The best advice for hairdressing assistants from people who have been there

Being an assistant is a rite of passage that all top hairdressers have had to experience to give them the knowledge and work ethic that has propelled them to their career heights. While instant success is expected in the era of the 8 second attention span the learnings you take from your days as an assistant will stay with you forever. Here, 6 stylists give us their top tips for current assistants...

Pay Close Attention

Soak up as much information from them as possible and pay attention to everything they do and how they work in order to learn as much as you can. Also, doing this will show you are interested and passionate, which will look great to your employer and to the stylist/stylists mentoring you, who will then be more inclined to help you progress more and develop your knowledge and skills further. Suzie McGill, Owner of Rainbow Room International’s Uddingston Salon, Schwarzkopf UK Ambassador and International Artistic Director at Rainbow Room International

Be Attentive

At KAM we have a really important Customer Care policy and how we treat our clients is incredibly important to us, and should be important to every salon in order to be as successful as possible. With our assistants, a tip/piece of advice I always give them is to treat the clients how they would like to be treated and always go the extra mile for them. Whether the assistant is making the client a refreshment or washing the client's hair, the assistant should be attentive to the client, listen to what they want and be incredibly friendly and professional at the same time, ensuring the client has the best experience at the salon. Karen Thomson, Owner of KAM Hair and Body Spa and current Scottish Hairdresser of the Year

Confidence is Key

A hairdressing apprenticeship can take some time to finish, however, if you’re confident in what you are doing and confident in learning instructions and going forward with them, you are more likely to excel through your training – through cutting, colouring and styling. Also being confident to ask for help/advice from your stylists is so important so that you can overcome and learn from any mistakes/problems and so your knowledge and skills are consistently being developed. Simon Hill, Owner of SESH Hairdressing

Soak up as much information from them as possible and pay attention to everything they do and how they work in order to learn as much as you can.

Education is Foundation

An important tip that I give to all assistants is never stop learning. Throughout the hairdressing industry, techniques are constantly evolving and each day there is something new to learn. Education is the foundation of our industry and each day we see progression, keeping us ahead of the game. To become an expert in the field you must simply absorb all the information you can and continually learn. Paola Pinto, Education Director, RUSH Hair

Ask Questions!

Throughout hairdressing every day is a learning experience, with no two days ever the same. If unsure or just curious about something I encourage questions, as I feel this is a great way to learn and also builds the relationship between the assistant and their team mates. We are all still learning every day and by doing this, not only is the question answered but the answer can also help in years to come. Kevin Paul Finnell, Director, F&M Hairdressing

Give Your All

My top tip for salon assistants would be to give your job your all, showing your real passion and commitment for what you do at all times. There is nothing more inspiring than mentoring someone who will do whatever they can to succeed, so by showing just how important this is to you is a must. You will stand out from the crowd and your team will notice just how serious you are about your career. Philip Bell, Partner, Ishoka Hair and Beauty