I want that job: jamie stevens

Jamie Stevens is perhaps best known as the resident hairdresser on TV shows like The X Factor, How to Look Good Naked and This Morning. However his career isn't all about prepping celebrities backstage in TV studios and on set; he owns two successful salons and is HJ's reigning Men's Hairdresser of the Year - a title which he was won three times, earning him a place in the Hall of Fame. He also educates across the world for Matrix as one of their global ambassadors. Here, we find out more about his career. When did you decide you wanted to be a hairdresser? From a very young age because my mum, my nan and my great granddad were/are all hairdressers. I got involved in hairdressing at the age of ten helping out at my mum's old salon, but I really got involved and decided to become a hairdresser at the age of 14. Where did you train? Ultimately I learnt most of my trade from my mum in her old Somerset salon. Other than that, I got my NVQ levels 1 2 and 3 at S.C.A.T (Somerset College of Arts and Technology) in Taunton, Somerset. What was your first job like? My first ever job was working in my mum’s old salon. It was a six-chair salon with three stylists and all I can say is that I loved it, and it gave me the foundations to be the hairdresser that I am today. How did working at Errol Douglas shape where your career was going? It definitely helped me gain more of a direction that I wanted to take my career. He helped my skill set evolve in most aspects of hairdressing, especially in dealing with shows and shoots. I also bounced off his energy, love and passion for this industry. Can you remember your first ‘celebrity’ hair job? Yes, I can very well - it was Kylie Minogue! A stylist that I knew was looking after her and one day he couldn’t do her, so he asked me. He just asked me to go round to his client's house and do her hair, but without telling me who it was. When she opened the door, I was very star struck but managed to play it very cool and treated her like a normal person. I ended up looking after her for a year and a half. How did you get started in the world of TV hairdressing? The first big hairdressing award I won was HJ's Men’s Hairdresser of the Year in 2008. I then started doing Gok Wan’s hair, because his management did a search for the best men’s hairdresser in the UK. After doing Gok's hair for six months, the hairdresser of his shows let him down which gave me the opportunity to step in. I ended up working with Gok on TV shows such as How to Look Good Naked and Gok’s Fashion Fix. The next big award I won was Celebrity Hairdresser of the Year. I then got contacted by This Morning and worked with them for two years, leading to The X Factor getting in touch. How do you balance your TV/editorial work with running a successful salon? By having an amazing team around me. There are a few key people in my business who help me in all aspects of my life: my mum and my sister run my salons and staff; Phoebe, who is my PA, helps me with all my communication with the press and managing my diary; Simon, who is my new business manager, helps with all of the business and contractual side of things; and finally my wife Megan, who is a constant support and rock in my life and who I also admire as a hairdresser. How do you cope with your work being commented on by the whole world? In the early days, I found it very difficult. You put yourself up for a lot of criticism, especially from some other hairdressers because of jealousy - they want to be where you are and can be very quick to judge and pass comment. As I've got older, wiser and thicker-skinned, I don’t care as much. As long as I please the people who are most involved and important - like myself, my team, celebrities, the manufactures or producers. They are the people that I'm working for and who are paying me to do the job. What skills would you say are essential to someone getting involved in TV work? Most importantly, you have to be good at what you do. For me, you then need to have good people and communication skills, organisation skills and dedication. What one piece of advice would you give your student self? Aim for the moon, then even if you miss you will be among the stars. This was the best bit of advice I was ever given, but apart from that I'd say, work work, work - work on your days off, assist as many people as possible, and keep practising. Looking for your next career move? Take a look at HJi Jobs for all of the latest hair and beauty job opportunities!