It was the worst going through orientation and watching HOURS of "how to cut hair" videos. And they kept mentioning my "career" at Great Clips. Erk. That always made me cringe. And the manager would say, "This and this, after 3 months, this and this after a year." After a YEAR? I pray I'm not still here in a year! I also had to cut hair on 2 models. It was nerve racking having someone watch me! And I was afraid I wouldn't be fast enough.
Speaking of fast enough- I'm not. There's one person that slower than me. I'm pretty sure everyone else is faster. I don't know how they do it! I feel like I'm BARELY making it! It is so frustrating! Towards the end of the day, I worried about it less and less. And what's IRONIC about it all, is at my old salon, everyone would talk about how FAST I was! That's a little interesting.
Hmm . . . what else is interesting. I told the manager in the interview that I don't know how to do perms and haven't done one in 8 years. She said, "No big deal." And hired me anyway, telling me I cannot refuse a perm. Hmm . . . I don't really know what to say about that. I guess we'll see what happens when I get one. I'll blog about it, I'm sure :)
Nobody's hair was what I would call dirty . . . but it wasn't freshly washed. It made it more difficult for my clippers to get through. And there was a lot of clipper/military cuts! I'm definitely going to get good at those. They used to make me nervous. Also, I'm cutting this cute 12 year old boy's hair, who seems perfectly clean. I'm clippin' away and then my clippers sort of get stuck. I keep trying and come to realize there's something sort of STICKY in his hair! So I keep trying and eventually just skip it all together and go back to it with scissors. It's stuff like that that I never had to deal with, 'cause I WASHED everyone's hair. I feel kinda dirty, like I need to wash my hands again. Just like there's this light grease on my hands. Sorry if I'm grossing everyone out. I actually did have a good day. OH MY GOSH!!! In orientation the subject of LICE came up, and they basically said there's no avoiding it, and everyone gets someone with lice once in awhile. I've never even SEEN lice. I don't know what it looks like.
I realize I'm making it all sound gross and dirty, most people had very clean hair and were very nice and clean themselves. Hmm . . . what else? I was really surprised how much I enjoyed myself. I've forgotten how much I like doing hair. I think the part I like the best is just talking to people. I had such a good time talking to all the customers! It is SO BUSY!!! You never can sit down unless you're on an official break. And so many people don't take breaks. I don't know why. I NEED my breaks. I'm a better person, when I'm more rested. I made just as much tips as I did in my old salons. Most people only tip a buck or two, but since you have so many it adds up the same! So that made me feel better, because it bumps my wage to more like $12/hour. Which still, to me, sounds very sad, but honestly there's just nowhere else to work. I'm sort of lucky to be working here! Isn't that sad? Well, I had a pretty good day and even though it's less than I'm used to making, I added it all up and hey- it's a lot more than $0.00, which is exactly what I've been making the last 4 months! I was SO spoiled in Eugene. I never worked more than 6 hours in a day and always took an hour lunch. The haircuts are CRAZY. There are $6.99 coupons. I used like 3 today. People used to pay me $30 more than that for just a haircut! It's just crazy!
Well, I figured the fact that I'm working at Great Clips might be a little entertaining for the rest of you, so there ya go. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
15 comments:
I'm happy your first day of cutting hair at Greatclips went well. Do you miss your old salon? Do you think you would ever end up there again? I only ask because you mentioned in your post that you don't see yourself at Greatclips longer than a year? You will definitely have to post when you have your first perm! Oh, has Greg taken anymore tests? If so, did he pass??? Hope life is wonderful for you both! Have a great Thanksgiving! Miss seeing you guys.
I just can't picture you at Greatclips, at all! But, a paycheck is a paycheck huh. I didn't really think about that people would be hurrying to do a haircut. That just seems like a bad idea to me? Anyhow. I am so afraid of lice now that Danica is in public school! I check her head at least once a week. Eww! I hope you enjoy your new job... or atleast get by with 'this is only temporary, this is only temporary...' =) =) I'm wondering what it'll be like to try and find a job. I'm sure not looking forward to that.
