I’ve just heard on the news that unemployment levels are at a 15 year high at 2.5 million, 16-25 year old’s are the worst hit with 12.5% out of work and the economic recovery set to start late 2010 will be long and slow. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Cheers pal, you’ve really cheered me up with that!” But let’s think about what that means to most stylists: A: If you’re reading this that means you’re not one of the 2.5 million out of work. B: If you fit in the 16-25 age brackets, you’re extremely lucky to have a job (hint: now’s a great time to tell your boss how much you appreciate your position within the salon), and C: while the country’s economic recovery may be long and slow, yours doesn’t have to be (we’ll come on to that later).
So you see, it’s very easy for us to focus on all of the negative around us but what we should really focus on is how lucky we are to be in what many call a “recession proof” industry and also how we can stop asking for that pay raise and, instead, give it to ourselves. So let’s look at what we can do to speed our own economic recovery.
Stop asking for pocket money
When I was a child, like most children, my parents gave me “pocket money” or rather I EARNED “pocket money”. If I wanted my pocket money, I had to tidy my room, do the dishes etc and generally behave myself. If I wanted more pocket money I had to do more such as mow the lawn or wash the car and if I wanted a raise in my pocket money I had to get better grades at school. This taught me a valuable “life lesson” from a very young age. It taught me that if you want something you have to work for it and the more you do the more you get. So why do so many stylists still go to their boss and “ask” for a raise? Why do so many stylists who, when you think about it, work in one of the very few industries where YOU control how much you earn, still complain about the lack of money/business/clients etc when A: stylists have MULTIPLE options to earn more money, B: everyone KNOWS what those options are and C: none of those options are beyond the capabilities of the most basic stylist? The answer’s simple (but some won’t like it); IT TAKES WORK. Or I should say it takes work + thought + dedication. If we want more money the first thing we need to do is stop expecting it to be “given” to us and, instead, look for ways to “earn” it. Sorry, but that’s just how it is.
Continue reading ‘Give Yourself a Pay Raise’ »