Interested to know about all of your career paths?

[ShannonU]

Hi everyone,

I'm being nosey and am interested to know how many of you work full-time in the beauty industry and how many of you work in a few different areas?

For example, I am a part-time nail technician and work from home and do mobile visits but I also work part time as a a CSR in a bank and am busy the rest of time raising two sweet boys!

I just thought it would be interesting to learn more about you all! X.

 

[QueenofHearts]

Hi! I began my beauty journey in January. Since having my son (nearly 3 years old) I decided my job as an audiologist just wasn't what I wanted to do anymore. I still do this 3 days a week while I'm building up my mobile business. I'm focusing on nails, SP lash extensions and makeup. My goal is to get my business to a point where I can take the leap and do this full time.
I love how it's enabled me to be creative but also flexible around my family.
Yup... That's me! X

 

[Lacey]

Hey! I basically have only just finished my level 3 beauty, I finished in July, I worked in a salon part time for a year while I was at college and then I left college and got a job as a general assistant in a retail store part time until I could find a full time beauty job! Now I have landed that full time beauty job and will start from there excited!!! Xxx

 

[hairstudent]

I was an IT consultant for IBM while working there I started doing nails, I then got made redundant, i then trained in makeup started doing bridal makeup , then went to college for hair so I could offer the complete package. I haven't looked back, I love my job and the flexibility it gives me around my boys.

 

[souz]

15 years ago i started work in a nail bar and was trained in house then 10 years ago i went to college to get my certs and did beauty as well....since then i have worked in several nail and beauty salons some managing and training and i now have my 2nd home salon.

inbetween i worked in offices as a pa when i was a single parent and did nails in the eves! i love everything about nails, always have....i started getting my nails done at 13!

 

[ShannonU]

Thanks for your answers!! Nice to hear about what you all do!

 

[Mobile Manicure]

I work as a mobile nail tech while the kids are at school. When things are a bit quiet I pick up some mystery shopping assignments to keep the money rolling in.

In my previous life (before kids) I was a PA and use to travel round the world with my boss.

 

[Martin Duffy]

I finished my HND in beauty in the late 90's and went straight into full time employed salon work. I worked in a few different salons for a few years to gain experience and then went self-employed renting a room for 6 years, then I bit the bullet and opened my own small salon about 4 years ago.

 

[gillyxx]

I completed level 2 in nails and threading in March this year, i then worked in a couple of different salons. Then i got a job in security which has given me the much needed guaranteed wage each month and now do mobile until i build up a good clientele to be able to open my own salon some day.

 

[Wonda]

I've done what feels like every job out there !!

From leaving school at 16 I worked:

Trainee Housing Administrator
Sales Assistant in New Look
Data Entry
Ice Skating Steward (P.T. Evening 2nd job)
Sales Office Administrator

Then did my Beauty Therapy training in college for a year, but decided to have another pop at shop work

Assistant Shop Manager for Claires Accessories
Assistant Bar Manager
Shipping Warehouse Clerk
Nightclub Bar staff (P.T Evening 2nd job)
Office & Reception Administrator

Then had time out of work for treatment for a brain tumour

HR Administrator
Distribution Administrator
Export Customer Services Administrator
Assistant Bars & Duty Manager for De Vere
Sales Office Administrator

The moved down to Eastbourne for a short time

Teaching Assistant
Disabled Teachers Assistant

The moved back to the North West

SAP Administrator
Engineering Coordinator

Then got made redundant & decided to set up my own Mobile Nail & Tanning service & here i am 16 years later !!

Phew .... i'm mentally exhausted remembering my career path, just don't ask to see my cv as the official one looks nothing like the above !!

 

[PinkSwoon]

Hiii Shannon, I started a similar thread a while back, you might like to read some of the stories in there

Link here - http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/188999-your-journey-so-far.html

 

[ShannonU]

Thanks! I appreciate it. Love reading about everyone's paths!

 

[Hausofhana]

I'm a full time student studying English at university and work part time in a care home. x

 

[gr8nailz]

I'm a full-time college librarian during the week and work as a nail professional on the weekend.

I freakin' hate books!

 

[laura1201]

I finished my HND in beauty in the late 90's and went straight into full time employed salon work. I worked in a few different salons for a few years to gain experience and then went self-employed renting a room for 6 years, then I bit the bullet and opened my own small salon about 4 years ago.

