Beauty School Vs. Business school

When I was fourteen, I decided I wanted to become a hairstylist. I went to a vocational high school, was in the cosmetology program, and got my license by the time I graduated. After school, I worked in a salon for a year before quitting to work a 9-5 desk job.

Do I regret it? Hell, no!

The education that I received from being a hairstylist prepared me more for the office world, than any business degree ever could. I learned how to do clipper cuts, color gray hair, and even do a perm, but that isn’t really what I took away from it.

Going to a cosmetology school taught me people.

For years, I had high school classes with the same 16 teenage women and one guy. Imagine that for a second. All of us, on our periods at the same time, in a small class at 7:00am copying each others homework. We ate lunch together, did our school work together, gossiped together, and cried together. They taught me things in those four years, that would have taken years to reinforce.

Here are some examples:

• Having a different ‘face’ or personality for each person is not being ‘two-faced’ it is being adaptable. You need to be able to adapt to who you are talking to, so that you are considered likeable to every person you meet. If not, you are likely to become the most hated person in the group.

• If someone is in a fight, stay out of the way. A friend and I once found ourselves in the middle of two girls, when one decided to charge at the other. My friend stepped in, I stepped back. She got suspended for trying to stop someone else fight and I got to math on time. Not every fight has to be your fight.
• Never join a group of friends if there is a person in that group doesn’t like you. I’m going to say it and you can hate me for it but, women are catty. If you join a group that is not 100% accepting of you, they will tear you to shreds. Even if the group is male dominated, women can sense any hostility and will not hesitate to go for your throat, on the guys behalf.
• For women, the strongest instinct we have, is to ‘protect the nest.’ Once you are in the group, your family. Family sticks together.

Once I was in a salon, I learned a even more about the workforce.

• Women are either half an hour early or half an hour late; there is no in-between. Men will forget what time it is scheduled for entirely. Lie to women and tell them the wrong time to counteract being late. Remind men an hour before.
• Men are always overestimated. A guy will always be expected to swoop in and save the day, even if they have no idea what is going on. Once the back half of the salon caught fire and we all turned to the one guy in the building to save us. I don’t know how it became his job, but it was.
• The easiest way to earn trust and kinship is to remember the smallest details. What is their coffee or lunch order? What is their kid's name? Are they going on a vacation or getting a new car? Bring it up in conversation. People LOVE to talk about themselves.
• If the 'queen bee' accepts you, you are part of the colony. If she does not, you might as well quit while you're ahead. It might sound harsh. but it is a simple fact. Your qualifications mean nothing if you are not likable.

I have been in an office for about three years now and I love it. Since I decided to be a hairstylist, I had absolutely no experience in an office prior to starting and had to learn everything on my feet. Since I was able to blend into my new office seamlessly, with the use of my ‘chameleon like personality’ that the salon trained into me, no one really noticed that I was playing catch up on the logistics.

Having my trade has proven to be an invaluable skill in the workforce, even if I do not work in a salon. You can learn business all you want; it will only get you way.

Having an understanding of people is what will make you successful.