Even though hairdressers are in high demand, applying for hairdressing roles can be very competitive. This means one of the most important things you’ll need when applying for a job as a hairdresser is a well written and professional resume.
Besides you portfolio, the right resume coupled with a killer cover letter can really will give you the best chance of successfully landing a job at your chosen salon.

Introduce yourself: The first thing you need to do is provide basic contact information. You should have your name, address, contact number and email address clearly placed at the top of the resume. This makes it easy for your prospective employee to get in touch with you.

List your education: Start with your most recent course first and work backwards. If you are in the process or have completed your Certificate II, then list it first along with the name of the institution and the start and finish date. Repeat this back until secondary school. There is no need to go further back than this.

Employment: Similar to detailing your education, start with your most recent role and work your way back including your length of employment and duties along the way for each role. But remember to be creative and don’t sell yourself short when listing your experience.
If you have not yet gained paid employment ensure you list any other informal or volunteer work you may have participated in over the years. Volunteer work shows that you are proactive and part of the community. This could be anything from babysitting to helping out at school to walking your family dogs, this shows that you can take responsibility and be relied upon.
Your achievements: Ensure you include any kind of awards or successes that you have accomplished over the years. Be it academic or in the arts, it will show that you have focus and commitment and been rewarded as a result.

Additional skills: Do you have any other skills to offer such as speaking another language or are you a wiz using Microsoft publisher, you will be surprised what assets you already have.

Interests and activities: Add a few key items that are of interest you, this will give your employer an insight to the kind of person you are. Are you in a band or interested in music, do you enjoy reading or perhaps you are in a church group, these interests will show that you are a mature and well-rounded person and hopefully just the candidate they are looking for.

Provide two referees: A referee is someone who knows you in a formal or more professional manner, this person may have to speak to your potential employer who will want to know if you are a trustworthy and reliable person. You could ask a family friend, a teacher who you get along with or a previous employer to be your referee.

Layout is Key: After collating all your specifics you can then put your energy into your cover letter and resumes presentation. In all honesty if it looks poor it’s highly likely that your potential employer won’t even read it. So keep the layout simple. These days most jobs are applied for online but on the off chance that you are applying with a hardcopy then ensure your papers are presented on clean white or off white paper and placed in a simple plain folder. Never use coloured paper to print a letter of application or resume.

Proof read: Last but definitely not least is proof read! Proof read that screen once twice even three times. Also ask a friend or your parents to go over it for you. A resume littered with spelling and grammatical errors will have been a complete waste of your time. Finally be clear and concise, ensure your resume is no longer than a page.

When providing your email address, try and register something simple and appropriate such as [email protected], or [email protected], it will look far more appropriate on an application than the quirky one you use for your social media etc.

What do people look for in a hairdresser? What keeps them returning to you and not moving on to another stylist or salon? Well obviously first and foremost is the great cut and colour you give them but there is another very important element that makes you stand out above the rest. And that something is you, the person you are and how you carry yourself and interact with your clients. Being the best you can be takes more than a great haircut, it takes personality. So here are a few good pointers to get you on the road to success.

Manage your time: People don’t like to wait, we live in a society where people want it all and they want it now and if you want them to stick around then it’s probably best not to make them wait too long. So learn to manage you’re your time effectively by planning your day before it starts, get things prepared in advance and ensure you allow plenty of time per client. Don’t over commit yourself and take the help when offered. If you earn a reputation for being on time clients will come back and your business will grow.

Be honest: We have all been there, seated in the hairdressers chair and the stylist asks “so what look are we going for today?” you instantly whip out your smart phone with a previously saved screenshot of the latest celebrity hair craze and coyly ask “Can you make me look like this?” In your mind you’re thinking you are going to come out looking like Gigi Hadid or a Kardashian sister fresh of the set of a modelling shoot! But in reality not everyone suits all colours and styles and as a professional you really need to be honest with your client and manage their expectations. Use your skills and knowledge to help them find a variant on their desired look which will flatter their own unique look. Remember that everyone wants to look great and have a gorgeous on trend look so it’s your job to guide your client to what actually suits their tone and face shape.

