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Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a barber. Feel free to use our barber job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a barber.

 

Who is a Barber?

A barber is a person who primarily cuts, styles, grooms, and shaves the hair and beards of men and boys (and sometimes ladies who may like to cut their hair. A “barbershop” or a “barber’s” is a place where a barber works. Barbershops are also social gathering spots and forums for public debate. Barbershops are sometimes used as public forums. Barbers are experts in the art and science of shaving and cutting hair. They are gathering places for open debates, public concerns, and citizen participation in discussions about current issues. Barbers (sometimes known as barber surgeons) used to do surgery and dentistry. With the invention of safety razors and the decline in the prominence of beards, most barbers in Anglophone cultures now concentrate on cutting men’s scalp hair rather than beards.

A barber is a trained professional who cuts and styles hair, shapes and shaves beards, and does other grooming and skin care services. Barbers are state-licensed professionals who learn cutting, coloring, and straightening procedures through apprenticeships, certificate programs, or associate’s degree programs. Barbers are a unique species. They are creative, friendly, interested in the current hairstyling trends, and most importantly, they enjoy, are passionate about, and are dedicated to the haircutting industry. The ultimate goal of a barber is to establish a clientele of repeat clients as well as new consumers through customer referrals, hence the purpose of a barber is to ensure that the client is satisfied with the services provided. Highly experienced barbers frequently create long-term clients who use their services for many years. As a result, many neighborhood barbershops serve as gathering places for gentlemen to interact and enjoy each other’s company, which only serves to increase the number of satisfied and loyal clients. Barbers are primarily used by men, although many women who seek shorter hairstyles or prefer simple trims and styles use their services as well. According to a 2012 Details article, some of today’s greatest barber shops offer clients classic cuts and shaves, as well as a lot of memories and bonuses to go along with them.

Barber’s equipment includes the following; Barber chair, Hair clipper, Barber cloth or wrap, Barber powder (talcum powder or baby powder), Hairbrush, Comb, Barber neck paper/tape, Barber mirror or back mirror, Hair brilliantine, Disinfectant or Barbicide (Fansuan, Belize), Hair cream, Hairdryer, hair blower or blow drier, Hair gel, Hair Pomade, Hair scissors, Hair spray, Hair tonic, Hair wax, Shave brush, Shaving oil, Straight razor, Barber Strop, Station mat, Mustache wax, Shaving soap, or Shaving cream. To be a good barber, you must be able to give clients high-quality facial hair grooming services. Finally, a top-notch barber should stay up with the latest hairstyles and trends. Barbers, often known as hairdressers, provide a variety of hairstyling services to mostly male clients. They offer hair cuts, trims, styles, and colors, as well as facial hair grooming and massages.

A professional barber will like their work and career and take pride in it. They will adhere to a strict code of ethics and hold themselves and their work to high standards. Barbers, as well as those working in the beauty and cosmetics industries, are known for their kindness. They appreciate listening to their customers and conversing with them to get to know them personally. Barbers enjoy being in the company of people and providing them with high-quality haircuts that make them look and feel good.

 

Barber Job Description

Below are the barber job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a barber job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

Barbers just like every other handiwork have peculiar duties and responsibilities which include:

• Greet clients and discuss their desired hairstyles with them.
• Cut and trimmed hair according to the directions of the client.
• Use chemical treatments and styling appliances to style hair.
• Shave, trim, and sculpt beards and mustaches for clients.
• Clean and condition the hair of clients.
• Make hair treatments and coloring available.
• Ensure that combs, scissors, razors, and other equipment are cleaned and sanitized after each use.
• Supervise apprentices and trainees.
• Make face, scalp, and neck massages available.
• Make hairdo recommendations to clients.
• Shape and trim beards and mustaches.
• Keep up with the latest hairstyles and hair care procedures.
• Make recommendations for hair-relieving therapies.
• Maintain client card files, noting work done, products utilized, and fees charged after each visit.
• Measure, fit, and groom hairpieces
• Sweep the floors and clean the workstations.
• Use special chemical solutions and equipment to curl, color, or straighten hair.
• Protect consumers’ shoulders by draping and pinning protective cloths across their shoulders.
• Inquire about requested services and haircut styles from customers.
• Receive payment from consumers or record services delivered on cashiers’ tickets.

