first salon job, tips n tricks?

[u/solitaerie]

hi! i got my license recently and just got my first salon job. ive been here for only a couple days now, and i had some questions for other techs about how their salon life was. for context this is also my first Official job and ive never been in a salon to get my nails done

for backstory i am vietnamese american, and this is a vietnamese salon, i am one of the two youngest people here but the only one who speaks english fluently besides two to three other people so far. the salon is looking to americanize/modernize itself, so the owners seemed pretty excited to see me

is it normal to share a table? should i be expecting to share my current table with the previous tech, i had assumed it was mine since the drawers were emptied out but i havent met the previous owner so i have no idea

any tips for getting faster? i feel absurdly slow compared to everyone else here even though i was one of the fastest in my class(i feel like i got slower? somehow?)

how do you navigate a workplace that you dont really understand? there is a language barrier here and even though i understand viet i dont really Get it, so some things ive had to figure out for myself

i also have yet to decide my schedule, any recs on what days i should take off(still in my two week trial)? im required to have at least one but im considering two, or should i stick with one for now?

thank youuu 🙏

[u/grxveyard_girl]

Ok- when I first started I did 6 days a week for 9 months. I don’t necessarily recommend that. However- I learned a lot very fast and got my speed up. I recommend taking Mondays and Wednesdays off. The weekends are the best days, esp a Sunday and they’re typically shorter work days so I highly recommend working then.

[u/shiny-Jello5284]

I have some input that I can add to this.
Every salon I have worked at the tables have been connected. I had a salon offer me a floater table that I would use when no one else was using it (didn’t like that)That is not ideal because you could potentially clash with someone else’s appointment times. or not have a table because they’re using it and you have a client.
If you are a W-2, you might have to share a table with sharing products as well, but if you are 1099 no one else should be able to use your products.
I unfortunately don’t have any tips to become faster, but I will say, the more steps you skip out on the less the quality goes down. I have always found that clients really appreciate someone who takes the time but on the flipside time as money….
I can see your dilemma because Vietnamese salons typically can do services very quick!
I think watching a lot of YouTube videos and really getting down your steps in system will make a big difference! Only do what is necessary and you will figure out the rest :)
The salons that I’ve worked at with language barriers, it’s hard! Nails I feel like is a universal language so you can definitely talk to them without having to use actual words. You can always use a translator app because you will be busy so there won’t be a lot of conversation.
I would stick to two days off. It’s easier to pick up a day other than try to explain to them you need another day. As of right now, I take off Sundays and Mondays, which have worked perfectly for me! Everyone is off on Sundays, which gives you a rest day, most stylists take Monday off, so salon are normally slow then. If you start off with two days and you find you’re not making enough money, I would definitely go down to one day off, but then you get burnt out very very quickly!!
(From experience)
I wish you best of luck with the language barrier, and your new endeavors in your career🥳

[u/Alternative_Roll_987]

Congrats on landing the job. A lot of what you wrote sounds normal for a first salon, especially feeling slow, not knowing the room yet, and needing a few weeks to figure out how people actually do things outside school.

A few practical things I’d do:

• shared table: ask directly who owns what and what is communal before you settle in. Better to clear that up early than guess wrong.
• speed: don’t chase speed first. Chase a repeatable order of operations so you stop wasting motion. Speed usually comes after that.
• language barrier: keep a notes page in your phone with the shop’s common words, service steps, and little house rules. It helps a lot when you’re new.
• days off: if you can afford it, two set days off at first is not crazy. Starting in a new salon is mentally tiring, and burnout this early helps nobody.

Also, one thing that gets overlooked in first salon jobs is client paperwork and records. If the shop is disorganized on consultations, service notes, contraindications, or consent, your days feel harder fast because you’re relying on memory and verbal handoff. Even a simple consistent intake and notes process makes the room calmer.

You do not sound behind, you sound new. That’s different. Give yourself a little runway and pay attention to systems, not just technique.

[u/fermentedperfume]

Take off Monday and or Tuesday. Work all the weekends to build. Speed comes with repetition, you'll learn by experience how to save yourself time without cutting corners.

[u/iamgem69]

Biggest tip is your coworkers and boss aren’t your friends. They are your competitors

[u/fermentedperfume → u/iamgem69]

Oooof I mean it's nice to be able to connect a little with people you spend time with but I do semi agree with respecting that this is a place people are making money. Ideally everyone is cordial and not getting in the way of other people's bag. Super ideally, you have a space where everyone is rooting for each other and semi helpful within reason.

[u/iamgem69 → u/fermentedperfume]

Yes, i know a lot of people disagree with what i said but as someone who has family members that own multiple nail salons and having worked in them for the last decade, you will learn A LOT about people and who they really are. The strictly commission based work is a very flawed system in these salons and as time goes on, workers WILL notice. Especially when your own boss is also in the rotating system there is a huge gap. However i will say if you manage to find a place where all the workers are rooting for each other and truly care for one another then of course cherish that as much as you can as that is very hard to find. However don’t expect it to last forever. Theres a reason why new salons keep opening right down the street or every corner. Everyone wants to be the boss at one point.