The Nature of the Work

Hair has been a center of attention since people first began to care about their appearance. Throughout history a great deal of effort has gone into acquiring a fashionable hairstyle or a perfectly trimmed beard.

Although styles change from year to year, the cosmetologist's task remains the same to help people look attractive.

Cosmetologists - who are also called beauty operators, hairstylists, or beauticians - shampoo, cut and style hair. They also advise patrons on how to care for their hair. Frequently, they either straighten or permanent wave a patron's hair to keep the style in shape. Cosmetologists give manicures and scalp and facial treatment; provide makeup analysis for women; and clean and style wigs and hairpieces.

Most cosmetologists make appointments and keep records of hair color formulas and permanent waves used on their regular patrons. They also keep their work area clean and sanitized and their implements sanitized. Those who operate their own salons have managerial duties, which include hiring and supervising workers, keeping records and ordering supplies.

The preceding was excerpted from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department of Labor and survey commissioned by the National Accredited Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences and conducted by the independent firm of LMP Associates, Chevy Chase, Md.

Currently, there is a great deal of mobility in the professional salon industry. One out of three salon employees changed jobs last year, creating 419,000 filled job openings of 1.4 openings per salon establishment. Considering that half of the salon establishments have one to three salon professionals on staff, this is an enormous turnover rate. Employees most often left to work in other professional salon establishments (19%). Nearly 10% left to open their own salon establishment and 15% left to become booth renters.

The professional salon industry continues to be a job-seekers market. Salon owners report that they planned on filling 500,000 positions in the first six months of 1999. Approximately 3 out of every 4 salon owners who looked for new employees in 1998 reported difficulty in finding professionally qualified personnel.

Employment prospects are good for those interested in entering the field and for recent beauty school program graduates. Some 43% of employees left their current position to go back to school, raise a family or to work in another unrelated industry. Thus, there were approximately 180,000 open positions for recent graduates and re-entrants. Over 100,000 of those open positions were filled in 1998 with people having less than one year of professional salon experience.