Business Basics: Professionalism

The contrast between my life in the beauty industry and my life in the business sector is astounding. I used to work in a Human Resources support role for a Fortune 500 company in their Organizational Development department. In that role, I was exposed to training and expectations for their high level executives. The expectations for business professionals is vastly different from how the majority of beauty professionals act nowadays - and its not that beauty professionals have a less important job by any means, its that business and the importance of professionalism isn't even touched  in the beauty industry unless you take a rare advanced training beauty business class.

Look, I get it. This is a creative industry. You did not go to school for business because its too stodgy/ boring/{insert adjective here}. Except you DID go into business - the beauty business.   

Professionalism

Professionalism is a set of character strengths and values directed toward high quality service to others through one's work. It encompasses the skills, knowledge and behavior that you use at work and that you present to the outside world as a beauty professional, even if not at work . Let me repeat that - even if not at work.   If you are representing the company in any capacity - even just talking about where you work to an acquaintance -  your behavior will be judged in relation to your job.

Professionalism isn't how you look, it's how you behave.  It's saying what you mean, doing what you say, and getting the job done.  People who act professionally are regarded better by both peers and clients, make more money and are seen as experts in their chosen field.   People who act professionally are valued by their company. Professionalism establishes boundaries to clients. It promotes respect and minimizes conflicts.

Of course, how you look still matters. Being neat and clean is important in order to look professional. What would you think if you went to a doctor who was wearing a sloppy, stained sweatsuit and had matted, messy hair? Your opinion of their professionalism - and probably their competency - would go down and you might even be uncomfortable seeing them.

Characteristic of Professionals - in ANY Industry

• Neat in appearance - while professionalism is a set of behaviors, appearance still matters, ESPECIALLY in the beauty industry.
• Polite and well-spoken but not cocky
• Reliable
• Competent in their role and always striving to become experts in their field
• Ethical
• Organized
• Accountable for their actions - they admit their admit mistakes and correct them and don't try to blame others
• Maintain poise - they keep their calm in difficult situations
• Respectful of others - customers, superiors and co-workers alike

Professionalism is important, even if you do not work for a Fortune 500 company. By maintaining professionalism, you will go further in your career, make more money and be regarded as an expert in your field.  Its a win-win situation!

Unprofessional Behavior

Unprofessional behavior happens, but a true professional will strive to not let it happen and to minimize issues when it dies happen (to them or someone else in their place of employment.

Unprofessional behavior can include:

I love this picture! from LinkedIn

• Being late or skipping work.
• Discussing taboo topics or your personal life
• Swearing
• Being defensive
• Being unresponsive
• Being disrespectful
• Not keeping promises
• Blaming other people
• Being fake
• Lying and stealing
• Poor communication
• Arguing in front of clients
• Insults, verbal comments, or criticism intended to belittle or berate others
• Verbal outbursts
• Conduct that can be considered harassment or discrimination
• Verbal or physical threats of violence, retribution, or lawsuits
• Any of these examples

I highly encourage you to keep reading and researching on the subject of Professionalism and even take a class if you can. It is an extremely important piece of making a viable career that is not talked about often enough in this industry.



Resources and References
https://www.strategies.com/blog/career-professionalism-success-beauty-industry/
http://beautysupply.about.com/od/Marketing/tp/Keeping-It-Professional-In-The-Beauty-Industry.htm
http://www.modernsalon.com/article/7511/9-essential-work-ethics-for-salon-success
http://brainwashedu.com/raising-the-professionalism-of-the-beauty-industry/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-characteristics-professionalism-greg
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/08/02/unprofessional-workplace-behaviors/13420381/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140706111652-12357314-top-10-most-common-unprofessional-behaviors
https://www.slideshare.net/tammyjwatson1969/professionalism-in-the-workplace-37460714
https://www.slideshare.net/wicaksana/professionalism-in-the-work-place
http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/four-reasons-why-you-need-to-be-professional/
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-professionalism-business-2905.html

The Problem With Social Media "teachers"

Eep! I just realized it's been over a year since I have posted anything!  Ah, life tends to catch up with you doesn't it? Well I have tons of post drafts just waiting to be edited and I hope to start geting them out there for you soon!

