Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Social Media: How It Affects Your Esthetics Career?
Social media today is something most people can't live without, it is like living without satellite T.V. these days, we just can't get enough of it. If you are going to have public access to your accounts, make sure you don't put anything on your pages that you wouldn't want an employer to see. While some content may seem trivial to you, your employer might think otherwise. Especially if you work at a med-spa, don't mix your work colleagues with your social network pages, if you do it might come back to haunt you. Med-spas are doctor operated, doctors tend to be highly professional so it is best if you present yourself as a professional as well. Everyone wants to share everything on these pages these days, people type in everything from they've had a bad day to they just got home from work, but do we really need our employers and friends from work digging around in our most intimate world? Yes, it is a world that we put out there for a zillion people to see, but so many us use social media to vent our emotions, express our political affiliations and religious views, and to use cyberspace as a catharsis. While these platforms are genius, it can be a career disaster if you do not manage it properly. Here are my tips to avoid career pitfalls:
(1) Never share your information publicly (everyone must be a friend to get access to your info!)
(2) Make sure your profile picture is appropriate (employers can still see this from a closed access account)--remember, if they see you lap dancing on some guy, well let's just say they aren't going to be excited to hire you--unless you are applying at a strip club, well in that case you've landed the job!
(3) Hesitate before adding colleagues to your page. You want your personal life personal, and your work life professional. You don't want to worry about everything you post affecting your career.
(4) If you really want to have a page to connect with your co-workers, then consider opening a second page just for work related communications. Keep it professional, do not use bad language, and only post professional photos. Use this page to highlight your career achievements, post and share your certifications and recent educational classes, and while you can keep it light hearted in nature, remember this is your career on the line!
(5) NEVER APPLY FOR A JOB THAT REQUIRES YOU TO LOG IN USING A SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE--THIS IS ONLY TO TRAP YOU INTO SHARING YOUR INFORMATION. They will use that information to determine if you are the type of employee they want working for them.
New Estheticians: Consider Benefits of an Employment Contract
Many of you may think of contracts as something for mega wealthy people like Bill Gates and Donald Trump, but in actuality all of us need to consider using contracts to protect our financial well being. Even if you are a new esthetician, consider having an attorney draft (or use an online create your own) an employment contract outlining the agreed upon commission split and how those splits will be divided during promotional periods, or discounted coupon customers. If your spa has a contract for you to sign, wait and have an attorney read it before signing. If you can't afford an attorney, try using a law student to at least help you understand what you are signing before you lock yourself into terms you don't like.
(I am not an attorney, nor do I give legal advice, these are my personal opinions based on my own experiences. I err on the side of caution.)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Top Tricks: Snagging an Esthetician Job for Newly Licensened Estheticians
You have been job hunting, but the results have been less than favorable. What do you do? Here are my TOP TRICKS for snagging that dream job!
(1) Perfect Resume-Must be error free of spelling and grammar mistakes! Please do not list every job since high school. It must be a career relevant resume, meaning you list jobs or internships that are related to your field. Working at a fast food joint is not related to esthetics...don't include it. Make sure you include every additional esthetics class taken, even if it is just with a skin care product company, include all professional skin care memberships you hold. Every skin care product line that you've used professionally, or you used in classes must be on your resume. Esthetics G.P.A is relevant as well. MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE A PROFESSIONAL PICTURE OF YOURSELF! Please no pictures of you dancing on table tops at the local bar...think PROFESSIONAL! Ask at least two people, preferably one being an esthetics instructor, to review both your resume and picture you intend to include.
(2) Hit the Streets-Put on the most professional attire you have in your closet, get your skin glowing and your make-up glimmering and hit the streets. Visit every area salon, spa and medical spa and introduce yourself and hand out resumes. (Remember to attach a picture to each resume). Chat with the receptionist, inquire about esthetician jobs as well as other spa jobs (think about taking one of these until you can land an esthetics position) and try to make contact with the hiring manager. If not, ask the receptionist to forward your resume. Remember to be friendly to the receptionist because she has the power to trash your resume, or tell the hiring manager what a delightful person you are while handing him/her your resume.
