Take the Leap! – What You Need to Know About Switching to a Beauty, Fitness, or Wellness Career!
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
–Confucius
The first Monday in November is National Job Action Day, a day set aside to recognize and empower workers who dream of having a career they love. If on Job Action Day you find yourself at a crossroads of career purpose, dreaming of a vocation where you feel empowered and inspired every day, it might be time for a change. In fact, many professionals in beauty, fitness, and wellness didn’t start out knowing their calling—perhaps today is a day for you to consider what career is calling you!
Time for a Change?
How many times have you heard the story of the stylist or the personal trainer who transitioned into their new profession after years of working in a different industry—often an office job? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. One of the top reasons people transition from a traditional office job into a career as a service professional in beauty, fitness, or wellness is personal satisfaction. Office jobs, by their nature, are mostly sedentary, so an active person may find themselves feeling stifled. And while most white-collar work is stable in terms of income and benefits, it’s also structured in a very fixed system, offering fewer chances for creativity and in many cases, career advancement. For reasons like these, many beauty, fitness, and wellness professionals enter the work force of these industries after having already built a career in another profession.
Did You Know…
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2 in 5 stylists describe themselves as “extremely happy” in their work and job opportunities.
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CNN Money ranked fitness professionals and personal trainers as the number 18 best job in America, noting high personal satisfaction, job flexibility, work/life balance, and low stress as the main draws of the profession.
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Aestheticians and estheticians working in beauty or med spas statistically have higher levels of job satisfaction, with higher-than-average upward mobility, lower-than-average stress levels, and greater job flexibility.
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88% of massage therapists report they’re satisfied with their career choice, as opposed to only 51% of US workers in other professions.
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Nail technicians have greater opportunities for advancement and to earn a higher salary, have a less stressful work life, and report a better work/life balance than workers earning comparable salaries in other fields.
Love Your Job
The job satisfaction rates for beauty, fitness, and wellness professionals are higher than in other professions, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike other vocations, beauty, fitness, and wellness professions are structured towards the “individual-as-entrepreneur” model, meaning more workers in these industries are effectively “their own boss.” On average, beauty, fitness, and wellness professions offer a more active work life, better opportunities to network into higher positions, greater work/life balance, help to build and refine your interpersonal communication skills, and often allow for more chances to travel abroad.
Starting Isn’t as Hard as You Might Think
If you think you can’t transition into a new profession because you don’t have the time or money, prepare to be surprised! In most states, it can be quick, easy, and inexpensive to get the training, licenses, and certifications you’ll need to launch into a new career. The average time it takes to complete a full cosmetology program to become a stylist or barber is 12-14 months. To become a licensed aesthetician, basic programs average about six months. Massage therapists can complete their course of training in 8-12 months, while nail techs can generally complete training in 3-9 months. Personal trainers can complete instruction in as few as 12 weeks, though most take about 6 months to become fully certified. Schooling and licensing costs vary by state, but on average, most professional education, certifications, and licensing requirements can be completed for under $10K.
Vagaro Helps You at Any Stage of Your Career
Once you’ve gotten your education, accreditation, and licensing in order, it’s time to get to work! With Vagaro, you’ll be ready to start building your business from the ground up. Whether you’re starting out as a commission-based professional or renting a booth, you’ll have all the tools you need to stay on top of your schedule, income, and sales. Our marketing tools make it easy for you to give your growing client list the VIP treatment and attract more new clients without taking time away from your busy schedule. As your business grows, we give you everything you need to scale up. So, if you’ve been considering starting a career in beauty, fitness or wellness, it’s never been easier to take the leap!
Resources
If you’re considering starting your career in beauty, fitness, or wellness, but you aren’t sure where to start your research, here are a few reputable links to help you.
Whether you’re taking the plunge and starting a career in beauty, fitness, or wellness or you’re an established professional considering going into business for yourself, make Vagaro part of your business plan! Try our software free for a month and see how much more time you can have with clients when you automate daily admin tasks!
Header Image: @LinaVeresk via Twenty20
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