Just a few years ago, we had to rely on books and in-person teaching and an occasional online forum (hi, beautytech.com!) to learn and collaborate with people.  Social media is amazing and the ability to share ideas, learn, network and more is there at the click of a mouse button.  Instagram is a fantastic place to see other tech's work. YouTube has a proliferation of videos on "how to do nails".  Facebook has groups galore with nails as the subject. It can be the best place to learn new things. Or the worst.

I follow a number of people on Instagram and YouTube - online nail "celebrities" - and am appalled at the number of problems I see being shown in the short videos they post. And so many of them are offering classes - even though they have never trained to teach and are using outdated and potentially harmful techniques.

I am not saying don't use social media, just to take what you see with a grain of salt. Over filing the natural nail, too much liquid and mixing product lines are all things I see online way too often. As an informed tech, it is up to you to do your research, know what is acceptable and what is not  - and when you see a tech online doing amazing nails - except they are slopping monomer all over the finger and mixing acrylic brands - you can take the good ideas that you see and leave the bad techniques.

Do what you can to keep this industry safe and healthy! There is no point pointing out to the tech that they have a bad habit or were poorly trained - you will get called a troll and there will always be people to stand up for them no matter how much you make sense  (been there!)

Keep Learning!!

Business Basics: Resumes

Resumes (or curriculum vitae if you do not live in the US) are one of those things that the average beauty industry person has no idea about, even though having a good resume is a critical element in the job seelking process.  When I applied for my first nail job, I went to apply thinking I would just fill out an application and that would be that.  When they asked for my resume, I gave them a blank look - this was not something that was even mentioned in nail school!

A resume/curriculum vitae is defined as "a brief account of a person's education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent with a job application."  It is a summary of your relevant work/educational experience.  This means, you do not need to list every single job you have ever had, nor every subject you studied in school. 

You will want to tailor your resume to the position you are applying for - and yes this means that you should look at and refine your resume for every job you apply for!  You may not need to make any adjustments if the positions are all very similar, but you may need to tweak a word or two or even a whole section.

For instance, if you are looking to apply at a spa that only does natural nail manicures, you will not want your objective to read "A highly talented nail technician with experience in providing professional, high quality acrylic nails." The fact that you do acrylic nails means nothing to a natural nails-only spa.  It is neither relevant nor tailored to the application.

Being relevent doesnt just mean salon work.  When you are first starting out, you most likely will not have worked in a salon.  Under the Experience section of your resume you can put previous jobs that focus on your relevant transferable skills.   A salon owner isn’t just looking for someone who can do great nails.  They also want someone who is reliable, is professional with the clients and who is a team player.  Showing that you worked as a sales associate for three years, doesn’t speak to your nails skills, but it shows you are a loyal and dependable employee – which is equally as important.

Students should include statistics from their work at the school salon including includes how many clients they serviced in a week, the average service ticket, the number of referrals, the percent of re-books, the average retail ticket, and weekly service and retail goals. The resume should also include experiences outside the classroom, from volunteering at school fundraisers to doing a beauty photo shoot after hours.


Parts of a Resume
Resumes have four basic parts - your contact information, the objective, your education and your experience.  In addition you can add sections highlighting relevent skills or other relevant information.

• Contact Information: This is self explanatory - name, address and phone number plus email address. If you have an online resume, include that website address as well.


• Objective. This is an optional piece - more and more people are saying to leave it off but if you choose to keep it in, this is where you tell the employer exactly what you are looking for in a place of employment.  Mention the kind of environment and position you are seeking. State your objective simply and concisely; it is never necessary to have a long-winded statement.


• Education. List it all: where and when you went to school and any continuing education classes or seminars you have attended.


• Experience. List prior work experience beginning with your present position and working backwards. List all products you have worked with. This will give you an advantage over the other applicants who have no experience with certain products.  Your experience does not have to be paid to be relevant. This allows you to include any experience in which you learned or demonstrated skills, knowledge or abilities that are related to the type of job you are seeking.

You can add additional sections as desired. Some examples are:

• Activities/ Awards: To help make yourself stand out, be sure to add anything that shows your passion for the industry - such as memberships to industry associations and awards or competitions participated in.
• Other Experience/Volunteer Work: If you have a lot of experience you can choose to separate your experience into difference sections and list related volunteer work
• Skills: Most resumes can benefit from having a skills section. The heading might simply read "Skills," and include a list of various skills. Since skills are a large part of the beauty insutry and are more related to your objective than some other sections, place this section higher on your resume page than other less-related sections.
• Certifications/Licensure: You can include you licensure in your education if it was obtained due to training, but you may also wish to highlight it as a separate section, especially if you have certifications from manufacturers - such as being a CND Master Tech.

