Introducing Charlotte Salaman. Charlotte busies herself by supplying temps to a wide range of luxury spas across the UK. She is a fully trained beauty therapist, and has come from a career in spa management.
We asked Charlotte some questions about being a temp and how she went about getting into the beauty and spa industry.
What’s it like to work as a temp?
“Although I now manage temporary therapists, I have also previously been a temp myself. I loved the flexibility of temping and being given the opportunity of working in a variety of different hotels and spas. This increased my experience within a broad spectrum of environments.
When I was booked in for my first beauty therapy temp job, I was nervous as to what to expect when I arrived. I wondered if I would fit in with the team, know where I needed to be, and more. I had no need to worry at all – the spas that use temporary therapists understand you are coming into a new place of work and will always try their best to make you feel like part of the team, show you round the spa and give you a chance to ask any questions, so you feel confident starting your shift.
The different spa environments I was introduced to helped me to expand upon my experience and achieve a higher skill level in my beauty career. Seeing the way different spas were ran assisted me enormously when I finally worked my way up to Spa Manager, as I was able to utilize different aspects to improve the way in which I was running the spa.
Temporary work does seem daunting to start with, however once you have adapted to the way it works it can be a brilliant way of gaining experience within a spa environment, with the added benefit of shifts to fit around you. Give it a go, and I’m sure you will love it!”
How does someone get into the spa industry?
“There are certain qualifications that are required in order for you to be able to practice as a Beauty Therapist, so I have put together a brief guideline on how to ensure you are qualified to the right level and ensure you are able to pursue the path you are passionate about.
In order to be able to go to college and study Beauty Therapy there are different paths that you can take:
NVQ Level 2 and 3
The NVQ qualification is broken into two separate one year courses, where different theory and practical aspects of beauty therapy are covered. Level Two will include facial, hair removal, eyebrow and lash treatments (tinting and perming for example), manicures and pedicures, and health and safety within a spa environment. You will also cover the basic anatomy and physiology of the human body.
You will then move into your second year of the course, which is your NVQ Level 3. This is more of an advanced course, where you will cover modules such as facial and body electrics, Swedish Massage, and a basic understanding of salon management.
BTEC National Diploma in Beauty Therapy Sciences
In order to be able to study BTEC you need to have a minimum of 6 GCSEs, which include Maths and English. It is a very similar break down to the NVQ Level 2 and 3; however BTEC is one solid two year course rather than two separate one year courses. It is also considered a higher qualification than an NVQ, as NVQs are qualifications which can be awarded by training organisations and cover a wide range of subjects – BTEC are very tightly governed qualifications in a limited amount of subjects which tend to be controlled by colleges. You also will cover additional treatments in the time you are at college that you wouldn’t be qualified in through the NVQ, such as Indian Head Massage, aromatherapy massage, spray tanning for example.
I would also advise that whilst you are at college, to find a spa or salon that is willing to take you on as work experience, even if this is voluntary work. Work experience stands you apart from others newly graduating from their course, as you will have an understanding of how a spa runs and what is expected of you when you actually start working as a beauty therapist.”
Why did you get into the spa industry?
“Most therapists I have asked this question to have told me it was because they loved the idea of working in an environment where they get to pamper people and make them feel beautiful. Where they get them come in to the salon or spa and leave later feeling happy and content, which is a great answer and an amazing part of the job. However the reason I decided to go into the spa industry was because I was fascinated in the more holistic side of beauty therapy. I was curious as to how muscles worked and how massage can benefit the human body in so many different ways. I always loved coming to the end of a massage on a client and seeing the relaxed state they were in simply from a treatment that sometimes may have only lasted thirty minutes.
I also love working in a role where I have a client base that you can build a relationship with – clients who then become committed to only you for their treatments. The feeling of having a regular clientele you can build a rapport with and who come to you for their time out each week or month is an amazing feeling!”
The beauty industry is an amazing environment to work in, fast paced and buzzing, and never ever dull!”
Thank you Charlotte. We shall let you get back to finding those perfect temps for spas and salons now!
If you’d like to work as a temp in the beauty industry, please contact Charlotte on Charlotte@4leisurerecruitment.co.uk