hair Stylist Do?
Hair stylists use many different types of techniques as they work on the hair’s colour, style and texture. After speaking with the client they will determine the look which is desired and ensure the end result is healthy hair that looks great and the client is happy with. As with most hairdressing jobs, you need to have good communication skills to be a success as you will be dealing with people in one-on-one situations. You should be creative, hard-working and thorough, and be willing to work as a team. It’s important that your client feels comfortable with you and that you care about what they want; nothing is worse than feeling as though your hairdresser is not listening to you when you are describing your desired style, and to come away with a totally different look than the one you wanted!
How to Become a Hair Stylist
If you are thinking about hairdressing jobs and a hair stylist is your chosen field, you do not have to have any particular formal qualifications, although GCSEs in English, Mathematics and Art are always desirable. You can choose to go to college to obtain a hairdressing National Vocational Qualification; this is a good idea because you can fit it around your lifestyle and choose to do a part-time or full-time course. In order to become a hair stylist you must obtain both Level 1 and Level 2. Alternatively, you can choose to study the BTEC Nationals foundation degree in hairdressing, which also covers aspects of management.