The Great Clips here isn't great. They cut my son's hair whatever way they want and don't really take into account what I specifically ask for. They look in the computer and say, well we cut a 5 in back and 7 on top. Ummm, I just asked you to cut a 3 in back and a 5 on top. Grrrrr. Now I take him to Lance's salon lady. She is fabulous. That being said... if I were in your neck of the woods... I'd go to Great Clips and sit and wait til you could cut my hair and oh what a tip I'd leave. I got spoiled by you and it hasn't been the same since. Right now I'm sportin' 4 - 5 inch of grow out blues... I need a cut and weave sooooo bad.
I really hope you enjoy the work... $ is $, right?!?
Hopefully word catches on that you are awesome and great and people come in just for you. The best part of having a job in the first place is that it allows you to talk to people and network. You never know when you will be talking to someone and they start talking about other available jobs. Mindy had lice twice. So gross. One time it was discovered at church in Sacrament. Really gross. Hopefully you will never have to experience that.
You are fast! The difference is the cut! Your hair cuts make people stop and ask me who does my hair! I can promise you they don't as those other clients where they got their hair done. Again, I am going to sound snotty, but the reason she hired you for perms is they are so cheap the clients don't expect much and can't complain. so don't worry, you will do just fine, if dad could give me one when we were first married, you can do it! I'm glad you liked it. It won't be forever. Before you know it you will be in a house of your own with a baby and great clips will be great for stories. I love you! Hope you had a great thanksgiving.
Wow. Well at least you have a job. That must feel good. And I guess you won't be bored anymore. It sounds a lot better when you add those tips on there. At first I didn't get the whole dirty hair thing. So you don't wash the hair first before cutting? Crazy.
Oh my goodness. I just read Mom's comment. Dad gave her a perm once?!
Wow! Megs at GreatClips. Never woulda thought! The only reason they are all faster is because they don't do a good job...or AS good a job. You are fast at doing good. They are fast at doing bad. Anyway..........Like you said, it's a job. Better than zero! I love you!!!!!
Think of all the great stories you'll have to tell. And seriously, those people walking into Great Clips don't know how good of a stylist they are getting. LUCKY!
Hopefully the time will pass quickly!
Love you, hope you had a good Thanksgiving!
OK so I have had so mny computer problems that its not even funny. But I am always able to read other peoples blogs. Anyways I am so excited that you are back in Oregon!!!! We are going to be coming home right after Christmas for a about a week and I woud love to see you! My email address is chunkhutch@yahoo.com. You should send me yours and your phone number. I was so surprised to read that you work at great clips. But work is work. And as long as your cutting hair your in your element. Its crazy that your considerd slow. I know you take your time and do a good job but you are just naturally soooo fast. 10 times faster then me! Oh and you have to do perms!!!!!! That is crazy! Good luck. Congrats on the job and I hope your thanksgiving was wonderful!!!
That's great that you got a job, but I'm sorry it's not quite what you were after! But you're right. Whatever you make is definitely more than what you make just sitting at home. I totally agree with the others, if you're not as fast, it's because you do higher quality work. I would so prefer to be in someone's chair a little longer and come out with a better cut, and I'm sure most people feel that way. It does sound kinda yucky, messing with not-freshly-washed hair all the time. I get the feeling there might be lots of interesting posts related to this job... :)
Megan! Great clips is Lucky to have you! They are probably thinking,"Someone that actually knows how to cut hair!!YAY!" I miss you! Where do you live now? I hope you don't have to deal with Lice! Keep your head up!!
At least it's money *for now!* :o) Can people actually request to have YOU cut their hair at Greatclips? When I went to a SuperCuts once, they said I couldn't request (because there was only one person I wanted!) so I never went back! I'm happy you've found a job though! That's pretty tough these days! :o)
Wow. I've never thought about a place like that from the stylist's (is that what your called??) point of view. We always use those $6.99 coupons for wherever when Sean gets his haircuts because his is mainly just a buzz but left a little longer on the top/front - not much time I think. He's always good about tipping, though. And we pay the big bucks for me to get mine done! ;) That would definitely be an adjustment going from always washing the client's hair first to just taking them "as is" off the street. I braided my little sister's hair the other night and supposedly it was clean, but realized mid-way that it definitely wasn't just-washed. Needless to say, it was just a little greasy and I washed my hands when I was done. But on strangers... different story! Anyway, what an adjustment from salon life - be sure to share more stories!
This made me think of something, so next time you see me remind me...
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