 

Qualifications of a Barber

1. Enroll in a Barbering School: Enrolling in a barbering school is the first step toward launching a professional barbering career. Taylor Andrews Academy of Hair Design is a nationally recognized institution with a proven track record of providing students with the necessary knowledge and experience to assist them to get admission to some of the world’s most prestigious universities. Many of our former students have gone on to open their own salons.
2. They Have and Use Extensive Hair Knowledge: A professional barber should be well-versed in hair cutting and anything else related to their trade. When cutting their customers’ hair, he or she will apply their knowledge to make good decisions. They are not obligated to comply with the customer’s request automatically. A professional barber will not be scared to decline a customer’s request for a terrible haircut. Instead, they will recommend a different haircut that will look best on the unique customer. A professional barber will often use their knowledge and professional judgment to produce the customer’s desired haircut if it is in the customer’s best interest.
3. They Have and Use Extensive Hair Knowledge: A professional barber should be well-versed in hair cutting and anything else related to their trade. When cutting their customers’ hair, he or she will apply their knowledge to make good decisions. They are not obligated to comply with the customer’s request automatically. A professional barber will not be scared to decline a customer’s request for a terrible haircut. Instead, they will recommend a different haircut that will look best on the unique customer. A professional barber will often use their knowledge and professional judgment to produce the customer’s desired haircut if it is in the customer’s best interest.
4. Professional Barbers Love, Enjoy and Take Pride in Their Work: A professional barber will love, enjoy, and take pride in their work and profession. They will adhere to a strict code of ethics and hold themselves and their work to high standards. The refusal to barter their services, performing “favor” haircuts at home rather than at the salon, is a sign of a barber’s passion and respect for the trade.
5. They’ve Always Been Interested in Hair Many professional barbers have had an interest in hair since they were children. They had a lot of fun experimenting with doll hair, their own hair, and their siblings’ hair. For important occasions such as proms and weddings, they enjoyed styling the hair of friends and family members.
6. They are gregarious and enjoy being in the company of others.

Barbers, as well as those working in the beauty and cosmetics industries, are known for their kindness. They appreciate listening to their customers and conversing with them to get to know them personally. Barbers enjoy being in the company of people and providing them with high-quality haircuts that make them look and feel good.

7. They Have a Business Mindset

Barbers who work professionally are dedicated, persistent, and hardworking. They are motivated not just to achieve, but also to express and practice their own distinct haircutting technique. If they are unable to fully express their individual style, they go out on their own and become self-employed. Many people have the work ethic, dedication, and motivation to run a successful business.

8. They’re also inventive.

Barbering is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a fulfilling, satisfying career that allows them to be creative. Barbers who work in the industry are always up to date on the latest trends and eager to try something new. Barbers take satisfaction in being able to express themselves freely. They are continually on the lookout for fresh opportunities.

9. They have a large selection of high-quality tools.

In a good salon, you won’t find any inexpensive haircutting tools. A professional barber will take their job and the service they provide to their customers very seriously. They will not compromise by employing Wal-Mart-purchased haircutting equipment. They will instead spend more on higher-quality equipment. Similarly, the barber would be well-versed in each piece of equipment.  A barber should never ask a customer, “What number do you want?” for a razor, or utilize plastic attachments that anybody may use.

10. They are hygienic and dedicated to keeping the environment clean.

Haircutting is, as you may already be aware, a messy process. It can also be unpleasant to touch people’s heads and scalps. The barbering industry, like other professions that regularly touch and are in close contact with customers, has the risk of easily transferring germs from one customer to another and from barber to customer. As a result, professional barbers are clean and endeavor to maintain a safe and sanitary salon at all times, even going above and above state sanitation standards and regulations. They will disinfect all of their tools after each use, wash their hands frequently, and change their linens on a regular basis.

 

Essential Skills of a Barber

Barbers must possess not just the necessary abilities for their job, but also a specific set of attributes. Barbers must have the following skills:

• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills: Barbers must understand the ideas and procedures necessary to provide exceptional customer and personal services. Barbers must therefore be able to assess their clients’ demands, meet service quality standards, and measure their customers’ degree of satisfaction.
• Barbers must be able to give their clients their undivided attention, taking the time to understand their goals and needs and asking questions as necessary.
• Excellent communication skills: Barbers must be able to interact well with their customers.
• The ability to reflect: Barbers must be able to evaluate their work and make adjustments or corrective steps as needed. They must also be able to assess and respond to their clients’ reactions.
• Barbers must always be service-oriented in order to provide the finest quality services to their consumers.
• Barbering also necessitates the mastery of a variety of physical abilities, including:
• Control of the arms and hands
• Stability
• Standing for long periods of time is a must.
• Dexterity and strength in the hands (the ability to grip and manipulate tools)
• Dexterity of the fingers (the ability to grasp and manipulate very small objects)
• Being dependable, detail-oriented, cooperative, understanding and patient, ethical, social, and agreeable are all desirable attributes of a good barber.

