Career dilemma

[Sjm_89]

First time posting so bare with me. I’ve been level 3 qualified and running my own column for just over a year now and I’m still massively lacking in confidence. I think some of my work looks fab and I get so many complements on those but a lot of the time the work I do just doesn’t look great.

I feel im lacking in some skills and knowledge and don’t have to funds to go on endless courses.

Whenever something doesn’t look good I freak out, panic and can’t stop overthinking that the client will come back complaining.

I love hairdressing but I’m starting to think I just can’t do it anymore. It’s really upsetting me and I’m at a loss at what to do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

 

[ella_buff]

Hello and welcome! May I ask you a few questions? Do you works seem not great to you or to clients? Does somebody ever complain? Do your clients come back to you? The fact is that quite often we are very critical of ourselves, and in a business like ours we always see all the shortcomings because we are striving for an ideal picture in our head. And the client can't see that picture if you know what I mean. For them, the work you've done is pretty good. But if you doubt, perhaps you can ask them or the person you trust for a feedback.
Anyway, I wish you good luck!

 

[Sjm_89]

Thank you, I really appreciate your reply. I’m loosing sleep over it.

Rarely have I had any one come back and the ones that have it’s been a very easy fix. The stylists I work with keep telling me not to worry and not everything will look amazing every time. I did a clients hair yesterday (balayage, which I struggle with) and it looked awful to me but she seemed happy with it.

Will this feeling ever go away?

 

[ella_buff]

Will this feeling ever go away?

To tell the truth, I'm sure that a specialist who doesn't doubt his or her works is not a good one. Because of that feeling, we can improve our skills, learn something new etc. So cheer up! Next time when you do balayage you will do it better. Practice makes perfect (fed up of this saying, but it's true).

 

[AcidPerm]

Your expectations are far too high!
You’re still at the beginning of your career and have only just finished your initial education, so it’s completely unrealistic to expect to produce perfect results at this stage.

It wasn’t that many years ago when hairdressers could only qualify by doing an apprenticeship that would take several years before they were allowed to run a full column. In fact, when apprenticeships first began many years ago, your parents had to pay for you to be indentured to a Mastercraftsman and your apprenticeship would last between 7-9 years.

Unfortunately, there are far too many mediocre hairdressers out there that are perfectly happy with their average skill set. You want to be the best hairdresser you can be, so rather than feeling anxious about not being good enough just yet, focus on the fact that each day you’re gaining more experience and make yourself practise in those areas and techniques that are your weakest.

You will get there if you believe in yourself and keep practising but you have to allow yourself the odd failure.

 

[Sjm_89]

Thank you for your replies! It’s making me feel a lot better. I’m far to critical on myself but I just want to be the best I can be and make my clients super happy! I could get hundreds of compliments but it takes that one failure to bring me down.

I have a balayage in this morning. Wish me luck! I’ll post photos x

 

[Sjm_89]

Not the best but I’m getting there

 

[jamiereid92]

I used to feel exactly the same way... Will I ever be good enough.?

The confidence comes, and you get to a stage where you know the things you're good at, and find someone else in your team who is good at the things you're not.

I hate doing balyage... So I just don't do it anymore, it's not giving up because I will let one of my other stylists do it instead.

But I am the best at highlights, and I love doing it more now because I know I'm good at it.

You will find your niche and you will get past this rubbish feeling [emoji8]