As a cosmetologist, you’ll know that the field of cosmetic services is relatively large, encompassing a broad array of professions and skill sets.

Whether you’re a dab hand with the scissors, an expert in makeup application, or a manicure magician, you’ll want to highlight your skills in a well-crafted cosmetology resume.

Since competition for qualified beauticians and cosmetologists can be fierce, you’ll need to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd and establish your credibility for the hiring manager.

Starting Your Career as a Cosmetologist

Before you get to writing your perfect resume, you may be wondering how to become a cosmetologist in the first place. Do you need to study, gain qualifications, or gain specific experience?

Let’s explore how to enter this competitive field of work.

A cosmetologist will usually specialize in a specific area of beauty therapy. This expertise could be performing various personal care services such as massages, manicures, pedicures, makeup, facials, and waxing.

Cosmetologists are responsible for providing a service and often provide some kind of aftercare. Usually, this is why we think of cosmetologists treating patients instead of customers.

For this reason, most cosmetologists need to obtain some kind of certification to perform their duties. Relying on beauty-related talents is usually not enough. You should study for a diploma to hone your craft and land the best jobs, especially in areas related to skincare therapy.

Your patients expect you to know your stuff, and what better way to establish credibility than to attend a beauty school to qualify as a beautician or cosmetologist.

Besides possessing the hard skills needed, you also need to demonstrate you have the personality to perform in a customer service role. Your beauty-related talents won’t get you very far without an affinity to interact with clients and understand their needs, setting them at ease during their appointments.

Depending on your role, you may also need to perform well under pressure and adhere to time constraints to provide quick and effective service.

Therefore, the perfect cosmetologist resume will need to demonstrate you have both the hard and soft skills necessary to excel as a beauty specialist, regardless of whether you want to relieve pain through massage or ensure silky smooth skin.

Crafting your Resume

The best cosmetologist resumes will form part of a job application. You should pair your resume with an expertly written cover letter. Together, your resume and cover letter should demonstrate that you can fulfill the responsibilities of the role while also framing yourself as the perfect fit for their establishment.

Most people who attend beauty schools will leave with entirely different talents. Being a cosmetologist or a beautician can mean such vastly different skill sets that it is crucial to get specific. To do this, you should clearly outline your specialties for the recruiter.

Don’t overthink it. Just explain what skills you have and what services you can perform.

You can list these in your skills section. Alongside those technical skills, you should also list any skills that will help you in the customer service aspect of the role. Communication skills and interpersonal skills should get an honorable mention here.

Next, include a qualifications section. This section is your chance to list any of your diplomas or certificates. You list these as evidence of your technical skills, showing the recruiter you have the expertise necessary to do the job.

And finally, you should include your experiences section. Again, this is all about drawing a line between your experiences and the advertised job. Help the hiring manager link your previous experiences with this cosmetologist role.

If you have previous cosmetologist experience, then great!

However, if you’re just starting your career, then don’t worry. You can still list your previous experience, but try to link it to the advertised position somehow. Include previous customer service roles, for instance, to show you have experience in a customer-facing environment.

Become a Cosmetologist

Starting any career can be daunting, and becoming a professional cosmetologist and working in a salon is no different.

You’ll need the proper education, and there’ll always be more opportunities to grow and learn new skills.

Right from the start and as you progress in your career, you’ll need an updated resume showcasing your talents to help you land the best roles.