Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
People classed as Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. The skills rated most useful are active listening, speaking, and service orientation. A regular part of the work is to keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs. Interest ratings put Realistic on top at 5.4 out of 7 and Conventional second, so the code is RCS and the day leans toward hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Getting in usually takes one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree, a level O*NET calls medium preparation. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.
What they do
Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.
Main tasks
- Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
- Schedule client appointments.
- Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
- Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
- Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
- Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
Skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Service Orientation
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Learning
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on active listening and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCS takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Also called
- Beautician
- Beauty Specialist
- Cosmetologist
- Hair Artist
- Hair Dresser
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.