So hey,
Work has been busy!
We changed training providers, so now I am officially a part of the salon's very own academy. In fact, during out first training session our boss filmed us and made a short video of our work. The video was posted on Facebook and Tigi London, British Hair among others liked it! That's quite exciting, as we've barely entered the industry and we're already getting good attention from big brands.
Leading on from that, I should also note that we've been booked in to have a colour eductation session with a master colourist from Tigi in November. I am SO excited for this as I'm fascinated by colour and I can't wait to start learning about it properly.
It's just a quick one today, I'll try and post a few pictures of the graduated bob cut we did in our last training session soon, but I'm finding it hard to get a quiet moment to do work like this as my days off are so random at the moment and it's been a few weeks since I've actually had 2 days off in a row.
I can't complain though, I'm absolutely loving my job!
- Alice
Friday 21 October 2016
Saturday 3 September 2016
What's Happening Now?
Hey,
It's been a little while since I've posted now.
I've been pretty busy these past few weeks. In fact, the only reason I've managed to find the time to turn my PC on and write this post is because I've been off work due to an unsightly (and painful) rash on my feet.
I've been working in the salon for 2 months now, and it really has been great. I'm enjoying the work and it's getting closer to the point where I'll begin my education.
A few things may have changed in that respect; it's still TBC but it's possible that my training provider may change, which means I'll only be trained in house. This is pretty awesome as my boss will be directing a lot of this training. As he was trained by Vidal Sassoon I completely trust his knowledge and I think I'll have a much better quality of eductation in the salon. Not to mention that it'll be 1 to 3 tutoring rather than 1 to 30.
I did my first haircut on a block at my last training session. We were taught to cut a bob - which is apparently the hardest haircut in the book to master. I didn't find it too hard to do really, although my final product did have a little graduation in the bottom. We were taught how to fix this but it's something to keep in mind for my future training sessions. After how well that session went, I'm confident that I'll progress nicely as a hairdresser! I really enjoyed it actually.
If you're training in hairdressing and are looking for some scissors, I found these on Amazon for only £11.50. They worked brilliantly. They're nothing special - don't use them on clients - but for blocks they're perfectly acceptable. And they're rainbow which is super cool.
Ok I guess that's sort of it for now. I'm sure I'll have plenty more to post about when my training is in full swing.
Alice
It's been a little while since I've posted now.
I've been pretty busy these past few weeks. In fact, the only reason I've managed to find the time to turn my PC on and write this post is because I've been off work due to an unsightly (and painful) rash on my feet.
I've been working in the salon for 2 months now, and it really has been great. I'm enjoying the work and it's getting closer to the point where I'll begin my education.
A few things may have changed in that respect; it's still TBC but it's possible that my training provider may change, which means I'll only be trained in house. This is pretty awesome as my boss will be directing a lot of this training. As he was trained by Vidal Sassoon I completely trust his knowledge and I think I'll have a much better quality of eductation in the salon. Not to mention that it'll be 1 to 3 tutoring rather than 1 to 30.
 |
| Note the slight graduation |
 |
| The bob was bevelled in the back |
 |
| The completed bob |
 |
| Using free hand cutting, we fixed the graduation on the neck when the cut was dried. |
I did my first haircut on a block at my last training session. We were taught to cut a bob - which is apparently the hardest haircut in the book to master. I didn't find it too hard to do really, although my final product did have a little graduation in the bottom. We were taught how to fix this but it's something to keep in mind for my future training sessions. After how well that session went, I'm confident that I'll progress nicely as a hairdresser! I really enjoyed it actually.
If you're training in hairdressing and are looking for some scissors, I found these on Amazon for only £11.50. They worked brilliantly. They're nothing special - don't use them on clients - but for blocks they're perfectly acceptable. And they're rainbow which is super cool.
Ok I guess that's sort of it for now. I'm sure I'll have plenty more to post about when my training is in full swing.
Alice
Monday 25 July 2016
The Run-Up to College
Hey,
So I've been in the salon for about 3 weeks now.
Last Thursday a college advisor came to the salon to sign me into the course. We had to fill out some paperwork and had a breif chat about health and safety, fire procedure etc. etc. basically as a formality to ensure I was safe at work. As I'm over the age of 18 I think a lot of that stuff doesn't actually apply to me, but it's something they had to do with regards to their paperwork. They asked me what I was being paid, if I knew where the protective equipment was and where the toilet was (ha! Imagine if I didn't by now...). It was all very simple and we finished the session in about half an hour.
One of the girls who's been working there longer than me has a hair show today. Her model was absolutely hopeless (she didn't turn up to a training session twice in a row) so I've been elected as her model. It's a little inconvenient as I'm going to lose about 6-7 hours of my day off doing this show, but it does also mean I can learn a little from watching the work going on around me. I may even end up posting a picture of what I end up looking like after it's done.
Last Monday we had our first training session. I was given my first block (training head) and I was taught a little bit of blow drying. Unfortunately a good hour or so of my training time was taken up by a practise run for this hair show (which did annoy me cause I was really enjoying myself) but I definitely still picked up a lot of information from the training time I did have.
 |
| Curly Blow Dry in Salon |
 |
| Curly Blow Dry at Home |
It's not as smooth looking as I think it needs to be, but it shows I have the basics of the technique down and I need to now focus on making sure I can keep the hair as smooth as possible. I've also bought some sectioning clips which will really help me as I was pinning the curls up with bobby pins, and also clipping back my sections with them (they really weren't ideal for the job)
Next training session will be cutting, which I'm so excited for! I bought my first pair of scissors, and they seem to be pretty good. I got them off Amazon for a discounted price, and the reviews are good. I'll make sure to OK them with the stylists before recommending them on here.
That's all for now! Thanks for reading,
Alice
Monday 11 July 2016
Just Over a Week In
Hey!
So I've completed just over a week at the hairdressers now, and I know it's early days but I gotta say I really am enjoying myself.
Everyone is so friendly, I feel like I've joined such a welcoming and genuinely lovely team. I'm finding my feet well and am definitely feeling myself become more and more comfortable being there; which is good as sometimes that transition from being scared and new to feeling like the workplace is normal can be a long process.
I've done a fair bit of shampooing now and I feel like I'm really getting to grips with it. I have a good routine now and I've had a considerable amount of good reviews and compliments which is really reassuring! I shampooed a woman who - by the sounds of it at least - is quite fussy the other day, and she was nothing but lovely about it and even went so far as to say I was brilliant (!).
Something I didn't anticipate was that I would get some tips. I don't know why I didn't realise it before, but it's definitely a perk to the job; particularly considering apprentice wage is rather dismal. So far I have £8 in tips, which I'm proud of considering I've done 7 days of work, and for most of that time I've been a near total beginner to shampooing.
Next monday the 18th we have some training, which I'm looking forward to. There's one other beginner to me, and there's 2 apprentice who have been there much longer than me. So the 2 older apprentices will be learning some cutting techniques, while me and my beginner buddy will be learning to blow dry. This is really exciting to me as I wasn't expecting to be learning anything like this until I start college - which won't be till September!
