The Cosmetology Instructor Series: Part 2
How to Succeed as a Cosmetology Instructor
If you keep up with our blog, you know that we recently dropped Part 1 of The Cosmetology Instructor Series that dove into the deets of why you should become a cosmetology instructor.
What? You haven’t read it yet? That’s crazy-talk—do a quick click right here to give this one a swift read, then come back here and take the plunge to read up on how to be the world’s best cosmetology instructor.
Seriously, go ahead and read—we’ll wait!
All caught up?
Good! Now that you’re totally convinced that becoming a cosmetology instructor is the right goal for you (and a pretty sweet gig), we’re giving you the 411 on how to be the best cosmetology instructor.
Spoiler alert, there’s no one, single way to be the best instructor. Everyone’s strategy, students, and perspectives are different, so we can’t offer you a guaranteed formula for being a great instructor.
But what we can do is offer you some seriously great insight on how to bond with your students, embrace your natural talents, and shake the nerves that might be bogging you down.
Ready to become the ultimate teacher? Good—get to reading!
Focus on Bonding with Your Students
Think back to your favorite cosmetology instructor. It can be anyone—a teacher you met at your cosmetology school, a mentor, a beauty pro you shadowed, or just someone who showed you the ropes. What about that instructor made them your favorite?
Was it their commitment to their craft? Was it the way they explained things to you? Was it the interest they took in your success?
No matter what the exact reason was, we can bet it traces back to one important factor—they bonded with you and cared about you.
In our experience, that’s the commonality among the best of the best teachers—investing in their students.
When you believe in your students’ potential, they believe in their own potential—they’ll push their limits, they’ll do their best, and they’ll succeed. Even if they fail on their first try, your motivation and belief in them—not to mention your willingness to invest in them and bond with them—will make all the difference and ensure they get up the on the horse when they do fall off.
Embrace Your Skills & Be Creative
Being a good teacher isn’t about replicating your favorite instructors’ practices or following a curriculum to a T—it’s about embracing your skills, being creative, and thriving in your curriculum.
Obviously, you want to teach your students to the best of your ability—but that’s just it, you need to focus on your ability. Embrace what you’re good at, don’t try to be a jack of all trades, and know where you struggle, too.
Being honest, direct, and straight-up about what you’re most skilled at and then taking those skills and teaching them creatively is what’s going to make you a great cosmetology instructor.
Take Risks
Be creative. Think outside the box. Try new things. Be confident. Encourage your students to push themselves and lead by example. Show your students that sometimes, it’s worth it to take the risk and try something new when they’re learning! This will help them nurture their own skills and foster their own creativity.
Don’t Get Caught Up in What You Think Makes You a Good Instructor
Drop the ego, drop the attitude, and drop the pretense—there’s no such thing as the best instructor in the world.
Why? Because there are thousands of “best” instructors out there and absolutely none of them are teaching anything the same way.
Your strengths are different than other instructors, and while it’s always a great idea to learn from other, great instructors, it’s crucial to realize that you don’t need to live and die by what you think makes you a great teacher.
Be In-the-Know & Up to Date
It’s crucial for relevant teachers in the beauty industry to know what’s hot, what’s not, and what the latest trends are. While being hip and trendy isn’t necessarily everything, the beauty industry is very much led by what’s in-style and in-the-moment, so you’ll want to be up to date.
Teaching your students to be attentive and in-the-know is important, too, so lead by example and always know what’s relevant in the beauty world.
Are you a beauty instructor? Do you have some tried-and-true tips that our beauty community could benefit from?
If so, you’re in the right place—we want to hear from you! Scroll down and drop a comment in our reply section. Feel free to share your experiences, your insight, your advice, your failures, your successes—anything you can add, we can guarantee the beauty community is going to be grateful for.
We’ve got one last-minute reminder for you—if you’re going to invest in a career in the beauty industry, it’s crucial to invest in quality professional liability insurance.
That’s right, instructors need it, too! Looking for the perfect coverage? We’ve got your back. Check out our policy options right here and pick the perfect beauty pro plan for you!
And, be sure to keep up with Elite Beauty Society by subscribing to our newsletter here!
