Find Your Fit

To stay motivated and maintain emotional health, how can cosmetologists choose the right career fi t for a job among the many opportunities in the beauty industry? Members of the Healthy Hairdresser Advisory Council weigh in.

“Ask yourself: Is this a job or a career? Are you fulfilled? Do you evolve your skill to continue to succeed over time? Do you go to bed knowing you’ve made a difference? If you’ve answered yes to two or more of those, you’re doing great! If not, use your industry resources to explore jobs that match your unique skill set.“ -ANNA MANUKYAN, assistant VP education, Matrix

“Know your personal passion—what you can’t keep your hands out of! Is yours doing hair in the salon? Is it creating with color? Is it leading teams? Is it finding the absolute right products to help stylists achieve their goals? Finding and focusing on developing skills in your area of passion will keep you from frustration and help you rise to the top.” -NICK STENSON, chief artistic director, Ulta Beauty

“Study the environment for each opportunity. If you enjoy conversa-tion and interacting with lots of people in a day, being a hairdresser in the salon might be a perfect fit. If you like the adrenaline of being on stage, working as a platform artist might be for you. You might be a natural born leader, so being a salon owner fits. Theater work might excite you for the challenge of bringing a character to life. The important thing is to take time to understand yourself and what makes you happy—what makes you want to continue to learn.” -LARRY SILVESTRI, president, America’s Beauty Show by Cosmetologists Chicago

“Although some cosmetologists are motivated by money, others are motivated to create space and time to spend with friends and family, and still others might desire to become educators. For those just coming out of cosmetology school, an established salon might be the best place for them to learn and grow. For a stylist with a robust book of business and the desire to control varying aspects of their career and personal lives, a salon studio can be the perfect fit.”  -JENNIE WOLFF, VP marketing and education, Sola Salon Studios