Controversial!! The youth of today.

[Tigan]

Do you own your salon ? i say this because of your concern about not enough money to go round, if so why did you start up on your own ?
Most people go into mobile with the intention of building something, building a clientbase/following, this has to be better than not working at all, because all the while they are building their reputation/experience, if at some point down the line they decide to work in a salon they will have a better chance than if they did nothing at all, also mobile is not for the lazy, you have to try it to know this.
Its also a great option for parents of children who can then work around a school schedule and be there for the family and all the while building something worthwhile in the background.
Also i would say all the young people on here sound very commited to what they do otherwise they wouldnt be on here trying to better themselves.
They generate an interest which means it will continue to grow (as a whole i mean, as an industry) even the products get better and better because people want them

 

[kelly_17]

I am 21 years old, i qualified in september 2009.

I was looking so hard for a job in a salon since i qualified. I wrote to so many salons all around essex with my CV. I also took my CV into alot of salons too. I only ever heard back from about 3 salons saying they were not looking for someone or that they were looking for someone with experience. Every advertised job that i applied for I never got a response either. This is because all salons want someone who has so many years experience, but for us who are newly qualified how will we ever build up experience unless we go it alone? I started renting a room June 2011 after giving up on trying to find a job in a salon - its SOOO disheartening when you dont get a single reply from the salons you write to!

The closest i got was working on reception in a spa (i didnt have enough experience to be employed as a therapist but that soon changed if one of the girls called in sick and I had to cover their column! Then I worked in a brand new salon and it turned out I knew more than my boss (in her 50s) did about beauty, she wanted me to work with nail polish from poundland!!

I dont blame any newly qualified therapist for wanting to be self employed, because the nearly 2 years of hell for me trying to find a job in a salon means I lost 2 years of experience since qualifying and found it hard getting back into the treatments feeling like I need to go back to college to freshen up. So I dont blame them for trying it mobile, atleast they will be getting experience. While I was searching for a job in a salon I worked 3 different jobs part time, one weekend job, one weekday job, and evenings in a restaurant at the age of 18. So i find it very offensive that you could say 'the youth of today are lazy and dont like being told what to do. They dont like the constraints of working fixed hours and doing the menial jobs, they want to come and go as they please, doing what THEY want when THEY wan'

from my experience and also knowing the people my age I know most of us are the complete opposite and it is so tough for us to find any kind of job!

 

[Pdubbs89]

Reading posts like this drive me mad.. I dont see why people need to put you in a 'category' just because of your age? There are some mature therapists that just leave college and go mobile - I don't see anyone calling them lazy? There defiantly are some lazy people around but there also some people who really do struggle to get work in a salon.

I think you really do need a good couple or even a few years experience of working in a salon before going mobile as a way of living. Even if it's volunteering one day a week to watch how other therapists are and see what treatments are most popular etc!

There definitely are some cowboys out there but to be honest that goes with any job these days! If you're confident enough in your work to charge higher and give a better service it really down to the client - they may start with the cheaper option but not for long!

 

[Lovebeauty14]

I think to say 'The youth of today are lazy for wanting to run their own business' is a contradiction in itself.
Lazy for sitting on your bum all day watching TV? - Fair enough.
But lazy for starting up and running your own business? - How is that lazy? Commendable I'd say and good on them.

I'm not sure if I'm still considered 'Youth Of Today' (I'm 25) but if I am and being called lazy for wanting to start my home salon it is a huge insult as I'm sure it is for other young people.

I had my first Saturday job at 15 working in a Chippie, Joined the Royal Navy at 18 and believe me you can't be lazy in the military when your at sea in Norway in windy -14 degrees celcius and you have to get the ship alongside hauling up ridiculously heavy wet and freezing ropes at 0200 in the morning. Bloody hard and thankless work I tell you.

I then trained a a Beauty Therapist whilst on Maternity Leave, despite being shattered and having high blood pressure, I did it because it was my passion and I forked out thousands to do it.
I have now left the Navy and am now on the cusp of opening my home salon.

