Cosmetology and barber schools all have a common goal: to teach students the knowledge and skills they need to pass the state board exam and launch their careers.
But some do better than others in truly preparing students for a successful career in this competitive industry.
For students to thrive personally, mentally, emotionally, and financially once they enter the beauty industry, they have to learn a lot more than what’s on the state board test.
Here are seven important skills that barber and beauty professionals need to succeed. Some of them are referred to as “soft skills” — although the impact of not knowing them can hit a person’s career very hard!
1. Professionalism: Show Up & Stand Out.
There are some unspoken ways that tell the world loud and clear you hold yourself, your clients, and your career in high regard. Teaching students how to carry themselves professionally is just as important as teaching them how to use clippers or mix a color formula.
In a profession where it’s critical to attract good clients who will want to come back, these three things need to be mastered.
✔️ Punctuality is Everything. Adopt the mindset that early is “on time” and “on time” is late. Because if you don’t respect your clients’ time, you won’t see them again.
✔️ Look the Part. You do you, but always look sharp and well groomed. You’ll attract clients who want to look that way too.
✔️ Keep It Clean. A messy station is a messy business. It’s hard to work efficiently in a dirty or cluttered workspace, plus it’s disrespectful to bring clients into that environment.
Instructors: Students need to start learning how to be professional on day one. So this means you need to model the professionalism you want to instill in them. Always remember you are their example.
Hold them accountable for being on time and ready to go. Don’t let it slide ever, because they sure will face consequences on a future job if they show up late or unprepared.
Teach them the unwritten rules of the industry: respect, consistency, and discipline.
2. Emotional Intelligence: Handle the Heat Without Losing Your Cool.
Working in the beauty industry means dealing with a lot of stressors coming from clients, co-workers, social media, and the general hustle of the work itself.
That’s why it’s so important to learn how not to lash out or crash out when the pressure is on. Bad energy repels good opportunities.
✔️ Practice De-Escalation. Knowing how and when to dial back your emotions and keep your composure is critical. Not every client or co-worker is going to be easy.
✔️ Welcome Critical Feedback. Anyone who wants to keep improving themselves needs to be able to take criticism without getting defensive.
✔️ Learn How to Disengage. Other people around you might be losing their minds or their cool, but you don’t have to get caught up in their moods. Practice setting the tone of calmness and professionalism for everyone around you.
Instructors: Again, in teaching by example, remember that how you handle stress shows your students how to do the same. Have open conversations about mental health, emotional energy, and coping skills.
Remind them that emotional intelligence is good business. It helps to keep the focus where it belongs, on your work and your clients. Handling conflicts in an emotionally intelligent way can turn a customer complaint into a loyal client.
3: Financial Literacy: Because Passion Don’t Pay Bills.
No matter how dope their fades or color work are, if students can’t manage money, they’ll struggle.
✔️ Learn How to Budget. Build in savings and a fixed amount to treat yourself.
✔️ Price Wisely. Many salon and barber professionals are out there undercharging for their services. Set your prices based on factors specific to your business. Never let a competitor dictate how much you charge.
✔️ Keep Track of Expenses. Every chair is a small business. Keep track of where every dollar is coming from and going to.
Instructors: This means showing students how to budget, what tools are available to them, and how to set financial goals. Teach them pricing strategies. Introduce financial topics like taxes, business accounts, and investing early in their education.
4. Communication: Your Mouthpiece is Your Marketing.
A good cut will get them in the door; a good experience will bring them back.
✔️ Speak with Authority. It’s important to use professional terminology not just on the state board exam, but for the rest of your career. Use expert language during a client consultation. The more professional you sound, the more they will trust you.
✔️ Be a Good Listener. Rule of thumb: listen more than you talk.
✔️ Market Yourself. Using social media wisely can fill your chair with the type of clients you want to attract, who want the types of service you love to do.
Instructors: Practice having professional consultations with students. Roleplay client interactions and help them develop communication skills. Give them resources for social media strategies specific to beauty and barber professionals.
5. Networking: Who You Know Elevates Where You Go.
Success isn’t just about talent; it’s about relationships.
✔️ Take Initiative. Introduce yourself to industry leaders and mentors.
✔️ Get With the Community. Go to industry shows, workshops, and networking events.
✔️ Be Ready to Connect. Have well-designed business cards (physical or digital) on hand with a QR code that links to your business social media or a similar digital portfolio of your work.
Instructors: Connect students with industry professionals — either guest instructors, or visitors to career events. Research upcoming hair competitions, fashion shows, photoshoots, and other platforms for them to flex their creativity. Encourage them to participate and support them when they do.
6. Work-Life Balance: Because Burnout Ain’t Cute.
The grind is real, but so is the crash. Many of us in the industry wish we had learned the importance of a work-life balance much earlier.
✔️ Prioritize Your Health. Sound body, sound career. Remember that rest is part of the hustle.
✔️ Set Boundaries. Setting personal and workplace boundaries is an action — the action of saying “no.” Learn how to kindly and firmly put it into practice when asked to overbook, undercharge, violate business policies, etc.
✔️ Know Your Limits. Build physical and mental breaks into your day. It’s hard to do great work when you’re exhausted.
Instructors: Remind your students that longevity in this business requires balance. That means recognizing burnout and giving them practical tips for how to avoid it. Teach time management strategies that keep them productive and energetic without overworking.
7. Mentorship: Each One, Teach One.
Every great barber or beauty professional was once a student. Keep the cycle going. Teaching is not only a great way to give back to your industry community, but it’s one of the best ways to learn and hone your own skills.
✔️ Find a Mentor. Look around you at your school and at the greater community to find role models you’d like to model your career after.
✔️ Be a Mentor. You can help someone else who’s embarking on a journey you already conquered.
✔️ Never Stop Learning. Nobody ever was so good at their craft that they had nothing left to learn. Humble yourself and always be willing to learn at every stage of your career.
Instructors: Make mentorship part of your teaching philosophy, and show students how it can accelerate career growth. Encourage peer-to-peer learning in the classroom.
For a cosmetology or barber school, when their student passes the state board exam, it represents a successful end to their program. But for the student, getting licensed is only the beginning.
We all have only one chance to start our careers off strong. Learning the above seven skills is how every graduating student can do that — and how they can avoid the most common mistakes made by new industry professionals.
Schools who teach beyond the test shape a generation of salon and barber professionals who don’t just survive in this industry, but dominate it!
Rodrick Samuels is a Wahl educator, platform artist, Director of Education at Hair Lab Detroit Barber School, and an Advisory Board member for the National Association of Barber Boards of America. He was recognized by the North American Hairstyling Awards in 2023 as its Educator of the Year and by America's Favorite Teacher as a 2025 nominee.