Dealing with preconceived notions being a nail tech

[Jazzy101]

I'm obviously happy with my choice, I sit here on a Saturday night behind my nail table practicing smile lines with the help from the fingernailfixer's youtube tutorial. They are gradually getting better :smack: and I totally am enjoying myself. Geeg you are right, its not as simple as some may think, and you do have to feel passionate about it. Or else as you said, you just won't last. I made the choice to reach out and grab this, I want to wake up every morning happy to go off to work and be my own boss and making money is a bonus.

 

[JodiFox]

This thread is great. I love it when people smash the 'stereotype'- there shouldn't be one.

I had a place at university to go and study Psychology & Criminology. I did 4 A2's and got 4 A's.

Last minute I changed my mind and decided to follow my passion in Nails. My mum was happy for me but my dad was worried.

All my friends went off to uni and graduated and now I'm earning more than double most of them! And I NEVER feel like I'm at work.
Nothing better than living your passion

 

[Rachasorousrex]

I actually feel pretty lucky in regard to my nail and skin care courses. A large portion of the curriculum was based on the science. It was actually tough. I feel like a had great, knowledgable instructors and the subject matter was taken seriously. Unfortunately, more than half of my classmates did not pass the course and become licensed. I feel fortunate to live in an area that requires that amount of training to obtain a license. Funnily enough, I'm told my state is on the lower end of the scale as far as number of practice hours required, for the US anyway. I guess maybe I just got lucky with the school I chose. I'm just very thankful to have received the training I did.

 

[jacqueline]

I actually feel pretty lucky in regard to my nail and skin care courses. A large portion of the curriculum was based on the science. It was actually tough. I feel like a had great, knowledgable instructors and the subject matter was taken seriously. Unfortunately, more than half of my classmates did not pass the course and become licensed. I feel fortunate to live in an area that requires that amount of training to obtain a license. Funnily enough, I'm told my state is on the lower end of the scale as far as number of practice hours required, for the US anyway. I guess maybe I just got lucky with the school I chose. I'm just very thankful to have received the training I did.

240 hours against 600 hours in Texas for example.

 

[geeg]

I actually feel pretty lucky in regard to my nail and skin care courses. A large portion of the curriculum was based on the science. It was actually tough. I feel like a had great, knowledgable instructors and the subject matter was taken seriously. Unfortunately, more than half of my classmates did not pass the course and become licensed. I feel fortunate to live in an area that requires that amount of training to obtain a license. Funnily enough, I'm told my state is on the lower end of the scale as far as number of practice hours required, for the US anyway. I guess maybe I just got lucky with the school I chose. I'm just very thankful to have received the training I did.

That's the thing .. it is the 'luck of the draw'.

In the UK there are some good trainers in a few colleges, but the generalization is easy to make because, sadly, there are for more who are not.

Even in the States, many schools still teach out-dated methods and pretty much ignor the science behind the products. IMAGINE if hairdressers were let loose on the public with colour, without knowing how it actually does the job or how to correct it if something goes wrong???

Knowing your chemistry prevents problems and also helps to correct them with intelligence when they occur. I think all of us are very grateful when we finally get the training that makes everything make sense.

 

[mum]

240 hours against 600 hours in Texas for example.

I'd rather have 50 hours of great training than 600 hours of bad to mediocre! You end up having to relearn everything and that can be harder than learning the first time around!

 

[NancySyd]

Let's face it. There are bimbos, dim bulbs and slackers in our field - the people who do the barest minimum (and sometimes less) to get by. These people exist in every field - doctors, lawyers, cops, hairdressers. What amazes me is that the very people who seem to to feel these people are dim bulbs continue to patronize them! Who's the dim bulb here?

Don't let other people drag you down - either the dim bulbs or people's perceptions of the field. There is so much good work being done in the nail industry and so much promise for the future. And owning one's own business is not for the faint-hearted. It requires real courage and smarts to be a successful entrepreneur.

If I were to give you any advice, I would say that you should connect yourself with the best in the industry, conduct yourself from the beginning with the utmost professionalism and never take short-cuts. But it sounds like you already know that!

 

[Lks]

I just want to give a heart to all your posts!! I loved your responses. What an amazing bunch of people you all are. :hug: Hundreds and hundreds of people come into this industry every year thinking it’s going to be an easy way to make money, and then either fail miserably, aren’t successful, or go the discount nail salon route. If it really were that easy, wouldn’t they all succeed? They give nail technicians a bad name and dilute our professional image. Then you have customers who come to you with paper thin nails, sore nail beds, and worse, believing for so long that the way their old nail technician did things was right that you almost have to reprogram their brains.