I'm planning on trying to nail blow drying as soon as I can. Like, as in, before I start college. If I can get my blow drying technique down to a point by the time I start officially doing my NVQ I believe I'll be in with a good head start. The quicker I can finish this apprenticeship and qualify, the better to me. I'm 20 years old and I wanna be properly working as soon as I can. I'm not expecting any miracles of course; I know it'll take at least about 18 months, but if I can get it done in that time I'll be more than pleased.
At the moment I'm definitely looking at doing some extensions courses at some point. I don't know if it'll be worth doing it before I qualify or not yet, but I know for sure I want to do weaves as a part of my career. It's something that interests me and I believe I could be good at it. Particularly if I start doing them early on in my career.
Anyways that's it for now,
- Alice
So I've completed just over a week at the hairdressers now, and I know it's early days but I gotta say I really am enjoying myself.
Everyone is so friendly, I feel like I've joined such a welcoming and genuinely lovely team. I'm finding my feet well and am definitely feeling myself become more and more comfortable being there; which is good as sometimes that transition from being scared and new to feeling like the workplace is normal can be a long process.
I've done a fair bit of shampooing now and I feel like I'm really getting to grips with it. I have a good routine now and I've had a considerable amount of good reviews and compliments which is really reassuring! I shampooed a woman who - by the sounds of it at least - is quite fussy the other day, and she was nothing but lovely about it and even went so far as to say I was brilliant (!).
Something I didn't anticipate was that I would get some tips. I don't know why I didn't realise it before, but it's definitely a perk to the job; particularly considering apprentice wage is rather dismal. So far I have £8 in tips, which I'm proud of considering I've done 7 days of work, and for most of that time I've been a near total beginner to shampooing.
Next monday the 18th we have some training, which I'm looking forward to. There's one other beginner to me, and there's 2 apprentice who have been there much longer than me. So the 2 older apprentices will be learning some cutting techniques, while me and my beginner buddy will be learning to blow dry. This is really exciting to me as I wasn't expecting to be learning anything like this until I start college - which won't be till September!
I'm planning on trying to nail blow drying as soon as I can. Like, as in, before I start college. If I can get my blow drying technique down to a point by the time I start officially doing my NVQ I believe I'll be in with a good head start. The quicker I can finish this apprenticeship and qualify, the better to me. I'm 20 years old and I wanna be properly working as soon as I can. I'm not expecting any miracles of course; I know it'll take at least about 18 months, but if I can get it done in that time I'll be more than pleased.
At the moment I'm definitely looking at doing some extensions courses at some point. I don't know if it'll be worth doing it before I qualify or not yet, but I know for sure I want to do weaves as a part of my career. It's something that interests me and I believe I could be good at it. Particularly if I start doing them early on in my career.
Anyways that's it for now,
- Alice
Wednesday 29 June 2016
The Most Ridiculous Day
Hey,
So today I had my interview at the College for my apprenticeship placement.
Even over the phone they said to me it would be merely a formality (as I've been to the College already for an assessment of my English and Maths skills and a quick interview) and oh boy was it.
I literally came in, sat down, watched them do some paperwork, asked one question then left. That was it.
However, there's a whole big story behind that which bugged me so badly when I finished my 10 minute "interview".
First, let me introduce you to my new shoes. Public Desire, nude patent perspex heels. Gorgeous, right? They're not for everyone (my boyfriend hates them) but I bloody love them. They're so cool and classy.
Anyways, I thought as I only got them yesterday I'd wear them today. They're quite a tight fit so I struggle a little with the zip, especially as the zip has sticky patent fabric beneath it which seems like a bit of a design fault.
I set off to catch the train to Exeter at about 3:25, knowing I'd need to be there in good time to catch the train at 3:53. I got there in the nick of time as this asshole in front of me was driving so slowly and so over-carefully that it took me double the time it ususally does to get to the station. By the time I've walked there in my new heels the train is just driving away. Great.
I step back into my car and realise I'm gonna have to drive all the way to Exeter. I didn't want to do this as it was 4:00 and I'd be heading into rush hour traffic but I now had no choice. I took my heels off for the long drive and began barefoot.
The drive was fairly normal. I didn't encounter as much traffic as I was expecting and actually arrived earlier than I expected to. I also had just the right amount of change to pay for parking - that was my one stroke of luck today!
However when I went to put my shoes back on I managed to somehow rip a massive chunk of skin out of my finger on the zip. Fantastic! I would now have to go to my interview with a gross, pus-dripping finger. Yay!
Anyways, after all that stupid trouble I have a placement at the college. Which I was expecting anyway.
So much trouble for a 10 minute interview!
Ah well,
- Alice
So today I had my interview at the College for my apprenticeship placement.
Even over the phone they said to me it would be merely a formality (as I've been to the College already for an assessment of my English and Maths skills and a quick interview) and oh boy was it.
I literally came in, sat down, watched them do some paperwork, asked one question then left. That was it.
However, there's a whole big story behind that which bugged me so badly when I finished my 10 minute "interview".
First, let me introduce you to my new shoes. Public Desire, nude patent perspex heels. Gorgeous, right? They're not for everyone (my boyfriend hates them) but I bloody love them. They're so cool and classy.
Anyways, I thought as I only got them yesterday I'd wear them today. They're quite a tight fit so I struggle a little with the zip, especially as the zip has sticky patent fabric beneath it which seems like a bit of a design fault.
I step back into my car and realise I'm gonna have to drive all the way to Exeter. I didn't want to do this as it was 4:00 and I'd be heading into rush hour traffic but I now had no choice. I took my heels off for the long drive and began barefoot.
The drive was fairly normal. I didn't encounter as much traffic as I was expecting and actually arrived earlier than I expected to. I also had just the right amount of change to pay for parking - that was my one stroke of luck today!
However when I went to put my shoes back on I managed to somehow rip a massive chunk of skin out of my finger on the zip. Fantastic! I would now have to go to my interview with a gross, pus-dripping finger. Yay!
Anyways, after all that stupid trouble I have a placement at the college. Which I was expecting anyway.
So much trouble for a 10 minute interview!
Ah well,
- Alice
Monday 27 June 2016
My Experience at the Hairdressers and What it's Taught Me
Hey,
So as I mentioned before I have a sew-in weave in my hair at the moment.
It's 4 rows of 18 inches of human hair, doubled-over wefts. It's super thick and long and I absolutely love it.
I had my first re-application appointment last week as it had been 8 weeks and my natural hair had grown out and it needed to be tightened. That's the only slight drawback with weaves as opposed to keratin bonds or nano rings: you need to go to the hairdresser every 6-8 weeks as opposed to every 3-6 months.
However the massive positive is that there's no sticky glue or knotted rings in your hair, which is the reason why I wanted a weave. They're also waaay thicker than individual strand extensions and so much quicker to apply. It's taken about an hour and a half both times for my stylist to attatch the weave.
When I went for my appointment I saw it as a really good opportunity. I would be having my hair shampooed and conditioned, and a head massage in the salon so it was the perfect time for me to learn. Well, I thought at least.
