Hairdressers cut, style, colour, straighten and permanently wave hair and provide clients with hair and scalp treatments. In most salons, the senior hairdressers and the more advanced apprentices cut and style hair. Apprentice hairdressers undertake routine tasks in the initial stages of employment, assisting senior hairdressers with preparing clients, shampooing, applying and removing simple hairdressing treatments, and sterilising and maintaining equipment. As apprentices gain experience they carry out more complex tasks under supervision.

Tasks:

1. Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools such as scissors and combs.
2. Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
3. Analyze patrons' hair and other physical features to determine and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles.
4. Schedule client appointments.
5. Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
6. Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
7. Shampoo, rinse, condition and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
8. Operate cash registers to receive payments from patrons.
9. Demonstrate and sell hair care products and cosmetics.
10. Develop new styles and techniques.
11. Apply water, setting, straightening or waving solutions to hair and use curlers, rollers, hot combs and curling irons to press and curl hair.
12. Comb, brush, and spray hair or wigs to set style.

Key skills for hairdresser:

• Good health with no skin allergies
• Pleasant personality
• Good communication skills
• Able to work under pressure
• Good hand-eye coordinationpatient
• Some creative flair
• Attention to detail
• Able and willing to follow instructions.

Average salary (2013):

The United Kingdom: £14,000 and £20,000 a year
The United States of America: $22,700 a year
Australia: AU$19,59 per hour

Qualifications and training required:

Post-secondary public vocational schools and private beauty schools have certificate programs in hairstyling and other forms of personal appearance training, sometimes offered as cosmetology programs. High schools may also offer classes in styling. A hairstyling program is is typically completed in nine months. Introductory courses teach techniques for coloring, cutting, styling, as well as covering styling chemicals and sanitation. More advanced courses go into greater depth, and add courses in laws, regulations and salon management. However, relatively little class time is spent on desk work. Students spend much of the training time working with artificial hair.