Informational Interview: Do You Have What it Takes to Work in the Beauty Sector?

📷 INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW: CAREER IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY[/caption]

As someone who has worked in the employment field for most of my career it always delights me when I meet people who LOVE their job. I believe that we can all learn something from people who live their passion. This is why I decided to go out and interview people who are passionate about their work. My hope is to find out what motivates them and to gain insights, tips and tricks so that others can learn what it takes to enter these industries.

My first informational interview was with Sarah Michieli who works as a Nail Technician/Lash Artist.  I was drawn to interview this lovely woman because she exudes passion. Sarah has worked in the beauty industry for six and a half years now and said her passion began when she had her own nails done by a nail technician who shared insights into this trade. This ignited a curiosity which later bloomed into a passion for the work.

I asked Sarah what skills came to her naturally as a Nail Technician/Lash Artist and she didn’t hesitate to admit that she has ‘the gift of the gab’. You need to be social in this industry and also need to stay relevant and up to date with trends and new practices. Sarah admits that she loves the social media aspect of the work which include posting pictures, engaging with clients online and learning from other artists. Sarah noted that she likes to stay ahead of the trends and so has a unique advantage over other artists who get bogged down by the work. Skills that come naturally to Sarah are her honesty, sense of humour and precision.  Taking an extra 5 or 10 minutes with a client to make sure their lashes or nails are perfect has contributed to her success in this business.

Other skills that have contributed to her success are her interpersonal skills and ability to read clients and understand what they need in that moment. Sarah explained that when some people come to the salon they just want to sit in silence and enjoy some time away from their busy lives. Other clients need someone to talk too and look forward to coming to get a service so that they can vent about a recent issue or update Sarah on a new event in their life. The ability to build rapport has served her well and is why her business has grown primarily through word of mouth referrals.

I asked Sarah about something that challenges her about this work and she said it is always interesting when people bring in pictures of nails that they want me to design. As a Nail Technicians you are essentially an artist and it can be difficult to produce an exact replication of another person’s work. However, Sarah noted that she enjoys the challenge of creating something new and making clients happy.

Some important tips that Sarah offered to others who are hoping to get into this industry are to invest in good products (don’t cheap out!) and to pursue ongoing training and education. Fashion trends change frequently and there are always new techniques to learn. Stay relevant by taking additional training and by connecting with other professionals in the field. Lastly, be confident and don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things!

Check Sarah out on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PolishedLashandNailDesign/

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