Top 5 Tips for a Beauty Resume

How to write a beauty resume was a hot topic buzzing around New York Institute of Beauty recently as we just hosted our annual career fair and expo. Companies like Red Door, MAC, E.L.F, European Wax Center, and Amazing Lash Studio were all in attendance, so naturally our students and graduates were eager to impress!

Many of the tips for writing a beauty resume will apply to all resume types: avoid spelling errors, follow correct grammar rules, and format the resume for high readability. The biggest difference in creating your beauty resume is that you’ll have more of a chance to showcase your creativity. Research all companies before you apply for a job and determine the salon’s typical client to customize your voice to reflect their core values.

Gather all relevant information required for your resume. This may include education, job history, licenses, and any certifications. Don’t forget to collect any contact information for past employers and references. For beauty resumes, you’ll mostly want to focus on professional history. Overfill your resume with as much detail as possible to start because once you have a comprehensive picture of your background on paper, you can focus on trimming down to the core information. Ideally, shoot for a one-page beauty resume. However, make sure you find a spot to highlight any special skills you possess, such as microdermabrasion, airbrush makeup, lash extensions, waxing, and/or nail treatments.

Online beauty resume templates are helpful—to a point. Use esthetic resume templates for inspiration, not as a means to simply copy and paste your own data. Salons and spas are looking for a candidate who will stand out from the crowd, not for individuals who lack the creativity to come up with their own personalized list of qualifications and skills. Also, templates are often longer than required for a job in the beauty industry. Don’t inundate potential employers with extra information that they won’t find relevant to the open position.

You’re not trying to apply for a bank job, so don’t use boring fonts. Customize your resume to make it look and feel like you’re a candidate who has style and flair. However, you don’t have to go overboard with a stylized resume. Keep everything readable, but print text in something different than the standard Times New Roman or Courier. Add photographs of your work and a headshot in the appropriate sections. Branding is very important when it comes to resume building. Add a logo to the bottom or top of your resume to standout.

Introduce yourself on your resume with a short summary of your skills and career aspirations. In the summary, you could include your years of experience and how you’ve built up your client base, and also state the type of environment where you wish to work and how the salon or spa can assist you in reaching your career goals.

Always format your beauty resume with your most recent beauty positions. Esthetics schooling and licensing information can go after your work experience. Salon owners are busy and won’t have time to read chunky blocks of text on your resume. Use bullet points to highlight the crucial points of the skills you mastered over the course of your employment.