So as much as I like a good debate please don't assume that every young person is lazy or the 'Youth of today' are as it is such a sweeping statement and hugely unfair.

 

[HollyGold]

I'm 21 and I have my own salon.

I would t say I'm lazy at all for wanting to do it alone, im very hard working and that why I wanted my own salon and have been busy since.

Most people who I went school with, have a few kids now, don't work and I could of done that, but no I decided to work hard and build a salon, and that's not easy.

Also you said about youths not working fixed hours, well I don't. I've been working for 10am till 9:30pm today and I've only got 1/2 hour break now.

I've opened on Sunday's for clients, so I think I work a lot more than I would if I worked for someone.

If I worked for someone I'll have a regular income, but I don't I have to make sure I work harder so I'm able to afford thing!!!

 

[RachelLynch]

I find it very insulting saying the youth of today are lazy!

Im 19 and have my own beauty room and I've worked my arse of for it, I have 3 years experience which I have done I several salons all unpaid!

I ended up going at it alone because I couldn't get a job, noone even called me back! I worked at debenhams over Christmas when I was 17 because its all i could get in 3 tears and it was temporary but end of the day i couldn't go anymore without a wage and no job

 

[dolled up]

I know this is going to be controversial, but it is my view. I cant believe how many young people are doing beauty and then going it alone/mobile, rather than going to work in a salon. The market is flooded at present with beauty therapists and everyday on here there are people starting out alone/mobile. I dont believe there is enough money to go around to enable everyone to make a decent wage. So why do they do it, why not work for a salon that offers consistent wages. My view is that the youth of today are lazy and dont like being told what to do. They dont like the constraints of working fixed hours and doing the menial jobs, they want to come and go as they please, doing what THEY want when THEY want. I know its not just indicative of beauty, but of society as a whole.

Havent read other comments just the OP. i finished my level 3 last may & have been looking for a hairdressing salon job ever since with no luck. I havent got any salon experience so nobody wants me ): i couldnt even get a placement for work experience!! I know im talkin about hair here but i guess beauty girls are in th same boat. Id love to work in a salon but its just not gonna happen so im starting my own business working from home & eventually ( in uears to come) i will have built up a decent client base to have my own 'real' salon. Wen you say 'youth are lazy' how can we be lazy when we are opening up our own businesses that take a lot of hard work & graft?.. If we cant get jobs in salons then shall we just forget all the time & effort put in to our qualifications & get an office job or job tha we dont love? Everyone has to start from somewhere.....

 

[*Lisa-Marie*]

I know this is going to be controversial, but it is my view. I cant believe how many young people are doing beauty and then going it alone/mobile, rather than going to work in a salon. The market is flooded at present with beauty therapists and everyday on here there are people starting out alone/mobile. I dont believe there is enough money to go around to enable everyone to make a decent wage. So why do they do it, why not work for a salon that offers consistent wages. My view is that the youth of today are lazy and dont like being told what to do. They dont like the constraints of working fixed hours and doing the menial jobs, they want to come and go as they please, doing what THEY want when THEY want. I know its not just indicative of beauty, but of society as a whole.

I dont agree at all...I am 21 and after working since i was 16 doing jobs i hated and that paid appalling wages for the work i was doing, decided that (being qualified for 4 years) to start my own salon from home. I work 10 hour days most days and 6 days a week. Working from home just means that i don't have to work for anyone but me. I don't have to get spoken down to because of my age or be taken advantage of. I worked in a truly awful salon for 12 months and that was it, i thought "bugger this" i was making money for people who treated me like something they'd just flicked off their shoe!! now i make money for myself i have a good business, a beautiful salon that i don't have to share with anyone!
Im proud to be so successful at a young age and think more young people should be doing this. We don't have to be treated like skivvys...we are just as professional and hard working as any other age group!
rant over!
x

 

[Tommo]

What a narrow minded poster

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Ok I'm 21 and have had about 2 weeks off in the last 3 years. Tell me how this makes me lazy? No I don't like being told what to do but why should I? I have a brain of my own.

