Hair Salon Assistant Jobs

Hair salon team, including an assistant — Photo: Bigstock

If you live for hair and have always dreamed of becoming a cosmetologist, you may wonder how you can dip your toe into the waters of a salon life before you take the full financial leap towards cosmetology school which can be a full-time commitment. It is actually a great career. Several friends of mine went into the hair dressing field and absolutely love it plus they make great money, have built an amazing clientele, and are fortunate enough to have bosses who treat them phenomenally well.

It is always a good idea to dip your toe into the water of the type of job you are interested in pursuing for the rest of your life. Colleges offer internships and being a salon assistant is somewhat similar. If this is something that you are thinking might be the right fit for you, here is what you should know about being a salon assistant before you make your final decision.

Being a salon assistant means being a master of all trades. You are essentially the babysitter of the salon, and you have to make sure that everything runs smoothly and that no one leaves upset or that any of the hairstylists feel shafted or somehow gets lost in the hustle of a busy day.

I know what you're thinking; don't they have salon managers to oversee all of these specific operations? Yes, they do, but even the managers need an assistant and that person is going to be you. You will be the one to run errands, place orders, count, and do so much more, but if this is truly where your heart belongs, it will be worth it.

First off, being an assistant is a phenomenal way to get hands-on experience not just in a school and classroom, but also in a highly functioning hair salon. In some states, working as a salon assistant can suffice as being a student. You can essentially work in a salon instead of going to school to gain the hours that are needed, as a certain number are needed in order to graduate and take the final exam.

Hair salon assistant — Photo: SimplePhoto/Canva

If you are being supervised by a specific stylist and doing a lot of hands-on cutting, coloring, styling, and setting, they can then report to the state, and you can avoid much of the classroom time. Obviously, this is something that needs to be carefully researched, as it varies from state to state, but it is still a great option for those who can take full advantage of it.

As for pay scale, the average rate is around minimum wage, on the lower end, but again, it really depends on the traffic of the salon that you are working in and how generous the owner will be with you. You will have a lot of tasks, so you will definitely be earning your keep.

As a salon assistant, you need to look your best at all times, and most salon owners will be more than happy to give you haircuts for free. In addition to your wage, this can be a nice bonus that gives you the chance to try out the latest hairstyles for free!

Hair salon assistant with fashionable short hair — Image: AI illustration

Here are just some of the things that you will be required to do as a salon assistant: laundry; announce client arrivals; promote and sell services as well as salon products; report any safety hazards; attend employee meetings with your own list of concerns or positive reviews; shampoo clients; mix colors; and sweep floors.

You will also be responsible for keeping the salon clean, making sure that the stylists and clients are happy, scheduling future appointments to ensure that the retention rate stays up, handling any issues that may arise and possibly forwarding them to management, and doing whatever the stylists ask of you. You are there to watch and learn from them, and if they need you to hold some foils, that is what you will do.

Basically, this is your grooming ground (no pun intended) so that you can become the best possible stylist you can be because the more you learn, the better job you can get. Furthermore, if you get along well with the salon you are assisting at, they could offer you a job right away or help you with job placement - what could be better than that? They will recognize your value and won't want you to go somewhere else with all the skills they have taught you.

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