Esthetic Endeavors | by Judith Culp
June 2009
Esthetic Endeavors | by Judith Culp
There are many different approaches to learning the skills needed to be an esthetician.
Often we enroll at the most convenient school without investigating as to their approach in teaching this subject or even the presence of an esthetic dedicated person on staff.
While there are a slowly increasing number of esthetic specific programs that teach beyond minimal requirements, most schools have as their key objective to teach you the skills necessary to get your license. This is not unique to the cosmetology industry.
Many other fields are the same way such as real estate, as most realtors would tell you. So you have some choices to carefully consider once you have completed your program and received your license.
The first consideration is an evaluation of what you learned. Was it in line with what you need to achieve your goals? If not, what is missing? Where can you learn these things? By state standards most license exams are to allow you to obtain an entry level position where you will have the opportunity to learn on the job.
There are many excellent examples of these opportunities in the hairstyling part of the industry. Unfortunately, there are far fewer of these in esthetics. As more chain stores add esthetic services, including big department stores, more of these entry level positions will be available. If you can’t find one, or this work environment doesn’t match your goals, then your next order of business will be to buff up your education.
Find a specialty program that offers advanced or post graduate training. Specifically look for non-product specific classes, they are well worth the investment. If this seems expensive, or extra time you didn’t plan on spending in the classroom, keep in mind getting a bachelors degree has no direct bearing on being say a doctor, but is a required step on the path to achieving that goal.
There is really no designation of medical esthetics in licenses, but there are numerous courses available to enhance the skills that would make you more valuable to a medi-spa setting. Advanced knowledge of physiology, anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, light energy in theory and practice, medical terminology, knowledge of how drugs impact the skin, medical intervention both surgical and non-surgical, and pre and post operative treatments and how and when they are incorporated.
If your goal is not working in the medical setting, analyze what it is and what additional skills and knowledge you need to achieve it. Clients will ask questions about all sorts of topics beyond the range of a specific work setting. The more we know about a broad scope of esthetic related topics, the better we will be able to interact with our clients and meet their needs. This helps to keep them coming back to us.
Once you have made a plan to add training to cover your technical skills, evaluate what else is needed for career success. Do you know how to design a treatment room, or furnish one if you were asked to do so? Do you know how to calculate set up costs, treatment costs, profit margin, break even points, search for quality equipment, and analyze products to help recommend those that would best fit the needs of a specific business model? Did your training include business operations?
Local community colleges are an excellent source for business training. Topics should include basic business accounting, business set-up planning, marketing, management skills, communication skills, computer skills. We are now a computer-based society and those computers have extended themselves into our cell telephones so the more knowledge we have on the use of these tools the better. Supplement general business knowledge with industry specific books to help you firmly attach what you learn with your chosen field of practice.
Marketing was just mentioned and cannot be overstressed. It is a huge topic that includes far more than planning an advertisement although that is important. With the new internet options you need to learn how to integrate online marketing through a website with the new “social networking” marketing available.
You might be thinking these aren’t important if you want to be an employee, but employees also have to help build their client base – especially if they have higher income goals. Advancement within a firm may depend on your management skills and your ability to contribute to the profitability of that business. Diversity of skills makes for a more valuable employee.
Getting that license is not an end point. Completing basic education is only the first step in becoming a successful esthetician. If you are graduating now, in a tough economy, it may be the perfect time to seek out and take more training in business, the sciences or advanced esthetic skills.