Salon Assistant Job Description

If at first the beauty industry was mostly dominated by women, both workers and customers, nowadays the situation has changed, and men also choose this line of work. For those interested in occupying a job in this industry, they could start as salon assistants.

Education, Training and Work Experience to Become a Salon Assistant

In order to work in a beauty salon, one usually needs to be licensed, but if one works as a salon assistant and does not perform actions like cutting hair or cosmetic treatments, one does not need a license. A salon assistant can however, shampoo people, this activity not requiring a license. Those who know from the beginning that this is the line of work they are interested to perform, can attend beauty schools in that purpose, but for those that decide later, a high school diploma works as well, if they opt for a job as a salon assistant. Full time beauty schools offer classes that teach a person interested in this kind of work, whatever he or she wants to know.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements for a Salon Assistant

Since among the main responsibilities of a salon assistant is greeting people as they enter the salon, in order to become a good salon assistant, one has to have good communication skills, both oral and written. Apart from these, an efficient salon assistant should have good customer service skills. A pleasant appearance is a must, because he or she will be the first to enter in contact with customers. If a salon assistant does not look clean and neat, then the customers might change their mind about the salon and go to the competition.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Salon Assistant

Like mentioned before, a salon assistant is the first person who greets customers and help them with their services. He or she is also responsible with preparing the clients for service, this including a range of activities from shampooing their hair to giving them a robe to change in. If a salon assistant is licensed, than he or she can also perform haircuts, blow dry and give a stylish look, treat the facial or hair problems of the customers, provide hair treatments and so on.

Apart from the duties already mentioned, a salon assistant is also responsible for taking care of laundry, sweeping and tidying the salon. It is of high importance for a salon to be clean, because if it does not respect the industrial sanitation rules, it will definitely be closed. As a sequel to this duty, a salon assistant should ensure compliance of departmental policies, procedures and practices. It is also a salon assistant's job to update clients on current beauty products and items and to manage inventory of beauty products within a salon. To state it in a more general way, it is a salon assistant's job to ensure total customer satisfaction through salon services.

This is a type of job that can be a good starting point for advancement in the beauty industry to other jobs like managing a salon or a spa, becoming a full time colorist or cosmetologist or hair-stylist, or teaching at a beauty school. If you are interested in this line of work, then this entry level position is the best way to start.