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Manicurists and Pedicurists

In the Manicurists and Pedicurists occupation, workers clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on speaking, social perceptiveness, and service orientation. You may also need to clean and sanitize tools and work environment. On the six-type interest model it reads RCS, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. A regular part of the work is to apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.

Main tasks

  • Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
  • Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
  • Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
  • Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
  • Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
  • Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation
  • Active Listening
  • Time Management
  • Reading Comprehension

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 want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and social perceptiveness.

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 1.3 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

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

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Manicurist
  • Nail Technician (Nail Tech)
  • Pedicurist

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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.