 

How to Become a Barber

It is possible to become a professional barber with the right training and experience. The five steps to becoming a licensed, professional barber are outlined here.

1. Obtain a diploma

First and foremost, you must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. Before joining any form of barber or cosmetology training program, most states require barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists to complete high school or have a GED. A high school diploma or GED can be obtained through recognized programs in the classroom or online.

Step 2: Work as a receptionist in a barbershop.

Working as a barbershop receptionist can help you figure out if the barber profession is suited for you. High school graduation is usually necessary for barbershop receptionists, and expertise in retail or customer service is sometimes recommended or even required. However, since a barber license is not required, working as a receptionist could be a wonderful method to learn more about the barbering industry. Clients are frequently dealt with by receptionists, who also clean the store, maintain inventory, and verify customer happiness.

Step 3: Enroll in a barbering or cosmetology school or work as an apprentice.

Barber schools mostly focus on teaching men’s style techniques. Men’s haircuts and styles, facial shaving and beard trimming, razor cutting, permanent waving, scalp treatments, and men’s facials/skin care are among the topics covered by students. Hair dyeing is taught in some barber schools, however, it is usually not part of the curriculum.

Men’s haircutting and styling, as well as general hair coloring, are taught in cosmetology schools; nevertheless, the overall curriculum differs from that of a barber school. Some barber schools include programs for cosmetologists who want to learn how to cut hair. An esthetician program may assist an individual to develop advanced skincare abilities, depending on the services they want to offer. Students in both barber and cosmetology schools begin with theoretical education, then practice on mannequins, and finally on consumers. To pass the program, they must complete a certain number of hours. Choosing a barber or cosmetology school is based on the services that an individual wants to provide as well as the licensing requirements in their state.

Another alternative is to look for a job as an apprentice. Some skilled barbers take on apprentices and function as mentors, giving them hands-on experience. An apprentice will still study from a textbook, but their hands-on experience will be more personalized than what regular barber schools can offer. However, not all states accept apprenticeships as a viable alternative to barber school, and obtaining a legal license may need additional hours of study.

Step 4: Pass the State Board Exam and Obtain a Professional License

Cosmetology training may be applied toward a barber’s license in some areas, and vice versa. The licenses may be distinct or mixed, depending on the state. To obtain a barber’s license, one must pass an examination administered by their state’s board of barbering and cosmetology. After passing the exam, you can submit an application for a license to the board.

Step 5: Submit an application for a barber job.

Barbers can work in a variety of settings other than barbershops. Barbers can freelance and create their own business after finishing training and receiving a license, or work in spas, hotels, and resorts.

 

Where to Work

Barbers employ approximately 10,550 people. Salons, barbershops, and resort spas employ the majority of barbers and other personal appearance employees. Barber jobs are available in large cities, despite the fact that barbershops may be found in almost every municipality. Many barbers work for themselves and either owns a salon or rent booth space from one. Barbers who want to work for themselves must pay for their own supplies, taxes, and benefits. They may pay a weekly or monthly fee to the salon if they are renting a chair or booth.

Barbering jobs are expected to grow at a faster rate than other occupations, by 12%. Though working in high-end companies will always be competitive, this growth in employment could open up many entry-level career options. Jobs will be available due to a growth in the population, as well as baby boomers and younger individuals seeking specialized services such as hair coloring and treatments.

 

Barber Salary Scale

Barbers earn an average of $11.61 per hour, including gratuities. The middle half of the population earns between $9.39 and $15.13 per hour. The bottom 10% earn less than $7.90 per hour, while the top 10% earn more than $20.48. The size and location of the salon, as well as whether they are entry-level or have the expertise, all determine one’s earnings. While barbers can work on commission or for a wage, some salons reward barbers who bring in a lot of business with bonuses. Unlike barbers who work in a salon and may be eligible for perks and paid vacations, unemployed barbers are not eligible for such benefits. Some barbers obtain free products from manufacturers in exchange for recommending the product to their clientele.

Barbers in Nigeria normally make roughly 141,000 NGN per month on average. Salaries range from 70,300 NGN to 218,000 NGN (lowest to highest) (highest). This is the monthly average pay, which includes housing, transportation, and other benefits. Barber pay varies greatly depending on experience, skills, gender, and area. A full breakdown based on a variety of parameters may be found below.

Fashion and Beauty

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