Should i find another work placement?

[Mandita8601]

I'm currently doing 1st year in hairdressing at college 3 days and in salon placement 1 day a week. I've been working 1 day a week in the placement since September and don't feel i'm gaining proper experience there as i'm cleaning all day. What should i be doing at this stage in a salon? i know i'm not experienced enough for alot of things but think i could be doing blow drys or mixing colour or something. There are folk in my class that get models in their placements. Should i stick with this placement for next year or find another one. By the way she pays me, when she doesn't have to because it's part of my college week

 

[liana kay]

Thats why you are being paid , in my first year i was cleaning , making coffees , client care stuff, i learnt alot by passing up - if you are passing up and watching nobody asks you to do the cleaning! Even shampooing is a very important part of hairdressing, you use shampoo for coloured hair and loads of conditioner on fine hair -bang goes the blowdry. Hopefully youll get some conditioning treatments in , and then they may let you do some roughdrys or semis. The important thing is to show how much you are interested and willing to learn by asking questions and watching

 

[kimi1101]

it depends. I understand what liana is saying but i know a guy who stuck out a placement like that and hes now finishing his level 3 in the same salon and still they dont let him near anyone. what experience is that in a salon?

If i had a junior in with me who was half way thru level 2, i would be seeing what she could do etc. i have a girl with me just now in her 2nd year, just about to finish, cos she was made to do jobs like sorting out her employers reciepts etc in her placement last year. I've spent a lot of time with her this year and as a result i am going to employ her as a stylist when she fionishes colloege.

i dont think enough emphasis is put on how important it is where you train. thats great that where your friends are, they get to bring models. i encourage my work placement girl to do that.

I would personally look for somewhere else, or even just explain how you feel to the owner, its not that u dont wanna clean, its just that you love hair so much that you wanna be more hands one. good luck. xxx

 

[*JOANNE*]

I was so lucky with mine..first day thrown in at the deep end poster went up for models...clients that afternoon...scary but boy now i am level 3 it really taught me.....I didnt get paid....and wasnt treated like a junior..how ever a girl in my class my age group did nothing in her placement and the longer it went on the more fed up she became until she walked out....speak to your tutors at college explain it to them..when they do their visits they may say to your boss about you doing a few blow drys etc.....but speek to your tutor at college,
also speak to her...tell her your dying to do something..ask in a nice way offer to blow dry the staffs hair...etc...let her see you can do it....what you will be picking up without realising it is salon business etc the running of the salon..you will do level 3 and when you do your project about salon management etc you will have picked up on so much without knowing it..be a bit asertive....and speak to your boss and your tutor...she also may not think you want to do blow drys....she may think you think your not ready yet....speak to her x

 

[bronzebrunette]

if you dont think your learning anything then try getting a different placement, but if its solely just because of the cleaning and skivvying etc welllll thats kinda part of it!! lol ive just finished my level 2 and the placement i was in was a large salon so between shampooing there was always never ending cleaning to be done which i didnt mind because obv if i was in a junior role in a salon that size - that would be my job. i still think it was worthwile because it gave me a good insight into the speed i should be working at, but i do wish i had more time to just observe the stylists. i did feel a bit dissheartened going into college and listening to all the other girls talk of how they get clients for blow drys and apply full head tint etc so definately going to spend more time on finding a good placement for level 3.

 

[liana kay]

If its not working than go , but you need to let them know that you would like to be doing more and i think juniors are undervalued they are te grease that oils the wheels so to speak

 

[Mandita8601]

Thanks everyone , think i'll decide during summer holidays if it's worth sticking.