MCE Pay Scales

[Northwest_MCS]

Hi all.

It wasn’t long ago that I wrote on here about believing I was poorly paid as an MCA.

I’ve now completed my Wella MCE (and what a huge relief). I’m 24 and have 6 years experience in the same salon.

I work in a well known salon in the midlands area; my takings for last year were just over £65k - which considering my colleague took under 30k I believe is pretty good. I rarely get a break in the week, let alone a day and 99% of my clients request me specifically.

I love my job to bits, but cant help thinking that my Boss is taking the Mickey with my pay. Obviously in the present time, money is tight for all and jobs are sparse, so I’m not complaining by any means.

Does any body have a clue what I should expect to be paid?

I know commission can bump up your pay, but my commission band is so high (£800 per week higher than my colleague even though we are on the same wage) it is rarely achievable.

Ultimately it is probably my own fault, as Im the 'Quiet one' in the salon, who works rather than whines, but its now at a point where I feel used.

Thank you for your help all - if you would rather private message me, then please do so
:Scared:

 

[Northwest_MCS]

Nobody at all out of 95 veiws??!!

Somebody must know

 

[dee]

ok this might sound thick but .... as i have been out of hair a good while am just trying to get back into it .... can you tell me what an MCE is ? am thinking its something like "master color educator " ??

if so then i would have a meeting with your boss and request a reshuffle of your contract .. or look for somewhere else its not fair that you are doing a hell of a lot and not meeting targets set higher than the rest and on the same money

you sound like you are a fantastic hairdresser with a lot of passion and drive i am sure you would walk into a job in any salon
hth xxx

 

[Northwest_MCS]

Thankyou Dee.

A Master Colour Expert is on of the highest colour qualifications obtainable. Its run by Wella and you have to complete your Master Colour Artist, Master Colour Specialist and then be invited back by Wella to attempt your Master Colour Expert Award. In short there are only just over 200 in the country and took me just under 2 years to complete.

I loved doing it and it is well worth having but gees what a lot of hard work and stress. The final exam was a block head where we had to do a major colour correction which was hard to say the least!!

 

[dee]

wowzers !! i wish i could just get back to understanding color , lol , i would be deffo going in and having it out hun you have worked your bum off so they should appreciate a dedicated team member .. are you on a senior level wage ? as i would think you should be on decent money ... i know hair is the worst paid job ever but once you attain a high level you should be getting a better wage :hug:
hope you sort it out .. and hey if you want to try help me get my head round color i will pay you :hug: ... granted it would have to be via phone coz i am in canada , lol xxxx

 

[Northwest_MCS]

lol. Im the same with cutting though, I've never really enjoyed it.

Im paid £7.50 an hour, and my sister gets paid this stacking shelves in a supermarket

 

[dee]

have you not thought abut renting a chair ? or wont they let you do that at your place ? am presuming not .. its disheartening when you know your worth and you are undervalued ... please dont quit tho ... thats what i did and its sooo hard to get back into

 

[Northwest_MCS]

Ill not ever quit, as I love my job and luckily my husband has a great job and is well paid enough to support us both. My issue is more that I feel used.

Id love to rent a chair, but as I only colour, I need to find somebody who I can work with and trust to get the best for a client.

 

[dee]

ahhh i see , have you thought about attending some cutting courses etc ? you might enjoy that aspect a bit more now x

 

[scottydolly]

have you actually approached your employer and asked for a pay rise?

 

[Northwest_MCS]

Hi guys, well I got one just over a year ago, but it took about 6 months, and he made me feel so uncomfortable, and it created a real atmosphere for months. I just know he will be the same again. There are other members of staff in the salon (11 others) and none of them have had pay rises for around 6 years now!!

 

[Sammi74]

Ill not ever quit, as I love my job and luckily my husband has a great job and is well paid enough to support us both. My issue is more that I feel used.

Id love to rent a chair, but as I only colour, I need to find somebody who I can work with and trust to get the best for a client.

ahh! pity you are in Manchester i would love to work with a great colour technician as I really love cutting, and colouring freaks me out a bit!!!

Hope you can find somewhere where you feel valued

p.s maybe you could help with my colour question on my thread pls!!?XXX

 

[Northwest_MCS]

hehe

where are you based??

 

[Sammi74]

Wirral!! X

 

[-sophisticutz-]

You are taking 65k a year for the salon and you have to hit £800 a week to receive commission?
So are you are getting a percentage of £23,400, (the difference of your sales and target) ?

Sounds like reasonable money for Manchester, to me. Probably not what you want to hear, sorry.

 

[Northwest_MCS]

Hiya

I have to hit £800 a week more than my colleague who is on the same pay as me (despite her being a basic technician and younger) I have to hit over £1500 a week to get comision

In short I very very rarely get comision (only really over christmas)

 

[wellageek]

Hiya Northwest I also have completed my MCE and was promised a pay rise after the completion which I did receive but was no where near as much as I would have expected and to find that my commision target had doubled they put my prices up so ridiculously much that by the end of the year I hardly had any clients coming to me. The best thing I done was move salons. My new employers appreciate all the work I put in the do my MCE and even though my prices are higher they still affordable and have found about 80% of my customers that couldn't afford me in the old salon have followed me to my new place. I get a lot more basic wage now than my collegues I am 20k a year basic in wales which is pretty good. I do hit commision aswell most months so that has bumped my wages aswell!! I have to take three times my wage and I get a percentage back I forget how much. I would maybe go have an interview else where see what they are willing to pay you and basically put the pressure on your boss and if they aint willing to up your wages then it aint worth you working there!!! Hope that helps xx

 

[kimi1101]

Ive looked into doing my MCA and it is very expensive. Im not sure if you apid for it it or your employer did but if it was your employer then you need to be understanding of what they paid out.

However, why not even ask for a review of your commission structure? If you are on £7.50 an hour that is short of £16,000 a year...but if you are never meeting your targets then can you not show your employer how unrealistic it is and ask if it ould be lowered?

x