Would you encourage a youngster into hairdressing as a career?

[Redbillie]

I have a niece who is thinking of changing careers and training to become a hairdresser. As she got good grades at GCSE, her Mum (my sister) wanted her to go down the university route and "make something of herself".

Consequently, she flunked her A Levels, got a job in an office but has since left because she hated it! (Like me!)

She now wants to follow her heart and become a hairdresser but her Mum is against it. However, in order to gratify her Mum, she has enrolled on an intense beauty course (NVQ Level 2 - 24 wk course) which her Mum thinks will "sort her out" - i.e. she will come to realise it isn't for her and go back to office work! I think she really wants to be a hairdresser and this beauty course is enough to satisfy her Mum. As a recently qualified hairdresser myself, I haven't really got enough experience in the industry to advise her.

Would any of you experienced hairdressers encourage her into hairdressing or the beauty route? My opinion is to go for it and see where it leads. I would be interested to know what you think.

Thankyou. x

 

[Perry_Althair]

I have a niece who is thinking of changing careers and training to become a hairdresser. As she got good grades at GCSE, her Mum (my sister) wanted her to go down the university route and "make something of herself".

Consequently, she flunked her A Levels, got a job in an office but has since left because she hated it! (Like me!)

She now wants to follow her heart and become a hairdresser but her Mum is against it. However, in order to gratify her Mum, she has enrolled on an intense beauty course (NVQ Level 2 - 24 wk course) which her Mum thinks will "sort her out" - i.e. she will come to realise it isn't for her and go back to office work! I think she really wants to be a hairdresser and this beauty course is enough to satisfy her Mum. As a recently qualified hairdresser myself, I haven't really got enough experience in the industry to advise her.

Would any of you experienced hairdressers encourage her into hairdressing or the beauty route? My opinion is to go for it and see where it leads. I would be interested to know what you think.

Thankyou. x

I got 11 GCSE's A* - C and an A grade A level in German....I didn't think twice about training to be a hairdresser, and neither did any of my family as id always been interested since a young age...i don't think hairdressing is a drop out in any case...i think it's something you have to be passionate about to be good at, not because you got no grades from school...you could be stuck in an office earning £8 an hour, or renting a chair in a salon charging £35 an hour for your services...it's not like we're all on minimum wage, you can work as a colour technician for worldwide colour brands or Reps visiting different salons...the possibilties are endless, like any other job

 

[Tomme]

I would encourage her to have a good long think about she really wants to do, follow her heart or please her mum. Is her mum trying to live her dreams through her daughter? X

 

[iconic]

My parents (..well, my dad) was exactly the same with me! .. I did well at school, got good gcse grades and he was adamant about me going to uni to follow in my brothers footsteps who is a barrister.. But I really had no interest. I wanted to do hairdressing, but he said he couldn't have a daughter who was a hairdresser! He said hairdressers work all hours for no money, and hairdressing is a job for someone who isn't good academically! .. Well, after plenty of arguements, I ended up going to college to do my A levels (maths, business studies and art).. I absolutely hated it and said no way was I going to uni. He then got me a job working in a bank through somebody he knows (even though that is not what I wanted either) I was there for 2 years, before moving to another bank, and then shortly after that I moved to work in yet another bank! Then it dawned on me, i couldn't keep moving jobs because I was bored and unhappy.. It wasn't the companies I had been unhappy with, it was the industry. It was somewhere I never wanted to be, so I needed to follow my dreams and go in to hairdressing.. Most of your life is spent working, so you need to be doing a job you enjoy! .. I was too old to study hairdressing at college So I gave up work and enrolled full time at a private hairdressing academy (much to my dads disappointment!) .. I qualified, got a job in a salon.. Moved to a salon closer to home and then eventually took the plunge to go mobile! .. I am now a mobile hairdresser working for myself and love it! .. Infact, everything has turned around for me now.. My dad can see how happy I am at doing what I enjoy, and he can see that now I am working for myself the money is great and now I am doing something I love, I really put my all in to it which has changed my dads attitude completely and actually my parents have just bought me my own first salon due to open in January
She must do what she wants to do and not what others want her too.. She won't be happy doing anything else and will have regrets of not following her dreams. Your sister must understand that.
Xx

 

[persianista]

Hair and beauty really are very different trades.
Beauty is knowledge based, college trained and pays higher at the start.

