Managing a beauty or wellness salon merges the rewards of running a successful business with those of helping people look and feel their best. Whether you’re vying for a staff promotion or bringing management experience from somewhere else, an exceptional salon manager resume is a must.
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Resume.io is here with tips for illuminating your most impressive attributes in a nuanced light. With more 300+ occupation-specific writing guides and resume examples. Here is what we’ll cover in this guide for salon managers, along with the corresponding resume example:
- What salon managers do and their job market outlook
- General resume writing tips for a salon manager
- The best format for structuring your resume
- Advice on each section of your resume: header, summary, work history, education and skills
- Professional resume layout and design hints.
What does a salon manager do?
Salon managers carry the full weight of responsibility for their hair, cosmetology or spa salon business to operate successfully. They lead and direct salon staff in providing high-quality services in the interest of customer satisfaction and profit, in compliance with health and safety regulations. In addition to managing the salon’s day-to-day activities and financial aspects, salon managers are charged with hiring, training and supervising salon staff.
Many salon managers ascend to this role from salon staff positions, so they may have expertise in other areas of the beauty and wellness industry. If that’s you, you may consider checking out our:
How to write a salon manager resume
Your salon manager resume should fit on a single page and include these sections:
We’ll be taking a closer look at each resume component one at a time. But first, here is some general advice.
- No two salons or salon manager positions you apply for will be exactly alike. That’s why each new version of your salon manager needs to be refreshed. It might take only some touch-ups or a complete makeover. In any case, always customize your resume to what the salon needs and expects from the manager being hired.
- Depending on the business size and hiring process, applicant tracking systems (ATS) may be a vital consideration. In recruiting situations where there are many resumes being submitted online, automated screening software is commonly used to scan them for certain keywords that the employer has programmed. Even if that’s not the case when you apply for a salon manager position, including keywords in your resume is a recommended custom-tailoring step that could give you an edge.
- For both numbers 1 and 2 above, how do you know how to customize your resume and use the right words? Carefully review the job requirements listed in the career ad. That’s your best source of information about the employer’s needs and wants, plus keywords. And unless you’re familiar with the salon firsthand, do some research online, in person and by asking around.
Choosing the best resume format for a salon manager
For most salon managers, the most commonly used chronological resume format should work well. This format focuses on your employment history section where you can list related roles starting with the most recent and working backwards through the past 10 years.
Alternative resume formats sometimes work better for workforce newcomers, career change scenarios or very diverse occupational backgrounds. A functional resume format can be used to emphasize specialized skills or niche market expertise rather than a straightforward work history. Other functional resumes are geared to those who have been self-employed in freelance or contract positions. Some job seekers find a hybrid (combination) document best reflects their background and goals.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects overall employment of barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists to grow by 19% from 2020 to 2030 — much faster than the overall occupational average. With some 85,300 positions opening up each year, the demand for these workers is largely driven by the turnover rate of departures within or from the beauty industry, or from the labor force altogether.
By implication, this paints a bright picture of job prospects for salon managers, who have no separate BLS data category of their own.
Resume summary example
The summary of your salon manager resume (sometimes called “profile” or “personal statement”) shines a spotlight on your worthiest achievements, regardless of how much experience you have as a manager or employee in the same industry.
Either way, carefully select a handful of examples that seem most relevant to the salon owner or other hiring decision-maker and create a compelling synopsis. On one hand, express how attentive you would be to the needs and wants of salon customers in providing high-quality services. On the other hand, show regard for the salon’s overall operation and success, including bottom line profits. On both counts, your brief descriptions of past achievements should resonate for the future of this salon if you are hired. Quantify with facts and figures if possible, while also revealing glimpses of your personality.
Below is a salon manager resume example summary you can customize.
Experienced Salon Manager and Stylist bringing forth superior management skills and a love for beauty, hair, and cosmetology. Highly skilled and motivated, and ready to help bring your salon to the next level.
Employment history sample
The employment history section of your salon manager resume holds a larger mirror to your qualifying background.
Use descriptive language and include duties and skills mentioned in the job description whenever you can. Take these action statements a step further by showing measurable benefits to the employer — dollar amounts, percentages or hard numbers. If you’re not in a position to pinpoint this data precisely, describe your contributions in terms of client services provided daily or hours worked weekly.
Below is a salon manager employment history resume sample you can use while writing your own.
Salon Manager at Deja Vu Salon, New York
September 2019 - August 2021
- Worked to consistently deliver an exceptional guest experience.
- Effectively managed all salon operations and employees.
- Held weekly one-on-one meetings with staff members to develop strategies for improvement if needed.
- Remained knowledgeable about all salon services, hair care products, membership programs, and subscriptions.
- Supported front-end operations as needed while adhering to all company standard operating procedures.
Salon Assistant Manager and Lead Stylist at Ellen Eileen Hair, New York
July 2013 - August 2019
- Consistently brought forth excellent multitasking skills to achieve goals.
- Worked one-on-one with clients to achieve all of their hair care desires.
- Remained up-to-date on the latest salon technologies and processes to deliver superior results.
- Assisted with recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training new staff on policies, procedures, and expectations.
- Implemented administrative systems and procedures that ensured the organization and success of the salon.
- Maintained client profiles and made changes when necessary.
Salon manager resume education example
This section of your salon manager resume should begin with a list of the most relevant and recent college degrees in reverse chronological order, from highest to lowest levels. Mention scholastic awards or other special achievements and honors.
Include diplomas, certifications, internships and on-the-job training you’ve completed, along with professional association memberships. Anything that demonstrates your regard for continuous learning is noteworthy — from team building and organizational skills to beauty or wellness industry trends.
Be sure to indicate licenses in cosmetology or other applicable specialty services, whether mandatory or not.
Below you’ll find the education section from our salon manager resume example.
Cosmetology and Business Development, Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute, New York
June 2012 - May 2013
High School Diploma, Woodbury High School, Woodbury
September 2008 - May 2012
CV skills example
Salon managers might find it more challenging to narrow down their CV skills list than deciding what to include. Strive for a mix of hard skills and soft skills that could set you apart from other qualified applicants.
Hard skills — practical, hands-on abilities — that are vital to salon management range from computer applications to bookkeeping, reporting and scheduling.
Soft skills are the personal qualities that influence your on-the-job effectiveness. They are most apparent in your interactions with others, from being a good listener to remaining calm in a conflict situation.
What makes a great salon manager?
According to Rosy Salon Software, salon management is a tough job. Great salon managers tend to be:
- Good communicators
- Well organized
- Diplomatic
- Customer-focused.
In addition:
- Having a good understanding of the beauty industry is important.
- Salon experience is ideal.
Check out a salon manager sample for the skills section below.
- Cosmetology and Barber Skills
- Business Development
- Customer Service
- Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Highly Motivated
Resume layout and design: Appearances count
For a salon manager resume, the bar could not be set much higher for stellar first impressions. Appearance really does matter; there’s no visual aspect you can afford to get wrong when making layout, design and formatting decisions.
Strive for a look that’s immaculate and professionally polished — automatically reader-friendly at a glance. And fortunately, those are not mutually exclusive goals for a stylish document befitting the beauty business.
Your resume design should ultimately harmonize with the image and vibe of the salon you will manage if hired. Undeniably, this shapes perceptions about how well you would fit in. Check out everything — from the architecture and interior decor to the branded elements and color on signage, web pages and printed materials.
Make sure to keep a balance of white space to text to avoid visual fatigue for the reader. Do this by varying the length of your bullet points in the employment history section and keeping your margins at 1 inch. A touch of color, when used thoughtfully, can go a long way to make your resume stand out.
The importance of an eye-catching, well-proportioned resume header cannot be overstated. Besides its esthetic contribution to the reader’s first impression, it clearly identifies who your resume belongs to and how interested recruiters can instantly reach you. If you’d like a head start in building a professional header, consider using an expertly-designed resume template.
Key takeaways for a salon manager resume
- Career opportunities for salon managers remain vibrant as the job market for barbers, hair stylists and cosmetologists grows much faster than overall occupational average.
- Because no two salons or salon manager positions are alike, your resume content and language should be tailored to the specific job opportunity.
- Whether or not you are being promoted from a salon staff position or have previous management experience, your resume should emphasize measurable achievements rather than job responsibilities.
- The bar is set high for a salon manager's resume to look visually stylish and professional, and also compatible with the salon brand and image. Check out our adaptable salon manager resume sample for more ideas on creating an attractive and functional page design.
