Career Spotlight - Nail Technician
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Twelve years ago, Carolyn Fielder had no idea what she wanted to do. Now she's an extremely successful nail technician and co-owner of a salon. She's booked a year in advance and earns a gross income of more than $50,000 a year.
Every career story is unique, but Carolyn's story is full of great ideas and inspiration for anyone considering a career as a nail technician or manicurist.
Choosing a Career in Nail Technology & Finding a Nail Technologist Program
In 1995, Carolyn was going through a divorce and facing life as a single mother. She had been teaching preschool for years, and she needed a more lucrative career. She went to the local community college to take some tests and to see what she was qualified to study. They told her about some nail technician school and training programs. Carolyn decided to enroll and was hooked from her very first class. She completed the six-month program, breezed through her licensure exam and started her first job a week later.
If you're considering a career as a nail technician or manicurist, Carolyn says it's important to have a good work ethic. You need to be dependable and care about your clients. You can learn all the skills, but to build a loyal clientele you have to be willing to go out of your way to take care of your clients.
Where to Work as a Manicurist: Spa or Salon?
Carolyn's first job after school was at a new day spa. She worked there for more than two years and built up a clientele. But when she was ready to move on, she chose to become co-owner of a salon, not a spa.
"Working in a salon is more based on skills," says Carolyn. "Working in a spa is more based on atmosphere."
For a nail technician or manicurist, working in a spa can be lucrative because people pay more, but the services have more to do with presentation. The actual work on the hands and feet is often very simple. In salons, "you don't generally get as much money, but you get a lot more satisfaction from your work."
Finding a Focus to Study in Nail Technician School
Many nail technicians have a specialty, such as luxury pedicures, nail art or acrylics. If you focus on what you love to do, you're more likely to attract a loyal niche clientele.
Carolyn works only on natural nails. She does not do acrylics, gels or extensions of any kind. She does a range of manicures and even more pedicures. She works with many seniors and diabetics – clients she says many nail techs don't want because they have very specific needs that require high skill and attention.
"When I left the spa," Carolyn recalls, "they told me I'd never make a living doing natural nails. But within two months, I was carrying the salon."
Building a Salon or Spa Clientele as a Manicurist
Carolyn says clients keep coming back when they get consistent quality service. They also need to feel confident that everything is clean and sanitary. She says often clients won't sit down for their first service until she explains her top-of-the line sanitation practices.
Carolyn works hard to stay in touch with her clients and encourage loyalty. For the first two years of her career, she sent a handwritten anniversary and birthday card to every client. This practice helped contribute to her 95 percent return rate. She stopped for a while when she got busy but has now returned to sending birthday cards and encouragement cards when clients are sick. If she reads that a client has received a promotion or award, she sends them a gift certificate for a free service.
To expand her clientele, Carolyn had cards printed that said, "The highest form of compliment is a referral." She offered clients a free service if they sent her three new clients. Most only sent one or two, so she didn't have to give a lot of services away to get a lot more clients.
Continuing Nail Technician Courses & Education
Continuing education is a great way for nail technicians and manicurists to keep their careers interesting, expand their clientele and earn more money.
Carolyn learned reflexology to enhance her services. Because there was no school in her area, she earned her reflexology certification through the International Institute of Reflexology. She took seminars and documented practice hours over a period of ten years before passing a certification exam. Now she incorporates foot reflexology in her pedicures and offers reflexology-only sessions one day a week. Continuing education nail technology courses and related specialties are a great way to enhance your practice and keep your business current in the beauty industry.
A Typical Day as a Nail Technician
Carolyn works Tuesday through Saturday, and her average workday is 11 to 12 hours. On Thursdays, she does only reflexology and works fewer hours.
She schedules clients back-to-back and averages seven to nine services per day. She does some manicures, but about 80 percent of her day is spent doing pedicures. Her pedicures range from one to one-and-a-half hours, depending on the products she uses and how much of the service she does. She also does 30-minute senior trims at a discounted price.
Most of Carolyn's regular clients come to see her every four to six weeks. Some come as often as every three weeks, and others come only once or twice a year.
Nail Technician Career Challenges
"The most difficult thing for me about the work is feeling that I'm tied to it," says Carolyn. "I book so far ahead that I don't feel like I can take any time off."
Because of her large clientele, Carolyn works much more than the 34.5 hours per week average for nail technicians and manicurists. She averages 45 to 55 hours a week. The other nail technicians in her salon have less demanding schedules. For example, one used to work 12-hour days, five days a week. Now, because she needs more time for family responsibilities, she works only about 30 hours a week.
Another challenge, Carolyn says, is that clients don't always treat her with the respect she deserves. Sometimes clients "have the attitude that I'm their servant." They may fail to respect her time by canceling at the last minute or simply not showing up. When that happens, she tells them they can pay for the appointment or be taken off her books.
"I see myself as a professional with high skills," she says. "I have a high-end clientele. Sometimes they think that because they have money they can treat me differently. But I treat everybody the same. If Julia Roberts walked in, she'd get the same treatment I give everyone else."
Nail Technician Career Rewards
Building relationships with regular clients is the most rewarding aspect of Carolyn's work, along with taking pride in a job well done.
"I've had clients for 12 years," she says. "I know their kids. I know their husbands. I know what they do. They send me postcards when they travel. We become friends over the years. I get to know their inside and their outside. The people who take me for granted don't get as much affection, but I have clients that don't leave until they come and get their hug."
Working with seniors is particularly powerful. "A lot of them come in not just because they can't reach or see their toes, but because they get positive touch and attention while they're here," Carolyn explains. "I had a 90-year-old lady tell me once, 'you don't just make my feet happy, you make my heart happy.'"
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