How to create a standout beauty professional resume. What to include, what to skip, and formatting that gets you interviews.
Your resume is often your first impression. Here's how to make it count in the beauty industry.
## Beauty Industry Resume Essentials
### Header
- Full name
- License number (cosmetology, etc.)
- Phone number
- Professional email (firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
- Instagram handle (if professional portfolio)
- LinkedIn profile (optional but professional)
- City, State (no full address needed)
### Professional Summary (3-4 lines)
Examples:
*"Licensed cosmetologist with 5 years experience specializing in balayage and color correction. Consistently maintain 85% client retention rate and $50,000+ annual service revenue. Passionate about continued education and staying current with trends."*
*"Master barber with 8 years experience and expertise in classic cuts and modern fades. Built loyal clientele of 200+ regular clients. Seeking growth opportunity at upscale barbershop."*
### Licenses & Certifications (Near the top!)
- State Cosmetology License #_____ (Active, expires ___)
- Barber License #_____ (Active, expires ___)
- Advanced Certifications:
- Redken Color Certification (2023)
- Brazilian Blowout Certified (2022)
- Microblading Certification (2024)
### Work Experience
Use this format:
**Senior Stylist** | Luxury Salon & Spa, Dallas, TX | 2020-Present
- Maintain 90% client retention rate with book of 180+ active clients
- Generated $85,000 in annual service revenue (top 10% of salon)
- Specialize in balayage, color correction, and bridal styling
- Mentor 3 junior stylists, reducing their training time by 40%
- Maintain 4.9/5 star rating on Google with 120+ reviews
**Use numbers whenever possible:**
- Client retention rate
- Number of clients
- Annual revenue
- Social media following
- Review ratings
- Products sold
- Number trained/mentored
### Skills Section
**Technical Skills:**
- Hair: Balayage, Color Correction, Extensions, Keratin Treatments
- Nails: Gel-X, Russian Manicure, Nail Art, Acrylics
- Skin: Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion, Facials
**Software:**
- Salon booking systems (Vagaro, Boulevard, KwickStudio)
- Social media marketing (Instagram, TikTok)
- Point of sale systems
**Languages:**
- English (fluent)
- Spanish (conversational)
- Vietnamese (native)
### Education
**Cosmetology Program** | Aveda Institute, Austin TX | Graduated 2018
- 1,500 hours completed
- GPA: 3.8/4.0
- Student of the Year Award
### Awards & Recognition (if applicable)
- Top Producer Q1-Q4 2023
- Client Favorite Award 2022
- Best Colorist, City Magazine 2023
- Competition Finalist, Beauty Expo 2022
### Social Media/Portfolio
- Instagram: @yourname_hair (12K followers)
- Portfolio: yourname.com
## What NOT to Include
❌ Objective statement (use professional summary instead)
❌ References (say "available upon request" or skip entirely)
❌ Full address (city/state is enough)
❌ Headshot (unless specifically requested)
❌ Salary history
❌ Reasons for leaving previous jobs
❌ Age, marital status, children
❌ High school info (unless recent graduate)
❌ Hobbies (unless directly relevant)
❌ Typos or grammar errors
## Formatting Tips
### Length
- 0-5 years experience: 1 page
- 5-15 years: 1-2 pages
- 15+ years: 2 pages max
### Font & Style
- Clean, professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica)
- 10.5-12pt font size
- Consistent formatting
- Bullet points for easy scanning
- White space - don't cram too much
- Save as PDF (preserves formatting)
### Organization
- Most recent experience first
- Easy to scan in 10 seconds
- Most important info at top
- Use bold and italics strategically
## For Different Experience Levels
### New Graduate Resume
Focus on:
- Education and training
- Passion and willingness to learn
- Any practical experience (internships, friends/family)
- Relevant skills and certifications
- Social media following (if any)
### Experienced Professional Resume
Focus on:
- Quantified achievements
- Revenue and retention numbers
- Specializations
- Awards and recognition
- Advanced certifications
- Leadership/mentoring
### Career Changer Resume
Focus on:
- Transferable skills (customer service, sales)
- Beauty training and licenses
- Passion for the industry
- Relevant coursework
- Any beauty-related side work
## Sample Phrases
**For customer service:**
- "Maintained 90% client retention rate through exceptional service"
- "Received 100+ five-star reviews for professionalism and skill"
- "Built loyal clientele of 150+ repeat customers"
**For revenue:**
- "Generated $75,000 in annual service revenue"
- "Averaged $1,500 weekly in services and retail"
- "Top 3 revenue producer for 2 consecutive years"
**For skills:**
- "Specialized in advanced color techniques including balayage and color melting"
- "Proficient in all nail enhancement systems including gel, acrylic, and dip powder"
- "Expert in corrective massage for chronic pain management"
**For growth:**
- "Completed 40+ hours of advanced education annually"
- "Certified in 5 advanced techniques in 2 years"
- "Promoted from junior stylist to senior stylist in 18 months"
## Cover Letter Tips
Keep it short (3-4 paragraphs):
1. Why you're applying and how you found them
2. Your relevant experience and achievements
3. Why you're a great fit for their salon/spa
4. Call to action (request interview)
## Before You Submit
✓ Proofread 3 times
✓ Have someone else review
✓ Check license numbers are correct
✓ Update contact info
✓ Save as PDF
✓ File name: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
✓ Test that links work
✓ Update Instagram/portfolio
KwickStudio Vision: Your resume should showcase not just skills, but your professionalism and business acumen. We help you track metrics that make your resume stand out.
