My daughter wants to be a hairdresser/ cosmetologist (lawyers, teaching, play)
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Cosmetology school if it's still similar to when MQ and I went, she won't need college. Beauty school will be hard enough with the biology of hair, skin, nails and other things.
I went after you in 81 to 83, graduated then got my license. Surprisingly, I passed the state test first try. I thought I would fail at least once, if not twice.
Not only bones, we had to know parts of a hair follicle, the various layers in the skin plus a bunch of other very technical stuff. It was not easy if you weren't a book smart person like me.
I was good at doing everything but gave it up after working for 2 years. It's a cut throat business where you won't get hired right out of school for anything but shampooing, and all that involves with taking out perms, rinsing dyed hair, not soaking someone unless you get hired by a barber like I did at first. I left that job for a place by the Short hills mall, very ritzy area, Salon, Salon on the same road as the Turtleback Zoo. I was then pulled into the colorist room, loved it there until the old timer shampooers got mad that I was successful with tips because I didn't soak people like they did. My dad needed me back at the gas station, I then got in a car accident, got hit by a truck carrying a ton of bricks. That ended my career. Suffered left shoulder damage.
I was great at the book smart part, not so much at the part where I had to actually cut people's hair, lol.
I have a young female relative, college graduate, so talented in a sport she could've gone pro. She is a hair colorist, great at it, married with young kids. She chose this career and is very happy with her life. She could get loans to own a salon but why when everything works well for her the way it is.
Something not mentioned yet is that beauty careers are very flexible for young women, allowing them time off to have babies, allows them to arrange their client schedule to take care of their family. Seems like a meritocracy where talent is rewarded. Some women like working in a female environment, where male clients are in the minority.
Another facet of the industry, not for everyone, but certainly lucrative, is doing the hair and makeup of the deceased through a funeral parlor for people who have viewings/wakes. One of my classmates was doing this back in the late 70s and getting $50 a head then. I'm sure it's in the hundreds now. As a matter of fact, IIRC, we declined a charge of $400 for hair and makeup for my mother's funeral in 2020, since COVID was in full swing and we could only have a short graveside funeral to begin with. But that seems to be the rate now.
Not bad for a hour's work with customers who don't give you any trouble while you're working on them.
Thirty-nine percent of college graduates say their degree wasn't worth it; 34% of college graduates age 22 to 65 with a bachelor's degree or higher work in a job that doesn't require a degree. (I'm one of them.) We're thoroughly glutted with graduates.
Are we glutted hair stylists--or mechanics or welders or "secretaries"? My mechanic and hair stylist have a backlog of weeks, and it's very hard to find good admin help. Two secretary friends raised their kids on their own; I'm an admin assistant and had my mortgage and all other debt totally paid off at 46. My current hair stylist owns his own salon and so did the previous one. Dad was a welder and made a good living at it; some welding jobs pay six figures now.
If your daughter wants more academic education than cosmetology school offers, there's nothing stopping her reading books or watching lectures in her spare time.
I worked in the NYC engineering and construction industry. You know what there's a shortage of? Welding inspectors, the people who examine the welds on steel buildings, etc., to determined that it is safe and properly done. They are usually welders themselves who have gone on to become certified to do the inspections. The special inspections company I worked for was always looking for them. They even had people up in Canada at the steel fabrication plants inspecting the welds there before the steel was shipped to be assembled in city buildings.
No college necessary, just need to be smart and learn about what you are doing.
People push college for their kids, but there's a lot one can do outside a degree.
Hey, I've told this story before, but I love it. My now-ex, a carpenter, was doing new windows on a beautiful huge home, three-car garage, ice melt system under the driveway, two acre yard, etc. The owner of this house would come home after work and hang out, interested in what my ex was doing, how he measured and installed the windows, etc.
My ex said he noticed this rich guy dressed just like he did, flannel shirt, jeans, workboots, so he finally asked him what he did for a living.
The guy had a rat-killing business, and he had contracts at the warehouses down at the seaports, where new rats came in on every container ship. "Companies will pay a lot of money to have rats killed", he said. Nasty work, but he was living well.
I worked in the NYC engineering and construction industry. You know what there's a shortage of? Welding inspectors, the people who examine the welds on steel buildings, etc., to determined that it is safe and properly done.
LOL, Dad's mom was a welding inspector at a shipyard in Washington.
I know I'm going to get beat up in here but I guess I'm coming because I'm prepared for it. My daughter is a freshman in high school and is really smart. Does well on school work and is very conscientious about her schooling over all. I come from a family that generally values education and doing our best. To be clear on that, we are no way academic scholars. But like I said we try hard and work to get the best grade we can get.
My daughter wants to be a hair dresser/ cosmetologist. She has wigs in her room that she likes to mess around with. I get it, it may be a passion. Or she may grow out of it. My issue is I don't think they are overly paid well, not necessarily in need for the future and frankly I'd rather her get a more professional type job/career. I know you don't need a BS to be a hair stylist for example. Am I over analyzing this? I guess I just need to stay positive. It seems when I offer other professions there is no interest. Ugh. I know she is young still but I also know this will continue to creep up. Let me have it, I deserve it.... let me know your thoughts on my situation.
Thanks!
I don't think it's that weird for a girl at some point in her life to be obsessed with those subject areas. I wouldn't make too much of it for now. If she's still convinced she wants to do this by the end of junior year, I'd say it's time to have a real conversation about earning potential etc. Of course by that point her grades will also be more illustrative of where she slots in academically vs the overall population. If she's near the top of her class at that point, I'd be very surprised if she still wants to be a hairdresser.
One of my friend's daughters got hired by a high end salon right after she got her license. Unfortunately she had to build up her own clientele, which is difficult for a new hairdresser, so she didn't do much all day besides help everyone else out. So she moved to one of the popular walk in salons, got tons of experience daily, more money, and then later opened her own salon. By then she had plenty of long time customers who followed her and was able to rent chairs to several hairdressers she worked with.
My kid is a Freshman too (a boy though). I personally don't care what he says he wants to be at this stage, and I would support most things that he says he wants even if it were a low paying gig. That is because I know it won't be long before the kid realizes it is a low paying gig and then they will need to make a choice.
Also, although I now have a good career it took me a while to find myself and I went through at least 2 other careers (and many jobs) before I got to where I am today. So that is to say that it is a developmental process. Meaning that if she does go ahead with hairdresser, don't be surprised if that spins off into other things that are related. If she wants to be a hairdresser she is likley good at it (or will be good at it) and will quickly become bored of serving the public so will thirst for more, perhaps start working in the film industry or with models, etc. So I say that as long as it isn't illegal or something, encourage what they want.
Also, although I have a graduate degree and my wife is a Dr., we are both good with our kid not going to college if he so chooses. I have respect for the trades so a skilled trade would be A-ok with me.
BE invovled, don't worry, give advice but let her know she is free to choose for herself.
Best of luck, and don't worry.
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