References
On a resume, it is unnecessary to state "references available upon request." Most employers assume this. Do, however, prepare a reference list, on a separate page from your resume.

On curriculum vitae, references ARE typically listed.

In selecting people to ask to serve as references for you, think about what those individuals know about you and if they can discuss your work-related qualities. Don't list references who only know you in a social capacity. While family friends may have nice things to say about you, employers don't place value on these kinds of references.  Also, don't ever give someone's name as a reference without that person's permission.


Dos and Don’ts of a Successful Resume
• Don’t use overly cute or ornate fonts. Make it as easy as possible for the interviewer to get the information she needs without having to try to decipher what the words are.
• Don’t use a lot of icons or design elements that will be distracting to the interviewer. You want her to see the information in your resume, not the art.
• Don’t go for bright neon paper. Although you want your resume to stand out in a stack, the interviewer may have difficulty reading that beautiful yellow color that you so love.
• Do be creative — but opt for a classic style over glitz and glamour.
• Do use spell-check. And have someone proofread it for you as well.  I can not stress this enough!  Proofread, have your mom proofread, have your teacher proofread, have a friend proofread and then proofread it again!  Check not only for spelling mistakes, but mistakes in the "voice" of the resume.  It should all sound cohesive.

Seeing how others structure their resume may bring you some ideas - go ahead and Google "Nail Techncician Resume Examples" and you will get many ideas on how to structure a resume.  You can also look for cosmetologist, hair stylist, esthitician, manicurist, and beauty industry resume examples to get additional ideas on structuring a resume, even if you don't do hair or skin care for a living.


References/Resources
http://www.career.vt.edu/resumeguide/ContentSections.html
http://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/ReferenceGuide.html
http://www.nailpro.com/sample-resume/
http://files.nailsmag.com/Handouts/naCH11resume.pdf
http://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/blog/beauty-careers/how-to-write-a-cosmetology-resume/
http://www.nailsmag.com/article/96938/help-students-create-impressive-resumes-fresh-out-of-school
http://www.nsinails.com/nail-labs/tricks-of-the-trade/prepping-for-an-interview.html#.VnAsgXJglaQ

The Importance of Proper Terminology in the Nail Industry

Many of you have already noticed that I am a stickler for using proper terminology in the nail industry.  I believe that is is one of the key factors that will help in elevating the perception of our industry.

Professionalism

First and foremost, using proper terminology is professional.  Every profession has proper terminology used in their job and we are no different.  How would you feel if you went to a doctor who didnt use proper terminology?  "Hey there, let's take a look at your boo-boo....yep looks like your bone has an owie."  I mean, really?  I would find it demeaning and figure I could have just taken care of my "owie" at home. 

Now, if the doctor said, "Hello. Let's take a look at what is bothering you.  Yes, I can see you have an abrasion on your skin and likely a subperiosteal hematoma - basically a bruise on your bone. I am going to prescribe a painkiller and you will need to take it easy for a few days and ice the area regularly." 

Which doctor sounds like a professional?  (I hope you said the second one.)  Notice that the doctor in the second scenario used correct terms but also explained what they meant so the patient wasn't confused.

Granted my made-up scenario is slightly ridiculous but I hope it opens your eyes to how you might look to clients if you are very informal or use outdated and/or incorrect terminology (like "mold", which does not grow on living humans - I'm not even a fan of calling it a "greenie" personally, as I find it a bit childish [my opinion]. It's a pseudomonas bacterial infection).

Reputation and Client Perception
Inconsistent and varied use of terminology is a risk to industry - and individual - reputations.  Already there is much confusion not only in the public but amongst new nail technicians as well.   When people in the industry use wrong terminology (knowingly or unknowingly) it perpertuates myths and confuses people.  When people are confused they can receive incorrect treatments.  now granted, it is unlikely that a wrong treatment is going to hurt someone but it can definitely hurt the technician and the industry as a whole. 

