Superstar Salons – Great places to work

superstar

salons Could one of these salons offer the next step in your career?

Taking the next step in your exciting career may well involve working for a salon. There are thousands of fantastic salons across the UK, but what do they offer their teams and how will they help you become the best hairdresser you can be? We asked a selection of top salons and salon groups what makes them great places to work.

Leeds and Wakefield

Room 97,

Nicki Thornton, academy director and colour specialist, Room 97. W e have three salons in Leeds and Wakefield and set up our own academy five years ago. We are a tight team and many members have worked together for a long time.

ON-GOING EDUCATION

We offer great education internally and externally. Having our own onsite training academy means we can offer a lot of training daily. The academy is based at one of our salons so students get an insight into what life is like for the working hairdresser. Working very closely with the L'Oréal team, the salon staff also have regular training internally and externally.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Each staff member has their own career path. These are discussed regularly to check that each goal has been completed and discuss the next steps for the rest of the journey.

MOTIVATION

Everyone is motivated in different ways. Incentives are the most popular - cash, training courses or gifts. For others it’s about having a work/life balance.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

Someone that is a great team worker, very articulate and willing to further their knowledge and skills. Someone that has passion and ability to inspire others.

David Corbett

Hairdressing, Glasgow

We are an independent salon with our own in-house certified training. Our young trainees are guaranteed on-thejob experience coupled with education from experienced stylists. Spending time with stylists who are actually doing the job means they get a real feel for what hairdressing is like when they qualify.

ON-GOING EDUCATION

We support on-going education in many ways, from online learning, one-to-one attention and inviting award-winning hairdressers to our salon to share their knowledge. All NVQ level 2 stylists are given the opportunity to study for their NVQ Level 3 and their Colour Master degree.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Not everyone who starts as an apprentice becomes a hairdresser. There are other paths they can follow, such as front of house opportunities. Some choose to specialise in colouring or education.

MOTIVATION

We have regular team meetings to discuss what's happening within the business and what opportunities

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

Someone with the right attitude and personality. I like to remind them that as hairdressers we might be the only people a client has who tells them they are beautiful. So it's important to make them feel that way.

have been on the Fellowship FAME team, gone on to work for ghd as their global head of education, and won at the British Hairdressing and Most Wanted Awards. It’s vital to me that the opportunities are always passed on to the team — I love seeing them succeed.

David Corbett, owner, David Corbett Hairdressing

Ken Picton Salon, Cardiff

We are a 6,500 sq ft, destination salon, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over Cardiff Bay. This creates a real feel-good factor for the team and clients.

I like to think the salon is a great place to work because we are all about a creative, fun environment with an award-winning team.

ON-GOING EDUCATION

We are a City and Guilds training centre, so that’s the basis of our apprenticeship scheme both for our team and other salons in Wales.

In terms of on-going education, we make sure we adapt to what each team member needs. Being a training centre means we often welcome guest artists and stylists to the salon which gives a great opportunity for the team to learn from a wide variety of educators.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

We traditionally always promote individuals to their strongest skill set. We are more than happy for our team to follow their chosen path, whether that’s colour, styling, bridal, or men’s hair. We want our team to love what they do so there’s no pressure for everyone to do everything.

MOTIVATION

Providing amazing opportunities is one of the best ways we motivate the team. We work with the biggest brands in hairdressing and that brings with it many amazing chances to do more. Our team members lie ahead. There are numerous competitions held within the salon to promote and encourage new talent.

Ken Picton, Owner, Ken Picton Salon