What Everyone Should Know Before Pursuing a Career in Cosmetology

What qualities does a beauty professional possess? Aside from creativity and a penchant for following beauty trends, most people who attend beauty schools and enroll in a cosmetology program prefer standing all day and chatting with customers rather than sitting from 9 to 5 behind a computer screen. If you’re dipping your toe into the idea of working in the beauty industry, there are some things to consider before you commit to becoming a licensed cosmetologist.

Traits for each beauty profession

The cosmetology industry is vast, and there are various careers you can pursue. If you’re the type of person who enjoys doing a friend’s makeup, hair, or nails and has an inherent people-pleasing quality, you may enjoy having a career in cosmetology. There’s also a lot of hustling involved in the field of cosmetology.

Take the life of a makeup artist, for example. A budding makeup artist might spend their days selling cosmetics at a big-name beauty retailer and moonlight as a freelance makeup artist. While makeup artistry is a form of creative expression, much of it requires stamina, patience, and detail-oriented enough to ensure all your brushes and makeup are sanitized between clients and everything is organized to ensure efficiency.

Any professional cosmetologist who is successful has people skills. Potential employers are looking for someone reliable, skilled, and able to talk to anyone.

The hair stylist of most people’s dreams will be an active listener, have exceptional hair-cutting skills, and can honestly consult clients on achieving their desired hair coloring goals. On top of these traits, you will need physical stamina and exceptional communication skills. Being organized is essential.

Standing for hours at a time comes with the territory when you’re a hairstylist, barber, or makeup artist. Becoming a nail technician, on the other hand, will consist of sitting still for many hours. A nail technician is an artist working on tiny canvases all day, but they also must be meticulous with sanitizing products between each client to avoid causing infection. Nail care can be a fulfilling and often meditative profession.

Finding an accredited cosmetology school

Once you determine your passion for beauty is fueling your ambition to pursue a beauty career, it’s time to join the ranks of cosmetology students. Finding an accredited school should be the first step. Accreditation guarantees you will receive a quality education and most of your future employers will want to hire recent graduates attending an accredited cosmetology school. Look for schools backed by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS).

How do I pick the best cosmetology school for me?

There are a few boxes you want to check when searching for schools. Look for cosmetology schools with the following features:

• Accredited by the NACCAS
• Clean facilities and an on-campus student salon
• Offers specialized courses or programs

Hands-on training at a student-operated campus salon will prepare you to work in the beauty industry. You will work on real clients while being supervised by instructors. This is a unique opportunity for students to get a taste of what it’s like working in a salon while having the safety net of an instructor standing by to help. This kind of hands-on experience is valuable in school.

Check to see what programs the cosmetology school offers. Students can expect to learn a lot in a cosmetology program. Cosmetology covers a range of studies, including:

• Haircutting
• Color
• Chemical processing
• Barbering
• Straight razor beard design and mustache trimming
• Advanced training
• Braiding, updos, and blowouts
• Basic facials, and more

If you are looking to specialize in your beauty career, look for schools that offer programs that cater to your needs. For instance, enroll in an esthetician program to become an esthetician. At Evergreen Beauty College, we offer cosmetology, barbering, nail technician, and esthetics programs where students will learn practical skills to help them succeed in their beauty careers.

After beauty school, what comes next?

Before submitting applications and offering your well-earned skills to potential clients, you must enroll for your licensing exam before officially obtaining a cosmetology license. Once you have a license, you can work in a salon, spa, or as a freelancer. The options are plentiful. There are different careers to explore as a cosmetologist and different pay grades. Before settling on a beauty career, learn what type of job appeals to you the most.

Career opportunities for cosmetologists

Many cosmetologists work in a salon. There’s also the prospect of working for a beauty brand as a beauty buyer, product manager, or ambassador. If you like the idea of a career in branding and advertising, learn how other people got their start in marketing as a beauty career.

Whether you want to operate your own business or work for an established brand or salon, check the boxes required and start networking and putting yourself out there. If you’re persistent and determined, you’ll find a career that’s perfect for you.

About Evergreen Beauty College

Our promise to students is to ensure everyone feels that they belong at Evergreen and will be prepared for a career in cosmetology. We take our commitment and our students seriously. Tour our campus to speak to students and instructors and ensure Evergreen is right for you.

FAQ: Is Cosmetology Right for You?

Are you an ideal candidate for cosmetology?

Cosmetology might be your best path if you are a creative soul who loves talking with people, following beauty trends, and creating your own hours. Do you enjoy doing nails, hair, and skincare? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, consider researching cosmetology programs.

Why would someone choose cosmetology?

In addition to being passionate about beauty pursuits, making people feel good about themselves every day is enough reason for most people to become cosmetologists. As a cosmetologist, you can solve bad hair days and make a dull complexion glow.

What is the hardest part about being a cosmetologist?

The biggest challenge is growing a clientele. It takes dedication, follow-up, and hard work. Once you’ve established a rotation of clients, you will begin to see the light. Another challenge is working on the weekends and some holidays.