I wasn't prepared for the fact that my hair would be a little matted after the removal of the weave. After a few tugs and pulls in the chair I felt alright about my hair. But when I got to being shampooed and conditioned, the tugging and pulling on the matts during the 'comb through' was so painful! And it made me wonder: why are hairdressers taught to comb from top to bottom?
I've always combed my hair from bottom to top as long as I've known it to reduce the pain of detangling, and also to protect the integrity of my hair. It seemed so strange to me that while my hair was in it's weakest state (wet!) they were tugging and pulling at it from root to tip with a hair brush. It makes me shudder a little now just remembering the intense pain in my scalp.
From this experience I've definitely learned that I'm totally right in thinking we should brush from tip to root; even if a professional stylist has told me otherwise. I'd rather do it wrong than have a client feel so uncomfortable as I did the other day.
Despite this, I'll never give up the weave! I love it so much. Just maybe I'll try and avoid the matting this time (although I was told my hair was much better than most peoples'... I dread to think how their scalps felt)
Anyway that's just what was on my mind for now. I'll be starting the job on Friday, and tomorrow is my last day of work in my old job.
Exciting times!
- Alice
So as I mentioned before I have a sew-in weave in my hair at the moment.
It's 4 rows of 18 inches of human hair, doubled-over wefts. It's super thick and long and I absolutely love it.
I had my first re-application appointment last week as it had been 8 weeks and my natural hair had grown out and it needed to be tightened. That's the only slight drawback with weaves as opposed to keratin bonds or nano rings: you need to go to the hairdresser every 6-8 weeks as opposed to every 3-6 months.
However the massive positive is that there's no sticky glue or knotted rings in your hair, which is the reason why I wanted a weave. They're also waaay thicker than individual strand extensions and so much quicker to apply. It's taken about an hour and a half both times for my stylist to attatch the weave.
When I went for my appointment I saw it as a really good opportunity. I would be having my hair shampooed and conditioned, and a head massage in the salon so it was the perfect time for me to learn. Well, I thought at least.
I wasn't prepared for the fact that my hair would be a little matted after the removal of the weave. After a few tugs and pulls in the chair I felt alright about my hair. But when I got to being shampooed and conditioned, the tugging and pulling on the matts during the 'comb through' was so painful! And it made me wonder: why are hairdressers taught to comb from top to bottom?
I've always combed my hair from bottom to top as long as I've known it to reduce the pain of detangling, and also to protect the integrity of my hair. It seemed so strange to me that while my hair was in it's weakest state (wet!) they were tugging and pulling at it from root to tip with a hair brush. It makes me shudder a little now just remembering the intense pain in my scalp.
From this experience I've definitely learned that I'm totally right in thinking we should brush from tip to root; even if a professional stylist has told me otherwise. I'd rather do it wrong than have a client feel so uncomfortable as I did the other day.
Despite this, I'll never give up the weave! I love it so much. Just maybe I'll try and avoid the matting this time (although I was told my hair was much better than most peoples'... I dread to think how their scalps felt)
Anyway that's just what was on my mind for now. I'll be starting the job on Friday, and tomorrow is my last day of work in my old job.
Exciting times!
- Alice
Monday 20 June 2016
June 2016 Recap
Hey,
So I haven't posted much lately for several reasons.
One being that I've been away. I've had a couple of weeks holiday in Manchester with my boyfriend which was lovely, and I didn't feel the need to break away from that to post.
Second is that I really don't have a lot to say at the moment. I won't be starting my job at the hairdressers until July the 1st, so on the topic of hairdressing I've currently run dry.
To be honest this post was mostly self-gratuitous, just to prove I could post at least once a month (ha!)
I promise I'll be writing more when I'm into the swing of things with my training,
Alice x x x
So I haven't posted much lately for several reasons.
One being that I've been away. I've had a couple of weeks holiday in Manchester with my boyfriend which was lovely, and I didn't feel the need to break away from that to post.
Second is that I really don't have a lot to say at the moment. I won't be starting my job at the hairdressers until July the 1st, so on the topic of hairdressing I've currently run dry.
To be honest this post was mostly self-gratuitous, just to prove I could post at least once a month (ha!)
I promise I'll be writing more when I'm into the swing of things with my training,
Alice x x x
Monday 30 May 2016
I Got The Job!
Hey,
So I completed my last two trial days as of Saturday.
I really enjoyed myself. I did one more shampoo and then at the very end of the day I was asked to partake in an experiment with a client who was previously a very well-established hairdresser. I was to do one shampoo, another new employee was to do the second shampoo, and a more experienced apprentice was to do the head massage and condition.
When I did my shampoo with her, her feedback was absolutely invaluable. She gave me good notes on pressure and technique. I had been taught by the apprentices there to begin with a scrubbing motion around the forehead, but her advice - which made total sense to me - was to begin with small rotations around the hairline to ensure that the visible parts of the hair would get a thorough clean.
Another good tip she gave me was to 'make sure you get in there and scrub every bit'. I don't know exactly what this made me do, but I can remember just making sure my hands were working the shampoo all around the crown area of the head, and I found myself using bigger gestures around the scalp. She responded very positively, so I must've been doing it right.
At the end of my shift on the Saturday, Daniel took my aside and asked me what I thought. I told him how much I enjoyed myself, and although I didn't mention it to him, I felt as though I had made some strong bonds with the other apprentice who was there that day. We got on pretty well and actually ended up with some playful banter towards the end of the day. He told me that there was another girl who was meant to be coming in for some experience this week. I already knew this so I was expecting him to give me a date to hear back from him. But actually, he looked at me and said "I'm going to go with my gut here and just say, welcome to the team" and he shook my hand. I was so shocked I could've cried! It was definitely a great ending to a rather stressful day. My grandmother had unfortunately passed away at 3am; about 6 hours before I was meant to do my last day of this work experience. I like to think she was watching over me that day ♥
And that's that! I guess I can now continue this blog by writing all about what I learn at college and from working in the salon.
Thanks for reading,
Alice
So I completed my last two trial days as of Saturday.
I really enjoyed myself. I did one more shampoo and then at the very end of the day I was asked to partake in an experiment with a client who was previously a very well-established hairdresser. I was to do one shampoo, another new employee was to do the second shampoo, and a more experienced apprentice was to do the head massage and condition.
When I did my shampoo with her, her feedback was absolutely invaluable. She gave me good notes on pressure and technique. I had been taught by the apprentices there to begin with a scrubbing motion around the forehead, but her advice - which made total sense to me - was to begin with small rotations around the hairline to ensure that the visible parts of the hair would get a thorough clean.
Another good tip she gave me was to 'make sure you get in there and scrub every bit'. I don't know exactly what this made me do, but I can remember just making sure my hands were working the shampoo all around the crown area of the head, and I found myself using bigger gestures around the scalp. She responded very positively, so I must've been doing it right.
At the end of my shift on the Saturday, Daniel took my aside and asked me what I thought. I told him how much I enjoyed myself, and although I didn't mention it to him, I felt as though I had made some strong bonds with the other apprentice who was there that day. We got on pretty well and actually ended up with some playful banter towards the end of the day. He told me that there was another girl who was meant to be coming in for some experience this week. I already knew this so I was expecting him to give me a date to hear back from him. But actually, he looked at me and said "I'm going to go with my gut here and just say, welcome to the team" and he shook my hand. I was so shocked I could've cried! It was definitely a great ending to a rather stressful day. My grandmother had unfortunately passed away at 3am; about 6 hours before I was meant to do my last day of this work experience. I like to think she was watching over me that day ♥
And that's that! I guess I can now continue this blog by writing all about what I learn at college and from working in the salon.
