Do all your friends ask you to help them with their make-up or style their hair before a date? Do they tell you that you should become a hair stylist or work in a spa? This means that you’ve got talent and you should pursue a career in beauty services and here’s what you need to do.
Get a professional qualification
To work in Australia’s salon or spa industry you need to have a Certificate III in Beauty Services or Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy. You can easily do that by enrolling in a TAFE institution in your area. If you really want to make a career in this field, you should also consider a Diploma of Beauty Therapy, which would allow you to access a senior position and earn more money.
Gain hands-on experience
Any future employer will want to know if you have any work experience. Try to gain as much experience as possible while you study for your certificate. You can do this as a practical component of your TAFE course or you can look for any salon or spa that hires trainees.
Where to find a job?
It’s worth keeping an eye on local papers or the beauty salons in your area to see if they advertise any vacancy. However, your best chances are to look for a job online on one of the many portals that advertise job openings. Be very careful when you write your CV. Make sure to include all the relevant job qualifications, past work experience (if any). If you’ve never written a CV before, look for help online. Your CV needs to sound professional if you want it to catch the eye of the recruiting agent.
Will the employer ask for a background check?
National police checks are not mandatory for jobs in the beauty industry, yet many employers ask for one. They have the legal right to do so if some specific offences on your record might make you unsuitable for a position in a salon or spa.
For instance, any conviction for an offence of a sexual nature might prevent you from getting a job in a place where you come in close contact with many female customers. The risk of you repeating the offence is simply too great and it’s highly unlikely they’d hire you.
However, many other offences might not be relevant in any way for a position as hair stylist or something similar, in which case it would be illegal for an employer to reject your application.
Many Australian employers use online character check agencies like Australian national character check (ANCC) to run background checks on their employees and you should do the same if you have any doubts about what your criminal record looks like. It is easy and convenient to use the services of such an agency, and you’ll get your criminal record in a matter of days.
Take a good look at the charges and convictions on your record and prepare yourself to do some explaining when you go to the interview. If you sound convincing, there’s a good chance you’ll get the job.