I once had a client - a lovely 80+ year old woman - who came to me for a fill.  She had gone into a discount salon in the mall to get a manicure and walked out with acrylic nails.  She was told that it was a manicure and was very confused about what whe had on her nails.  All she knew is he told her to come back in 2 weeks for a "fill", but she didn't like the vibe of the salon and so came ot me instead.  I explained she had acrylic nails and we could remove them  but I was concerned about the amount of damage she may have on her natural nails (plus I knew this salon to use MMA). Her other choice would be to continue to fill them until we could ge the MMA and damage grown out and remove the nails at that time.  She chose the latter, however she should never have had to choose at all.  Because the salon she went to called a "full set" of nails a "manicure" she received an incorrect and unwanted treatment.  Unfortunately, she did not understand what was happening at the time. To this day - nearly 15 years later - it still upsets me.  And this lovely woman now has a negative view of the industry as a whole.
 "Gel Powder" is another example of incorrect terminology that confuses clients who do not understand that they are paying for clear acrylic (vs the cloudy natural acrylic usually used). Clients tend to end up with a negative industry view when they find out they have been duped.

Other examples: calling a full set a "manicure", calling gel polish "gel nails", calling onycholysis "fungus", etc.


Consistancy
Terminology  is universal and can be used by all professionals within the field who will know what it means (which ever field it may be - medical, beauty, legal, etc). And if you are telling your client to go to a doctor for her paronychia, the doctor will know what you are talking about too.

I know it will take many years to get everyone using proper terminology but I have high hopes that it will happen and our industry will no longer be looked upon as negatively as it has been in the last decade or so.


Politically Correct
In the USA (and many other places I'm sure, but I live in the US so that's what I know :)), there has been a big push over the years to be "politically correct". What this means is we are encouraged to use terms that do not exclude people - for instance, saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" which could exclude non-christians.  Now, I personally think the whole "PC" thing is taken too far at times, but it does point to the fact that terminology has become a very big deal in the USA and should be just as much of a "big deal" in the nail industry.


 References and Resources:
http://www.hooked-on-nails.com/NailTerms.html
http://www.computing.surrey.ac.uk/ai/pointer/report/section1.html
http://www.hito.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Beauty-Forum-Report-2009.pdf
http://www.beautyinsignia.com/2013/03/beauty-jargon-explained-editorial.html
http://facetofacewithdougschoon.com/member-content/episode-12-member-content

Business Basics: Setting Yourself Apart

TIP # 35 SETTING YOURSELF APART 

by Vicki Peters  circa 2001

Setting yourself apart from your competition takes time and effort and can't be done overnight. It is a collection of good business basics, knowledge and  experience and most of all good customer service skills. It takes experience, professionalism and wisdom to see what your competition is NOT doing. It  also takes the right salon environment. If you're working in a salon that does not share your professional ethics then you should find one that does.  If the rest of the salon does not answer the phone with the utmost care, if  you're working with techs that don't have high enough standards then you  should reconsider where you're working. And for those who think lowering your prices to compete with those discount salons up the street is taking the WRONG approach. It is, just the opposite, believe me. Here are some ideas  for you.

Professionalism
Salon appearance - does the salon look the way you want it to look? What is  the client's first impression and is there anything that you can improve on?  What is the decor and does it need updating?

Your appearance - Are you a jeans and T-shirt kind of manicurist? Will smocks  help the appearance of the techs because it is difficult controlling what  everyone wears? Do you apply makeup every day and do your hair so you feel  good about the way you look? Are your nails done? There is no excuse here.  Get a standing with a tech at another salon if you don't have time and get  your nails done. Top coat them with gel so they are resistant to acetone. We  are our best form of advertisement and if your nails don't look good then how  can you sell your services? And there is nothing wrong with natural nails -  buff them so they look neat and clean all the time. Take a look at the  things and containers on your table - it is time for a table makeover? When  was the last time you scrubbed your station down and removed all the polish  and yuck from the top of the table? How about a new lamp? Is your table set  up simple or do you have a cluttered table with personal things that looks  like an extension of your bedroom?

Table Manners - This is also important from the client's perspective. How do  you handle interruptions and phone calls while you're servicing a client? Do  you gossip within the salon? Do you have salon menus available for the new client? Do you do nail consultations for the first time client? Do you offer  alternatives to acrylic work? How to you greet the client and how do you end  the appointment? Do you meet her at the front door and walk her back to the  waiting area every time?

