Stunning Cosmetology Resume Examples for This Year

Updated September 28, 20221.3k

Crafting a cosmetology resume that shines is simple when you have the right tools of the trade. Check out these resume writing tips to write a powerful resume.

Cosmetology Resume Examples

The cosmetology field includes many different aspects of beauty. Skin care, hair styling, manicures, pedicures, waxing and makeup are all a part of the beauty industry. Writing a professional resume for cosmetology roles is simple with resume examples from ResumeNerd.

How To Create An Eye-Catching But Traditional Resume

What To Highlight in Cosmetology Resume

Cosmetology resumes should focus on your chosen skill sets within your field of beauty, work experience and education. Additionally, all cosmetologists need certifications before they are allowed to work in most beauty positions. Taking note of the beauty school you went to and the degree you earned can also help land the cosmetology job of your dreams.

Structure of a Cosmetology Resume

The best resume structure to use includes a clear header, resume summary or resume objective, skills section, work experience section and an education section. Here’s what you need to feature in each of these sections:

Header

The header of your resume is the simplest section to fill out. You will need to include your name, phone number, location and email address. You can also include your professional portfolio links to provide examples of your previous work or links to your social media profiles.

Resume summary or objective

The resume summary is for experienced cosmetologists, a professional summary of your most important skills and experience that relate to the job you are applying for. The resume summary statement should only be a short 2-3 sentence paragraph. Your goal should be to grab the recruiter’s attention so they will keep reading the rest of your resume. If you have less experience, you can write a resume objective that focuses more on your career goals in the industry.

Skills

Cosmetologists need a good mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills relate more to the tasks you need to do at work, such as cutting hair, manicures, makeup application or specific product knowledge.

Soft skills relate more to how you interact with your clients and coworkers. This is especially important when you are trying to build a loyal client base. Communication skills, teamwork and time management are all good soft skills to have since these let you build up a good rapport with your clients.

Work Experience

Work experience within the cosmetology field can make it far easier to land other cosmetology positions. If you are applying for an entry-level cosmetology position, your certification or cosmetology degree program’s course list and volunteer experience can be added to this section instead. You can also include any volunteer experience related to cosmetology. Always list your work experience in reverse-chronological order, with your most recent job listed first.

Education

Many cosmetologists will often attend specialized beauty schools to obtain cosmetology certifications. Certifications demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and know-how to take care of others’ beauty needs. Include all certifications in this section of your resume.

Do’s and Don’ts for a Cosmetology Resume

When writing a cosmetology resume, there are a few do’s and don’ts you should follow:

Do:

Demonstrate your knowledge of beauty services. Include skills, such as hair care, hair cutting, styling hair, hair coloring, hair removal, and shampooing, as well as providing consultations. Highlighting these skills on your resume will help you stand out from the competition.
Include key phrases from the job description. Adding keywords that match the requirements listed on the job posting to your resume will help get your resume past applicant tracking systems (ATS) and onto the hiring manager's desk.
Write your work experience in reverse-chronological order. This way your most recent and relevant jobs are listed first.

Don’t:

Forget to proofread. Submitting a cosmetologist resume with spelling and grammatical errors doesn’t reflect well on you.
Copy and paste from a template. Instead, use a resume builder to help customize your resume for each job application.
Include irrelevant work history. Keep your resume as concise as possible and only include work experience that directly relates to cosmetology.

FAQs: Cosmetology Resumes

Do I need to include a cover letter for a cosmetology application?

The cover letter gives all job seekers a chance to show off what they excel at and elaborate on the skills and experience they list in their resumes. Cosmetologists are no exception. It’s always a good idea to write a cover letter to stand out from candidates who don’t bother writing one at all.

How can I write a cosmetology resume without a lot of experience?

Many beauty schools offer training in the field as part of earning your certification. You can add this experience to your cosmetology resume. If you have no experience in cosmetology at all, you can also add customer service jobs to your resume.

How do I change my cosmetology resume to apply to different jobs?

You want to customize your resume for every job application you submit. You can do this by carefully reading the job description and highlighting the key skills and experience the recruiter is looking for. Then, include these keywords in your resume. This will help your resume stand out from the competition and show the recruiter that you are the perfect candidate for the position.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.