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April 2, 2013

How to Work in a Nail Salon

nail salonIf you are passionate about helping others enhance the beauty of their nails, working in a nail salon would be a suitable career choice for you. However, you are not likely to get a stable job merely because of your passion. Therefore, you need to attain certain professional qualifications and experience if you want to improve your chances of a successful career as a nail technician. With that in mind, here are some important steps that you would need to take in order to achieve that goal:

Undergo Professional Training 

As with most other jobs, professional accreditation is an important prerequisite for a nail technician job. Even if you already have informal or self-taught skills in nail technology, it is vital to get formal training if you want to get a well paying job and develop your career. Avalon Institute is one of the most reliable accredited cosmetology schools in Utah and Arizona that offers training in all aspects of beauty care.

The duration of a nail technology course depends on the type of training school and the level of accreditation. For instance, a certificate course in a vocational school may be as short as three months, while it may take you a year or more of training to obtain a diploma from an accredited beauty school. With regard to professional training in nail technology, note the following:

  • It is important to train in an accredited college if you want to obtain a state license, which is vital to your chances of getting a job.
  • While different institutions have different admission requirements, a high school diploma is the minimum requirement in most accredited institutions.
  • In order to graduate as nail care professional from an accredited institution, you have to undergo at least 400 hours of relevant training.
  • Some of the core units you are likely to cover in cosmetology school include nail structure, application methods, different types of manicures/pedicures, nail disorders, communications and salon management.
  • Different cosmetology schools have different training approaches. While some schools concentrate on imparting skills required to pass state exams, some schools have curricula that offer well-rounded training in theoretical and practical nail technology skills.

Obtain a License to Work in a Nail Salon

In most states, you would need to pass state written and practical skills exams in order to work as licensed nail technician. In addition to these exams, you would need to complete a specific number of training hours in an accredited cosmetology training institution. It is vital to note that since different states have different licensing requirements, you might have to undergo further training or take more exams if you want to work as a nail technology outside the state where you trained. However, some states recognize nail technician licenses from other states.

Obtain Hands-On Experience From a Nail Salon

Professional accreditation is the main requirement of getting a nail technician job since it proves that you have received training in vital nail technology skills. However, to improve your chances of finding a job in a nail salon, ensure you get some hands-on experience in the field before applying for a job. Most accredited cosmetology colleges ensure that their students acquire this experience by requiring them to apprentice in a nail salon before graduation.

While most employers provide little or no financial compensation to their apprentices, the experience you get from such an opportunity may be the edge you need to stand out from the growing number of nail technology graduates on the job market. If possible, ensure that you apprentice in a state approved beauty care business. An apprentice will enable you understand the operations of nail care salons including the following:

  • The responsibilities of a nail technician.
  • The nature and type of customer relations in a salon.
  • Getting an estimate of your future remuneration.
  • The career development opportunities in a nail technology career.
  • The potential benefits and challenges of your career as a nail technician.

Look for a Job in a Nail Salon

Upon completing the above mentioned steps, the next thing you would need to do is apply for a job as a nail technician. Identify all the available nail salon jobs in your area and send or drop your application. In your application, it is important to expound on your professional qualifications, any relevant experience and indicate whether you have nail technician license.

Explore Career Advancement Opportunities

When you find a job as a nail technician and get some job experience, you would be able fulfill your long-term career goals by pursuing management job opportunities or undergoing further training in a specialized area of nail technology.

Conclusion

By following the aforementioned steps, you should be able to establish and build a successful career as a nail technician. Remember, it is also important to understand factors such as salaries financial benefits, career development and work environment before applying for or accepting a job in a nail salon.

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