Trainee job in a salon...advice please

[PinkGem]

I posted this message last week.

Hi all.

I went for an interview at the start of the week for a trainee position at a local salon, I had great feedback, all positive. Later that day I had a call saying how I impressed them with my the set of acylics I had done,considering i am still finishing my course. They offered me the position. I started today, 9.30-5.30, mainly shadowing the nail techs, I did prep and tips on some clients. I will be preping and tipping mainly untill I am confident enough to do the over lay and upto her standard.
Then the owner said I would be on a trainee rate of £16 per day thats £64 per week. My wage will go up after I start gaining experience and finish the course etc and then commision will be gained. I will work 4 days a week and maybe some days 9.30-8pm!!!!

I am 24 this month,not a school leaver, I have a mortgage and bills to pay, I have nearly finished my course and yet I am getting 16 quid a day!! Although Im not an apprentice and yes i am a trainee but i fundedmy own course which is not at college.

Hope all of this makes sense?? Is this all correct?

I love doing nails and i love the salon and staff but surely i can be paid minimum wage!!!

Thanks all x


I havent had time today to speak to the owner as its so so busy, I have done half a day and just tried to call to try and speak with her. They have said that we will "start again" and they want me in next monday!! I said I can do half a day tomorrow and all day thurs fri and sat but shes told me next monday!!!!

What is going on and what shall I do? I want to work in a salon and gain experience but I dont want to be messed about. Now I have issues with the pay, if they really want me etc...

Any more advice would be great. Thanks xxx

 

[Rivone]

OMG what a crap wage - I wouldn't get out of bed for that!

Anyway, yes getting the experience is a wonderful thing but being taken as the salon doormat isn't.

I work part time in a College and I know the apprentices wage is going up to £95 per week so you need to be earning this at least.

My advise would be to approach the manager and explain that because of the low wage your getting and that you still need to pay mortgage and bills you have applied for working tax credits, but you have been advised that due to your age and the nature of the job (i.e. your not an apprentice on an apprenticeship) you should be paid NMW (£5.73ph).

See what the reaction is!

Are you being put through the books? Are you paying your NI stamps or is she? If your meant to be doesn't that mean your meant to be self-employed? If she is menat to be then surely unless your on an official apprenticeship (on £95ph) then you should be paid NMW.

Just my thoughts - good luck honey!

 

[glitz]

I am sorry but I do think you are being taken advantage of its only just £2 per hour even though you are training they still have you working I would bet its not that long until they have you doing full sets if someone calls in sick or is on hol or they get a busy period. Look at it this way - my son who is 16 gets £4 per hour helping out at a restaurant prepping the food assisting the chef etc just because he cant cook the meals it dosent mean he should be paid buttons his help is valued and he is paid to reflect this, I would consider working for yourself or travelling a little further no amount of salon experience is worth slave labour in my opinion.

 

[glitz]

My advise would be to approach the manager and explain that because of the low wage your getting and that you still need to pay mortgage and bills you have applied for working tax credits, but you have been advised that due to your age and the nature of the job (i.e. your not an apprentice on an apprenticeship) you should be paid NMW (£5.73ph).

See what the reaction is!

Are you being put through the books? Are you paying your NI stamps or is she? If your meant to be doesn't that mean your meant to be self-employed? If she is menat to be then surely unless your on an official apprenticeship (on £95ph) then you should be paid NMW.

Just my thoughts - good luck honey!

Very good advice I would try this.

 

[anna592]

i admire your enthusiasm to learn and to gain experience, but deep in your heart would you REALLY be happy working for this woman??

your already questioning your pay. and now your a bit confused about when they actually want you to work.

as much as i can hear your love to learn, im already sensing you getting fed up with this situation.

its easy for everyone here to say stay working there for the experience, or get out now while you can, but i think deep in your heart you know what you need to do.

what would be your advice if this was somebody else in your situation?? and i think then you'll find the answer to what you need to do.

as i mentioned previously, ive been in a similar situaion to pay, and when i left that salon to work at another salon, i was basically lied to. i was told that i was replacing the previous tech who was leaving completely and that there was a clientele waiting for me....when i started working there, the previous tech was still working there on certain days a week and there was no clientele for me. needless to say i left after 6 months deciding to work from home.

im not saying that all salons are bad...there are some very good salons out there, and im not even suggesting for you to start work mobile...you yourself have stated that you would be better gaining some experience first.

as ive said look at the answer youd give if this was someone else, maybe try ringing the woman again tomorrow, and from there i think you will know what you need to do.

hope this helps xx

 

[PinkGem]

Thank you so much for your replies, I am shocked at the response and you are all so kind.

I am going to call the manager and tell her I will not be returning. As far as I am concerned from the word go I have been taken advantage of and I can not trust anything they say or do.

So thats then, I will carry on at home, doing my family and friends nails and build on that.

Thanks again xx

 

[fifitrix]

Thank you so much for your replies, I am shocked at the response and you are all so kind.