Thanks for reading,
Alice
Friday 20 May 2016
A Little On Me
Hey,
So I guess so far I've been so focussed on making this blog a resource for wannabe hairdressers that I forgot to ever really introduce myself properly. I don't really plan on keeping this blog as being exclusively just about hair, I want to make it more as a diary of my life. I like the idea of writing out all my mistakes and triumphs for the world to see, so that anyone else in my shoes can read and learn from it.
Sometimes it's quite lonely to have a problem and find nobody else sharing your struggle (see my struggles getting an apprenticehip - ha!) and although I don't want to be ultra negative or anything about myself, I struggle just as much as the next person. I want to be able to share that and learn from it together.
So this is me.
That's the most recent selfie I've taken (ha). I currently have off-black hair. It's been every shade under the sun before this. I am a natural dark blonde, but took to dying it platinum blonde when I was around 15-16 years old. When I started college at 17 I used temporary dyes and had my hair purple, blue, turqoise, pink, orange and every shade in between that. It was awesome, and I'm forever glad I went through that phase.
After a few years of that my hair got pretty damaged so I dyed it darker and darker gradually; starting out with a truly crap balayage done at a hairdresser and quickly turning into various shades of ginger, brown, and finally off-black.
About a month ago now I got a full weave installed by Arena Creative Hair in Plymouth to add thickness and length to my hair. My natural hair is just below shoulder length, but the weave is down to my waist. I absolutely love it and would totally reccomend one to anyone looking for extensions.
I live in the South West of England (which you may have guessed as I get my hair done in Plymouth) and I have done all my life. I live with my dad in a renovated farm house in the middle of nowhere. The scenery where I live is really beautiful. I also have a cat called Sushi. Here's a picture of her in the garden:
She's a gorgeous cat and loves a big cuddle. She was my 18th birthday present as a little kitten, and I love her more and more every day.
Currently I work in a nursing home as a kitchen assistant-slash-cook. I've worked there since I was 16 as my weekend job, but it's not something I want to pursue very far. At the moment it's just the money that gets me by, but I can't deny how wonderful the experience of working with the elderly has been. You meet some amazing people in this line of work, and I'd recommend it to any kid that needs a job to kick start confidence in the work place.
I have a boyfriend who I've been with for a year and a half now. He's going away for several months this year, which isn't ideal, but I figure it'll be something I can blog about and share the experience of with you. He's been away before last year for 7 weeks, and there were ups and downs, but this time will be longer. It'll suck, but we're currently planning on booking a holiday to Vegas at Christmas time when he's back, so at least we'll both have something to look forward to at the end of it. That will definitely be something to blog about, as I've always dreamed of going to Vegas when I turn 21 (which will be this September).
Ok, I think that's enough for now. I'll probably do a few more personal posts now that I've opened the door with this one.
Catch you soon,
Alice
So I guess so far I've been so focussed on making this blog a resource for wannabe hairdressers that I forgot to ever really introduce myself properly. I don't really plan on keeping this blog as being exclusively just about hair, I want to make it more as a diary of my life. I like the idea of writing out all my mistakes and triumphs for the world to see, so that anyone else in my shoes can read and learn from it.
Sometimes it's quite lonely to have a problem and find nobody else sharing your struggle (see my struggles getting an apprenticehip - ha!) and although I don't want to be ultra negative or anything about myself, I struggle just as much as the next person. I want to be able to share that and learn from it together.
So this is me.
That's the most recent selfie I've taken (ha). I currently have off-black hair. It's been every shade under the sun before this. I am a natural dark blonde, but took to dying it platinum blonde when I was around 15-16 years old. When I started college at 17 I used temporary dyes and had my hair purple, blue, turqoise, pink, orange and every shade in between that. It was awesome, and I'm forever glad I went through that phase.
After a few years of that my hair got pretty damaged so I dyed it darker and darker gradually; starting out with a truly crap balayage done at a hairdresser and quickly turning into various shades of ginger, brown, and finally off-black.
About a month ago now I got a full weave installed by Arena Creative Hair in Plymouth to add thickness and length to my hair. My natural hair is just below shoulder length, but the weave is down to my waist. I absolutely love it and would totally reccomend one to anyone looking for extensions.
I live in the South West of England (which you may have guessed as I get my hair done in Plymouth) and I have done all my life. I live with my dad in a renovated farm house in the middle of nowhere. The scenery where I live is really beautiful. I also have a cat called Sushi. Here's a picture of her in the garden:
She's a gorgeous cat and loves a big cuddle. She was my 18th birthday present as a little kitten, and I love her more and more every day.
Currently I work in a nursing home as a kitchen assistant-slash-cook. I've worked there since I was 16 as my weekend job, but it's not something I want to pursue very far. At the moment it's just the money that gets me by, but I can't deny how wonderful the experience of working with the elderly has been. You meet some amazing people in this line of work, and I'd recommend it to any kid that needs a job to kick start confidence in the work place.
I have a boyfriend who I've been with for a year and a half now. He's going away for several months this year, which isn't ideal, but I figure it'll be something I can blog about and share the experience of with you. He's been away before last year for 7 weeks, and there were ups and downs, but this time will be longer. It'll suck, but we're currently planning on booking a holiday to Vegas at Christmas time when he's back, so at least we'll both have something to look forward to at the end of it. That will definitely be something to blog about, as I've always dreamed of going to Vegas when I turn 21 (which will be this September).
Ok, I think that's enough for now. I'll probably do a few more personal posts now that I've opened the door with this one.
Catch you soon,
Alice
Tuesday 17 May 2016
A Day in the Life
Hey,
So last Thursday I had my work experience day at the salon.
This was the first experience I had ever had working in a salon, so it totally was an eye opener.
I came in quarter of an hour before they opened and introduced myself to the ladies in the staff room as confidently as I could (which came out more like a 'er.. Hi I'm Alice I'm here for a er.. work experience thingy') which in retrospect I probably should have been a little more prepared for - haha!
The owners arrived shortly after me and after a breif hello, he assigned me a woman called Val to shadow for the day. Val explained to me that she had been at the salon for two years, and although the owner had expressed great interest in her training to become a hairdresser, she wanted to remain as an assistant permanently, and enjoyed the job just as it was.
Val was really nice to me and I didn't find myself struggling to get on with her - or indeed anyone - during the day at all.
The first thing we did was plug in the hairdryers at each station. Once this was done we got the box of hairbrushes and removed any excess hair from them and made sure they were nice and clean for the day. This was the first experience of gross hair bits I had during the day, and although it didn't gross me out much, it was actually something I wasn't prepared for- which is why I can totally agree the experience in the salon is important. If bits of hair gross you out, this is not the job for you.
