Young techs?

[c-b0t]

Hmmm I'm not sure how old everyone is in here, but are there any techs in their 20's in here? Or did any of you geeks start nails at an early age? I ask because I'm 20, and sometimes clients seem to be uncomfortable by my age

Sometimes a client will say to me, "Wow you look quite young. How old are you? Really?? Uhhhh how long have you been doing this?" and then they look unsure of my work for the rest of the appointment.

And the other day I had a client tell my boss that she wanted the other techs to do her gels because she was afraid of me "messing them up" (even though I'm the only one besides my boss whos trained to use calgel )

I know I shouldn't let that kind of stuff bother me, but it does. I feel like my age keeps some clients from being satisfied with my work, and even respecting me at times.... like they see me as a clueless teeny bopper or something

Do/Did any of you geeks ever face that kind of problem? How do/did you deal with it?

 

[remember_nomore]

Oh child, you're not alone. I am 27 this year and I just finished school and I get the same thing. Then again there is the thing that I live in Florida and everyone is just about acient...

I don't know what to tell you to do hon because I'm still looking for my own answers. I would say let your work speak for you.

 

[Carmen]

I was just going to say I was in my twenties but I remembered I'm 30! For some reason, I still think I'm 23!! lol

Anyways, I started doing nails about 4 years ago and have never had anyone not think I was qualified because of my age. Just do a great job and prove them all wrong!!

 

[Artsy Canadian]

I started when I was 22 and had similar trouble. Not much you can do about....just know your stuff, keep learning, be confident with your self and your work and the rest of the nonsense will work itself out. It will be a temporary thing so don't let it eat you up...as you get more experience, you'll earn more respect.
It took me a couple years in a salon to get on my feet and get better at what I did, then word of mouth started going around saying I was the girl to see about nails...suddenly my age didn't matter anymore.
Good Luck! Hang in there!

 

[jonailtech]

im 27 and only just qualified recently in calgel also and i dont think your age should matter as long as you do a good job, but i can certainly see your point, if it was me i would not volunteer my age! im sure it will all come with time and when people see how good you are they wont care about your age

 

[sknight]

I am 28 and started when I was 26 but any strange looks I get are when I tell people "I'm a nail Technician" because I'm male people tend to go "REALLY?" How very rude! LOL

 

[sweetums007]

i know how you feel. i am 22 and have been working at my salon for only about 4 months now but have had my cosmetology license for almost 2 years. ( i had a baby so i didnt really work after i got my license.) i was asked by a friend to be the manicurist at her salon and she knew i didnt have experience with nails but she did and offered to train me. i would get looks from clients as if they were unsure if i should their nails or not. but i decided i like doing it and i am going to stick with it no matter what. sorry for rambling. lol

 

[ank]

Hi, i am 23 and have been doing nails for 2 years and i look quite young too but I have never had anyone be funny with me because of my age. I only get gob smacked people when i tell them i have two kids, ha ha x I would'nt worry too much about it, if your work is great then age should'nt be a problem x some people can just be rude x x x

 

[magsham]

Hmmm I'm not sure how old everyone is in here, but are there any techs in their 20's in here? Or did any of you geeks start nails at an early age? I ask because I'm 20, and sometimes clients seem to be uncomfortable by my age

Sometimes a client will say to me, "Wow you look quite young. How old are you? Really?? Uhhhh how long have you been doing this?" and then they look unsure of my work for the rest of the appointment.

And the other day I had a client tell my boss that she wanted the other techs to do her gels because she was afraid of me "messing them up" (even though I'm the only one besides my boss whos trained to use calgel )

I know I shouldn't let that kind of stuff bother me, but it does. I feel like my age keeps some clients from being satisfied with my work, and even respecting me at times.... like they see me as a clueless teeny bopper or something

Do/Did any of you geeks ever face that kind of problem? How do/did you deal with it?

Age is a funny thing aint it? I'm applying to Uni to go into nursing next year and i'm gonna be 40 and all people say is 'isn't that a bit old'? Ho hum!

:idea: Are you any good at nail art? If you are, why not put a display on your desk with a variety of designs using different things so that if you get someone showing signs of having an issue you can use them as a topic for discussion and be sure to tell them you did them. May change their mind!:hug:

 

[tracey louise]

i know how you feel.im 24 and i qualified in nails back in 2004.i think my age puts people off and also the fact that i am home based doesnt help either.as people feel a salon is more professional.although some of my clients know thats not always true.
its a shame things like this get in the way because 5minutes ago they were commenting on my nails and asking me where i had them done then when i say i did them and i am a qualified nail tech they then suddenly dont say anymore and the conversation has ended so i give them my card but i never hear anything back.ive noticed that it seems to be people in there 35 + that seem to be bothered by my age,maybe thats not the same for you.lets just hope that a new year means a new start.x

 

[RedAdmiral]

I started when I was 19 I have to admit I do have an old head on me and dont 'act young' if there's such thing so I suppose that helps put people at ease. I know that you do just associate younger people with being juniors or messing around so you just have to prove them wrong. I moved to Ireland when I was 18 so I think that showed my maturity, I've huge passion for nails and the fact I was constantly training helps.
Remember people can only make you feel bad if you let them :hug: as suggested display your young, funky talents and they'll come to you also KNOW YOUR STUFF and keep a professional attitude at all times.