Secondly I'm unable to find a part time position to suit me in a salon as I am at university too. I work mobile to keep up my skills and because I blooming enjoy it! I also temp with an agency in London for major 5* spas so I must be doing something right and I can still do hours to work around my uni course and take the time off when I need to do my essays (which are LOADS).

I have worked for people in the past but found it very disruptive an did not found I learnt as much as I have done finding things out by myself and at my temping places.

To say that us young people are lazy is ageist.

And after that rant, I do totally understand your view point, I just totally disagree x

 

[Becki2003]

I'm a salon owner and I do have a major problem with lazy staff. I have a student that's 19 and a beauty therapist that's 22 and both of them try my patience quite a bit with their attitudes.

I trained using short courses not the NVQ route because of my situation at the time. I spent over 13 months trying to get a job and got met with "too old, wanted someone younger"(presumably to pay them less) "not enough experience" etc. whilst I was trying to gain salon experience I started mobile.
I then got a part time job in a salon and it was disgusting. Whenever I was free I would clean.

If the girls were stood around chatting I would ask them if that would help clean. I'm 32 so I'm not a lot older than them but about a month into my probation I was let go. I was told the girls felt like I wasn't making an effort with them and just nagging all the time. So when my divorce came through I used the settlement to start up my own salon.

I employed a beauty therapist because my lack of experience worried me. At interview I told all of those girls what I expect from them and they all said that they were taught at college to clean when they had no clients. I start my girl then get asked to take on a student so I agree.

They argue with me, play on their phones and my BT refuses to clean downstairs because she is beauty and I am nails so the nail bar is my job. I clean anyway but when I ask her to put her phone away and do something she rolls her eyes.
The student moans if she has no clients that she is bored but clients also complain about the standard of the work she does (she is level 2 qualified and is with us as a level 3 student so you would assume she could wax) and moans about waxing as she doesn't like it.
I don't actually need either of these girls I can manage my salon totally on my own but I try desperately to keep them and give them a job because I don't want to make my BT redundant.
I don't take a wage so that she can have it. And then she behaves like it is her right to have that job.
I think I am good boss. I don't behave like a tyrant and try to encourage them both to think for themselves but seriously it takes the p***. My student is always late and never apologises, she is 19 with a child and there is always a trauma that makes her late or has to leave early. She only works one day a week. Sorry for having a rant but in a way I do see where the OP is coming from but my 2 girls are NVQ college trained and need a rocket up their backside.
So I don't really feel that it's got anything to do with 1 day courses. I think it's the attitude of that generation that has had everything given to them and don't feel they need to earn anything.

I have read on here about some very hard working young girls who have gone out and tried to start their own business (big well done to all of them) I think if you have a passion for the business you won't be lazy, or at least if you are then when your business goes under you only have yourself to blame.
My BT dives me nuts she'll do overtime but would rather lie to blag an early finish (she also seems to have a lot of time off sick) and isn't bothered that she earns £80 a week. She lives at home and has a boyfriend so apparently they can pay for everything. She doesn't need to. Says it all.

 

[bombini]

I'm not sure lazy is the right word I think naive would be better suited and I think its unfair to say its just young people there are plenty of older therapists starting up with no experience.

I agree with someone else that said its got worse with the rise of one day courses. When I started training at 16 it was college or an expensive private college like Champneys now every man and his dog seems to offer a one day course in some sort of beauty treatment.

I think that a lot of people do a cheap course then immediately open for business and wonder why they don't get many clients. The ones they do get don't seem to come back. These therapists just don't do enough practice before taking paying customers and that's why they can't keep the clients. No-one seems to do a business plan anymore let alone attend a business course.