Hairdressing is skill based, best trained in a salon, and paid badly until you establish yourself.

Later on, hairdressers have bigger earning power than therapists. Good stylists with big clienteles are paid about the same as teachers, however the vast majority give up before they get to that stage, hence why it is seen as a low paid job.

Both hair and beauty have endless career opportunities for working abroad, cruise ships etc.

So I think whatever is your passion is the one to go for wholeheartedly.

 

[persianista]

By the way, I'm grammar school educated with an A level in economics! Hairdressers are not thicko's.

Actually it really is time to drop the whole bimbo hairdresser cliche.

 

[iconic]

Actually it really is time to drop the whole bimbo hairdresser cliche.

100% agree with this..
There is more to hairdressing than people think.

 

[mollie1985]

By the way, I'm grammar school educated with an A level in economics! Hairdressers are not thicko's.

Actually it really is time to drop the whole bimbo hairdresser cliche.

couldnt have said that better myself a lot of people still assume hairdressers/beauticians are dumb people that want to spend their day looking at the mirror lol x

 

[ballyboo]

Hi

I was in a similar position myself, I had excellent GCSE'S and my dad wanted me to do my A levels then go to uni to be a solicitor, and although I was interested in Law, it wasn't what I wanted to do as a career.

I had always wanted to be a hairdresser, but was always told my my aunty who has a salon that it's hard work, crap money and you are on your feet all day (I worked there on Saturdays for pocket money and loved it! lol) - I didn't care and enrolled onto the nvq level 1 without telling my dad. He went mad! I was very lucky and got a job in a fabulous salon in my town and was trained by the best hairdresser I have ever met.

This salon sadly closed as the owner emigrated to Australia, but I am now working for myself - I have a lovely home salon and am busier than ever. It is also rubbish about Hairdressing being a low paid job, I have never made as much money as I do now, and I take home more than all of my friends who have 'proper' jobs! You get out of it what you put into it - I am passionate and give 110% to my clients all the time so am reaping the rewards.

I am a Magistrate also, so have a good balance between my interest in Law and my career as a Hairdresser, I love my job and couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I would say that if your niece is passionate about hairdressing (which she seems to be!) then encourage her to go for it - she will only regret not following her dreams when she's older. Maybe sit down with her and show her some of your college folders and explain the hard work that's involved with training x

 

[zebra_cake]

im another one that got 10 A-C's at GCSE

hairdressing isnt as simple as some people seem to think . theres alot of science and math involved

tell her to try it. she may love it ...or she may haite it. she should find out either way

 

[Shelltreats]

It's a shame people still think like this. Upon completion of NVQ level 3 I trained to become a hairdressing teacher after completing a certificate in education and 2 assessors awards I'm now at degree level and can enrolled on most degrees available in particular a degree on education which is no mickey mouse degree. I have taught NVQ level 1 2 and 3 to students in school,college and adult students I'm now in the process of setting up my own business and hopefully puting together some training courses of my own . No thicko's here. It is hard work long hours and at times not well paid but it's what you make of it and I love it.

 

[Redbillie]

You are all so right. I agree that hairdressing/beauty therapy is perceived as a "dumbo" job but I have learnt first hand that it isn't easy learning to be a hairdresser and it takes a lot of skill (and you never stop learning). To be honest it has been the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life! And the most enjoyable.

I was "channelled" into the office route by my Mum too! I was in financial services for most of my career, qualified to financial adviser status but I really got no job satisfaction at all!!!

All my life I have been looking for something to fulfill me and my family have always thought of me as "faddy". My sister thinks my niece is the same as me. I would like my niece to follow her dream but my sister has banned me from talking to her about it! How bad is that?

Anyway, I'm going to defy her and tell my niece what I really think! I think once she goes on this beauty course, she will love it and then progess into hairdressing. Will let you know what transpires! :lol:

Thanks again everyone for your stories. They are all very interesting. :biggrin:

 

[iconic]

You are all so right. I agree that hairdressing/beauty therapy is perceived as a "dumbo" job but I have learnt first hand that it isn't easy learning to be a hairdresser and it takes a lot of skill (and you never stop learning). To be honest it has been the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life! And the most enjoyable.

I was "channelled" into the office route by my Mum too! I was in financial services for most of my career, qualified to financial adviser status but I really got no job satisfaction at all!!!