My stories similar but I'm a few years behind! I finished my hnd in 2009 and worked in a salon full time for 3 years, but wanted to go it alone so I have now been renting a room in a hairdresser for about 6 months! Hoping that all goes well for the next couple of years, and my dream is to have my own salon one day after building up a really good client base at the hairdressers.

I would also like to go down the lecturing route one day, but I think the salary and holidays are my attraction more than the job itself! I would probably miss being hands on and miss the chat with clients!

 

['chelle]

Back in the day, all them years back before kids, I did A levels, then a law degree, and went into the criminal law profession (as a practitioner, not a defendant!!!) The hours were long and unsocial, and when kids came along the 2 didnt go together, so I retrained and changed my specialist area, and I became a legal executive in Employment Law. I worked for my local council and when an employee took the council to employment tribunal it was my job to prepare the councils defence case and represent them at Tribunal hearings.

Then I became ill and had lots of time off work. I was diagnosed with a lifelong condition and it made me reflect on what I want out of life. That's when I decided to retrain with a view to becoming self employed, and I went to CND to do the l&p training, and that's where it started for me. I started in 2007 and I've since trained in many other areas and skills and have a nice little business now :biggrin:

 

[ShannonU]

I'm a full-time college librarian during the week and work as a nail professional on the weekend.

I freakin' hate books!

Lol. I love books. I double majored in English and history in university and could not live without books. My favorite casual reads are books by Janet Evanovich! Love her.

 

[ChelseaNails]

I went to uni to do classics and spent soooo much time doing nails, after three years I realised I could charge, dropped out and trained up!
I own a very tiny nail & tanning studio in a courtyard shopping centre, had it nearly 2 years.
My end goal is to own a spa...but that's about 20 years away ;D

Where do you all want to go with your careers? X

 

[LieLash]

Hi
I've been in the police for ten years, six of it as a dog handler. At first I hoped it was a career for life, but now after years of being treated like a twat ( by my management not the scum I deal with) I decided I needed a career change but didn't know what. Iv always loved beauty and even more so being one of few feminine women in the police. But felt that I couldn't swap from being a police officer to a beauty therapists but then realised that I can be and promote my image to be whatever I want it to be. So at the end of last year I decided to do diplomas in beauty whilst still working full time, I got fully trained end of may this year and started mobile beauty as a second business. So now I work full time shifts, fit my beauty in and sleep, hard work but u gotta work for what u want. When my client base is up I will leave the police and hope to run as full time business. I realised there's more to life than being treated like an idiot, putting my neck on the line and for what - being told I don't arrest enough people or give out enough tickets. Instead I can go to clients houses and get so much more job satisfaction from doing a nice set of nails or lashes than working through the night for no recognition of the efforts I put in. Fingers crossed I can get out soon and start enjoying life in this new career - sorry for the rant. But that's my story so far!!!!

 

[Littletigerlily]

Hi
I've been in the police for ten years, six of it as a dog handler. At first I hoped it was a career for life, but now after years of being treated like a twat ( by my management not the scum I deal with) I decided I needed a career change but didn't know what. Iv always loved beauty and even more so being one of few feminine women in the police. But felt that I couldn't swap from being a police officer to a beauty therapists but then realised that I can be and promote my image to be whatever I want it to be. So at the end of last year I decided to do diplomas in beauty whilst still working full time, I got fully trained end of may this year and started mobile beauty as a second business. So now I work full time shifts, fit my beauty in and sleep, hard work but u gotta work for what u want. When my client base is up I will leave the police and hope to run as full time business. I realised there's more to life than being treated like an idiot, putting my neck on the line and for what - being told I don't arrest enough people or give out enough tickets. Instead I can go to clients houses and get so much more job satisfaction from doing a nice set of nails or lashes than working through the night for no recognition of the efforts I put in. Fingers crossed I can get out soon and start enjoying life in this new career - sorry for the rant. But that's my story so far!!!!

Aw I really felt for you while reading this I wish you the very best in your new career
My situation is the opposite from yours, I've been a hairdresser for the past 7 years and I am now studying animal care at college in the hope of progressing into dog behaviour one day. When not at college I continue to work as a mobile hairdresser the other 4 days of the week and my life consists of work college and sleep haha but I agree 100% you have to be prepared to put the work and effort in to achieve your goals x