Your skills and the career you envision for yourself after you complete your certification will drive your field of study.

Career Path

With your cosmetology diploma, you will have an opportunity to showcase your skills with career paths such as:

Salon Stylist • Salon Owner • Salon Manager • Color Specialist • Updo Specialist • Color Specialist • Extension Expert • Curly Hair Specialist • Bridal Specialist • Hotel or Cruise Ship Stylist • Personal Stylist • Makeup Artist • Lash or Brow Specialist • Fashion Show Stylist • Film, Theatre, Television Stylist • Editorial/Advertising Stylist • Brand Educator/Platform Artist • Artistic/Creative Director • Beauty Blogger/Influencer • Style Consultant • Hair, Makeup and Skin Specialty Retailers

With your aesthetics diploma, you will an opportunity to grow your career with opportunities such as:

Day Spa Esthetician/Manager/Owner • Salon Spa Esthetician/Manager/Owner • Retreat/Resort Center Esthetician/Manager/Owner • Eyelash and Brow Specialist • Waxing Specialist • Hair Removal Specialist • Makeup Artist • Cosmetic Counter • Esthetician Educator • Medical Esthetician • Beauty Blogger/Influencer • Beauty Buyer

With your nail technician diploma, you will have the opportunity to explore career paths such as:

Nail Salon Owner/Manager • Salon Nail Artist • Spa/Resort Nail Artist • Freelance Nail Tech for Photoshoots or Videoshoots • On-Site Service Nail Tech for Events, Individuals, or Store • Beauty Blogger/Influencer • Nail Instructor • Manicurist

Barbering has a wide selection of career paths you can explore once you graduate from Jenny Lea Academy!

Self-Employed Barber • Barber School Educator • Barbering Product Developers Personal Care Services • Nursing Home Barber • Film & Television Stylist • Military post • Barbershop Manager/Director • Barbershop Owner/Operator • Hairdresser Master Barber • Men’s Hairstylist • Trichologist • Artistic/Creative Director • Beauty Blogger/Influencer • Style Consultant • Hair, Makeup and Skin Specialty Retailers • Scalp and Skin Care Speciality • Brand Agent

Is Cosmetology A Career Path For You?

With cosmetology, like any career goal, there is planning, studying, and hard work that will be required to make your passion a reality. As you consider this journey, ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I Ready For The Physical Demands Of The Job?

Cosmetology requires long hours of being on your feet, working with your hands, and adjusting your position to provide your clients requested services.

As a hair stylist, you’ll spend the day on your feet. As an Aesthetician, you will find yourself bending your body into various positions to provide client services. As a nail technician, you’ll be seated to tend to your clients requests. Are you ready for these conditions?

2) Where Do I Want to Work?

When you look forward to your career, where do you see yourself working? Now is the time to define your goals and determine how to best prepare yourself for this.

Before you begin your education or applying for jobs, consider what area you want to work. Do you want to have a cosmetology focus, such as working only as a wedding stylist? Perhaps you want to work at a high-end resort or spa. If you have a passion for senior citizens, perhaps you can have a beauty studio in a nursing home. Wherever you want to be, now is the time to set goals and research how you need to make it happen! Some specialty fields may require additional training or licensing, so prevent future surprises now instead of later.

3) Do I Want To Be My Own Boss?

Although this is not as high a priority question as some of the others, it is still worth asking yourself. Do you prefer working for a salon, being employed by someone else, or do you have entrepreneurial aspirations?

Should you decide to start your own business in cosmetology, the most sensible option is to first work several years in the industry before setting something up independently.

If you do decide to be your own boss, spend plenty of time building up your credentials and experience, researching everything in both the cosmetology and business worlds, and considering having a mentor to help you get your footing.

4) Do I Possess The People Skills Needed For The Job?

While some jobs allow for autonomy and solitude, cosmetology is not one such job. You will be working with people all day, from your manager to your colleagues to clients.

Not only will you be doing a lot of work on your feet and using your hands all day long, you will be talking for a majority of that time as well. If you are easily irked by people who enjoy long conversations (as some clients might), cosmetology may not be the job for you.

Alternatively, some customers may not be interested in small talk or any conversation; a good cosmetologist will have to be able to quickly read their clients and know whether or not to keep the conversation to a minimum.

You may also encounter difficult personalities, clients who will never be satisfied with their look or who are extremely specific about what they are looking for. You must be prepared to handle these situations with tact and patience.

Regardless of what kind of personality you encounter, you will have to speak with every client about what their preferences are for their hair, nails, makeup, or other services.

5) Can I Navigate a Fast-Paced Work Environment?

Each client will have different needs and take their own amount of time. One client may come in for a five-hour hair coloring, while another comes in for a fifteen minute trim. Your schedule will vary, sometimes having to move quickly, and other times having a more relaxed pace.

Your already turbulent schedule may be upended by a demanding client whose particular vision takes more time than you were anticipating.

You will have to learn how to be unphased by the demanding task of balancing a strange schedule each day.

6) Do I Have What I Need to Land a Job?

Having what you need to be a cosmetologist and having what you need to be employed as a cosmetologist are two different things.

The best thing to do for yourself after completing your education and license is to establish professional connections. In fact, it’s beneficial to start networking and making contacts with practitioners in the industry while you are still receiving your schooling. In addition to establishing connections, draft and polish an excellent resume.

Start looking for job openings in your community or on online forums and job postings. As with any other career, you may have to consider the possibility of relocating for a job.

Lastly, after compiling a list of places to apply to and submitting your resume, it’s wise to follow up with a phone call or email a few days later.

Requirements for Working in the Field

The three main fields of cosmetology are hair, skin, and nails. You can focus on several areas that are of interest to you, or you can specialize in one of them. For example, if you are interested in skincare, you could focus on becoming a makeup artist or a medical aesthetician.