Have I left it to late to start hairdressing

[Miss Hair]

I think its crazy that if your past the age of about 22, then people see you as being too old to start hairdressing! I'm 29 and starting hairdressing in september and I feel so old, when I was at college for my interview another girl asked how old I was and when I told her she said oh I didn't realise you could go to college at that age I thought you could only go till your 19! And at another college open day a tutor said to me you should do level 3 cus then when your about 50 you can go onto teaching cus nobody is a hairdresser after the age of 50! Everyone does seem really against older people getting into hairdressing and I don't understand why! I am concerned that nobody is going to employ me once I qualify because of my age! X

 

[emma84]

i know its terrible but when i think back to when i was 16 i was doing my beauty training but fell into it rather then knowing thats what i wanted to do, i think it does take some people a bit longer to realise what direction they want their lives to go in and what they want to study in and its not always possible to do the training you want to do straight from school, so why not have more help available for those that know what they want to at a time in their lives when they can actually do something about it, argh it frustrates me soo much sorry to go on lol

 

[persianista]

I think its crazy that if your past the age of about 22, then people see you as being too old to start hairdressing! I'm 29 and starting hairdressing in september and I feel so old, when I was at college for my interview another girl asked how old I was and when I told her she said oh I didn't realise you could go to college at that age I thought you could only go till your 19! And at another college open day a tutor said to me you should do level 3 cus then when your about 50 you can go onto teaching cus nobody is a hairdresser after the age of 50! Everyone does seem really against older people getting into hairdressing and I don't understand why! I am concerned that nobody is going to employ me once I qualify because of my age! X

The sad reality is that hairdressing is a physically demanding job. By mid forties, most of us finding it harder than we did when we were younger. At college, you do a client or two in the morning, and maybe one or two in the afternoon if your lucky. A column of 15-18 clients a day is not unusual for a senior stylist.

Most college leavers really struggle to run a column (which is why salon owners shy away from them), when they are young and fit. To begin salon work in your fifties would certainly be a baptism of fire!

Personally I have seen older work experience ladies sob in the staff room as they had no idea it would be so tiring and hard. In normal circumstances our trainees build their stamina from age 16, so when they are working on the floor it is no big shock. Even they struggle with their shoulders with the blow drying though.

That said, if you want to do it, you will find a way. x

 

[Miss Hair]

Your completely 100% right in what you've said but I guess everone wants people to say oh you'll do fine its no harder to do it when your older but the real reality is it is harder, jobs will be harder to find, people that are older will be more likely to have children therefore the school run and everything else that comes along with kids! It is a physical job standing all day and to be honest all the salons I have been to have had younger stylists working there! I've read quite a few posts on here about people not getting jobs because they went to full time college and other posts about older people who have just qualified and cannot find jobs due to their age! So I guess the harsh reality is that this is just how things are and its not due to people being ageist! Its certainly given me something to think about x

 

[persianista]

Your completely 100% right in what you've said but I guess everone wants people to say oh you'll do fine its no harder to do it when your older but the real reality is it is harder, jobs will be harder to find, people that are older will be more likely to have children therefore the school run and everything else that comes along with kids! It is a physical job standing all day and to be honest all the salons I have been to have had younger stylists working there! I've read quite a few posts on here about people not getting jobs because they went to full time college and other posts about older people who have just qualified and cannot find jobs due to their age! So I guess the harsh reality is that this is just how things are and its not due to people being ageist! Its certainly given me something to think about x

There is also the reality that it takes around 5 to ten years to be truly 100% competant as a stylist. If you start at 50, assuming your health is ok, a salon investing in you would have a max 3 to 5 years profit before you retire.

I'm sorry to sound so negative, but the industry runs as it does for some good reasons.

 

[Miss Hair]

You are only telling the truth! I worked in a salon as a shampooist when I was 15 and the owner came in on a friday and saturday and did her regular clients and she had owned the salon for 60 years and she was 82!!! And she was still hairdressing at that age! I think I'm just gonna give it a try and if I succeed then that's great, if I don't then at least I've given it a shot x

 

[Emma-angel]

Miss Hair - Hunnie your only 29!!!!!! Still a young chick Go for it! If your passionate and love what you do, you will be successful.
This thread has had me chuckling. Your never to old to do anything. Yes there are lifestyle factors to consider, but come on ladies you know what your capable of. My mum is 55, she has been hairdressing since she was 16. She now owns a salon and still works just as hard as she always has. And she loves it. x

 

[Miss Hair]

Thanks emma x

 

[salonone]

Hi, just though I would update you all! I have thought very hard about everything and contacted local salons to get their responses and I have decided to not carry on with studying hairdressing due to the fact that I feel that it is going to be such a struggle to find work due to my age! No salons were willing to take on someone at that age as a junior and I can understand why so I have decided to focus on something which I feel I am more likely to get somewhere with! I've changed my course to beauty therapy which seems to have more oppurtunities for someone that is abit older than 17! I have been accepted at a really great college and feel more confident and positive with this course! X

Well good for you for trying...I'm still dreaming though after reading these posts I think it might be over for me. I just want to learn how to do it. I work in a mom and pop salon and they are so willing to teach me. So I think I will go with that. I don't think I will ever be able to actually work on clients but I can help out when I'm not busy. Good luck in your future endeavours.

 

[Sammi74]

Hi, No way is it too late! I'm 37, and after doing half my nvq apprenticeship in a salon 14 years ago and quitting (i hated the environment not the job) I always longed to go back to college and re-train, which is what I did 2 years ago, I finished my level 2 last June and I'm just coming up to my first full year of being self employed. I did a years work placement in a salon and due to family commitments I was unable to work there full time, I knew I wanted to do mobile
hairdressing as I love hairdressing and love meeting new people all the time, but I was scared at first having limited experience, I just threw myself in and acted more confident than I was with every new client, tried to keep things simple!

I would have loved more salon experience but it's just not worked out that way, I feel much more confident now with cutting and don't feel very nervous at all now in comparison to what I did, I must be doing ok as I've had returning clients now for almost 18 months and I have had my own business flyers printed which have brought it most of my new clientelle.

My colouring is a huge work in progress (i dont do a lot of it) but I'm still working out whether to continue with the colouring as I feel very underqualified not having the help of work colleagues to show me the ropes.

Go for it, I would rather regret having a go and it not working out than the regret of never having a go!!:biggrin:

 

[emsie]

Im 31 and am just starting in hair and beauty after taking redundancy and a complete career change!

I have even given my age a second thought tbh.
You`re never too old to learn....go for it!