So many of you had golden nuggets of truth and wisdom in your posts and were spot on. With so many of you having a solid educational background, you would think that they would give you a little more credit. Geeg was right…they discredit you until they realize that you love what you do AND you’re earning more than them…then they’re just outright jealous lol (although I’m sure we would all love to sitting at a beach in Spain right now! It all starts with a dream doesn’t it?) I think it’s safe to say that many of us who are true professionals in the nail industry can be found here on salon geek and are the cream of the crop as they say. Bravo to all those who rose above the stereotypes and I hope to be a part of your team soon!!

 

[mum]

This is a great thread!

It's very easy for people like me that have been in the business for a long time to look back and have a strong opinion about what is wrong!

I didn't have a 'dream' at the beginning. I got into it all by accident. I didn't have a passion until I couldn't get any answers. I trained via short courses as that was all that was available. I don't have an NVQ!! Shock horror! I've played a part in the Standards since they started and have written a few textbooks so I don't believe anyone could accuse me of lacking in knowledge.

I was fortunate enough to have discovered a Company in the early days that was/is fabulous at marketing and innovation but, more importantly, answered those questions and put enormous emphasis on education. THAT is what gave me the real passion! That Company was CND (and their UK distributors). I've been an independent for many years but will ALWAYS support that Company while they continue to do what they do best.

I have mostly given up on describing what I do when asked. I just say "I do nails". I don't really care if people don't get it. I know what I do.

If I was starting now??? Who knows. I'd probably go with the easy route because I'm impatient. I was then and I am now. I just knew that if I wanted to do something I would try to do it the best I could as mediocre isn't good enough.

Oooo, it's a bit like being in AA!!

 

[geeg]

Those were the days, Marian, Eh? We've come a long way together. Proud to call you my dear friend, mate.XXX

 

[lucyh]

This website is an inspiration to me! I have been doing my own nails for years and love nail art and slowly started getting people asking me to do theirs. I've just taken the step and done a one day mani pedi course. I know they are not the best and are not everything I need. But I know I am willing to learn! I have a background in biology and biomedical science so have a good idea about anatomy and physiology (human dissection ) but there's still so much to learn! This site is the best education you can get! Thanks to people like Geeg and mum we are being shown the right way to do things. You guys really amazing to give up your time to help is.

 

[x Fee x]

That was so incredibly sweet Geeg (I'm having a sentimental day lol)

I hope in long years to come, those of us that spend all of our time on SG to learn to be the very best we can, will still be around the site as seasoned pro's and feel the same way about the friends we've made here on our journey xx

 

[jacqueline]

I'd rather have 50 hours of great training than 600 hours of bad to mediocre! You end up having to relearn everything and that can be harder than learning the first time around!

Agreed but I do like the fact that it is a legally required set of hours whether it be 240, 600, 1200 etc. and then after graduating you have to be licensed by whatever state and follow all the strict regulation pertaining to operating as a nail tech, etc.. I like the regulation in the industry over here, it is one of the things I think is way better than back home.

Generalising a bit here of course, but I find the mediocre students tend to fade away and those genuinely interested go on and take further training in the techniques and systems they desire to work with more.

I also agree that colleges etc. are 'encouraged" to pass sub standard students all because of finances.

And to the OP don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks. I have degrees in IS and Management and worked in that field for 20 something years but I changed paths and now have my own spa business and I am happier. People did ask why I was "dumbing down" but I just didn't see it like that and I would lightheartedly quote something from the anatomy books at them and laugh at the blank looks on their faces.

 

[geeg]

Agreed but I do like the fact that it is a legally required set of hours whether it be 240, 600, 1200 etc. and then after graduating you have to be licensed by whatever state. I like the regulation in the industry over here, it is one of the things I think is way better than back home.

Generalising a bit here of course, but I find the mediocre students tend to fade away and those genuinely interested go on and take further training in the techniques and systems they desire to work with more.

I also agree that colleges etc. are 'encouraged" to pass sub standard students all because of finances.

And to the OP don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks. I have degrees in Is an Management and worked in that field for 20 something years but I changed paths and now have my own business and am happier. People did ask why I was "dumbing down" but I just dont't see it like that

In response to your first paragraph, I find that US newly licensed technicians have the same basic insecurities and questions as the students who have done college training rather than good company training here in the UK. They are trained in the US to pass State boards (which seems to have more emphasis placed upon it than doing the job beautifully)and still they are not ready for the salon environment despite the hours.

