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Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.
  • Summary

  • Details

  • Work Activities

    • Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
    • Demonstrate and sell hair care products and cosmetics.
    • Train or supervise other hairstylists, hairdressers, and assistants.
    • Comb, brush, and spray hair or wigs to set style.
    • Operate cash registers to receive payments from patrons.
    • Train or supervise other hairstylists, hairdressers, and assistants.
    • Administer therapeutic medication and advise patron to seek medical treatment for chronic or contagious scalp conditions.
    • Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
    • Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
    • Order, display, and maintain supplies.
    • Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
    • Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
    • Schedule client appointments.
    • Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
    • Demonstrate and sell hair care products and cosmetics.
    • Analyze patrons' hair and other physical features to determine and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles.
    • Give facials to patrons, using special compounds, such as lotions and creams.
    • Clean, shape, and polish fingernails and toenails, using files and nail polish.
    • Massage and treat scalp for hygienic and remedial purposes, using hands, fingers, or vibrating equipment.
    • Recommend and explain the use of cosmetics, lotions, and creams to soften and lubricate skin and enhance and restore natural appearance.
    • Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
    • Demonstrate and sell hair care products and cosmetics.
    • Shape eyebrows and remove facial hair, using depilatory cream, tweezers, electrolysis or wax.
    • Apply water or setting, straightening or waving solutions to hair, and use curlers, rollers, hot combs and curling irons to press and curl hair.
    • Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
    • Shave, trim, and shape beards and moustaches.
    • Attach wigs or hairpieces to model heads and dress wigs and hairpieces according to instructions, samples, sketches or photographs.
    • Develop new styles and techniques.
    • Administer therapeutic medication and advise patron to seek medical treatment for chronic or contagious scalp conditions.
    • Order, display, and maintain supplies.

    Skills

    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    Knowledge

    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    Education

    Education
    Postsecondary certificate
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    No on-the-job training

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    58920/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    28.33/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    22,530
    Yearly Projected Openings
    3340

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Self Control
    • Cooperation
    • Dependability
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Independence

    Tools

    • Applicator brushes
    • Barrettes
    • Cash registers
    • Desktop computers
    • Domestic hair dryers
    • Electric hair clipper
    • Goggles
    • Hair combs or brushes
    • Hair or curling iron
    • Hair scissors
    • Hot rollers
    • Manicure implements
    • Nail clippers
    • Notebook computers
    • Razors
    • Sinks
    • Stop watch

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Point of sale POS software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Video creation and editing software
    • Web page creation and editing software
    • Word processing software