Looking too young, bad for business?

[sarah1992]

Hey, just interested to see opinions on this subject. I am 21 but I really do look about 17/18 and I feel sometimes that clients don't trust me as they would a more mature lady and that I am just learning and using this as a hobby on the side.

Do you think you would trust a young looking professional (any topic, hair nail & beauty!) to carry out a treatment as much as you would an older person who may have more experience?

Theres no doubt the older the wiser & more experience but then again on 9/10 courses I have been on, I was the youngest person there. This means I might, for example, have 3 years more experience than a lady more mature but I still look like the trainee.

Really interested to see your guys opinions on this, sorry if I offended anybody Its just been on my mind lately

 

[Meira]

I have the same problem except I'm 30 and look 18! When I was working on a client during my training she was asking when I finished school and she was really shocked when I said oh about 12 years ago! So now as I'm just starting out I don't have much experience and look really young too! I think the trick is to be confident that you are going to give them a great service and they will pick up on that and hopefully not be worried about age etc

Meira Xx

 

[squidgernetball]

I always felt that being an older therapist stood me in good stead so I can see where you're coming from. However my daughter works with me and she is now getting a lot of her own older clients because they see her as being bang up to date so it does depend.

I think that if clients ask about treatments it makes all the difference if you can answer them confidently and competently regardless of age.

I was quite stuck in my ways until some years ago my friend in London had a thing called Shellac on her nails. I quickly trained and added it to my business and since then am continuing my professional development. Intimate waxing is next. My daughter didn't want to train in this and a lot of my clients have said they would like it done with an older therapist so fingers x'd.

Vicki x

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[clareg]

Ive been younger and mature looking but by no means old as im only 29, however in work environments ive done well by being articulate and mire informative then collegues and always gone the extra mile with my treatments. Faith was born! Know your stuff amd be able to connect with every client on some level and you will impress and quash any misconceptions about your professiinal ability. Remember in youth comes modern and up todate training. Those who claim to have so mmanyyears experience may have been doing the same thing for years but not actually retrained or gained any new attributes, so their experience doesnt xount for much.

 

[MrsSlim]

I think the key is confidence! I have clients ranging from 15-50+ I feel it's about adapting yourself to every client.. and why they are coming to you, to have a good natter, to relax? I am always told I act a lot more mature than 23 and I feel that's just down to confidence, and thinking yes I maybe a little younger but in good at what I do and let me show you what I can do! X

 

[MrsSlim]

Excuse the appalling punctuation from that last post, I'm still half asleep I think. ZzZzZz

 

[hazeleyes]

I have the same problem except I'm 30 and look 18! When I was working on a client during my training she was asking when I finished school and she was really shocked when I said oh about 12 years ago! So now as I'm just starting out I don't have much experience and look really young too! I think the trick is to be confident that you are going to give them a great service and they will pick up on that and hopefully not be worried about age etc

Meira Xx

I'm 30 and look 18 too- I'm always I-D'd! When I started as a social worker I was 24 and got sooooo much stick from colleagues and clients alike
Once you prove you know what your doing people trust you. You just need to work that little bit harder to gain respect and trust that's all!

 

[Nails<3]

I have found that because people think I look young they think I am inexperienced.

I am nearly 27 and look around 17/18. Still get id asked for.

When I tell people I have a 7 year old and 5 year old I get looks of disgust until I tell them my age.

Laura x

 

[Emily Case]

I have the opposite problem!! People always assume I'm older than 20 because I have one of those mature voices/vocabulary... I had a client yesterday asking if I "remembered" Starsky and Hutch

Xxx

 

[EmJ]

I always get this problem, people ask my how long I've been doing beauty & when I say 7 years they normally say "oh I only thought you were about 18" someone even told me I looked 16 the other day. I just take it as a compliment and say ill love it when I'm 50 cos I'll look 25!! Then I make sure I tell them how much experience I have!!

 

[Glittery]

I'm 30 but again look younger. I also have a wide age range of clients and a regular comment is that I can hold a conversation on so many subjects easily, plus my knowledge on the products we use and my 'scientific explanations' of nails. In fact it's a running joke that if you want to know anything ask me and I'll have an answer or get you one.

I've recently recruited and dismissed many girls as I couldn't get a good rapport going. My salon is very much based around the personal and one on one client relationships.

My new staff member is 20 but has worked in a large spa and hotel for 4 years and has met people from all walks of life and isn't phased by anything. I was very impressed to see her work with a client last week who was new, elderly and doesn't use English as her first language and on first glance came off as quite stand offish. Within 20 mins the client was perfectly at ease and thoroughly enjoying her treatment.

 

[Becca@PolishedToPerfection]

I feel exactly the same! I'm 20, have a 3yr old son and another due in a few weeks, me and my partner have our own house, I have my own car but to look at me you'd think is just left school! Haha I do worry that people will think I'm doing it as a hobby or a way to make pocket money x

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[LolliDolli]

I'm 22 but apparently look about 17. And there are a lot of clients that apparently think that means I'm inexperienced. Some are quite rude about it. Others are a little bit more subtle but I always know where it's heading. They ask things like 'is this your first job?' 'how long have you done this for?' 'Are you still at college then' an this is Usually before I've even started the treatment!
They always ask me my age (rude! I would never ask anyone's age) and then pulling a weird shocked face when I tell them haha.

And I always eh ID'd. Winds me up no end cause OH looks about 26 haha.


Laura xx

 

[sarah1992]

Thank you all for your replies, I have always tried to show confidence in my business and will soon be on the Cnd master painter course & I feel like this might help with clients confidence in my work.

I have been asked so many times whats my 'actual job' or 'is it just this you do?' Not inteneded by rude people at all it's just how it's seen these days by some people I suppose!

It is a very good point about being up to date with training there also, maybe we should focus on that to try sell ourselves

 

[Kawaii]

I'm 25 and get told I look about 18. Sometimes I get clients asking how long I've been doing a particular treatment. It can become annoying after awhile but I always make sure I provide a professional service, carrying out consultations and giving aftercare advice, following hygiene procedures and so on x

 

[laurakate]

Im 25 and I perhaps look older and I think it goes in my favour because along with a mature approach to clients I feel that people believe me when I tell them how long I've been in industry. Clients do ask this a lot...i think some ask out of genuine interest and conversation whereas others are asking because they think it might bare relevance on the quality of treatment they are going to get (which is not always a true theory but yeah).

 

[kojodojo]

I've had a few clients ask my age and assume I'm 18 when I'm almost 25. The key is to be confident and know you are good at your work. Once they see that you can do an amazing treatment and that your customer service is top notch then they will look at you like a person and not an age. I think clients don't always remember that some beauty therapists leaving school and study straight away and some return to beauty later in life so age isn't really a factor. It's more about experience.

 

[WilsonBarberCo]

I'm with you on this one- I'm 22, female and looks younger. I also own a barbershop. The amount of people who ask 'so does your boss work here or have they got you running it?' Is amazing!

The look on their faces when I say I'm the boss!!

Also works in my favour- I get door to door sales people in the shop all the time. All I say is 'sorry, my boss isn't here so I can't buy your rubbish/put up a poster for the circus etc'. Works a treat!

 

[Elaine Armani]

I'm 19 and I've been in the industry since I was 16, to my clients they think its amazing how I'm self employed at such a young age! It's not bad it depends on your clients some are rude about it but some think its awesome Xx

 

[Dani04]

Im in the same boat except I am tiny sadly Im not going to grow any more I have been in the industy 5 years since I was 16. I do feel some people would prefer someone who was older. Some ask what age are you and when I say 21 some say ohh you look about 14... no I dont :-(

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