All my life I have been looking for something to fulfill me and my family have always thought of me as "faddy". My sister thinks my niece is the same as me. I would like my niece to follow her dream but my sister has banned me from talking to her about it! How bad is that?

Anyway, I'm going to defy her and tell my niece what I really think! I think once she goes on this beauty course, she will love it and then progess into hairdressing. Will let you know what transpires! :lol:

Thanks again everyone for your stories. They are all very interesting. :biggrin:

She's banned you from talking to her about it :-O .. Wow, that's extreme!

She deserves to make her own decisions in life.. And learn from her own mistakes (if she decides hairdressing isn't for her!) .. There is a lot more involved than just making people look beautiful and the 'fairytale' job!

Let us know how you get on with her Hun, and what the outcome of it all is.

Good luck to her xx

 

[faerififi]

I hate the stereotype that hairdressers are thick. Fair it has become a go to for girls who dont know what they want to do, but half of them end up not using the qualification anyway.
I have 9 gcses A*- C and A levels, AAB in photography, fine art and art history after attending the best non private sixth form in the country and they were pretty pissed off when I said i didnt want to go to uni yet and do hairdressing instead. However, after qualifiying i will be going to uni for photography in september gonna get insured and hairdress for my fellow students, hopefully means Il have a fair bit of spending money throughout uni without having to work a rubbish bar job. Depending on where my degree takes me, I can either end up going a photography related job or go back into hairdressing if jobs are still hard to find at the end of it.
Encourage her to do what she feels is best. Hairdressing has become an invaluable asset to my life filled with much fun and creativity. It doesnt feel like Im working when I am because its not boring.

 

[Tomme]

Have you thought of combining photography with hairdressing and maybe doing a makeup course? Wouldn't have to hire people to do the hair and makeup before a shoot so more of a wage to take home, and you are doing 2 things you love?

How old is this niece? I'm sure if she's old enough to o to college then surely she's old enough to decide her career path, yet again I say mother living her dreams through daughter, and from many others on here it's dads too xoxo

 

[faerififi]

Yeah I think i would like to end up doing a mix of the two. Hopefully at uni I can collab with fashion students and do something cool.

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I also had good GCSE's. I got them all at grades A and B.

I studied english, maths, biology and chemistry at A-level and absolutely hated it. Then i decided to do beauty. My dad was gutted but didn't try to stop me. I absolutely loved it! It was hard work and i came out of it with a BTEC nd, which my dad was really excited about after he was told it was the equivalent to 3 A-levels.

I was lucky that i had that support, but i went from being so completely miserable to being really happy. I would tell anyone to follow their heart and their passion. I know you have to make money but this is the best time for her to take a chance...before she has loans or rent or a mortgage relying on her income. The best of luck to her and to you xx

 

[Redbillie]

How old is this niece? I'm sure if she's old enough to o to college then surely she's old enough to decide her career path, yet again I say mother living her dreams through daughter, and from many others on here it's dads too xoxo

She is 18 (nearly 19)! xx

 

[alexandra.]

I got 4 A's at a level and a scholarship for my english degree...i still chose hairdressing as its my passion and my friends and family all say they cant imagine me doing anything else! I plan to go all the way with my hairdressing and make a lot of money whereas if id gone down the english route i probably wouldnt have made a lot as my heart truely isnt in it and more importantly i wouldnt have been happy. Hairdressing is far from an easy career choice but i think if the passion is there your neice will succeed, pleasure in the job puts pleasure in the work! Xxx

Alexandra x

 

[alexandra.]

I hate the stereotype that hairdressers are thick. Fair it has become a go to for girls who dont know what they want to do, but half of them end up not using the qualification anyway.
I have 9 gcses A*- C and A levels, AAB in photography, fine art and art history after attending the best non private sixth form in the country and they were pretty pissed off when I said i didnt want to go to uni yet and do hairdressing instead. However, after qualifiying i will be going to uni for photography in september gonna get insured and hairdress for my fellow students, hopefully means Il have a fair bit of spending money throughout uni without having to work a rubbish bar job. Depending on where my degree takes me, I can either end up going a photography related job or go back into hairdressing if jobs are still hard to find at the end of it.
Encourage her to do what she feels is best. Hairdressing has become an invaluable asset to my life filled with much fun and creativity. It doesnt feel like Im working when I am because its not boring.

What college was this?? X

Alexandra x