Recently qualified and losing confidence

[irishrebecca]

I’m just finished my cidesco exams a little over two months ago and I was wondering how long it took people on here to feel comfortable/confident working in a salon. I just started working in a very busy city salon with very high quality standards and I’m really glad i got the job but I’m also getting really disheartened about how good I am as a therapist? I just feel so bad when I see my work(nails mainly) and compare it to the other therapists, some days I’m happy but most I just feel embarrassed asking people to pay for what I’ve done for them, how long do you think it takes to become a good therapist? Or how did you find it going from college to a real salon with REAL clients?

 

[Tinker78]

Well, if you got a job at a busy city salon with high quality standards and you're straight out of school - you've started out on the right foot!! Congratulations! It will take time and practise for you to build your confidence and a trusting clientele but don't sell yourself short - if clients don't like what they see they will ask you to fix their nails and if that hasn't been happening then that's great! If you can get more support/training from one of your colleagues then don't hesitate to ask for it. There are so many resources for self improvement and this is an industry where there's always something new to learn. But you should be proud of yourself, exciting times are ahead!!

 

[Scrubadub]

I have started working in a salon and feel the same but I am trying to think that if they didn’t like them they would tell me!

 

[AcidPerm]

I think there’s something to be said for the old apprenticeship training programmes.
You would be based in a salon with day release to a college and you’d be training, practising and assisting for quite some time before being deemed competent to work on clients alone. By this time, you’d have spent a few years shadowing and practising that you’d be itching to get started and feeling very confident in your abilities.

Unfortunately, students are under pressure as soon as they qualify to be working in a salon earning their wages and it’s hugely unrealistic to expect them to produce work to a consistently high standard compared to a colleague who has been working for at least 3 years post qualifying.
Confidence will come with experience and that takes time. That’s also why newly qualified staff earn much less than their very experienced colleagues.

If you’re newly qualified, tell your boss you’re keen to learn and improve and ask them about providing you with a mentor. Ideally, an experienced member of staff who you can offer you 1:1 support and help guide your progress.

 

[G.C.H]

Don't be so hard on yourself. You completed your CIDESCO exam (and that's not easy) . Well done & congrats on the job What type of nails do you mainly do ?
All I can say is practice is the only way to improve , we can all have bad days, which can knock confidence levels. Praise yourself on a job well done (maybe take a picture if that's an option in the salon & keep a file for your pics- allows you to see your progress) , and on nails your not completely satisfied ensure to ask client if they are happy (they will usually tell you) & learn from that to see where you can improve for the next set of nails. We are all learning and constantly improving daily .

 

[innerbeautyyorkshire]

Congratulations on getting your job. I found it took a while for me to feel confident with nails, but felt more comfortable doing other treatments. Your confidence will come with practice, and it’s also much more comfortable once you get to know the salon and your clients. It might be worth mentioning to your boss how you feel, as they may be able to spend some time with you working on things you might be finding a little tricky.
It’s a great industry to work in and we all learn from each other, even if we have been doing it for years! Good luck.

 

[irishrebecca]

Don't be so hard on yourself. You completed your CIDESCO exam (and that's not easy) . Well done & congrats on the job What type of nails do you mainly do ?
All I can say is practice is the only way to improve , we can all have bad days, which can knock confidence levels. Praise yourself on a job well done (maybe take a picture if that's an option in the salon & keep a file for your pics- allows you to see your progress) , and on nails your not completely satisfied ensure to ask client if they are happy (they will usually tell you) & learn from that to see where you can improve for the next set of nails. We are all learning and constantly improving daily .

Thanks so much I’m only doing shellac but the problem I’m having is the consistency? I use opi and gelish at home and for some reason I find the shellac much harder to do:/ it’s like it’s thicker or something? I find I can see brush strokes or uneven color? I asked my boss if she’d watch me paint one of my own hands next week to see if she can tell me where I’m going wrong so hopefully we can figure out what’s going on thanks again xx

 

[irishrebecca]

Congratulations on getting your job. I found it took a while for me to feel confident with nails, but felt more comfortable doing other treatments. Your confidence will come with practice, and it’s also much more comfortable once you get to know the salon and your clients. It might be worth mentioning to your boss how you feel, as they may be able to spend some time with you working on things you might be finding a little tricky.
It’s a great industry to work in and we all learn from each other, even if we have been doing it for years! Good luck.

That’s a really good idea! I think I’ll say to one of the other girls who started two years ago and see how she found it when she first qualified. I think what happens is that I get nervous Incase I make a mistake and then end up making a mistake because I’m too nervous [emoji28] hopefully things get easier thanks so much for your reply xx

 

[irishrebecca]

I think there’s something to be said for the old apprenticeship training programmes.
You would be based in a salon with day release to a college and you’d be training, practising and assisting for quite some time before being deemed competent to work on clients alone. By this time, you’d have spent a few years shadowing and practising that you’d be itching to get started and feeling very confident in your abilities.

