You have the job, now what?
Planning for your ultimate career.
Securing that first beauty industry position has you feeling super smug with yourself!
However what happens when life gets in the way and you are struggling to cope with the demands of your new career?
This is quite often a scenario that we hear about. You have put the hard work in, met the deadlines, uploaded assessments till you are blue in the face, successfully gained your dream job and suddenly you are faced with KPI’s, demanding rosters and treatments that are not on your ‘ideal’ list.
There is a famous quote from You’ve Got Mail and The Godfather – “It’s not personal, it’s business” we often say this as a means of stating that any feedback that is given to us is done so for the good of the business and is purely as a means of keeping all and sundry afloat.
We know though, that as nurturing and compassionate therapists you can say it’s not personal but it almost always is!
The trick is to look at your career as a win-win situation. Let’s explore what you want out of this, your short term and long term goals and what you are willing to compromise on.
- Be very clear about your vision timeline.
In our immediate/quick fix social media world, we can often think about why we aren’t achieving our goals yet. Trust yourself and set up boundaries and time lines. Working for a company has so many benefits. It gives you invaluable experience, a regular paycheck and superannuation, exposure to training and different products, camaraderie working in a fantastic team.
Do you want to be in an environment where you can progress and professionally develop? The well known companies in the industry (LCA, Results, Pure Indulgence, Ella Bache) all offer this. You have to learn to walk before you can fly and I would suggest you allow this to happen organically to get the best results!
Alternatively, if you want to branch out on your own it is often a good idea to experience working in an established environment for a given length of time, understand the ins and outs of the industry and use it as a time to gather information. You can still have your goal to own your own business in the wings, however often you will pick up vital lessons that can really add value to your end vision.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Are you waxing all day at work however waxing is not really your thing? Your boss or manager doesn’t know what they don’t know – so put on your brave pants and indicate that whilst you are happy to do some of those treatments, it’s really not where your strengths lie. If you put it like this – it can be seen as a positive. You can then indicate where your true obsession lies and they will be more than happy to help you achieve this if this will improve your overall performance.
It costs companies a lot of money to replace and re-train therapists so as a general rule companies prefer to invest in the staff that they have. If this means giving you the treatments that you really love to do, this is a win win for all.
Learn to speak to your boss confidently. This takes practice and I suggest writing down exactly what you want to say with a calm demeanour. Have a favourable solution on hand to offer them – whether it be how you can fit in training, discuss flexibility with hours or suggest a 5 minute ‘check in’ each day to ensure you are both on the same page.
- Understand the business.
Do you know how a beauty therapy business makes it profit? If you are turning up to work each day without any idea of the cost of rent/wages/products/laundry etc you could be deluding yourself into thinking the company is making loads of money off you!
Put your business head on and understand that the beauty industry has fierce competition. Often the managers and supervisors are all ‘on the tools’ and are working just as hard as you; try to put some time aside with your manager to break down your targets and KPI’s into hourly rates so that you can put the running cost of the day into perspective.
Once you gain some insight into the logistics of making a salon or spa work in a very competitive industry, you may feel different. Have a respectful philosophy regarding this and you will be in such a better mindset to work hard for your income.
- Work smarter, not harder.
The ultimate treatment is made up of a measure of many things, not just the actual service. The ambience, front of house efficiency, parking, navigation of the website, aromas, feel of the clean towels and headband all contribute to the overall experience. Once you realise this – your energy can be distributed evenly throughout the day instead of making sure that every treatment gets 110%! You will wear yourself out and end up with burn-out. Get in early to prepare your room, allow plenty of time to have everything just how you like it with snacks tucked into the drawers!
- Keep up your professional development.
Never stop learning. Book yourself into on-trend training/information sessions a few times a year. It will add fuel to your enthusiasm and re ignite your ‘why’. It’s so important to keep on top of your portfolio of beauty as the industry changes so rapidly and there are so many advanced techniques and technologies emerging every day.
Focus on your personal development too. Learn to take constructive feedback on board and act on it. It takes a strong individual to really assess areas that are requiring improvement and take the necessary action to achieve this. Set yourself goals, timelines and small successes that are easily achievable. Write them down! You are far likely to achieve these goals if you see them in black and white and can put a large tick next to them when they are completed.
- Be tenacious
Give your place of work some time to iron out the kinks. It is always a small shock when you go into your first beauty role and it doesn’t measure up to your dream position. Beauty is a competitive and busy industry with many challenges, however you may find you spend a considerable amount of time searching for the perfect environment – you will always have to compromise on something.
What to compromise on? Flexible weekend work, an even share of the ‘good’ treatments and getting paid for your set up and pack down at the end of the day.
What not to compromise on? Unhygienic environment, poor communication and nasty team vibes. You do not have to put up with this.
In summary, give yourself the gift of a plan. Plans take time and effort and with the right tools you can expect to see your vision become a reality.
Trudie
