We simply have hair obsession at Ragtradejobs.  When the girls started buying hair extensions for more luscious locks we put out the challenge.  To grow mermaid hair naturally.  But enough of our office competitions...  how about considering a career in hairstyling?  

We had a latte with some professionals to give you the low down....

Sonia's responses:

Q, Were you destined to be in the beauty industry? When did you decide that hair was your career? 

A, Yes . When i was 14 years old..it just happened from being inspired by the latest trend's. The 80's was  the best era to start in terms of fashion interpretations

Q, What makes a great stylist / colorist? 

A, Experience!  It's all about having the right fundamentals with great training in all areas. These basics enable you  to adapt to any individual. Also really important is having an understanding that  fashion is about adapting techniques or elements of a trend to each individual's style, bringing out the best of everyone.

Q, What's your insiders tip for making it as a hair stylist/colorist? 

A, Be confident in who you are as a person, be ready to change with fashion,  and adapt your skills and knowledge constantly. Vision is imperative in order to motivate you for success and to meet every clients needs. Finally, never compromise your standards and always offer your best in all you do. 

Q, What inspires you? 

A, Fashion interpreters with great vision

Q, Is a career in hair love or money? 

A, Love definitely, you've got to enjoy the journey 

Q, What you know or who you know?  

A, If you're not applying it, what you know can sometimes end up just being information. Who you know can determine how good you are but it doesn't define you. Ultimately life is about great relationships based on loving everyone without favourites.

Damien's responses:

Q, Were you destined to be in the beauty industry?

A, My father was hairdresser and had his own business, so I have fond memories as a child of riding my bike to the shop with my Mom to visit him for lunch. He also had a Barber Shop set up in the garage at home, where he would always cut our hair  as well as using it as a hangout with his mates to talk about cars etc, so I guess you could say it was a natural progression, having been around it for the earlier years of my childhood.

Q,When did you decide that hair was your career? 

A, To be completely honest I really wanted to be a fashion designer. I had finished my fashion degree and was looking for some work, and it really wasn't what I was expecting it to be. I had always been into Art, Fashion and doing friends hair and make up for special occasions, so after having studied Fashion and Art, I thought hair was going to the next best medium to work with. After many set backs from local salons (telling me I'd never make a good hairdresser!), I decided if I was going to do hair I was going to do it well. So off I went to the big smoke and landed a job in one of Australia's Premier Salons at the time, Synergy Hair. There I had the opportunity to work with many of the world's top hair and make up people and really work towards the career I wanted.

Q,What makes a great colourist?
 
A, An open mind and a good eye for attention to detail, and never thinking that you know everything. We know and learn a lot as hairdressers but we never stop learning. Listening to your clients is important too, they can teach you a lot.

Q, What's your insiders tip for making it as a hair stylist/colourist? 

A, Be prepared for a lot of hard work and not getting paid for everything that you do. Still to this day the things we do for free are still loads of fun and are a good learning experience. Keep hold of what you believe in and don't believe everything that people tell you! We all have our own opinion. In saying that, don't wait around for someone to tell you you are doing a great job, keep learning and growing as this is the way to allow yourself to progress.

Q, What inspires you?

A, Myself, art, design, travel, fashion, nature, people on the streets including my colleagues, and other hairdressers.

Q,Is a career in hair love or money?  

A, It's great to be doing something I love and getting paid for it. It's definitely a career you need to be passionate about, but it is also financially rewarding.

Q, What you know or who you know?

A, Power is knowledge, is that what that saying is? You really need to know your stuff to be really good at anything you do, I definitely think it helps to get to know the right people to help navigate your career to where you would like it to go. Like I said earlier in the piece, keep hold of what you believe and want to get out of this life, we only have one to live.