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- Career: Radio Show Host
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- Deciding Your Career
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- Career Watch - Stylist
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- Ask a Guy - in your sleep, faked sick, goals,treat guys
- Ask a Girl - in your sleep, faked sick, goals,treat guys
- Career Watch - Stylist
- Real Girl: Rachel
- Elemental Connections Part 3 of 4: EARTH
- Snowshoeing
- STOP the Negative Thinking
- Fashion Tips: Hips
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- The Truth about Marijuana
Career Watch - Stylist
CAREER WATCH, March 2009, by Jenifer Merifield
I recently met Nadia Taha at her salon, the Sunshine Salon & Spa. It’s a great little spot that is bright with natural light from lots of large windows, and is nicely decorated to feel cozy and set the mood for relaxation. She works there with her very talented Esthetician partner, Angel.
Nadia has been a stylist for 25 years. She believes that it’s the perfect profession for her because she gets to be creative, make her own hours, and be around people... all the things she loves!
A day in Nadia’s life
“I get up in the mornings looking forward to my work. I create relationships with my clients so that they become like family to me.
“I love when people tell me how much they love their hair after I’m done. It’s my goal to offer excellent customer service and to give my clients the best hair cut, style or colour they’ve ever had. That’s why they keep coming back!”
Nadia says that some weeks she can be really busy with back to back clients all day, and other weeks it can be slower. The good thing for her is that on her slow days she books her clients close together so she can take the rest of the day to run errands and get other things done.
What it takes to be a Stylist
Nadia takes a lot of pride in her work and she appreciates the freedom she has running her own business. She’s worked for others in the past and has worked her way up to the independence she has now.
If you wanted to be a stylist you would take a cosmetology course in College for hair, makeup and/or esthetics. The diploma takes anywhere from 9 months to a year or more to complete.
“There are always stylists needed.” Says Nadia, “it’s very competitive so you have to be good. It’s more than just hair, you have to have the personality, the ability to talk to people and go with the flow. If someone doesn’t want to talk, you don’t talk. If they aren’t sure what they want, you have to suggest things. Confidence is a really important quality of a stylist!”
What about the money?
Nadia says that a student just out of school would make minimum wage at a salon, or up to about $700/week plus commission and tips. The longer you’ve been doing it you build relationships and get regular clients. That’s when you can start making more like $5,000 to $6,000 per month or more.
“The great thing about having your own salon,” Nadia tells me “is that you can make that much and still have the benefits of the flexibility to choose your own hours.”
How much time is required on the job?
“You’re looking at 9 hour shifts and Saturdays when you start out. If you want to be there when the clients are, you know you have to do weekends.” Nadia says that a 5 day week would be minimum, but the biggest money day is Saturday.
Making it special
Something I really loved about Nadia was how she understood the importance of making the ‘hair experience’ more than just an appointment. She offered me a coffee, took my coat and even asked if the temperature was fine for my liking. Her salon is purposely small so that her clients can have a comfortable experience without a lot of noise and distraction.
Nadia was born in Jordan. She’s been here for 35 years, but being Islamic gives her and insight to the importance of privacy more than some of us realize. She has many clients who wear veils and require privacy when getting their hair cut.
Nadia’s Message.
"If you love people and being creative, this is a great career. You never get bored because you could be doing highlights with one client, cutting a child’s hair next, and then coming up with a whole new look for a teenager after that.
There are challenges every day, but there are also many accomplishments. It’s a job where you make people feel good about themselves. Hair is very personal, so there is a lot of trust put into you by your clients.
You can take your skills any where because stylists are always needed.
It’s important to keep up to date with the ‘in’ styles. Go to seminars, take classes and know your products. Just like anything it takes dedication and passion for what you do.”