Being made a fool of......?

[lil luci]

Hi all,

I have recently got myself a position in a hair and beauty salon as a nail tech, the offer up on the table when I got the job was this:

£30 a day to be employed (sometimes 10 hours but salon is dead most days)
or £30 a day for the chair, to use their products and their clients with a 50% fee of anything taken as the shop owner says they are her clients. Also I have been finding I am using a lot of my own products as the salon is really poorly stocked of anything useful!

Now, I have been told by others that the usual set up is pay for the chair, pay 50% or full employed not a mixture of any two?
I'm only recently qualified (October 2010) so appreciate the experience, but I guess I just wanted some input on how things should be done and if I'm being taken for a mug? I know I can earn a lot more mobile because i did do through november and december last yr, but wanted to see how I'd go on in a salon environment. I'm also finding the bitching hard to take as I'm a fairly laid back person and speak as I find and to work with and for ppl who would rather take the P behind my back is a bit hard to understand.

To be fair the boss did say they pay would rise with the trade into the shop, but its difficult for me to justify getting paid such a poor wage, but also understand somedays I can come in and do nothing or just one set of nails.

What would you advise/do?

Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

[Susie H]

Hi all,

I have recently got myself a position in a hair and beauty salon as a nail tech, the offer up on the table when I got the job was this:

£30 a day to be employed (sometimes 10 hours but salon is dead most days)
or £30 a day for the chair, to use their products and their clients with a 50% fee of anything taken as the shop owner says they are her clients. Also I have been finding I am using a lot of my own products as the salon is really poorly stocked of anything useful!

Now, I have been told by others that the usual set up is pay for the chair, pay 50% or full employed not a mixture of any two?
I'm only recently qualified (October 2010) so appreciate the experience, but I guess I just wanted some input on how things should be done and if I'm being taken for a mug? I know I can earn a lot more mobile because i did do through november and december last yr, but wanted to see how I'd go on in a salon environment. I'm also finding the bitching hard to take as I'm a fairly laid back person and speak as I find and to work with and for ppl who would rather take the P behind my back is a bit hard to understand.

To be fair the boss did say they pay would rise with the trade into the shop, but its difficult for me to justify getting paid such a poor wage, but also understand somedays I can come in and do nothing or just one set of nails.

What would you advise/do?

Any suggestions are very much appreciated.

Not sure I understand hun, are you self employed or employed?
Are you paying £30 a day rent or being paid £30 a day?
If you need to use your products because the salon doesn't have what you need, then you need to make a list of these products what they cost and request they are provided or that you can bring the receipt and be reimbursed.
I really dislike these mixed up types of arrangments.
The best for me is to either, set a rent per day or week and that's it. You are self employed pay your rent, run it your way, use your products.
Or pay a % with the same result.
The other system that can work well is where you are employed on minimum wage, use their products and earn a % commision for every set of nails after the first 3 per day, that gives the salon, your wages covered and you the insentive to promote yourself and do better.

 

[lil luci]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I have chosen to be employed on a rate of £30 a day. The other offer was for me to pay £30 a day for the chair plus 50% of anything I did, which I didn't like the sound of as the salon is dead everyday.
Cheers for the advice though. Its all a bit of a grey area to me at the minute and in business thats not a good idea is it! lol. I think I might just look for something elsewhere with just a fee for the chair or go back to mobile and my home salon like I was doing. What do you think? Most days at the salon, it works out that I'm on £3 an hour!! p-poor i'm sure you'll agree!

 

[silverbird9t9]

It's also illegal unless you are an apprentice. This is regardless of whether or not you signed agreeing to it.

The National Minimum Wage rates : Directgov - Employment

 

[Odee]

So would you be working 10 hrs for £30? One set of nails would more than cover that. In the past i payed 40% and used their products, not pay chair rent on top of that. Self employed set my own hrs as long as not to take the p---- . with too much time away from the salon. You wouldnt make much money paying chair rent, 50% and then using your own products, because they havn,t any. I would sort it or move.

 

[lil luci]

Yea 9 or 10 hrs for £30.

I think i'll have a nose round for some other opportunities or maybe go back self emp mobile. I just wanted to see what it was like working in a salon.

Thank you all. You've been very helpful

 

[Pooh8bear]

I would start working for your self, do some introductory half price offers for their first app, then when they see how good your work is they will be hooked.

 

[craigkeane]

It's also illegal unless you are an apprentice. This is regardless of whether or not you signed agreeing to it.

The National Minimum Wage rates : Directgov - Employment

mention this to her and she should back date the payments

Craig Keane

 

[Karen Minx]

I am shocked! Your pay is so poor!

You need to sort this asap. I would go mobile and work for myself if i was in your shoes.

