How does someone get a job if they don't have a qualification?

[Seraphine]

(Made you look, didn't I?)

Seriously! In my plans to manage my maternity leave, I've been looking at work by other nail techs in my area, in case I can find someone to refer to, or perhaps hire for a short term basis to cover my clientele. And for the most part, I have NOT been impressed. The work is sloppy, poorly executed, thick, next to no prep, rings of fire, poor customer service... no wonder they come looking for someone else!

However, one tech's name keeps coming up - I've seen her work and it's gorgeous (primarily gel, and she does fantastic art). Her clients are thrilled with both her manner and her work. She works for a salon in a nearby village, and I understand she works all hours of the day but most of the salon clients there are hers. She makes about £6/hour, but even though most of her clients would follow her if she left, she's very nervous to rock the boat with the owners and is scared to leave.

I just found out that she doesn't have a single qualification, and although she would like to get one, the truth is she is working with no official training and no insurance. She uses Calgel as well, which I know has a "no training, no sale" policy for their products. What is she using, and where are they getting it?

Now, how does someone with no training "fall" into this line of work? I would have thought at least a basic certificate is the minimum to get hired - or are there that many salons out there who would just look the other way? It would explain some of the other work I've been seeing lately, but is it really common for techs to be out there with no training or insurance? (I work mobile and alone, so don't have any salon experience)

I was hoping to go for coffee with this girl one day and suss her out - I'd love to offer her some work but I won't touch her without insurance. I have been worrying about her ever since I heard this - what happens if someone gets hurt! She's got no protection! (nor do her clients).

How often do you see this? I don't have plans to rat her out, but would love to encourage her to get herself covered. I'm so annoyed at the salon though!

Thoughts?

 

[angel fingers]

wow are you absolutely possitive that she doesnt have any qualifications ?

i know some salons get round using products that insist on their own training by getting 1 qualified tech and ordering enough for all staff.

 

[oey]

Probably the people she works for have the qualifications to get the products and they taught her.

I know there were (and presume there still is) many Bio Sculpture salons that only one person trained to get the products, and some of the staff did the official training but under the salon name so they could not take their certs anywhere else.

Would perhaps be worth speaking to calgel to see if the can fast track assess her skills and then she would be covered under the insurance.

 

[Seraphine]

wow are you absolutely possitive that she doesnt have any qualifications ?

i know some salons get round using products that insist on their own training by getting 1 qualified tech and ordering enough for all staff.

I was told by one of her clients that she (the tech) admits to not having any formal training - she's never taken any courses. She knows that she should try to go get some courses finished during her holiday time, but I get the impression she doesn't get much time off as she's so busy.

I just thought this was appalling. Where's the integrity of this salon? I know she's good - if she's that good, and is drawing in that many clients, why isn't the salon helping her get her ticket so she's at least insured?

I hadn't thought about how they were probably ordering in stock through a different staff member. Good point.

I haven't met her yet, so I don't want to be a busybody tattle-tale. This isn't really my business (unless I tried to hire her, which I wouldn't without insurance), but I was really surprised when I heard this.

Then, again I guess it doesn't take much to shock me these days!

 

[RedAdmiral]

It baffles me too but I had lots of eastern european girls who came in this summer who didnt have ANY certs just got shown by a friend and buys products on line, I have russian client for spray tans who does her own gel nails too she buys product back home.
I suppose someone is putting their rio kit to good use :lol:!

 

[gillian w]

I believe most nss salons carry on their businesses by one trains all.
They are obviously exploiting her, they could easily send her to be trained just to get a qualification. We all know you can be accredited in a day if you really want.Its quite an easy thing to do calgel in all honesty.
They obviously have her where they want her because they can pay her minimal wage for all sorts of hours and she feels she cant go anywhere else because shes not qualified.

 

[GLAMOUR BEAUTY]

I have even worse news...

I visits salons every day up and down the UK, and I know a few who do beauty and have no one qualifications. Once finding this out I do not go back to supply them.

Once a salon owner asked me to train her therapist in a well known pedicure. I had the time so I agree I would do it there and then.

I asked the therapist to get all the products out and a spa bowl along with her tools.

when she brought me the spa bowl I asked for surgical spirit to show her how to clean the bowl as it had a moldy scum, line and to me had never been washed out.

One of the owners clients was the model, and we began to go through the products and to get ready for the practical, i asked the the girl I was training which salon she used to work in, she replied that she was a care assistant for elderly people and had never done beauty in her life before.

I thought OMG

The salon owner came in and I said that I was only going to be able to do product knowledge with the girl as she had no qualifications, her reply was that I was to show her how to do a full pedicure including cuticle work ect and then give her a certificate for insurance.

I had to refuse as I only train qualified therapists and my certificates are only valid with college qualifications.

The salon owner was not happy.

I never went back to that salon ......

 

[dee]

ya see its that mentality that drives me crazy and makes me wonder why i bother !!
the best one i heard was about a lass who went bought the spray tan kit and got 4 "polish" girls working for her !! not training , or anything ... no wonder when a tan goes wrong etc.. it makes clients think we are all the same , it makes me fume !!

 

[femmefan]

I think this girl may need some friendly help

Suss her out quietly and try to find out the real truth. It sounds like she is being exploited. She has obviously had 'on the job' training and has a natural talent but it sounds like she is being deliberately held back and discouraged from taking a qualification to ensure that she stays at the salon. Possibly they are worried she would set up on her own and take half the salon clients with her.

Maybe with some encouragement in the right direction she could take that leap and go legit. She obviously doesn't realise how quickly she could do it and how benificial it would be.

Cheers,
Hazel

 

[Ruby]

I see this kind of thing all of the time clients don't even know that you need to be insured to perform Nail and Beauty treatments.
Those with no qualifications just buy off the shopping channels or on line beauty sites .
Even some one or 2 day nail courses are endorsed by certain insurance companies (how can you learn all about nail procceedures in 2 days ???????
This is why I feel that everyone who performes treatments on paying clients should be registered by the council and qualifications and insurance should be checked




Ruby x