Once those were clean we folded up some of the towels that had dried and hung up the clean robes in the cupboard. By this time, a few clients had been seen to and there was some hair to sweet up from the floor. This was pretty straightforward. We just blow dried the seats to remove any hair bits and swept the floor below. The seats had to be re set for the next client, and the glass shelf under the mirror had to be wiped.
One thing I didn't know was that the scissors are very, very valuable. Val reccomended when I wipe the shelves to hold the scissors a few inches above the shelf as I wipe, as dropping them on the floor and breaking them could be catastrophic. I Googled how much the scissors would've cost when I got home. They were in the region of £400-£800, so yes, it is a good thing I didn't drop them.
When new clients came in, I learned to 'gown up'. This was essentially just placing a towel underneath the gown and a plastic bib over the top of that to protect their clothing from hair colour. This was the time to offer and make the client a tea or coffee also.
We had to keep on top of all these things as the day progressed. The two other apprentices there were doing this too, so there were actually 4 of us assisting that day. I really enjoyed meeting the other girls, they were both lovely and had so much information to give me. Between the three of them, I learned the basic techniques to shampooing, and under the guidance of another apprentice I actually did shampoo one client, to moderate success. Thankfully the client was very understanding of my inexperience and was rather encouraging, even giving me feedback on the pressure I was using during the head massage.
One thing that amused me was how all the staff were saying how manic it was that day, and a few even asked me if I was knackered or not.. My current job is in a kitchen in a very busy nursing home, and compared to that working in the salon was an absolute breeze!
I really enjoyed my experience day, and I still have two more to come which I'm looking forward to.
I'll let you know how they go,
Alice
So last Thursday I had my work experience day at the salon.
This was the first experience I had ever had working in a salon, so it totally was an eye opener.
I came in quarter of an hour before they opened and introduced myself to the ladies in the staff room as confidently as I could (which came out more like a 'er.. Hi I'm Alice I'm here for a er.. work experience thingy') which in retrospect I probably should have been a little more prepared for - haha!
The owners arrived shortly after me and after a breif hello, he assigned me a woman called Val to shadow for the day. Val explained to me that she had been at the salon for two years, and although the owner had expressed great interest in her training to become a hairdresser, she wanted to remain as an assistant permanently, and enjoyed the job just as it was.
Val was really nice to me and I didn't find myself struggling to get on with her - or indeed anyone - during the day at all.
The first thing we did was plug in the hairdryers at each station. Once this was done we got the box of hairbrushes and removed any excess hair from them and made sure they were nice and clean for the day. This was the first experience of gross hair bits I had during the day, and although it didn't gross me out much, it was actually something I wasn't prepared for- which is why I can totally agree the experience in the salon is important. If bits of hair gross you out, this is not the job for you.
Once those were clean we folded up some of the towels that had dried and hung up the clean robes in the cupboard. By this time, a few clients had been seen to and there was some hair to sweet up from the floor. This was pretty straightforward. We just blow dried the seats to remove any hair bits and swept the floor below. The seats had to be re set for the next client, and the glass shelf under the mirror had to be wiped.
One thing I didn't know was that the scissors are very, very valuable. Val reccomended when I wipe the shelves to hold the scissors a few inches above the shelf as I wipe, as dropping them on the floor and breaking them could be catastrophic. I Googled how much the scissors would've cost when I got home. They were in the region of £400-£800, so yes, it is a good thing I didn't drop them.
When new clients came in, I learned to 'gown up'. This was essentially just placing a towel underneath the gown and a plastic bib over the top of that to protect their clothing from hair colour. This was the time to offer and make the client a tea or coffee also.
We had to keep on top of all these things as the day progressed. The two other apprentices there were doing this too, so there were actually 4 of us assisting that day. I really enjoyed meeting the other girls, they were both lovely and had so much information to give me. Between the three of them, I learned the basic techniques to shampooing, and under the guidance of another apprentice I actually did shampoo one client, to moderate success. Thankfully the client was very understanding of my inexperience and was rather encouraging, even giving me feedback on the pressure I was using during the head massage.
One thing that amused me was how all the staff were saying how manic it was that day, and a few even asked me if I was knackered or not.. My current job is in a kitchen in a very busy nursing home, and compared to that working in the salon was an absolute breeze!
I really enjoyed my experience day, and I still have two more to come which I'm looking forward to.
I'll let you know how they go,
Alice
Monday 9 May 2016
Good Things Come
Hey,
So I went to my interview as promised and was very pleasantly surprised by what they had to say.
I could have struggled to walk out of the door. They were so complimentary I could almost feel my head swelling up!
First of all, they really seemed to love my CV. This really pleased me because so far, my CV has received no feedback from any employer whatsoever. That's not to say I haven't tried to get any feedback, I just haven't had any replies as of yet.
I spoke to three people in my interview. There was a woman called Faye, who was head of education at the salon. She was very lovely, and I liked her practical approach to the interview. She was very complimentary of my CV, but due to my lack of experience was hesitant to give me a position straight away. She came up with the very reasonable (and very exciting) opportinity for me to spend a few sessions in the salon getting some experience and a feel for the working environment, with no commitment for the time being.
I also spoke to Daniel, the owner, and his wife, Jackie. I really liked both of them. Jackie is the woman I spoke to during my application process and I was pleased to see her there, she seemed very supportive of me which was lovely.
Speaking to Daniel was pretty incredible.
He seemed to really love the impression I gave him from my CV. He said he wanted to see me put the same work and passion into my work experience there as I did in my CV, which I totally will do. He gave me so many compliments during our chat; he said he liked my style (actually he said I already looked like a hairdresser!) and he liked the way I came across. He was very impressed by my GCSE and A-Level results, and even went so far as to imply I had one of the stronger applications he has come across, even from his own staff.
As Daniel is someone in the industry whom I hold a lot of respect for, this is massively exciting, and I actually found it to be quite inspiring as well. His belief in me has sparked a much stronger belief in myself - and this says to me that working alongside someone like Daniel I could really, truly reach my full potential.
I'm so appreciative of them giving me this offer, as the experience will be so so useful to me and although I don't start until Thursday, I'm already very excited. They could have just turned me away at the start due to my lack of experience. I really admire how they have chosen to give me this experience and give me a chance. I doubt many other salons would do that, particularly not for an older student (because even with the work-around they explained to me, it certainly seems as though it isn't as easy as hiring someone who's within the fully funded age).
I'll be writing another post after my first experience day.
- Alice
So I went to my interview as promised and was very pleasantly surprised by what they had to say.
I could have struggled to walk out of the door. They were so complimentary I could almost feel my head swelling up!
First of all, they really seemed to love my CV. This really pleased me because so far, my CV has received no feedback from any employer whatsoever. That's not to say I haven't tried to get any feedback, I just haven't had any replies as of yet.
I spoke to three people in my interview. There was a woman called Faye, who was head of education at the salon. She was very lovely, and I liked her practical approach to the interview. She was very complimentary of my CV, but due to my lack of experience was hesitant to give me a position straight away. She came up with the very reasonable (and very exciting) opportinity for me to spend a few sessions in the salon getting some experience and a feel for the working environment, with no commitment for the time being.