 

['chelle]

I think this is such a shame, but I do agree that younger techs sometimes have to work twice as hard for half the recognition. It's ignorance that you just dont need, but if you can learn to ooze confidence in the salon even at times when you might not feel so confident you might win some of these people over.

Look on the bright side. In 10 years time you will be a really talented accomplished tech with a good reputation and yet you will still be in your prime, you could be really big in the world of nails!! I think it was Fiona Wallace who commented in this months scratch mag that she was sixteen when she started in her mums salon, for people who start young I think the sky's the limit for them.

 

[*fifi*]

Hi :lol:

I am 22 and have the same problem sometimes, but i just let my work speak for me.I done my first nail course when i was 16 so i have been dealing with it a long time. Don't let it knock you there the ones missing out.:lol:

 

[naildaze]

I'm 23 and started the schooling at 17 and graduated at 18.
I get that "how old are you?" comment a lot. But never that they don't want me to work on them because of it. I find it more so that they are curious how long you have to go to school to work in this line of business. And how much we actually can make, kwim? Very nosey but in a nice way hah. I found they'd actually try to find out my age in a nicer manner by asking "how long have you been doing this?" or "how long did you have to go to school for this?", "when did you graduate?"
I do not like at all when people look down on us for working in the beauty industry, because we "serve" people & they think maybe we weren't smart enough to do something else for work, go to university taking something else. Anyone else ever get that? I noticed it more when working for someone else than before I started my business. I live in an area with a lot of snooty rich people though haha, maybe that's why. But they tend to take me more seriously now that I am self employed like I am smarter or more qualified for my age or something. Wierd eye of the public huh?
Oh also I know I am still young at 23.. but I look even younger so I think that made people question my age more.

 

[Naughtynails]

Hi I started nails at the age of 19 and I am now 35 ​

 

[CorrineC]

Hiya,

I have my salon based at home and am 26, but have only had one or two people ask me how old i am.. Never really been a problem for me.. Maybe i look old! haha lol..

I think you should just do the best work you can and let your work speak for itself.

xxx

 

[sweetums007]

. I only get gob smacked people when i tell them i have two kids, ha ha x

i know how you feel. i am 22 and people are shocked when they find out i have a 9 month old daughter. they all think i should be 17. lol.

 

[Abigail's]

I started Working for someone when i was 17 and always got the 'well is she qualified ?' that really annoyed me just because i was alot younger than the other two that i worked with, people just think that just because you are younger you don't know what you are doing, but you will be the one with the newest training. i have set up on my own now last year at 19 and people are a bit funny i think about me being so young, i think your age shouldn't make a difference its your work they come in for,

 

[RedAdmiral]

I do not like at all when people look down on us for working in the beauty industry, because we "serve" people & they think maybe we weren't smart enough to do something else for work, go to university taking something else. Anyone else ever get that? I noticed it more when working for someone else than before I started my business. I live in an area with a lot of snooty rich people though haha, maybe that's why. But they tend to take me more seriously now that I am self employed like I am smarter or more qualified for my age or something.QUOTE]

H8 that! I get that all the time - worse is there are not many non-african black people here so people sometimes can be very rude and assume I am from Africa or cant speak english. I have been asked where abouts in africa is essex? I laugh at them (inside) at least they're not looking for my white stilletoes!
At 18 I came here to study Politics and Sociology and somehow got into nails and I've had it all and instead of letting it get to me I armed myself with knowledge. On my walls are 22 certs and I even have some at home, its like my shield from all the times people asked me will nails make me money? why dont i get a proper job? I'm young and just wasting my time etc etc. I'm 27 now still young and still doing nails!

Heads High Young people!

 

[RandomPresence]

Im 21 but look younger(still have to show id in clubs, and this is Spain!!!)
I dont do nails professionally, i have a table/station at home and work in the neighbourhood, but everyone has asked me how old i am. I find that drowning them in complicated words and chemistry helps, monomer, polymer, chemical composition differences in gel and acrylic,methyl methacrylate as opposed to ethyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid primer and hydrogen bonding, acid free primers and legal differences between the USA, England and Spain.
In the end i figured out that my clients actually come back because of my good hygiene...