 

[Sammyjaygrant]

My view in all of this is that the people who want to work hard will and be successful at it, wether its self employed or in a salon.

I volunteered in a salon whilst at college so I had experience to get a good job in a salon and great references. I worked in salons for 6 years and then opened my own shop 5 years ago and I see both sides. But the hard working ones no matter what age will stand above the rest!!

 

[*Lisa-Marie*]

Id like to add seeing as it has come up in conversation, that i have done 4 day courses with 2 highly accredited trainers and after putting in hours/days/months of practise have near enough perfected what i do. i think its highly unfair to judge people on where and how they train, if you're naturally gifted in the trade then why should it matter? All i know is i wouldn't change the way i trained for anything as i had 1 to 1 teaching and came away fully knowledgeable. this all sounds to me like jealousy over how well self employed beauticians are doing nowadays?!

 

[Becki2003]

Id like to add seeing as it has come up in conversation, that i have done 4 day courses with 2 highly accredited trainers and after putting in hours/days/months of practise have near enough perfected what i do. i think its highly unfair to judge people on where and how they train, if you're naturally gifted in the trade then why should it matter? All i know is i wouldn't change the way i trained for anything as i had 1 to 1 teaching and came away fully knowledgeable. this all sounds to me like jealousy over how well self employed beauticians are doing nowadays?!

I wish I'd just said that instead of my waffle story. Well said. Xx

 

[EmJZ]

My view in all of this is that the people who want to work hard will and be successful at it, wether its self employed or in a salon.

But the hard working ones no matter what age will stand above the rest!!

I totally agree!

I have been in this industry going on 7 years now and have only just recently started my own business. I got tired of constantly having to prove myslef to someone else. I (and my clients) know I'm good at what I do...although I know I will always need to continue with educating myslef...I thought it was about time I made the money from all my hard work and effort. If the newly qualified want to put in all the heartache and sleepless nights to grow their own business, not having to do it all for someone else, than I say go for it. If you are truely dedicated to what you are doing then you'll go for it as hard for yourself (more so really) as you will for someone else, regardless of your age. The argument that it's being lazy just sounds a bit petty to be honest.

 

[*Lisa-Marie*]

I wish I'd just said that instead of my waffle story. Well said. Xx

Thank you

 

[persianista]

I don't really think young people are any lazier nowadays than we ever were. Older people have been moaning about youngsters since aristotles time.

I do think young people remain more childlike for longer nowadays, parents mollycoddle more maybe.
I just find a lot of young people are a bit naive in the value they bring to a workplace. They are not worth fifty grand a year to me. Nor do they know more than me. They just think they do!

 

[happyfeet]

evening geekies

I've been watching and reading this thread with interest since my last post. I highlight the particular comment below:

The market is flooded at present with beauty therapists and everyday on here there are people starting out alone/mobile. I dont believe there is enough money to go around to enable everyone to make a decent wage.

i think this speaks volumes. Whilst yes there are lots of therapists and techs around i actually think that this does and should make us all raise our game. Nobody has the monopoly on beauty or nails, dedicated therapists and those who work hard whether they be younger or older deserve those clients, not because they work in a salon or mobile, have been around a long time or five minutes, are nvq or one day trained, are young or old or any other reason save for the fact that they are dedicated to giving an amazing service and put maximum time and attention to running their business.
Maybe I've misunderstood this sentence and shouldn't make assumptions but I'm confused as to why firstly anyone needs to be concerned about someone setting up as mobile and secondly what age they are. As long as you provide the best service, your clients are happy with you and also return and that you work hard does it honestly matter where someone works or how old they are. Nobody has the monopoly and i believe there is room for everyone as the ones young or old who can't be bothered or put in little effort eventually fall by the wayside leaving the real professional to continue with success.

Love n hugs x x x

 

[Katmoz33]

I wish people would use paragraphs my eyes are going crazy reading some of these posts!

I'm not trying to offend anyone, it's an intersting thread. Xx