I also spoke to Daniel, the owner, and his wife, Jackie. I really liked both of them. Jackie is the woman I spoke to during my application process and I was pleased to see her there, she seemed very supportive of me which was lovely.
Speaking to Daniel was pretty incredible.
He seemed to really love the impression I gave him from my CV. He said he wanted to see me put the same work and passion into my work experience there as I did in my CV, which I totally will do. He gave me so many compliments during our chat; he said he liked my style (actually he said I already looked like a hairdresser!) and he liked the way I came across. He was very impressed by my GCSE and A-Level results, and even went so far as to imply I had one of the stronger applications he has come across, even from his own staff.
As Daniel is someone in the industry whom I hold a lot of respect for, this is massively exciting, and I actually found it to be quite inspiring as well. His belief in me has sparked a much stronger belief in myself - and this says to me that working alongside someone like Daniel I could really, truly reach my full potential.
I'm so appreciative of them giving me this offer, as the experience will be so so useful to me and although I don't start until Thursday, I'm already very excited. They could have just turned me away at the start due to my lack of experience. I really admire how they have chosen to give me this experience and give me a chance. I doubt many other salons would do that, particularly not for an older student (because even with the work-around they explained to me, it certainly seems as though it isn't as easy as hiring someone who's within the fully funded age).
I'll be writing another post after my first experience day.
- Alice
Wednesday 4 May 2016
Interview Preparation
Hey,
So the salon I've applied to phoned me this morning to invite me to meet them again for what I presume is an interview.
I was expecting to speak to them yesterday, so I was very pleasantly surprised to be contacted within 30 minutes of them opening this morning. I had mentioned when I gave in my CV that I work for 12 hours on a Tuesday and cannot answer the phone, so it seems to me she remembered this and I was very impressed at how early they contacted me considering it was technically a day late.
I've come to realise after all the flakiness I've seen in the applications I've made so far (we'll be in contact, we'll be in touch soon, we'll call tomorrow etc. etc. and it never happens) that this is something I'm really looking for in the company I get to work in, as I value good communication highly.
I'm going in to see them tomorrow at 5:30pm. I actually have a very busy day tomorrow, so because of this I've already curled my hair today in preparation. I'm sure I'll have to touch it up a little in the morning, but it's definitely going to save me lots of time as I have to be somewhere at 9am, and will have to go straight from this, to helping out with some elderly people taking a trip to the beach, which will hopefully be over by 5. Phew! Thankfully I need to dress fairly smart for the first activity, so I shouldn't need to change for my interview.
The mistake I think I made when going to my interview at Toni & Guy, was mainly not knowing much about the brand. The second question they asked me was 'what do you know about Toni & Guy', which totally stumped me. Of course I know of it, but in retrospect, the information I managed to spew out must have screamed that I didn't do any research. I wanted the job, but I didn't realise just how important it is to seem as though you want that specific job, with that specific brand. So I will do as much research about the hairdresser as I can, so if they ask me a question like that I won't be caught off-guard.
They have my CV, so they will know about my experience. They should know I don't have any salon experience, but one thing I did do with my covering letter was emphasise just how customer service heavy my job is. Customer service experience is probably the second-best thing you can get to salon experience when applying for a hairdressing apprenticeship.
I guess at the end of the day the best preparation I can do for an interview like this is turn up looking smart, and feeling good about it.
I'll let you know how I get on
- Alice
So the salon I've applied to phoned me this morning to invite me to meet them again for what I presume is an interview.
I was expecting to speak to them yesterday, so I was very pleasantly surprised to be contacted within 30 minutes of them opening this morning. I had mentioned when I gave in my CV that I work for 12 hours on a Tuesday and cannot answer the phone, so it seems to me she remembered this and I was very impressed at how early they contacted me considering it was technically a day late.
I've come to realise after all the flakiness I've seen in the applications I've made so far (we'll be in contact, we'll be in touch soon, we'll call tomorrow etc. etc. and it never happens) that this is something I'm really looking for in the company I get to work in, as I value good communication highly.
I'm going in to see them tomorrow at 5:30pm. I actually have a very busy day tomorrow, so because of this I've already curled my hair today in preparation. I'm sure I'll have to touch it up a little in the morning, but it's definitely going to save me lots of time as I have to be somewhere at 9am, and will have to go straight from this, to helping out with some elderly people taking a trip to the beach, which will hopefully be over by 5. Phew! Thankfully I need to dress fairly smart for the first activity, so I shouldn't need to change for my interview.
The mistake I think I made when going to my interview at Toni & Guy, was mainly not knowing much about the brand. The second question they asked me was 'what do you know about Toni & Guy', which totally stumped me. Of course I know of it, but in retrospect, the information I managed to spew out must have screamed that I didn't do any research. I wanted the job, but I didn't realise just how important it is to seem as though you want that specific job, with that specific brand. So I will do as much research about the hairdresser as I can, so if they ask me a question like that I won't be caught off-guard.
They have my CV, so they will know about my experience. They should know I don't have any salon experience, but one thing I did do with my covering letter was emphasise just how customer service heavy my job is. Customer service experience is probably the second-best thing you can get to salon experience when applying for a hairdressing apprenticeship.
I guess at the end of the day the best preparation I can do for an interview like this is turn up looking smart, and feeling good about it.
I'll let you know how I get on
- Alice
Saturday 30 April 2016
Persistence is Key
Hello,
So since my last post I have a couple of updates.
First, I recieved a written, posted letter from Toni&Guy informing me I was unsuccessful. This was obviously annoying, but not entirely unexpected. At the time I received it I felt pretty annoyed. I couldn't help but take it somewhat personally, but as it happens, I do feel as though it was a blessing in disguise.
The second update I have comes from a salon very local to me. It's a very prestigious salon, and the owner is actually quite a big deal in the hairdressing industry.
I had sent them an email a couple of days ago asking if they had any opportunities at all for some experience, as I had contacted them a month or so before about an apprenticeship only to be told the position had been filled.
However, the email I got back actually informed me that they were currently looking for an apprentice, and asked for my CV. As I'm fairly sure they haven't begun to advertise for this position yet, this is obviously very exciting and leaves me at a fantastic advantage.
I went in with my CV in person today and handed it straight to the owner. I got to speak to him, and his assistant (whom is also his wife) and found out that they had been speaking about me and were speculating as to what I was like (!!!). The fact that I came in seemed to really impress them, especially as they got to get an impression of what I am like before reading my CV.
They did ask how old I was when I handed over the CV, and I informed them when I said I was 20 that I was perfectly happy to fund my own education should they not be able to do it themselves. She actually said to me there may be a way around it, which is intriguing and I'll be interested to see what it is. She said she'll contact me on Tuesday to arrange a meeting, so at that point I may write another post - or wait until I have met them and get back with my report.
Overall, this feels really positive. It feels right for me, and it almost feels as though it was meant to happen. This is a salon I have looked up to massively since it first opened, and I know there is a lot I can learn from both the stylists that work there and the owner - who I once again must stress is a big deal in the industry.
The way this has worked out has taught me something I always knew, but perhaps as of late didn't quite believe in. Persistence really is key.
- Alice
So since my last post I have a couple of updates.
