...to ask your honest thoughts when someone tells you they're a hairdresser?

[westmommy]

First thoughts, any assumptions? Fully transparent and honest answers please, no judgement whether good/bad!

Also any hairdressers out there, what are your honest experiences and thoughts about the job? Do you enjoy, would you recommend it etc?

Good points about ai not taking their job! Not thought of that before. My job would definitely be taken over by ai (finance) maybe I should re-train. I'm not very arty though, probably end up dying someones hair green.

Usually that my hair is probably a mess...also that the colour mixing is very scientific and owning a successful salon needs good business sense.

I'm always impressed/jealous of someone who has a trade/skill

Great! I know a few hairdressers, tend to be stylish and sociable.

Honestly, nothing at all. I dont really have a reaction to anyone telling me their job.
Well, if someone told me their job was artificially inseminating blue whales I might have a question or two, but other than that...

Interestingly I was always made to believe when younger it was something you done if you weren’t academically smart and looked down upon. In hindsight, the knowledge and expertise required appears to be monumental and every hairdresser I know is raking it in! Don’t have any opinions now other than they’re lucky they have the skills to do their own hair

I’m thinking what are they thinking about my hair.

There have been a few threads like this recently (“what do you think when someone tells you X”) and I think some people wildly overestimate the amount of thought other people put into them and any group they belong to.
If two people tell me they’re hairdressers, my thoughts will be different because it will depend on the conversation we’re having, the context, who they are etc. I have no single universal reaction to hairdressers.

I've been seeing the same hairdresser now for 30 years. We were very young women when she started cutting my hair and we've been through all the ups and downs of life together. I love her. She's clever, funny, reliable, kind, a switched on business woman, brilliant mum and good friend.

If I meet someone who's a hairdresser I imagine they are capable, hardworking and a people person

But who will their customers be if they've all lost their jobs to AI?

That they are a hairdresser.

Idly wondering what they’d suggest for my next cut. I’m always impressed by hairdressers. I’m shit at doing my own hair.

ETA: Why do you ask, OP? Are you a hairdresser? Have a kid hoping to become one?

Honestly I wonder about their wrists, my hairdresser has had carpal tunnel in both her wrists and my friend who was a hairdresser for some years developed carpal tunnel in her right wrist and retrained in a completely different desk based field

I wouldn’t think anything! Why would I.

No specific thoughts.

I think “what an excellent job…flexible, always required, you can be your own boss and it & can be done from anywhere in the world!”

I’m an office worker and honestly I wish I’d thought about hairdressing when I was young.

Its better then most other careers you won't be replaced by a computer and you can fit it around family life

I think it's pretty cool, I wish I had any hairdressing talent whatsoever

I tried to encourage one of my daughters to do hairdressing when she didn't know what to do at college but she wasn't interested unfortunately

Indifference. A secret hope that they are good and can do something with curly hair so I can become their client!

I'd think they were skilled at their job.

Not very educated. People person, likes chatting to people, likes putting forward their opinion but due to lack of education and critical thinking skills they are often misinformed and get their opinions from Facebook, tiktok etc. Quite likely to believe in things like manifesting, tarot, crystals etc. A fan of Botox, fillers etc.
If they're talented they can do very well and have their own salon and make a good living. They like to drive a white range rover.

I hope you are joking.

I know three really well. All three have fantastic work life balance. Two earn £££ and the other one went from hairdressing- training- fashion- academia and would be incredibly intimidating were she not so lovely.
I’d only not recommend it as a career as it’s physically draining- as pp have mentioned carpal tunnel. And a friend trained and then couldn’t work as he became so allergic to dyes and shampoos.

"Oh god I hope they're not looking too closely at my (crap, DIY) hair" is usually my first thought.

I don't really have any other thoughts though. It's a nice job I think, ok it's not like you're earning doctor money but I think most hairdressers seem happy in their work?