Barbering
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Barbers are professionals highly skilled in the cutting and dressing of hair, particular the locks of male clients, and also expert in shaving and trimming beards, mustaches, and other masculine hair features. The career is most frequently grouped with cosmetologists and other personal appearance workers. Some barbers may tout additional expertise in fitting hairpieces and toupees for their clients. Scalp treatments and light massage may be another possible expectation for barbers' service offerings. Many states grant licenses to barbers to bleach, highlight, or color the hair of their clients, and providing perms too.
Barbers often provide a wide range of services and might be train to administer nail and skin care treatments as additional assets of their repertoire. Full time, 40-hour weeks of work are not uncommon for barbers, and many of these professionals also work overtime during particularly busy times. Evenings and weekends, most amenable to the schedules of most clients, are oftentimes barbers' prime working hours. Many barbers are self-employed, and nearly 30 percent of all barbers work part-time hours.
In order to work as a licensed barber, one must first earn a high school diploma. In a few states, this is all that is needed in order to qualify for the proper licensing. Many states, however, demand that students attend a cosmetology or barber school that has been licensed by the state. Gaining this formal education is beneficial not only for the professional training, but also for the potential of business and marketing courses being offered to bolster students' business sense and entrepreneurial acumen. Licensing is specific to each state, and frequently includes written, oral, and practical components. Reputation and experience dictate the scale of this pay, buy there is an amazing job outlook for barbers, along with other cosmetology professionals, offering plentiful employment opportunities into the future.
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Accredited Schools Offering Barbering Degrees By Location
Alabama
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California
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nevada
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Career Specializations
Barbers themselves are specialists within the field of cosmetology. Barbers themselves may choose to advertise specialties in shaves, particular haircuts and styles, or additional services (scalp massage, nail care, skin care, et cetera).
Degree Levels
- Certificate in Barbering or Cosmetology: approximately 1 year to complete
- Associate Degree in Barbering or Cosmetology: 2 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
An excellent way to enter into the barbering profession is to work or apprentice for a well-experienced professional, in an attempt to gain knowledge on the job in a practical fashion. This type of experiential training can begin even during, or before, high school. After earning a high school diploma, barbering aspirants should verify with their state whether the degree is sufficient to begin the process of earning the proper licensure. Should their education need to continue to the postsecondary level, community colleges and vocational schools offer training programs -- up to two years in duration -- that will instill the required skills needed to not only handle licensing, but also to establish a reputation for excellent service.
The licensing process for barbers and other professionals in the cosmetology sector is quite specific from state to state. The examination process consists of a written section, and sometimes an oral section will accompany this testing. Still other exams will demand a practical assessment of a barber's technique on the spot, demonstrating their skill set with design and cutting. In order to boast additional skills like skin or nail care on a barber's resume, he will likely need to secure additional licensing for each of those specialties. Fee payments are typically required for these examinations, and some states may enact a demand that those practicing cosmetology and barbering periodically renew their licensing.
Throughout all of this procedure, barbers should capitalize on all available opportunities to perfect their communication skills and customer service technique. Business and marketing training is also quite useful for self-employed professionals. (BLS)
Salary Information
Barbers are paid by the hour, and year-long salary total information is not retrievable. Experience, expertise, and reputation are the prime factors that influence how much a barber can pocket in one hour's time. Those who are just beginning in this line of work can expect to earn around $7.50 hourly. As they gain practical time on the job, this figure can increase to just over $11 for one hour of work. The absolute best barbers can anticipate earning more than $20 for 60 minutes of services. Some barber shops may offer additional pay by commission, especially for those who have customers who prefer them exclusively to work on their hair. Again, outstanding communication and customer service skills are paramount to developing, maintaining, and growing a reliable and satisfied base of clients. (BLS)
Job Outlook
On the whole, there is a huge boom anticipated in the possibilities for employment for barbers into the future. By the year 2018, estimates have predicted that the number of jobs will increase by approximately 20 percent, a figure far above the national average. The best ways for barbers to take advantage of this serious increase in demand is to perfect their communication and customer service techniques, earn licensing in more than one cosmetological aspect, gain plentiful experience with work (ideally beginning before or during high school), and furnish their professional skills with training in business, marketing, and entrepreneurial acumen. (BLS)
Related Careers
A career in cosmetology is somewhat related to that of a barber. Cosmetologists, work in a variety of specialties including manicures and pedicures, waxing, makeup application, facials, and many other skin and body care treatments. Cosmetologists also find work in a variety of environments, from spas and salons to the worlds of fashion, theater, and entertainment.
