The Time Rewinds To The End Of May

This morning I had an interview at On The Fringe Hair Design and I'm happy to say it went very well.

I arrived for my interview at 10am and was shockingly calm. Normally I get really nervous but for some reason today was a little bit different. This was the first time I have ever done an interview at a salon and I'm sure it won't be the last.

This salon is particularly great. They are incredibly team oriented, are very adamant that continued education is as important going through school in the first place, and they strive to have all of their stylists introduced into the world of competition.

Typically in many salons the concept of continuous education gets lost somewhere along the lines. It is a lot of work for salon owners to set up classes and keep teams motivated but if you have a motivated team then you more often than not will end up incredibly successful. Also, if you do continue to do new classes and teach the latest trends it is very beneficial for both the salon and the stylist. It is easy to lose motivation when you stop learning. This is one of the biggest reasons why I love hairdressing so much. With everything I have ever done I get to a point where I get bored because I don't feel like I am learning anything anymore, and once I start getting bored I lose all motivation and desire to want to be there. This never happens in this career and should it ever happen then it's time you switch careers. When you're in an industry that changes with every season you will start to see repeat trends but everything gets modernized so nothing is ever really the same.

This is the case at this particular salon. The owner is a JOICO stage artist and is incredibly talented. She is a part of the JOICO team and has incorporated that into her own salon by teaching their program. There is at least one class per month where we are taught new methods of colouring and cutting but all will follow the JOICO way. As most people know - JOICO has been around for quite some time now. They have started to mass market and stock their products on the shelves of your local drug stores. What you don't see often with this line though is the beautiful work that they actually produce and their phenomenal colour line. They have definitely mastered their products.

So during my interview we discussed the salons program. How exactly being an apprentice/junior stylist works. Basically I would start off at the Main St. location as an apprentice. For the first little while I would do reception duties, watch as much as possible, as well as take some extra classes at the salon. I would cut and colour when asked to and when both the manager and I feel I'm ready I would be put full time on the floor. Instead of working on the floor at Main St though I would move out to the UBC location as a Junior Stylist. I would work there for 2 years. The reason she sends her new stylists to the UBC location is because there is a TON of people so you don't need a clientelle. You make commission which is rare for new stylists but you are booked solid out there. 2 years at this salon can give you as much as experience as up to 5 years at other salons.

After two years at the UBC location I would "graduate" to Advanced Stylist. I would then go back to the Main st. location since I would now have a clientelle that would be willing to follow me there, I will still be on commission but my prices will have gone up and I will make quite a lot more.

So this is basically the plan. She really liked me and I really liked her. She has won many awards for BC, Alberta, and Canada. She has been the Canadian Colourist of The Year, been a finalist many times in some other major competitions, and has recently opened her third salon. So, I will be doing my work experience with her in April and after that should I "want the job" (obviously I do) then I would start as soon as I am done school.

It will be amazing. I loved the salon and I know I will learn SO much there and I can hardly wait to get started. I think what I liked most though is that she is just a girl from a small town much like me, and is doing everything with her career that I could only hope I get to do with mine. This could be a very grueling 2.5-3 year process but it would be so worth it. You've always got to start somewhere right?

So, we'll see how this goes. A lot could change by the end of the course and other job opportunity's may present themselves but this would be a fantastic start to my career.

I wanted to add pictures to this but unfortunately blogger isn't letting me so apologies for another picture-less post.

Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk