Professional CV for Hairdressers and Barbers

What a good one includes

• A dedicated technical skill section detailing your expertise in specific areas like balayage, color correction, wet shaving, skin fades, or hair extensions.
• Mention of your familiarity with modern salon booking software like Phorest or Mindbody, and your ability to upsell retail products.
• Clear numbers showing your client retention rates, average weekly bookings, or percentage of repeat business to demonstrate your value to the salon's bottom line.
• Your formal qualifications, such as NVQs, state licenses, or specialized certifications from recognized academies like Vidal Sassoon or Toni&Guy.
• A direct link to a professional, high-quality digital portfolio or active Instagram handle showcasing your best real-world hair transformations and barbering work.
• Examples of your soft skills, like active listening, consultation techniques, and conflict resolution, which ensure a welcoming client experience.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Forgetting to link your professional social media or digital portfolio, leaving salon managers unable to see your actual visual work.
• Using an overly cluttered, messy layout that contradicts the clean, stylish, and professional image a high-end salon expects.
• Listing job duties instead of accomplishments, like writing 'washed hair' instead of 'managed a busy column of 15+ clients daily.'
• Neglecting to mention retail sales achievements, as salon owners heavily value staff who can successfully recommend and sell product lines.

Frequently asked questions