When I started school at the Cinta Aveda Institute, I completely fell in love with the beauty industry. However, I’d never worked a job in the industry, and really wanted to get a jump start on my esthetics career. As I did not have my license—and most spas are looking for estheticians with at least two years of spa experience—my only option was to work the front desk.
I ended up finding a job as a receptionist in a spa and worked there for over a year. It proved to be an amazing entryway to the field and gave me an edge over other newbies.
During my year as a receptionist, I learned a lot about what it’s like to work in a real spa—how the clients are, what it takes to keep a spa running, how the team functions, retailing, inventory, and a lot more.
As a receptionist, I got to polish my waxing skills as well. Waxing was an aspect of the field that particularly intimidated me. I loved giving facials and pampering my classmates but, when it came time to wax, I was quite shy. Ironically, my first job was at a waxing boutique, where I had the opportunity to ask all my coworkers the tips and tricks of the trade.
One of the most valuable and surprising piece of information I learned was that most of my coworkers were also shy and intimidated when they began waxing. They were these incredible waxperts, but had started with a similar fear of waxing. They gave me great advice and even let me watch the occasional Brazilian so that I could improve my techniques. In addition, I learned a lot of the do’s and don’ts of waxing.
To this day, when I’m in a room with a client, what I learned at my receptionist job sticks with me. I received a lot of information listening to the estheticians talk to their clients.
Many spas hire from within, so it could be a great opportunity for you to work your way up if you work hard and show interest. For a first job in the industry, don’t discount the receptionist gigs! As an introduction to the spa world, it is a great learning opportunity.
