Lacking job satisfaction? Whether feeling unchallenged or not having enough career prospects, most have contemplated a career change at least once.
If you love making people feel great about themselves and you’re creative, a cosmetology career change might be what you’re after. Now a 532 billion dollar industry, it’s a great time to consider a career change into beauty.
How Do I Know if a Career Change Is Right?
You are the only person who will truly know if a career change into cosmetology is right. Trust your gut. If it’s something you’ve been thinking about for a while but haven’t dared to do, it could be a great fit.
Besides the above advice, a good indication that a cosmetology career is right for you is a passion for beauty. The age-old idiom of “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” couldn’t be more true. This career may be perfect if you love doing your own, or other people’s, hair and makeup.
This isn’t to say a cosmetology career is easy. Your passion must be combined with a good work ethic and other skills.
These other skills include attention to detail, good communication, and great listening skills. There’s no perfect candidate for a cosmetology student. The industry is varied and unique and leaves much room for individualism.
If you’re still figuring out whether starting a cosmetology career is right for you, our best advice is to speak to local cosmetology schools. They’ll be able to advise you on previous alums and what cosmetology courses may interest you.
Cosmetology Courses
If you’ve decided to start looking for a new career, the next step is determining which cosmetology course to do.
There are dedicated courses for individual elements of cosmetology. By this, we mean that if you want to focus on being a hairstylist only, there’s a reliable cosmetology program to train you.
If you’re unsure which aspect of beauty you love the most, you’ll likely opt for a full cosmetology program. These courses cover a full range of cosmetology skills, including:
- Hairstyling
- Hair coloring
- Hair relaxing and chemical waving
- Skincare
- Makeup
- Eyelash application and extensions
- Hair removal
- Manicuring
- Pedicuring
The benefit of choosing a dedicated field within cosmetology is that the course can be completed faster. But opting for a full cosmetology course opens more doors for your career change.
As well as checking what your chosen cosmetology course offers, you should check the facilities of any potential cosmetology school. A good cosmetology school should have a dedicated teaching center and clinic area with great facilities for you to learn.
Cosmetology schools should be upfront about costs so you can plan. Don’t worry if you’re not flush with cash. There’s a good amount of cosmetology scholarships and financial aid available, which schools should be able to advise you on.
Many cosmetology schools also allow for payment plans. These help students work within their budgets and pay off fees in sizable chunks over some time. So don’t be too daunted if you see a price larger than you can afford; a good school will be happy to help you figure out finances.
Cosmetology Careers Salary
It’s a simple question with a million different answers. It’s difficult to state what you could or will realistically earn in a cosmetology career. This is mostly due to the vast nature of the industry, as well as your location.
At a basic level, it’s estimated the average cosmetologist in the US earns $10.64 an hour. But this figure isn’t that simple. As much of the role is tip-orientated, many cosmetologists will make far more than their official wage.
Additionally, salaries within cosmetology will vary depending on your location. You can expect to be paid a higher wage for higher-income areas to cover living costs. In San Francisco, California, a cosmetologist would earn more than a cosmetologist in Des Moines, Iowa.
Salaries will hugely vary based on experience and skill. More experienced cosmetologists would look around the $ 20-an-hour mark or around $50,000 annually.
As a growing industry, there is no shortage of cosmetology jobs across the US. Pre-Covid, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the sector would grow 10% between 2014 and 2024. The pandemic has impacted this, as all industries have, but growth is expected to return to normal once the vaccination is widely distributed.
Perks of a Cosmetology Career Change
Especially if you’re feeling frustrated with your current career, there’s a huge amount of perks in a cosmetology career. We’ve already mentioned the many varied opportunities available above, but that’s not all.
The industry has a large number of self-employed people. In other words, be your boss. Set hours that suit you, helping clients you love.
This makes it a great career choice for working parents. It allows you the flexibility to fit work around your children’s schedules.
Another perk is the number of people you’ll get to meet. Extroverts, in particular, thrive as cosmetologists as they get a stream of new and returning clients to chat with and build relationships with. The varied clients mean work is often busy, interesting, and challenging.
Our favorite perk is the level of creativity it allows for. While not every client will want trendsetting styles, it’s become more and more mainstream. It allows for something different daily and keeps your work engaging and fun.
New Role, New You
Hopefully, this article has helped determine whether a cosmetology career change suits you. If it is, we wish you all the luck with your exciting new career! For further career advice, check out the rest of our blog.