I am going to call the manager and tell her I will not be returning. As far as I am concerned from the word go I have been taken advantage of and I can not trust anything they say or do.

So thats then, I will carry on at home, doing my family and friends nails and build on that.

Thanks again xx

I wouldn't cut off my nose to spite my face here hun, why not make an appointment to go see her face to face, work out where you both stand and THEN decide. :hug:

 

[PinkGem]

I wouldn't cut off my nose to spite my face here hun, why not make an appointment to go see her face to face, work out where you both stand and THEN decide. :hug:

Thanks for your message. I understand where you are coming from but from day one I feel i have been taken advantage of and I do not want to work for someone like that. I have been here before in other areas of business and I will not go through it all again and will get out while I can now.

 

[anna592]

i wish you the best of luck pinkgem. maybe try ringing all the salons around where you are asking if they will take you on for experience, the worst they'll say is no, but at least you would have tried-best to do it now before the college year ends and all the students leave looking for jobs!!

 

[Poshfloss]

Hi Hun,
Stick to your guns, I was in similar situ once, sent you PM.
Lotsa luv x :hug: x

 

[Teebster]

For what it is worth I do my husband's company's wages through a sage payroll system with on-line and telephone support. I spoke to them today and they said that it is illegal to pay anyone below the minimum national wage and it is the employers responsibility to ensure that they do so. Look on the ACAS website. It states that 22 and over must be paid a min of £5.73 an hour. Its the law - end off. Good luck. hth. xxx

 

[PinkGem]

For what it is worth I do my husband's company's wages through a sage payroll system with on-line and telephone support. I spoke to them today and they said that it is illegal to pay anyone below the minimum national wage and it is the employers responsibility to ensure that they do so. Look on the ACAS website. It states that 22 and over must be paid a min of £5.73 an hour. Its the law - end off. Good luck. hth. xxx

Thanks for your msg. I phoned the National Minimum wage helpline and they said exactly the same. I am going to speak with her about the wage issue, but I have been taken advantage of right from day one and no one should work for some one like that.

 

[PinkGem]

even as a trainee, you are worth more than that. you are a convienience as you will be the one repairing all the odd broken nails for customers between appointments. no doubt you'll be the one making all the coffees, tidying up, possibly answering the phone and making calls.

My first day last week, I prepped and tipped 2 sets, I washed the salon floor, cleaned soak off bowls, answered phone, made appointments. All for £16, its really dis heartening.

 

[anna592]

My first day last week, I prepped and tipped 2 sets, I washed the salon floor, cleaned soak off bowls, answered phone, made appointments. All for £16, its really dis heartening.

i know what you mean hun. my first week was spent mostly watching the other girls doing nails. i then spent some time doing my own nails. we had another girl join us as well just after so there was some practising on each other as well (never again-she was so rough!!)-but this was ongoing for a few months unil we built up our own customer base.

tbh i wasnt allowed to answer the phone or make appointments for other everyone else until id been there a few weeks so i could suss out everyones times and working patterns.

i also had my sister come in for nails on the first week so my boss could see how i got on doing a full set, and my first paying client i did at the end of the 2nd week, but i had to show my boss the nails at every stage, so she could make sure i was doing everything right.

tbh as much as i didnt need the supervision, as i picked everything up fairly quick and practised like mad every evening, it was nice to have that support there-but things did go downhill because of pay and other things.

 

[PinkGem]

i know what you mean hun. my first week was spent mostly watching the other girls doing nails. i then spent some time doing my own nails. we had another girl join us as well just after so there was some practising on each other as well (never again-she was so rough!!)-but this was ongoing for a few months unil we built up our own customer base.

tbh i wasnt allowed to answer the phone or make appointments for other everyone else until id been there a few weeks so i could suss out everyones times and working patterns.

i also had my sister come in for nails on the first week so my boss could see how i got on doing a full set, and my first paying client i did at the end of the 2nd week, but i had to show my boss the nails at every stage, so she could make sure i was doing everything right.

tbh as much as i didnt need the supervision, as i picked everything up fairly quick and practised like mad every evening, it was nice to have that support there-but things did go downhill because of pay and other things.

I expected to shadow the others and only prep and tip, do all the other chores as I am a "trainee" and I am very willing to do all these things except nails. I also understand that I have to get each step perfect before moving on. I am so motivated and positive but the wage issue, the fact she hasnt made the time to sit down and go through the terms and conditions of my position, I am not going in at all this week, she wants me in monday now, so I am being used by the looks of it.
Too many factors saying not to stay!!

 

[Beautification]

I was talking to someone yesterday and if your under 19 or 21 cnt remember which u get the £80 a week like apprentice wage but if not if your at college but your older they have to pay you a national minimum wage.

 

[anna592]

try not to get too disheartened hun...your lucky youve still got your enthusiasm for nails. i actually lost mine, and it took a while for me to start loving nails again.