Want a job as a celebrity hairdresser? read this!

So you see yourself as a celebrity hairdresser, travelling the world with your famous clientele? Good for you, but beware: you’re going to have to work hard, develop a thick skin and get up at crazy hours. Jonathan Andrews, senior stylist at Jamie Stevens Hair, has a whole host of celebrity clients as well as being Union J’s on-the-road hairdresser. Here’s how he landed his dream job. "Hairdressing runs in my family so I did an apprenticeship at Cox McMillan, my aunt and uncle’s salon, while doing my NVQ at Joshua Galvin college. "Doing both was brilliant for me as I learned much more working in the salon, but my college qualification laid the foundations for me to understand what I did in practice. "Working for relatives, you may think I got special treatment, but in reality they were harder on me, which was actually helpful. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be half the hairdresser I am now if I hadn’t experienced that pressure, along with their guidance and the opportunities they pushed me towards. "After five years at the salon, I realised I wanted to pursue other avenues of the industry. It didn’t seem fair to the rest of the team if they had to pick up the slack while I was out of the salon, so I moved on to Jamie Stevens Hair in Kensington. "I joined to help relieve Jamie’s workload as he is away a lot. I took on some of his celebrity clients who I have been fortunate enough to maintain. I have since found that if you do a good job with one celebrity it encourages others to try you out. "I have also been lucky enough to work on the X Factor with Jamie. It has given me such an insight into how the world of hairdressing works in relation to TV, music and celebrity and introduced me to contestants who are now my clients. "Most of them come to see me in the salon, but I also work a lot with boyband Union J, which takes me all over the place and has seen me style their hair for magazine shoots, their album cover and even their replica dolls. "It all sounds very glamorous, but there is a lot that goes into it. You always have to stay on top of the latest trends and it can be very long hours, with 4 am starts and late finishes. "You also have to develop a thick skin. Unfavourable comments in the media or on social media about your hairstyles can get you down so you have to remember that it’s only an opinion. "I love what I do, it doesn’t always feel like work, but it’s not for everyone. I recommend that anyone who sees themselves as a celebrity hairdresser is prepared to work really hard. You need to get yourself out there assisting as much as you can to get a feel for how it works and see if it’s something you enjoy doing. "Then, most importantly, be nice and normal. It’s so easy to get caught up in the spotlight, but people don’t want to work with difficult people." Looking for your next career move? Take a look at HJi Jobs for all of the latest hair and beauty job opportunities!