Knowledge: For hairdressers in Australia it’s not enough these days to be able to get away with just a simple cut and colour. You have be on top of all the latest styles and trends and stay on well-informed on what’s in the now. Social media is a great way to follow trends and get new inspirational ideas. If you find yourself being the source of the inspiration then start up your own blog or website and no doubt you’ll have people looking to you for the latest styles and concepts. Either way keep in mind that trends can come and go in the blink of an eye so keep your finger on the pulse at all times and never stop learning.

Pay attention: Giving your client your undivided attention will ensure your client feels valued by you and gives them a sense of security with you. They will feel that you are both on the same page in terms of the style or colour they are looking for and what they are trying to convey to you, which help build a long term client relationship. A good stylist who gives their client their undivided attention will reap the rewards when the client regularly returns and also tells their friends about you.

Be a good listener: A good hairdresser will always listen carefully to what their client is asking, but you should certainly ask questions to clarify and ensure you are both on the same page, just before you start it’s a good idea to run through what you are about to do once more so that any miscommunication can be ironed out beforehand.
Once you get started then comes the ever famous hairdresser client chit chat. Try to take an interest especially in your regular customers and engage with them in genuine conversations. However unless you are a naturally chatty person it can be hard and somewhat draining to keep up a conversation the whole day. One of the ways to overcome this is to let your client take the lead, most people love to talk about themselves so when you get the chance give your vocal chords a rest and let your customer get it all out.

An unhappy client: Every now and again a hairdresser can get it wrong and make a mistake. But it’s how you handle the situation and move forward that’s important. Wither it was down to a lack of communication or a genuine misunderstanding a good hairdresser will be prepared to do what it takes so that their client leaves their salon happy with the results.

Offcourse most hairdressers can provide cutting, styling, colouring, bleaching and straightening services, but to stand out above the rest you need to give that little something extra, so don’t hold back, be the best darn hairdresser you can be.

Of course as a hairdresser your hair is part of your portfolio. We all use our hair to show off our personal style and personality and as a hairdresser you have the added bonus of using it to highlight your skills in your chosen career. Your hair is also a testament to who you are as a person, as we all know by now it takes only a minute or two for people to form a first impression of us, are you stubborn, welcoming, seductive or unique? Do you wear your hair up or styled into flawlessly flowing locks, each look gives a clue to your personality and who you are as a person and it’s a representation of your aptitude and abilities as a hairdresser. If for example you have a pink Mohawk yourself you are more than likely a strong confident individual who will attract the sort of clientele that align with that kind of look, but ensure your hair is in line with your some of your salons target audience while of course keeping it real and being true to yourself.

You are not going got find a stampede of clients breaking down your door if you can’t even manage to keep your own style in check. So try to ensure that have a rather up to date hairstyle yourself and that’s it’s styled neatly each day.
But it’s not just your hair that conveys your look but how you present yourself from start to finish. Ensure you convey the image that you want to portray by fusing the right amount of style with the right amount of comfort to see you through your working day. Wither your salons clientele leans towards a professional or a more family based demographic, your clothes should still present a stylish but professional image. Plan and execute your attire carefully insuring your outfits is appropriate for your environment.
Choose your shoes wisely by considering comfort over style, remember a hairdresser is on his or her feet for the majority of the day and by 5pm you won’t regret having invested in those extra comfy shoes.

Ideally you should keep your jewellery to a minimum, you don’t want to be draped in bangles and rings as the constant rattling sounds in as you style your clients hair may become annoying as well as they could easily be caught in their hair which far from ideal.
A somewhat touchy but important subject to mention is personal hygiene, when moving around all day especially in the summer months one can build up quite a sweat, so make sure you keep yourself fresh and clean throughout the course of your day by topping up deodorant when needed and washing your hands thoroughly, also ensure your clothes are fresh and clean each and every day to help combat any unwanted odours.
You are and your co-workers are a representation of your salon and people will critic you and evaluate your salon on how you present yourself.

“You’re never fully dressed without great hair”
Anon