(3) Network-Immerse yourself in esthetic training classes and skin care product demonstrations, take advantage of the opportunity to network at these places. Make sure you have several of your resumes (again with photos attached) available to hand out to potential job leads. Maybe another esthethician knows of a job, or maybe he/she is leaving that job and taking a new one and will recommend you for that position. The key is to be prepared. Also, continue to network with both your beauty school and the instructors, as sometimes jobs come in through the school. If your teacher remembers you, he/she will likely recommend you before someone else.
(4) Spa Jobs-Take whatever job you can get in a spa, salon or medical spa temporarily. Many places have high turnover rates, use that to your advantage and be ready and willing to take that esthetician job when it comes available. You could do anything from shampoo person to spa coordinator--getting your foot in the door is half the battle. Doing a good job in that position will certainly make you first in line for the esthetics job when it does come available.
(5) Internships-No one likes to work for free, especially after you graduated. However, doing an internship for 6-12 months is not the worse thing in the world. Sure, you might have to work a job you hate to fund your bills while you intern, but the internship will provide you with the valuable skills and work experience you need to land your real job.
(6) More Education-While you are waiting for that dream job, search for advanced educational opportunities. The more education the better. Take a class on chemical peels; get a certification in microderm; take a paramedical class...do whatever you can to improve your educational level. You are competing with other estheticians, make yourself stand out. Besides, you will be a more confident and competent esthetician with more education.
(1) Perfect Resume-Must be error free of spelling and grammar mistakes! Please do not list every job since high school. It must be a career relevant resume, meaning you list jobs or internships that are related to your field. Working at a fast food joint is not related to esthetics...don't include it. Make sure you include every additional esthetics class taken, even if it is just with a skin care product company, include all professional skin care memberships you hold. Every skin care product line that you've used professionally, or you used in classes must be on your resume. Esthetics G.P.A is relevant as well. MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE A PROFESSIONAL PICTURE OF YOURSELF! Please no pictures of you dancing on table tops at the local bar...think PROFESSIONAL! Ask at least two people, preferably one being an esthetics instructor, to review both your resume and picture you intend to include.
(2) Hit the Streets-Put on the most professional attire you have in your closet, get your skin glowing and your make-up glimmering and hit the streets. Visit every area salon, spa and medical spa and introduce yourself and hand out resumes. (Remember to attach a picture to each resume). Chat with the receptionist, inquire about esthetician jobs as well as other spa jobs (think about taking one of these until you can land an esthetics position) and try to make contact with the hiring manager. If not, ask the receptionist to forward your resume. Remember to be friendly to the receptionist because she has the power to trash your resume, or tell the hiring manager what a delightful person you are while handing him/her your resume.
(3) Network-Immerse yourself in esthetic training classes and skin care product demonstrations, take advantage of the opportunity to network at these places. Make sure you have several of your resumes (again with photos attached) available to hand out to potential job leads. Maybe another esthethician knows of a job, or maybe he/she is leaving that job and taking a new one and will recommend you for that position. The key is to be prepared. Also, continue to network with both your beauty school and the instructors, as sometimes jobs come in through the school. If your teacher remembers you, he/she will likely recommend you before someone else.
(4) Spa Jobs-Take whatever job you can get in a spa, salon or medical spa temporarily. Many places have high turnover rates, use that to your advantage and be ready and willing to take that esthetician job when it comes available. You could do anything from shampoo person to spa coordinator--getting your foot in the door is half the battle. Doing a good job in that position will certainly make you first in line for the esthetics job when it does come available.
(5) Internships-No one likes to work for free, especially after you graduated. However, doing an internship for 6-12 months is not the worse thing in the world. Sure, you might have to work a job you hate to fund your bills while you intern, but the internship will provide you with the valuable skills and work experience you need to land your real job.