## Beauty Industry Resume Essentials
### Header
- Full name
- License number (cosmetology, etc.)
- Phone number
- Professional email (firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
- Instagram handle (if professional portfolio)
- LinkedIn profile (optional but professional)
- City, State (no full address needed)
### Professional Summary (3-4 lines)
Examples:
*"Licensed cosmetologist with 5 years experience specializing in balayage and color correction. Consistently maintain 85% client retention rate and $50,000+ annual service revenue. Passionate about continued education and staying current with trends."*
*"Master barber with 8 years experience and expertise in classic cuts and modern fades. Built loyal clientele of 200+ regular clients. Seeking growth opportunity at upscale barbershop."*
### Licenses & Certifications (Near the top!)
- State Cosmetology License #_____ (Active, expires ___)
- Barber License #_____ (Active, expires ___)
- Advanced Certifications:
- Redken Color Certification (2023)
- Brazilian Blowout Certified (2022)
- Microblading Certification (2024)
### Work Experience
Use this format:
**Senior Stylist** | Luxury Salon & Spa, Dallas, TX | 2020-Present
- Maintain 90% client retention rate with book of 180+ active clients
- Generated $85,000 in annual service revenue (top 10% of salon)
- Specialize in balayage, color correction, and bridal styling
- Mentor 3 junior stylists, reducing their training time by 40%
- Maintain 4.9/5 star rating on Google with 120+ reviews
**Use numbers whenever possible:**
- Client retention rate
- Number of clients
- Annual revenue
- Social media following
- Review ratings
- Products sold
- Number trained/mentored
### Skills Section
**Technical Skills:**
- Hair: Balayage, Color Correction, Extensions, Keratin Treatments
- Nails: Gel-X, Russian Manicure, Nail Art, Acrylics
- Skin: Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion, Facials
**Software:**
- Salon booking systems (Vagaro, Boulevard, KwickStudio)
- Social media marketing (Instagram, TikTok)
- Point of sale systems
**Languages:**
- English (fluent)
- Spanish (conversational)
- Vietnamese (native)
### Education
**Cosmetology Program** | Aveda Institute, Austin TX | Graduated 2018
- 1,500 hours completed
- GPA: 3.8/4.0
- Student of the Year Award
### Awards & Recognition (if applicable)
- Top Producer Q1-Q4 2023
- Client Favorite Award 2022
- Best Colorist, City Magazine 2023
- Competition Finalist, Beauty Expo 2022
### Social Media/Portfolio
- Instagram: @yourname_hair (12K followers)
- Portfolio: yourname.com
## What NOT to Include
❌ Objective statement (use professional summary instead)
❌ References (say "available upon request" or skip entirely)
❌ Full address (city/state is enough)
❌ Headshot (unless specifically requested)
❌ Salary history
❌ Reasons for leaving previous jobs
❌ Age, marital status, children
❌ High school info (unless recent graduate)
❌ Hobbies (unless directly relevant)
❌ Typos or grammar errors
## Formatting Tips
### Length
- 0-5 years experience: 1 page
- 5-15 years: 1-2 pages
- 15+ years: 2 pages max
### Font & Style
- Clean, professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica)
- 10.5-12pt font size
- Consistent formatting
- Bullet points for easy scanning
- White space - don't cram too much
- Save as PDF (preserves formatting)
### Organization
- Most recent experience first
- Easy to scan in 10 seconds
- Most important info at top
- Use bold and italics strategically
## For Different Experience Levels
### New Graduate Resume
Focus on:
- Education and training
- Passion and willingness to learn
- Any practical experience (internships, friends/family)
- Relevant skills and certifications
- Social media following (if any)
### Experienced Professional Resume
Focus on:
- Quantified achievements
- Revenue and retention numbers
- Specializations
- Awards and recognition
- Advanced certifications
- Leadership/mentoring
### Career Changer Resume
Focus on:
- Transferable skills (customer service, sales)
- Beauty training and licenses
- Passion for the industry
- Relevant coursework
- Any beauty-related side work
## Sample Phrases
**For customer service:**
- "Maintained 90% client retention rate through exceptional service"
- "Received 100+ five-star reviews for professionalism and skill"
- "Built loyal clientele of 150+ repeat customers"
**For revenue:**
- "Generated $75,000 in annual service revenue"
- "Averaged $1,500 weekly in services and retail"
- "Top 3 revenue producer for 2 consecutive years"
**For skills:**
- "Specialized in advanced color techniques including balayage and color melting"
- "Proficient in all nail enhancement systems including gel, acrylic, and dip powder"
- "Expert in corrective massage for chronic pain management"
**For growth:**
- "Completed 40+ hours of advanced education annually"
- "Certified in 5 advanced techniques in 2 years"
- "Promoted from junior stylist to senior stylist in 18 months"
## Cover Letter Tips
Keep it short (3-4 paragraphs):
1. Why you're applying and how you found them
2. Your relevant experience and achievements
3. Why you're a great fit for their salon/spa
4. Call to action (request interview)
## Before You Submit
✓ Proofread 3 times
✓ Have someone else review
✓ Check license numbers are correct
✓ Update contact info
✓ Save as PDF
✓ File name: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
✓ Test that links work
✓ Update Instagram/portfolio
KwickStudio Vision: Your resume should showcase not just skills, but your professionalism and business acumen. We help you track metrics that make your resume stand out.