Been sat here thinking of a meaty thread to get our teeth into and came up with this..





Were you surprised to find out that there's a heck of a lot more to being a nail technician that you originally thought?

Did you think it would be easy to learn?

Were you surprised to find that it would take you longer than 1 or 2 days to learn your skill?

I've got to say that when I originally trained I thought it would be easier than it turned out to be, I was under the misconception that being a nail tech would be easy...... how wrong could I have been? lol

what are your views?
we must all have an opinion on this subject, looking forward to lots of input

good thread AGAIN sandi!! Being a nail tech is not what i thought it would be in a couple of ways, firstly i didnt think there were as many of us as there is (which is a REAL pain in the booty!!), and secondly i didnt think the training would be a challenging as it was (which personally i am glad of because i get bored very easily and definately will not in this trade!)

Yup, I am guilty of thinking easy peasy can do that no problem. God how wrong I was, I seem to get worse instead of better.

Very busy in the salon with other beauty stuff, so don't get the time to really practice.

I have heard that you need to do about 200 sets before you get good, and I can see why that would be true. In total I have probably done about 20. I have been in my new rented room salon for almost 4 months now and have yet to be asked for a set of enhancements, maybe that is why I have lost the love of nails I had when I finished my course in Feb. Need some help - any offers?

I spent 14 years working in a stresssful office environment - doing training and then laterly H&S audits. Not sure you need to know all this LOL.

When I eventually had my babies I wanted to find something to fit round them when they went to school. I found natural nail care. I had no experience or knowledge of nail enhancements apart from them wrecking your natural nails LOL.

I went to college and trained in mani/pedi then went and did a Jessica course. I was most surprised that the college course was 5 months long. How much training do you need to apply varnish LOL.

After about a year of turning down clients because I only did natural nail care, I decided after loads of research to train in enhancements. I had no expectations or pre conceived ideas. I was terrified incase I wrecked someones nails, having spent so long caring for them LOL.

I felt that I should have had 4 days of intensive 1 to 1 as I struggle to retain information - it was difficult for me to learn such a skill in a classroom with say 7 other people.

Lordy that was 5-6 years ago LOL.

I think I do quite good nails but I am finding more and more in my area that people are not discerning enough - they go for the easy option and go with who is cheapest, or easiest - get a leg wax and nails done in the same place.

If all of these beauty therapists (local to me) think that after 2 days, they can do great nails then maybe I should do a waxing course, eyelash tinting course etc and offer these as well.

But then I respect their training and expertise more than that - oops sorry I have gone off on one LOL.

I love being a nail technician and wish I was more appreciated by some clients.

[quote=ValencianNails]Been sat here thinking of a meaty thread to get our teeth into and came up with this..


[CENTER]Is being a nail technician everything you thought it would be?



Were you surprised to find out that there's a heck of a lot more to being a nail technician that you originally thought?
yes - It's a hell of a lot harder than it looks - it is enjoyable but very frustrating when you can't get it right!

Did you think it would be easy to learn?I didn't think it would be easy as such but thought after 6 months I thought I would be creating great nails - I still have a very long way to go!!

Great thread sandi.

i thought i would do my 6 day manicure nails and nail art course and be ready to earn loads of money. then just as i started i found the geek site and realised i wasnt even at the tip of the iceberg.

i ahve done lots of training made lots of mistakes but also leant how to correct them. I ahve found where my strong paoints are and my weak points and now work towards bringing them all up to the same standard.

And all because of loving nail art i have spent thousands upon thousands of poiunds on equipment and training and trade shows but best of all i have made lots of new friends who are there to support me and guide me and some of them let me cry on their shoulder when i need to.

so think i ahve gained out of the whole experience. thank you x

I to thought that once I had finished my essential nails course that I would be able to set up at home but it really knocked me that I wasn't confident or good enough to do that

Coming on here and getting all the advice about training has given me a great boost and now hopefully things can now start to happen but I know my training hasn't finished and there are loads of things left for me to find out.

Good Thread...I am looking forward to all the differing replies it should attract!

For myself....the answer simply is NO!...it has turned out to be much much more than I ever thought it would be.

I had to take ill health retiral from my earlier career...and after 2 stints in part time jobs I felt I needed a change...I was a client and loved getting my nails done...and yes I thought it looked EASY...and I COULD DO THAT!

Don't want to give a full bio here so long story short but this part time job I had wanted has ended up changing my life!....I learned a skill that I was good at.....I also gained confidence in myself by being self employed....building up a successful small business...becoming an employer!....and eventually becoming an Educator.......completing Creative Institute and becoming a CND Education Ambassador was the icing on the cake.....if you had told me that I would one day stand up in front of classrooms of students and give presentations I would have laughed in your face. There are still challenges I haven't mastered yet like competitions but never say never....

All this from nails!......not the easy part time job I thought it would be...but Bloody hard work!!...both physically and mentally....but it has been challenging and rewarding and I am glad to be in this industry.

come on Geeks.... lots of views but only a few replies???
there's no right or wrong answers to this one, it's based on our initial opinions of being a nail technician.

a lot of us must have made the same mistake....
thinking it would be an easy profession, those same peeps now realise it isn't easy (myself included), but it's very rewarding if we put enough time and effort into it.

I'd not change a thing though, love it, love it, love it

lot more to it than i thought as i was only goingto do man&ped to start with and i was sort of pushed into nail extensions.I do enjoy it but there are a lot of times i have wanted to give it all up and there will be more of them im sure there are also times when i love wot i do although stressfull.im glad i did it though even though it has costs a fortune and i still spend more on products and training than i earn but then again i wouldent be here chatting to all you lot.

Its nothing like and I aren't even qualified!! I thought ooh I'll get the EN home learn course and have a career change ( i have always wanted to be a nail tech/beautician) I'll be off within 6 months fully qualified.

Well now I have been on this site, I realise I'll never be "fully" qualified

here's my views x

Its far more than i expected, alot more work and learning involved but its well worth it.........

I absolutly love my job and i never feel at 6.30am OMG i have to get up and go to work, i love it with a passion................

I have met loads of really nice people and have a fantastic clientel who are like freinds to me..........

So all in all its better than i thought

Amanda

It certainly is not what I thought! You have to wear several hats, so to speak.

There's the business hat, the skills hat, the planning hat, all sorts, lol!

Its a life long learning skill. You just dont attend the beginners class then learn everything else by yourself! Its all about practise, practise - learning as you go along.

Then there are nice clients and not so nice ones, lol. One

Then there is all the paper work and the bureaucacy with the local council.

However, if you are passionate about something then the positives should out-weigh the negatives!

Hi, I finished my course and thought i knew it all. I was sooooooo wrong. Theres always something new to learn and to be honest i feel like i really dont know anything. Im starting to rent some space and getting cliets in is harder than i thought.

Thing are really slow and the longer it takes the less confidennt ni fel, and think im not good enough. I managed to do my own nails and i used calgel with with french tips and it looks ok. I NEED CLIENTS!!!!!! nIm not one to give up just yet though!