(6) More Education-While you are waiting for that dream job, search for advanced educational opportunities. The more education the better. Take a class on chemical peels; get a certification in microderm; take a paramedical class...do whatever you can to improve your educational level. You are competing with other estheticians, make yourself stand out. Besides, you will be a more confident and competent esthetician with more education.
Esthetician Graduates: The Unfair Employment Reality
Every day there are newly graduating estheticians, bubbling with excitement and motivation for a bright esthetics career. The diploma is in their hands, the license is fresh off the press and the graduation party memories still bring smiles to their faces. The positive energy seems to become dismal energy when newly graduated estheticians meet the reality of the competitive esthetics field. A place where there are more estheticians than jobs; a place that discriminates based on experience instead of education and personal talents.
The fact is someone with years of experience may have lost their drive, passion and dedication that recent graduates seem to exude. While experience is important,( in no way am I suggesting that employers should discount years of experience; experience gives you wisdom and confidence) that doesn't mean that experience should be the totality of the hiring decision. It would be a shame to throw recent graduates' resumes into the circular file (a.k.a. trash can) without giving them a chance to shine.
When you work in personnel it is easy to detach yourself from the human beings behind the resumes, and sometimes taking a risk on a recent graduate is well worth the initial risk. With recent graduates, we have potential employees who haven't developed bad habits; are highly motivated and excited about their new career; and are willing to accept less money and are highly trainable where seasoned professionals might not be.
So as a newly graduated esthetician what are your options? How do you get the owners of spas to step out of their comfort zone and take a leap of faith on you? Read my next blog to get answers to these questions!
For more information on this topic, see my blog "Top Tricks: Snagging an Esthetician Job for Newly Licensened Estheticians"
The fact is someone with years of experience may have lost their drive, passion and dedication that recent graduates seem to exude. While experience is important,( in no way am I suggesting that employers should discount years of experience; experience gives you wisdom and confidence) that doesn't mean that experience should be the totality of the hiring decision. It would be a shame to throw recent graduates' resumes into the circular file (a.k.a. trash can) without giving them a chance to shine.
When you work in personnel it is easy to detach yourself from the human beings behind the resumes, and sometimes taking a risk on a recent graduate is well worth the initial risk. With recent graduates, we have potential employees who haven't developed bad habits; are highly motivated and excited about their new career; and are willing to accept less money and are highly trainable where seasoned professionals might not be.
So as a newly graduated esthetician what are your options? How do you get the owners of spas to step out of their comfort zone and take a leap of faith on you? Read my next blog to get answers to these questions!
For more information on this topic, see my blog "Top Tricks: Snagging an Esthetician Job for Newly Licensened Estheticians"
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Why We Need Older Estheticians?
If you are thinking about a career in esthetics and wondering if you are too old to be appreciated in this field, you have come to the right spot. It is easy to fall in the trap of "I'm too old for a career in esthetics." It is far easier to squash our dreams than risk failing.
Don't let age scare you away from something you love, this career path has plenty of room for aging estheticians. In fact, if you were to get a facial from a 40's or 50's something esthetician who had great skin or a 20's something esthetician, who would you trust on anti-aging secrets?
I don't know about you, but I would trust the older esthetician simply because if she has been able to maintain her skin that way, then maybe she can help me too. This is not meant to be an offense to younger estheticians, we still need you all too.
If you are contemplating esthetics as a career, but you keep using your age as an excuse, you might miss out on an extremely rewarding and satisfying career.
Don't let age scare you away from something you love, this career path has plenty of room for aging estheticians. In fact, if you were to get a facial from a 40's or 50's something esthetician who had great skin or a 20's something esthetician, who would you trust on anti-aging secrets?
I don't know about you, but I would trust the older esthetician simply because if she has been able to maintain her skin that way, then maybe she can help me too. This is not meant to be an offense to younger estheticians, we still need you all too.
If you are contemplating esthetics as a career, but you keep using your age as an excuse, you might miss out on an extremely rewarding and satisfying career.
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