Make Cosmetology School
Work for YOU!

Make the most of cosmetology school will help you get your money's worth from your beauty education. Alright now, so you have some wonderful images in your head about being in cosmetology school, like learning how to do crazy wild runway hair or funky punk cuts or awesome human hair extensions. I hear ya! Bring it on! But I’m here to tell you all schools are not created equal. The number one goal of hair school is to prepare you to pass your state board exams. Shocker!

1. Find your Niche (an activity for which a person is best fitted). While in cosmetology school actively search for the one activity that floats your boat, the one thing that makes your heart beat faster. Love color? Love to cut? Love avant-garde? This will be the future focus in developing your beauty career so get a head start.

2. Play by the rules. Your cosmetology school administrator may be instrumental in helping you land that all important first job or apprenticeship. There are specific qualities managers look for in hiring new employees. Treat your time at beauty school as if it were your job. Little things like being on time and cleaning without being asked will definitely make an impression on your hair school administrator and make them want to help you when you graduate!

3. Be a beauty sponge. Learn everything you can. You are paying top dollar for this education! Don’t just clock your hours. Use your hours. Ask your hair school instructors questions. Experiment with your mannequins. The time is now while you don’t have the responsibility of pleasing a live client. (except for the $5 haircut people and they are there for you to learn)

We are planting seeds NOW that will grow into a wonderful, sustainable beauty career for you!

4. Beg for clients. At a certain point in your cosmetologist training you will be put on the salon floor to take clients, clients that pay a nominal fee for services performed by cosmetology students. So many students are afraid to take those clients and actually hide from them. (I was one of them! I didn’t want to jack anybody up.) But you are there to learn and the typical beauty school client knows this. You will always have an instructor on the floor to supervise and save your ass if you get in over your head. So use this time well and take the clients! Your administrator will notice this as well.

5. Volunteer for projects. If your cosmetology school puts on an event like a fashion show or community event jump right in. You know how colleges look for student applicants that demonstrate leadership qualities or show volunteering? Salons would prefer stylists with ambition, someone who is not afraid of a challenge. You want to do things that make you stand out from the others. I am here to teach you how to seize every opportunity to advance your beauty career.

6. Start a movement. If you see yourself managing a salon or owning your own salon one day leadership is essential to that endeavor. Cosmetology school is a good time to test your creativity and build confidence. Come up with a project and pitch it to your instructor! Again, you will be noticed. Need a hint? Ummm…..like it’s around Valentine’s Day. So how about you have a contest where you do hair design on your mannequin centered around LOVE. You could go to your local beauty supply store and ask if they would donate something as a prize. Or you could host a fashion/hair show. I was in one once that had to revolve around a song.

7. Start a portfolio. I can not emphasize this enough. You will be wanting a job when you graduate, right? Maybe an apprenticeship at a fancy pants salon? This is fun to do and will show you over time how far you have come in your skill development.

8. Start investing in equipment. Hopefully you will get the opportunity to go to a Hair Show while you are in hair school. At these major hair shows there are vendors selling everything you could need or want as a stylist. And it gives you the chance to get good stuff at good prices. I got a $300 pair of shears for $30 because they were on clearance. When you get your first job you will not want to be using school shears (scissors) or school clippers. You will have been using them on mannequin hair and the school equipment is not really professional grade. It will be easier on your wallet if you start early and buy a piece here and a piece there. If you get new shears while in school please do NOT use them on your mannequin. Cheap shears on cheap hair.

9. Self educate in addition to your cosmetologist training. Use this cosmetology school time to test techniques you learn on those mannequin heads.

10. Celebrate Graduation! You earned it. YOU put in the time and did the work. Make a cosmetologist school graduation cap! Celebrate your victory and know this is only the beginning! Your life is about to take off!!