How To Write a Cosmetology Resume
To stand out in an increasingly competitive job market, you’ll need to build an accomplishment-driven resume that highlights the strongest aspects of your career. As a cosmetologist, you’ll want to feature achievements that showcase your creative approach to beauty services and your ability to create value for your organizations and clients. Throughout this guide, we’ll provide a variety of expert tips to help you translate your experience into a powerful marketing document.
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your qualifications
To grab the hiring manager’s attention, you’ll want to craft a strong opening summary that captures the essence of your personal brand. Start by detailing your job title, years of experience, and three to four cosmetology skills that align with the job posting. In the subsequent sentences, you should highlight your own creative approach to beauty services and your ability to build positive client relationships.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Profile
A Licensed Cosmetologist with 10+ years of experience specializing in hair styling, skin treatments, client relations, and operations management. A proven track record of building and leading teams of cosmetologists in high-end salon environments. Adept at building long-term relationships with clients.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Profile
A Licensed Barber with two years of professional experience specializing in facial hair trends and male skin care techniques. A proven track record of delivering high-quality customer experience and identifying opportunities to increase client retention rates.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
As a cosmetologist, you must ensure that your bullet points are strongly centered around your career achievements. Focus on the specific types of beauty and hair styling services you provided and how you successfully met your clients’ needs. You can also incorporate numbers and monetary figures to your advantage here. For example, if your client retention rate is high, this is a strong indicator for salons that you provided quality services and a positive customer experience.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Salon Manager, Allure Salon & Spa, Los Angeles, CA
August 2016 – Present
- Managed, hired, and developed a team of 15 hairstylists and cosmetologists and led training efforts to improve customer service, which increased client satisfaction ratings by over 35%
- Delivered beauty services to over 400+ high-end clients, upsold products and services, and achieved over 150% of annual sales goals year over year
- Oversaw all aspects of daily operations, conducted scheduling, evaluated team performance, and provided coaching to drive the professional growth of team members
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Professional Experience
Barber, Grayscale Barber Lounge, Albany, NY
January 2020 – Present
- Recommend and provide haircuts, styles, and trims to a broad array of clientele, shave facial hair and sideburns, and provide luxury shampooing and conditioning services
- Assess face and scalp for any conditions requiring treatment and upsold at-home care products, resulting in a 20% increase in monthly sales revenue
- Deliver coaching and mentorship to apprentice barbers in technique, customer service, and salesmanship
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Unlike other industries, there are no formal education requirements for cosmetologist roles. What is required is your cosmetology license, which should be featured prominently on your document. In some instances, it may be worthwhile to consider other certifications in beauty services, such as Master Makeup Certification or a BarberSAFE Professional Barber. This will show prospective employers that you’re fully committed to expanding your skill sets.
Certifications
Template: [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Examples:
- Master Makeup Certification, Aveda Institute, 2017
- Cosmetologist, Empire Beauty School, State of Michigan, License #12345
Education
Template:
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example:
- High School Diploma
- HENRY FORD HIGH SCHOOL, Detroit, MI September 2017 – June 202
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
Most organizations rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify qualified candidates for job openings. If your resume lacks a certain number of key terms, your application may be rejected before it reaches the hiring manager. To ensure ATS compliance, you’ll need to incorporate key skills from the job description into your profile, professional experience, and skills section. Below, you’ll find a list of cosmetology keywords that you may encounter during the job search:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Beauty Services | Client Relations |
| Communication | Consultative Selling |
| Cosmetology | Customer Service |
| Facials | Makeup Artistry |
| Hair Coloring | Hair Cutting |
| Hair Extensions | Hair Styling |
| Health & Safety | Relationship Building |
| Skin Analysis | Skincare Treatment |
| Upselling Techniques | |
How To Pick the Best Cosmetology Resume Template
Selecting the right template for your professional needs can be challenging for job seekers. With such a wide variety of options available, finding the ideal fit for your personal brand can be difficult. The most important thing to consider when choosing a template is whether or not your industry experience and cosmetology skills are well-organized and easy to read. Avoid overuse of flashy colors and graphics, as these elements run the risk of distracting prospective employers from your most relevant qualifications.
Cosmetology Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Dominik Sokolov
(123)-456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Albany, NY 12345
Profile
A Licensed Barber with two years of professional experience, specializing in facial hair trends and male skin care techniques. A proven track record of delivering a high-quality customer experience and identifying opportunities to increase client retention rates.
Professional Experience
Barber, Grayscale Barber Lounge, Albany, NY
January 2020 – Present
- Recommend and provide hair cuts, styles, and trims to a broad array of clientele, shaved facial hair and side burns, and provided luxury shampooing and conditioning services
- Assess face and scalp for any conditions requiring treatment and upsold at-home care products, resulting in a 20% increase in monthly sales revenue
- Deliver coaching and mentorship to apprentice barbers in technique, customer service, and salesmanship
Barber Apprentice, Benny’s Barber Shop, Albany, NY
November 2017 – December 2019
- Provided quality hair styling cuts and trims to clients, recommended products and treatments based on individual hair and skin types, and achieved a 91% client satisfaction score
- Conducted continuous research on style trends to provide quality recommendations to clients
- Maintained a safe and clean work environment, including sterilizing clippers, combs, and scissors
Key Skills
- Hair cutting, styling, and color correction
- Shaving and after-shave routing
- Customer service
- Skin Care
- Health & Safety
Education
Barbering Program (600 hours)
The Paul Mitchell School, Schenectady, NY September 2016 – October 2017
Cynthia Jackson
(123)-456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Boston, MA 12345
Profile
A Licensed Cosmetologist with over seven years experience delivering quality beauty services in high-volume salons. A proven track record of creating warm and inclusive salon atmospheres and achieving a 92% client retention rate. Adept at identifying ideal hair styles and skin treatments for customers.
