I want that job! taylor walker at blo blow dry bar

Love dressing hair and giving clients amazing blow-dries that go the distance? A job in a specialist salon could be for you, as Taylor Walker at Blo Blow Dry Bar explains. When did you decide you wanted to be a hairdresser? A Blo franchise opened in a shopping mall near my house when I was fourteen and my mom used to get her hair done there when she had an event to go to. One day she ran out of time and couldn't make it to the blow-dry bar so she asked me if I could style it for her. When I was finished, she praised me that it was a Blo quality blow dry and suggested I should work there one day. I guess I took her comment very seriously. Where did you train? I applied several times to work at Blo in Canada, where I am originally from, and was finally accepted about a year later. I spent a week training on location at Blo Morgan Crossing to get my Blo University (Or Blo U as we refer to it) certificate. What was your first day like? For my first actual day on shift at Blo, I was called in on a Saturday because they were short handed. There was a significant skill gap between me and the other girls. all of whom had been there at least a year and were all three to fifteen years older than me. It was a stressful blur of mistakes, confusion and very nearly tears on a few occasions as I tried to break my way into an industry that I clearly underestimated in difficulty. I'd say that period went on for about three months before I really started to get the hang of it and catch up to my co-workers. Why did you decide you wanted to specialize in blow-drying/styling? I always joke that styling is the safe option, because everything I do is reversible with water - but in reality I think I've stuck to blow-drying and styling because it's so enjoyable. Clients always come in the door looking forward to a luxury treatment and they''re usually excited about whatever event they have planned for the night. I've had clients with plans ranging from graduation to movie premieres to dates on which they got engaged. And, of course, there's the brides who are always tons of fun to work with. How do you think working in this area is progressing your career? For any hairdresser, blow-drying and styling are such important skills to have in your tool belt, yet I feel like they are wildly underrated. I went to the same hairdresser from the time I was six until I moved to London, and she was phenomenal at cutting and color; however, in order to really be sure that I liked her work, I always had to go home and style it myself. She had never been taught how to use a round brush and styling simply was not a skill that she possessed. If I ever do go forward and get my full hairdressing license, I feel confident that I will have a good base of knowledge in how to work with hair, and I will be able to properly present my work when doing a cut or a colour for a client. Are there any specific skills that you’ve developed through working at Blo? I would say customer service has been the most notable skill that Blo has instilled in me. When you are working with a service that is meant to be luxury but also express, customer service is an invaluable strength to have. It's so important that you give your client the time to feel like her concerns about her hair and hopes for the final product have been addressed, while still ensuring that you remain within your 45-minute time frame. What’s been the highlight of your career so far? When I was working for the Blo franchise in Vancouver, we ran a special one Valentine's Day where we teamed up with a local makeup artist and photographer and offered a boudoir photo shoot. We needed promotional photos to decorate the bar with and use as examples, so two other stylists and I got to do the photoshoot for free. We had a blast with the photographer, taking photos, blasting music, drinking wine and eating chocolate all night. What’s your next career goal? For the time being my goals are somewhat hazy. I moved to London four months ago and am still settling in and growing accustomed. Whether the future holds furthering my hair career, going back to school or traveling more, I have yet to decide. Regardless of what I choose though, I am confident I will always have the reputation as the friend who can be summoned to style hair for free when a special occasion arises! What piece of advice would you give your student self? Take a deep breath. This industry can be very trying, as women who have a big event to go to often don't have any qualms about voicing their disgust with your work. It happens to the best and the worst of us. Hard work, perseverance and practising a really convincing fake smile will be the key to rising above in this industry. Looking for your next career move? Take a look at HJi Jobs for all of the latest hair and beauty job opportunities!