First, I recieved a written, posted letter from Toni&Guy informing me I was unsuccessful. This was obviously annoying, but not entirely unexpected. At the time I received it I felt pretty annoyed. I couldn't help but take it somewhat personally, but as it happens, I do feel as though it was a blessing in disguise.
The second update I have comes from a salon very local to me. It's a very prestigious salon, and the owner is actually quite a big deal in the hairdressing industry.
I had sent them an email a couple of days ago asking if they had any opportunities at all for some experience, as I had contacted them a month or so before about an apprenticeship only to be told the position had been filled.
However, the email I got back actually informed me that they were currently looking for an apprentice, and asked for my CV. As I'm fairly sure they haven't begun to advertise for this position yet, this is obviously very exciting and leaves me at a fantastic advantage.
I went in with my CV in person today and handed it straight to the owner. I got to speak to him, and his assistant (whom is also his wife) and found out that they had been speaking about me and were speculating as to what I was like (!!!). The fact that I came in seemed to really impress them, especially as they got to get an impression of what I am like before reading my CV.
They did ask how old I was when I handed over the CV, and I informed them when I said I was 20 that I was perfectly happy to fund my own education should they not be able to do it themselves. She actually said to me there may be a way around it, which is intriguing and I'll be interested to see what it is. She said she'll contact me on Tuesday to arrange a meeting, so at that point I may write another post - or wait until I have met them and get back with my report.
Overall, this feels really positive. It feels right for me, and it almost feels as though it was meant to happen. This is a salon I have looked up to massively since it first opened, and I know there is a lot I can learn from both the stylists that work there and the owner - who I once again must stress is a big deal in the industry.
The way this has worked out has taught me something I always knew, but perhaps as of late didn't quite believe in. Persistence really is key.
- Alice
Wednesday 27 April 2016
A Different Approach
Hey,
So since I last posted I really haven't got much further.
I've pretty much accepted now that an apprenticeship at my age is pie-in-the-sky not possible. I've now changed my approach when it comes to applications.
I am still sending my CV to as many places as I can find (though I must admit, my options are now running thin as I've applied to so many places now..) but I've added a little extra something to improve my chances of getting the one thing I really need - more so than an apprenticeship, at the moment.
Experience.
So let's roll back a bit and explain how I came to this conclusion.
Let's assume the odds of me getting an apprenticeship is impossible. This leaves me with going to college to get my NVQ Level 2. This is fine, I'll still get qualified in the same way an apprentice would - but it would leave me with no experience in a real salon environment. If I'm already struggling to get a placement now due to my lack of salon experience, think how badly I will struggle when I've completed my NVQ and go around asking for a full time position as a fully qualified stylist.
I'm pretty sure I'll struggle a lot, as experience speaks volumes these days - particularly in such a customer service based role as hairdressing.
So this leaves me with the need for a position that will give me this valuable experience I so sorely need. This is why I have added the following statement to the bottom of my CV:
So since I last posted I really haven't got much further.
I've pretty much accepted now that an apprenticeship at my age is pie-in-the-sky not possible. I've now changed my approach when it comes to applications.
I am still sending my CV to as many places as I can find (though I must admit, my options are now running thin as I've applied to so many places now..) but I've added a little extra something to improve my chances of getting the one thing I really need - more so than an apprenticeship, at the moment.
Experience.
So let's roll back a bit and explain how I came to this conclusion.
Let's assume the odds of me getting an apprenticeship is impossible. This leaves me with going to college to get my NVQ Level 2. This is fine, I'll still get qualified in the same way an apprentice would - but it would leave me with no experience in a real salon environment. If I'm already struggling to get a placement now due to my lack of salon experience, think how badly I will struggle when I've completed my NVQ and go around asking for a full time position as a fully qualified stylist.
I'm pretty sure I'll struggle a lot, as experience speaks volumes these days - particularly in such a customer service based role as hairdressing.
So this leaves me with the need for a position that will give me this valuable experience I so sorely need. This is why I have added the following statement to the bottom of my CV:
"I
understand that many training providers cannot take on apprentices over
the age of 19 due to difficulties funding their education. If this is
the case, I ask you to consider me for a position as a part-time salon
assistant. This would provide me with valuable experience in a salon
environment while also giving me the flexibility to fund my own
education. Many thanks for this consideration."
Feel free to borrow that statement for your own CV, but I recommend editing it slightly if you do so for the sake of originality. I'm fairly sure that if I do succeed in this, it will be by fluke. Most salons probably wouldn't hire someone so unqualified and essentially useless unless they would help them bring in more money, but at this point I would accept a few days volunteer work anyway just to add that experience to my arsenal. And I may get lucky and find somewhere desperate for a receptionist anyway.
Following on from my previous posts; Toni & Guy still haven't got back to me despite me approaching them asking for feedback (to which they replied they would 'get in touch soon' and a week later.. Still haven't) and the hairdresser I phoned a couple of weeks ago hasn't been in contact either. So far, not so good!
The rejection count is toppling around the 20 mark.
I guess I have to keep on keeping on.
- Alice
Thursday 21 April 2016
The Hardest Part
Hey,
So it's been a few days since I posted about getting an apprenticeship.
I said about my interview with Toni & Guy, and at the time I genuinely believed I was in with a good chance of success with that. Well, I wasn't. I still haven't been contacted and - in my experience of unsuccessful job applications - being ignored means a big fat NO.
This is obviously upsetting. I got my hopes up massively, and have been faced with another rejection. It got me down quite a lot, because as I'm over the age of 18 (when the government stop fully funding apprenticeships) Toni & Guy was the best chance I had.
I think I'm now in the region of about 20 rejections, and all of these (aside from T&G) have been because of my age! It does make me wonder just why the government bother making them available at older ages when no employer really wants to shell out the money to train you.
I think at the very least there should be an option to fund yourself, as I'm at a place now where my only opportunity will be to partake in a college course (at the cost of £1,600) and attempt to get a job from my Level 2 qualification from there.
This is annoying for several reasons.
1. Because the experience in the industry from an apprenticeship would be invaluable.
2. Because I will have to attend college 2 days a week, and somehow find a job that works in between that.
3. Because I do wonder whether I, a 20 year old woman with a clear goal in life, would be far more suited to the apprenticeship programme than a 16 year old fresh out of school who is doing an apprenticeship just because they aren't sure what else to do. (obviously this wouldn't apply to everyone, I'm just pointing out that being older I know far more about what I want in life than I did when I was 16)
4. Rather than being able to begin training within a month or so, I have to wait until September to begin.
I guess to conclude my post, I just want to point out that the older you are when you realise you want to get into this industry, the more considerably difficult it is, to acutally get in to the industry.
And there was me thinking age was a sign of experience.
Ah well! Life goes on, and there are other ways of getting to the end goal.
- Alice
So it's been a few days since I posted about getting an apprenticeship.
I said about my interview with Toni & Guy, and at the time I genuinely believed I was in with a good chance of success with that. Well, I wasn't. I still haven't been contacted and - in my experience of unsuccessful job applications - being ignored means a big fat NO.