Professional Experience
Hair Stylist/Cosmetologist, Katie Jones Beauty Salon, Boston, MA
April 2016 – Present
- Built relationships with clients by providing appropriate recommendations for hair and beauty services based on individual needs and long-term goals
- Upsold products and services and provided education on coloring, maintenance, and hairstyles, which generated up to $5K in additional revenue per month
- Performed eyelash treatments, facials, and haircutting services for over 100+ clients and achieved positive customer service scores of 95%
Hair Stylist, Ulta Beauty, Boston, MA
April 2016 – May 2019
- Achieved recognition as Stylist of the Month five times in two years for delivering exceptional customer service and providing coaching and mentorship to apprentice hair stylists
- Built a loyal client base and developed long-term relationships, resulting in a 93% retention rate
- Provided hair styling and beauty services for a wide range of events, including weddings and proms
Education
Cosmetology Certificate
Mildred Elley, Pittsfield, MA September 2010 – October 2011
Key Skills
- Beauty Services
- Facial Treatments
- Color Correction
- Customer Service
- Client Relations
Madeline Smith
(123)-456-7890
[email protected]
123 Your Street, Los Angeles, CA 12345
Profile
A Licensed Cosmetologist with over 10+ years of experience, specializing in hair styling, skin treatments, client relations, and operations management. A proven track record of building and leading teams of cosmetologists in high-end salon environments. Adept at building long-term relationships with clients.
Professional Experience
Salon Manager, Allure Salon and Spa
August 2016 – Present
- Managed, hired, and developed a team of 15 hairstylists and cosmetologists and led training efforts to improve customer service, which increased client satisfaction ratings by over 35%
- Delivered beauty services to over 400+ high-end clients, upsold products and services, and achieved over 150% of annual sales goals year over year
- Oversaw all aspects of daily operations, conducted scheduling, evaluated team performance, and provided coaching to drive the professional growth of team members
Cosmetologist, Toni & Guy, Los Angeles, CA
May 2011 – July 2016
- Provided state-of-the-art coloring services for all clients with various hair types and skin care needs and provided recommendations on current style trends and innovations
- Manage a team of 12 stylists, provide feedback on cuts, styling, color treatments, and customer service, and provide mentorship to grow retail sales by 40%
- Ensured compliance with local and state health codes, including sterilizing tools and equipment
Education
IM Education Cosmetology
Aveda Arts & Science Institute, Los Angeles, CA September 2010 – October 2011
MUD Makeup Certification
Aveda Institute, Los Angeles, CA March 2017
Key Skills
- Salon Management
- Hair Styling
- Skin Treatments
- Color Correction
- Beauty Services
Frequently Asked Questions: Cosmetology Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for cosmetology resumes?+
It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs as you build out the professional experience section of your resume, especially as a cosmetologist. In this type of field, there’s only a limited number of verbs you can use to describe your career achievements and job responsibilities accurately. That being said, differentiating your word choice can greatly enhance the reading experience for the hiring manager. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of action verbs you can use to craft your bullet points:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Applied | Analyzed |
| Collaborated | Communicated |
| Conducted | Consulted |
| Created | Delivered |
| Developed | Evaluated |
| Identified | Implemented |
| Improved | Managed |
| Performed | Resolved |
| Supported | Upsold |
How do you align your resume with a job description?+
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for cosmetologists are expected to grow by 11% between 2021 and 2023. This equates to over 66,000 new job openings each year. Although these projections are positive, you’ll still need to align your resume with the job description to secure interviews at high-end salons.
For example, if a salon is looking to hire a cosmetologist with an extensive background in makeup artistry, you’d want to feature various makeup and beauty techniques more heavily toward the top of your resume. If the posting emphasizes hair styling and coloring, you may want to place a greater emphasis on this area of your experience in your professional experience section. By aligning your resume with the job description, you’ll increase your chances of landing your next interview.
What is the best cosmetology resume format?+
Reverse chronological is the ideal resume format for cosmetologists. This ensures that your most recent and relevant experience is featured at the top of your document. It’s generally best to avoid functional resume formats, as skill-based resumes are considered outdated by most recruiters and hiring managers. If you’re at the entry level, try to focus on fleshing out the experience you’ve garnered in your program while pursuing your cosmetology license.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Providing a matching cover letter can be a helpful tool for job seekers. This allows you to tell prospective employers more about who you are as a professional and why you’re interested in joining their team. In the middle paragraphs, you should mention something specific about the salon’s reputation or culture and why this draws you to apply for the position. For more insights, visit our cosmetology cover letter page.