Unfortunately, students are under pressure as soon as they qualify to be working in a salon earning their wages and it’s hugely unrealistic to expect them to produce work to a consistently high standard compared to a colleague who has been working for at least 3 years post qualifying.
Confidence will come with experience and that takes time. That’s also why newly qualified staff earn much less than their very experienced colleagues.

If you’re newly qualified, tell your boss you’re keen to learn and improve and ask them about providing you with a mentor. Ideally, an experienced member of staff who you can offer you 1:1 support and help guide your progress.

That’s how the two owners of the salon trained and I think it’s so much better then spending two years in a college never working on anyone other thank someone in your class like I did. When you qualified your then expected to go out and work on REAL clients and I feel so nervous about it:/

I think Asking for help is a good idea so I’ll do that next week and hopefully things will get better soon, thanks for the advice [emoji177]

 

[irishrebecca]

Well, if you got a job at a busy city salon with high quality standards and you're straight out of school - you've started out on the right foot!! Congratulations! It will take time and practise for you to build your confidence and a trusting clientele but don't sell yourself short - if clients don't like what they see they will ask you to fix their nails and if that hasn't been happening then that's great! If you can get more support/training from one of your colleagues then don't hesitate to ask for it. There are so many resources for self improvement and this is an industry where there's always something new to learn. But you should be proud of yourself, exciting times are ahead!!

One client did come back during the first week and I was so embarrassed [emoji20] She wanted mermaid powder on her nails but it was my first time using it and it went so lumpy and weird. Long story short, we were able to book her in and one of the other girls fixed them for her :/ I’ve asked my boss to watch me do my own nails so she can tell me where I’m going wrong, I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s felt like this tho.

Thanks so much xx

 

[G.C.H]

Thanks so much I’m only doing shellac but the problem I’m having is the consistency? I use opi and gelish at home and for some reason I find the shellac much harder to do:/ it’s like it’s thicker or something? I find I can see brush strokes or uneven color? I asked my boss if she’d watch me paint one of my own hands next week to see if she can tell me where I’m going wrong so hopefully we can figure out what’s going on thanks again xx

Thanks so much I’m only doing shellac but the problem I’m having is the consistency? I use opi and gelish at home and for some reason I find the shellac much harder to do:/ it’s like it’s thicker or something? I find I can see brush strokes or uneven color? I asked my boss if she’d watch me paint one of my own hands next week to see if she can tell me where I’m going wrong so hopefully we can figure out what’s going on thanks again xx

 

[G.C.H]

Shellac can be tricky . Ensure to shake bottles before use, very thin base coat, 1st colour cost nearly trsnslucent/clear that you can see nail plate , 2nd colour coat generous amount of colour , not overloading the brush . Ensure to cap free edge (part you file) first .
Have you done the shellac training with a CND educator , this is great training . If not , ensure you get adequate in house training. Also look up YouTube CND shellac application ( think it's called 5 point polish ) it's very good video Chin up , and keep practising

 

[Jade mcgoo]

Hi
I'm new to the salon geekso don't no how it really works lol.
I have done beauty courses and then was lucky that I landed my first job in 5 star spa and gained my espa essentials and advanced but wanted to do more beauty. So decided at the start of the year I would look for part time work in a salon nans work from my room in my house and mobile and it's been good.

But I always get the feeling my not good enough and always worry. And had a few complaints last week in the salon and knocked my confidence

At home if its nails I always try and remmber to message just to ask how there nails l are and there eather fine or chipping off.

And I have been in the industry 5 years do I keeping going or jack in the towel.

Any help or advice xx

 

[House Beauty]

Complaints, although they leave you feeling horrid, are always learnable experiences. Not always just in how you do the treatment but sometimes handling difficult people and other things that help you in the long run. Ask your boss what you could do to improve on these areas that you got complaints about. Most of the time a complaint is just someone that has had a really bad day and they’ve unloaded it on you without considering consequences for you.

Your boss would also want to know that you are not enjoying it, it’s such a high turnover industry that if they can help and improve things for you, get you extra training or a 1:1 if you need it, they will want to help you. Staff morale is important for clients experiences.

It’s nice that you are thinking of going self employed but if you are feeling this way now, how will you feel when you get a complaint at home? Will you be able to shrug it off and work on it or will it tear you apart?

You don’t need to text anyone and see how their nails are, it will just make them think of negatives. If they have a problem they will get in touch and if they don’t get in touch about it that is their problem. Nails chip it’s just life. No need to get down about it, just repair if asked.

 

[inspia]

Maybe get a nail trainer hand too and keep practising at home, i'm due to finish my level 2 next week and we are all crap! There is no way after 3 pre ob goes on a class mate and one final on a client we are salon worthy particularly with nails so it's scary stuff, so it's practice at home time. I have a nail trainer and will be practising and watching vids for tips.