This is obviously upsetting. I got my hopes up massively, and have been faced with another rejection. It got me down quite a lot, because as I'm over the age of 18 (when the government stop fully funding apprenticeships) Toni & Guy was the best chance I had.
I think I'm now in the region of about 20 rejections, and all of these (aside from T&G) have been because of my age! It does make me wonder just why the government bother making them available at older ages when no employer really wants to shell out the money to train you.
I think at the very least there should be an option to fund yourself, as I'm at a place now where my only opportunity will be to partake in a college course (at the cost of £1,600) and attempt to get a job from my Level 2 qualification from there.
This is annoying for several reasons.
1. Because the experience in the industry from an apprenticeship would be invaluable.
2. Because I will have to attend college 2 days a week, and somehow find a job that works in between that.
3. Because I do wonder whether I, a 20 year old woman with a clear goal in life, would be far more suited to the apprenticeship programme than a 16 year old fresh out of school who is doing an apprenticeship just because they aren't sure what else to do. (obviously this wouldn't apply to everyone, I'm just pointing out that being older I know far more about what I want in life than I did when I was 16)
4. Rather than being able to begin training within a month or so, I have to wait until September to begin.
I guess to conclude my post, I just want to point out that the older you are when you realise you want to get into this industry, the more considerably difficult it is, to acutally get in to the industry.
And there was me thinking age was a sign of experience.
Ah well! Life goes on, and there are other ways of getting to the end goal.
- Alice
Sunday 17 April 2016
Getting Started as a Hairdresser
Hi!
My name's Alice, as you may have guessed from the blog title. I'm 20 at the time of writing this and I live in the South West of England.
A few months ago I decided I wanted to pursue hairdressing as a career, and I'm going to use this blog to document the progress I make.
The first obstacle I found when I decided I wanted to do hairdressing, was finding an apprenticehip. It seemed to me like there were so many places hiring that I'd be bound to find a placement within the space of a few weeks. Well, that wasn't the case. And it still isn't!
As I live in the UK I used the Government Apprenticeship Service, which is a website set up to list local apprenticeship vacancies. Which sounds great, right? The issue I found was that several of these apprenticeships listed either were already filled or didn't exist at all! This doesn't mean I don't reccomend using it - because I totally do. It's a fantastic resource; just remember you need to double check some vacancies.
The best tip I can give to anyone trying and struggling to find an apprenticeship is to reach out to the employer directly. This means for starters that you'll know for sure that the apprenticeship vacancy actually exists.
Quite often you'll find on the .Gov website that the applications are processed by a training company. This means that sometimes your application won't reach the employer. The best way to contact an employer would, ideally, be by phone. But if the company have a Facebook page it can be quicker and easier to contact a number of employers just by sending a message to them. Don't be disheartened if it seems as though they've seen the message and ignored it - quite often they're very busy and just waiting for enough time to reply to you.
If there's a few salons local to you that aren't advertising but you're wondering if they have a vacancy, definitely give them a ring. I phoned 2 salons in my area and although one didn't have a vacancy, another did. They took down my details and said they would contact me in a couple of weeks. Remember - the more salons that you approach, the more likely it is you'll find a placement.
Even after all of this, I still have struggled to find an employer. However, I did manage to contact Toni & Guy, who have been looking for apprentices for a while now. I first approached them via Facebook, and was asked to email a CV. I did that, and after 6 days hadn't heard anything. As I happened to be in the area recently, I popped into the salon just to ask when to expect a response.
The receptionist actually remembered that I had Facebook messaged them, and they offered me an interview slot then and there. This totally proves it's worth it just to suck it up and approach an employer you're interested in, even if it makes you nervous! I very nearly didn't go in to the salon because I felt too nervous, but I believe if I didn't I probably wouldn't have been interviewed.
Remember, looking keen will always be attractive to an employer. It shows you're motivated and you're not going to waste their time if they'll be investing in you as an apprentice - this particularly will apply to those over the age of 19 where the government will no longer fully fund you. You have to make yourself seem worth the money a company will need to pay to educate you.
And that's as far as I've got so far! I'm yet to hear back from Toni & Guy after my interview - although I felt that went really well. I'm also waiting on a response from the local hairdresser I phoned, and there are several other applications I've made too. Probably about 15.
I hope this post helps someone, I know I certainly could have used a resource like this when I first started looking for my apprenticeship!
Thanks for reading,
Alice x x x
My name's Alice, as you may have guessed from the blog title. I'm 20 at the time of writing this and I live in the South West of England.
A few months ago I decided I wanted to pursue hairdressing as a career, and I'm going to use this blog to document the progress I make.
The first obstacle I found when I decided I wanted to do hairdressing, was finding an apprenticehip. It seemed to me like there were so many places hiring that I'd be bound to find a placement within the space of a few weeks. Well, that wasn't the case. And it still isn't!
As I live in the UK I used the Government Apprenticeship Service, which is a website set up to list local apprenticeship vacancies. Which sounds great, right? The issue I found was that several of these apprenticeships listed either were already filled or didn't exist at all! This doesn't mean I don't reccomend using it - because I totally do. It's a fantastic resource; just remember you need to double check some vacancies.
The best tip I can give to anyone trying and struggling to find an apprenticeship is to reach out to the employer directly. This means for starters that you'll know for sure that the apprenticeship vacancy actually exists.
Quite often you'll find on the .Gov website that the applications are processed by a training company. This means that sometimes your application won't reach the employer. The best way to contact an employer would, ideally, be by phone. But if the company have a Facebook page it can be quicker and easier to contact a number of employers just by sending a message to them. Don't be disheartened if it seems as though they've seen the message and ignored it - quite often they're very busy and just waiting for enough time to reply to you.
If there's a few salons local to you that aren't advertising but you're wondering if they have a vacancy, definitely give them a ring. I phoned 2 salons in my area and although one didn't have a vacancy, another did. They took down my details and said they would contact me in a couple of weeks. Remember - the more salons that you approach, the more likely it is you'll find a placement.
Even after all of this, I still have struggled to find an employer. However, I did manage to contact Toni & Guy, who have been looking for apprentices for a while now. I first approached them via Facebook, and was asked to email a CV. I did that, and after 6 days hadn't heard anything. As I happened to be in the area recently, I popped into the salon just to ask when to expect a response.
The receptionist actually remembered that I had Facebook messaged them, and they offered me an interview slot then and there. This totally proves it's worth it just to suck it up and approach an employer you're interested in, even if it makes you nervous! I very nearly didn't go in to the salon because I felt too nervous, but I believe if I didn't I probably wouldn't have been interviewed.
Remember, looking keen will always be attractive to an employer. It shows you're motivated and you're not going to waste their time if they'll be investing in you as an apprentice - this particularly will apply to those over the age of 19 where the government will no longer fully fund you. You have to make yourself seem worth the money a company will need to pay to educate you.
And that's as far as I've got so far! I'm yet to hear back from Toni & Guy after my interview - although I felt that went really well. I'm also waiting on a response from the local hairdresser I phoned, and there are several other applications I've made too. Probably about 15.
I hope this post helps someone, I know I certainly could have used a resource like this when I first started looking for my apprenticeship!
Thanks for reading,
Alice x x x
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