 

[jacqueline]

In response to your first paragraph, I find that US newly licensed technicians have the same basic insecurities and questions as the students who have done college training rather than good company training here in the UK. They are trained in the US to pass State boards (which seems to have more emphasis placed upon it than doing the job beautifully)and still they are not ready for the salon environment despite the hours.

I think even the most confident person coming out of school or training and starting in the salon environment would have some insecurities in the beginning.

However, I can definitely see where you are coming from as I have taken on two girls straight from college in the past, you have to start somewhere right, so I thought I would do my bit. One was as you describe, in fact she was pretty slow with even the basic manicure never mind gel or acrylics.

And then more recently I have a girl who took to it like a duck to water and does it all with minimum supervision soon to be none. She is doing her CND certification next month as, as you know we have to do the training to be listed on the CND site now, rather than just ticking the boxes and making the declaration, so she is my success story.

 

[sallyyummymummy]

I was very lucky at my college as we had a fantastic science tutor who taught us a&p etc. It was so tough but he got us through. I studied btec and half of the students dropped out because it was too hard. And out of those that completed there are only around half of us that have careers in the beauty industry.

I lived with a couple of trainee nurses once & they couldn't get over the fact I knew as much a&p as them lol

The way I see it I'm happy in my job and love what I do which is more than can be said than a lot of people who are always saying they hate mondays & counting down to the weekend!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[mum]

I used to think the US had it right with the minimum hours to get a license. I now know it doesn't work any better than here!

The quality of training is key wherever you do it. It's a lottery.

 

[cloughers]

I don't care what other people think. I've been a PA for years and trained with CND in Australia in 2005 when we moved there for 2 years because I couldn't get an office job and I'd always had my nails done and had an interest in it. I've since had 2 more children so 3 now and now also have an office job. I started doing Gelish 2 years ago in my conservatory and then last year trained with Nouvatan and moved into my spare bedroom doing nails and tans. Im still doing my office job and was just doing a couple of evenings doing nails/tans but I'm soooo busy the last few months that we've decided to get our garage converted to a room for me with a shower room and I'm going to train in waxing in November too. I'm quote proud of how busy I've become, it's all on recommendation and I'm juggling a 32 hour a week office job, 3 kids and working evenings and weekends doing nails and tans. I'm hoping to soon be able to give up the office job and also start waxing after my training and should have a successful business that fits in with my life and my kids. I can't be that stupid to have got to this stage on my own can I? I don't know many successful people who could juggle like I do and fit everything in as well as making a little business all of my own and earning some money!

 

[Lks]

I don't care what other people think. I've been a PA for years and trained with CND in Australia in 2005 when we moved there for 2 years because I couldn't get an office job and I'd always had my nails done and had an interest in it. I've since had 2 more children so 3 now and now also have an office job. I started doing Gelish 2 years ago in my conservatory and then last year trained with Nouvatan and moved into my spare bedroom doing nails and tans. Im still doing my office job and was just doing a couple of evenings doing nails/tans but I'm soooo busy the last few months that we've decided to get our garage converted to a room for me with a shower room and I'm going to train in waxing in November too. I'm quote proud of how busy I've become, it's all on recommendation and I'm juggling a 32 hour a week office job, 3 kids and working evenings and weekends doing nails and tans. I'm hoping to soon be able to give up the office job and also start waxing after my training and should have a successful business that fits in with my life and my kids. I can't be that stupid to have got to this stage on my own can I? I don't know many successful people who could juggle like I do and fit everything in as well as making a little business all of my own and earning some money!

Wow, you have a lot on your plate! I don't know how you're able to do it all. You must have excellent time management skills. Let's just say that mine could use some work

Did you advertise/market for your business or was it really only by word of mouth? You must do some excellent work if it was all on recommendations.

 

[cloughers]

I'm just a bit mental I think! I do seem to thrive on being busy... I started with doing friend's nails then they spread the word and I have a Facebook page. I put loads of nail and tan pics on my page and most of my work seems to come from there. There's a local online carboot page on fb and if anyone asks for nails or a tan lots of my clients recommend me which is lovely. I am a people person and think I make people feel comfortable which is essential when they're stripping off for a tan. It helps that I use good products that do what they say they do. I also sell Dreamweave mascara and its so good it sells itself. I've sold 130 since March so a good profit for not doing a lot except posting with and without photos on my page.