I do work for myself but within a hair salon. I pay the owner a monthly fixed rent for my room and i provide my own products. I wouldn't except it any other way.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do hun xxx

 

[lil luci]

Cheers everyone

I have worked for myself before through nov and dec and did sets for £18 just through nov and did really well, but i think it was mainly ppl taking advantage of the low price as i've not heard back since - mustn't be any good! lol. I know jan and feb are notoriously bad for business though so i'm not worried too much.

After thinking it over and reading all your advice, I've spoken to the owner, I've told her we'll call it a day but thanks anyway.

I'm going to get some more flyers done and get them out in local shops etc and start again for myself and send some info to the clients i have details for already from my client cards.

I really appreciate everyones support, thank you xxx

btw Karen, how did you come across your set-up? was the room advertised? x

 

[Nataliya]

OMG that's horrendous!

Get yourself a decent paid job, get your name and skill out there, build-up clientele and set up on your own.

£30 per day is next to nothing.

It's not easy but with hard work and persistence it will happen.






Nail designer with a twist

 

[lil luci]

I know.... :o But I suppose I just felt lucky that someone gave me the chance to prove myself without a ton of experience. It was the bitching about me and what I wore etc that really ended up upsetting me and making me think twice.

I understand that she was taking a risk with me as I'd not been qualified long so I just thought I'd get on with it and hope that things picked up.

Where is best for looking who has a table/chair/room for rent? Or I suppose I'm best just having a wander round nearby towns and seeing whats in the windows. I'm gutted I've had to call it a day at the salon. All I want to do is work and gain more experience, be it on my own or in a salon. I suppose rome wan't built in a day was it lol.

Cheers Nataliya xx

 

[katiebbaby]

Omg I pay £50 a WEEK,, for my table, that's any day 24hrs.

I'm a CND master tech and bring in clients but seriousl,£30 a day is stupid Hun xxx

 

[lil luci]

Omg I pay £50 a WEEK,, for my table, that's any day 24hrs.

I'm a CND master tech and bring in clients but seriousl,£30 a day is stupid Hun xxx

i know, i just thought i should walk before i could run and appreciated the chance.... :sad: xx

 

[Nataliya]

Do a research on what's available employment wise. Even part time to get going.

Advertise locally to start building up your own base.

Word of mouth is very powerful.

Advertise on gumtree to spread the word.

Offer manicures in retirement homes, day centres, mums groups etc.

Sit and write down where you can offer your services. Then go out there and speak to someone.

Brainstorm helps.


Nail designer with a twist

 

[Karen Minx]

i know, i just thought i should walk before i could run and appreciated the chance.... :sad: xx

Don't feel down about this hun, there are plenty more salons available out there you just need to keep looking. Pick yourself back up, brush yourself off and learn from your experience and get yourself back out there. On your own if you have to.

She will regret being so greedy. She NEEDS YOU and YOUR RENT. You don't need her. :wink2:

 

[lil luci]

Don't feel down about this hun, there are plenty more salons available out there you just need to keep looking. Pick yourself back up, brush yourself off and learn from your experience and get yourself back out there. On your own if you have to.

She will regret being so greedy. She NEEDS YOU and YOUR RENT. You don't need her. :wink2:

Cheers Karen xx

 

[Feline]

This sounds like a nasty situation

I know how you feel about being stuck with shoddy tools that happened to me when I first started out. It is very difficult to provide the great service that you want to provide when your stuck with worn out files & buffers etc. It could damage your good nail tech reputation as well as continue to frustrate you!

Like the others say, you are best off out of it, go for it and good luck x

 

[Karen Minx]

Cheers everyone

btw Karen, how did you come across your set-up? was the room advertised? x

No it wasn't advertised. One of my clients get's her hair done there and told me they were looking for someone. I popped in to have a chat. Bartered, hummed and ar'ed for about 2 weeks back and forth with phone calls and i managed to get the rent down. In the end it was them wanting me, not me wanting them. Its a local salon 2 minute walk from my house so i already knew her which helped. She also wanted someone who was CND trained, which also helped.

I was already at another salon at the time but i wasn't happy with a few things. The rent was cheaper at only £10 per day, only paying for the days i worked and only if i had clients in, but i wasn't happy there. The sun was shining on my desk and she wouldn't let me have a roller blind because she didn't like the look of them! :lol:
Seriously, not just for that reason. There were a few more issues i wasn't happy about either which was effecting my working conditions. The salon was far too cold for my liking too.

Start by making a list of all the Hair & Beauty salons in your area and give them all a call asking them if they have any nail technicians jobs available, preferably a table to rent in their salon. Just be confident in yourself. :hug:

 

[Chelliesnails]

Try looking at a busy hair salon and ask if you can rent a 'Table' space. That way you only pay rent but your stock is your own, and what you take from the clients is your own earnings. I rent a room for £80:00 per week. Its all my own stock and I work the hours that suit me. What I earn is mine - less tax, insurance which is paid by me. Then advertise, flyers etc. Good luck. xx