Do you explain your technical procedures and why you prefer the products you  prefer? Do you explain how you sanitize your implements? Do you share with  your clients the extra education you take all year long to improve your  knowledge? If not they won't know.

Trends

You need to be up on all the latest trends. Watch the consumer  magazines and be on top of all the new polish colors as soon as they are  available. Watch consumer nail shapes as well.

Referrals & Networking

take advantage of the clients that sit in your chair  before you go spend too much money on advertising. Your clients can advertise  for you. Tell them you are looking for new clients and arm them with several of your business card. Write their name of the back of the card so when the  new client comes in from a referral you so will know who it is. Reward that
client with an extra 10 minutes of a massage or something special that does  not cost money and they will remember. Discounting a service is not  memorable. Most of your clients probably believe you're booked and don't need  more clients - if you don't tell them they won't know.

Retail 

If you're not retailing you're missing the boat. The client wants your professional opinion on a top coat they do not want to go to the store and  buy something blindly they would prefer your recommendation because you know.  So why not sell them retail? Our recommendations can be powerful. They are  always looking for good hand lotion, exfoliant and cuticle products. You can
make so much more money by retailing and not having to work longer for it.

Career Enhancement 

If you're not attending several trade shows and classes a  year YOU ARE OUT OF THE LOOP. Don't you ever think for one minute you know  enough because you don't and your business will eventually suffer. Even if  you're fully booked now, that will not last. You have to maintain your career  with fresh information, constantly. Go to every product class you can, even
if you don't use or like the product. The educator may have one little tip she passes on that will make it worth your while going to the class. Also you need to  continually try new products, you never know - you just might find something  you like better and if you don't it will just confirm you're using the right  product.

Network at the shows - get online and find out who is going to what show and  meet up. Help with a competition (maybe mine?) so you get the chance to stand  over the shoulder of someone like Tom Holcomb as he competes. Watch the  judging, hang with the competitors. Share hotel expenses with other techs you  meet and network. Share ideas and attend classes and discuss with others what
you learned at the classes. There are hidden values to attending a show that  if you don't dig deeper you may miss. Spend ample time watching all the demos  you can. Never know what you can learn.

Goal Setting 

This is important to do in order to grow your career. Goals  can be getting your time down, learning new techniques so you can charge more  or training others. Setting goals on how much money you want to make each  year and how you're going to do that.

Customer Service 

I can't say enough about this. Customer service and  sanitation for that matter are two of the most important factors in securing  a loyal client, the nails you do actually plays a much smaller part in it all. If you don't take pride in how you take care of the client she will not think the service was good no matter how good the nails are.

So let's start with developing a phone dialog and customer service standards with in the salon. Answer the phone by the third ring. Take turns on answering the phone if that is what it takes when you don't have a receptionist. A consistent phone dialog should be written that every one uses. When you have to put someone on hold do so nicely don't just click. And please don't yell across the room if the phone is for some one else especially if the client is not on hold and can hear you. Keep track of everyone's schedule so when a client calls in for someone that is not there you know when she will be or take a written message and place it on the manicurist's desk. Not knowing is not good enough, the client called for a reason and she needs an answer. If you have voice mail use it and ask if the client if she would like to leave a message in so and so's voice mail if they are not there.

Develop a standard on how to greet a new client that may be a walk in. Don't let her stand there and wait for some to greet her.. Put your friendliest tech closest to the front door for that reason. And even if you're all independent contractors you should be working as a team. The client does not care if it is not your job; she just wants to be taken care of. Bottom line.

Customer service is easy and the best way to gain loyalty. Training on customer service is something to consider, there are many seminars you can take, Career Track is one of them and they are very good. I have taken several myself and there are plenty of books on the subject as well. Look outside the beauty industry for customer service help. Watch the way you are taken care of when you venture out to other salons, stores and restaurants. Give the client the impression that no matter what your salon can accommodate
her.

Setting yourself apart from the other salons is easy as I said but will take a collection of service skills to rise above the discount salon mentality. And remember there will always be "Ford" customers out there but you want the " Cadillac" customer, and in order to attract a clientele like that you have to be a "Cadillac" tech. So, are you?

DISCLAIMER
Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an endorsement of any kind.