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Job Description: Hairdresser

A hairdresser is responsible for cutting and styling client’s hair. From trims to fades to updos, your expertise will be called upon to advise and carry out numerous different styles and cuts. Beginning with a consult, a hairdresser will go on to perform services such as washes and treatments, cutting, styling and colouring.

What you’ll be doing

Snipping, cutting and chatting just about sums it up! You’ll be on your feet all day, talking with a variety of clients and creating hair masterpieces. If you have bundles of creativity, this is an excellent role to consider. That said, adhering to clients wishes and demands is important, as a botched dye job or wonky cut can cost you a paying client. Each cut counts, and there can be lots of pressure to give clients what they want – make sure you’re prepared to handle it!

Salary

The starting salary can sometimes be fairly low, but according to PayScale, hairdressers with between 10-19 years experience can expect to earn £12,208 – £26,400 a year. Of course the better the service the higher the tips, which can contribute to your annual earnings. You can choose to work in a salon or work independently depending on your personal preferences and ability to market yourself.

Qualification

While there is no official designation for hairdressing, almost all hair stylists undergo training. NVQ Qualifications in Hairdressing, Barbering and Combined Hair Types are available at several salons and through private institutions. The very lowest NVQ level that accredited hairstylists have is a level 2.

Who is it for?

Hairdressing is ideal for people who don’t crave the 9-5 structure. The nature of the work calls for hours worked in the evening and on weekends, so if you value a rigid weekday schedule, this may not be for you. It’s also an ideal vocation if you’re a ‘people person’, as you’ll be spending lots of time chatting with clients sat in the chair, which can add up to about 8 hours of gossip if you’re fully booked through a shift! Hairdressing is also a good choice if you like variety. On peak times like the weekends you may be run ragged, but downtimes or on days with bad weather causing cancellations can result in a slower workday. If you love fashion and beauty, have a great work ethic, are personable and creative, than a career in hairdressing might be on the cards.

  
Roles will vary from company to company depending on the industry they are in but if you are looking for some guidance about the kinds of things that you can expect to see in a job description related to skills and tasks then the below information may help you.

Job Description: Social Media Executive

Job responsibilities and general experience required for this role is as below:
You will be responsible for defining a social media strategy for the company.Using Facebook, My Space, Twitter, You Tube and other social media.Manage social media marketing campaigns and day to day activities.Writing editorial Content.Write, publish and maintain current content on Facebook etc with a view to keeping the audience engaged. Design, create and manage promotions and ad campaigns from Facebook etc.Gain exposure to new and emerging channels such as Instagram.To communicate and explain clearly during client meetings, especially explaining technical information to non technical users.You must have a proven background in Marketing and or PR and some working knowledge of social media.You must be organised, pay great attention to detail and keep up to date with the latest technology.You must be able to write with great design and flair that is filled with technical terms.Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design etc.Excellent people management skills include where possible some account management skills.Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring social media programs.Ability to build and maintain sales relationships face to face and over the telephone.Experience with WordPress an advantage.Ability to translate marketing content into interesting and engaging, social friendly content copy.Twitter – Monitor how effective individual posts are?Maintain the social media content calendar adding to it as necessary.You must have excellent communication skills and be able to communicate at all levels.Although this is just a sample of what you could be asked during an interview, it gives you an idea and depending on your different skills you can think of other questions that may be relevant to the expertise you currently have. Related:

Social Media Executive Covering Letter
Social Media Executive CV Example

  
As with any role, the job will vary between companies and locations, however the basic principles of teaching people to drive is ultimately the same. If you would like an example of this please see below job description for some of the tasks you could be required to do.
Organising and planning lessons according to the pupil and how many lessons they have had previouslyMaintaining the cars used for learning in, ensuring they are kept to the company’s standardsKnowing basic mechanics, such as changing a wheel, basic engine problemsTeaching pupils the highway code and about traffic signals ensuring they know fully how they work and how the rules of the road workProviding advice and criticism to pupils to improve their skills whilst maintaining their confidence to learningEnsuring that pupils know what to do in an emergency and just how they would deal with a situationEnsuring that you understand the theory accurately to be able to explain to pupilsRemaining calm and patient for long periods of timeHaving excellent driving skills/ qualifications and passing this onto your pupilsExcellent communication skillsReferrals and new business to ensure that you keep busy teachingGood knowledge of the area of which you teach and ability to explain this carefully to your pupilsGood written skillsEnsuring that pupils are prepared for their driving test mentally and physicallyPre test lessonsAdvanced driving lessons, motorway driving etc once initial test has been passedAs well as the practical skills and duties of a Driving Instructor, it is very important to remember that you cannot do any of these duties without being a very calm and patient person who is prepared to take sometimes a long time to achieve results.

Related: Driving Instructor Covering Letter Example

  
A journalist role with vary from company to company and from town to town depending on whether you are working for a regional paper or magazine or a national one. However the basic principles of the role are the same and below you will find some of the duties that an employer will be looking for you to do in your work as a journalist.
Attending meetings to plan the content of the magazine, newspaper or radio programmeMaking sure that you suggest ideas for articles that would interest the readers or listeners as applicableInterviewing different people at different locations and different circumstances and researching to collect information for articlesCreatively writing articles to suit the magazine’s/newspaper’s style/toneEnsuring that you are up to date with developments and trends in the magazine’s /newspaper’s subject area.Following story ‘leads’, or generating story ideasThorough research of stories, using sources such as the internet, archives and databases and through interviewingEnsuring that you know of the locations and deciding on the best way of presenting a story prior to it being liveWriting scripts, website or social media content as necessary in conjunction with your teamPreparing interview questions to use and conducting live and pre-recorded interviews where you must be able to think on your feetGood presenting skills in TV or radio studios or on location and recording voiceovers for recorded materialCommunicating effectively by asking questions at briefings and press conferences to get the information you needBeing aware of how camera’s and sound crew’s work and if possible operating the equipment as necessaryEditing stories to fit scheduled timingsPlan and decide on the best running order for bulletinsMaking quick changes to bulletins as new stories break Networking and building contacts to maintain a flow of news, for example, police and emergency services, local council, community groups, health trusts, press officers from a variety of organisations, the general public, etc as necessary depending on the role you are in to allow you to find new newsVaried attendance at a variety of events, such as council meetings, magistrates’ court proceedings, football matches, talent contests, as relevant to the news in your roleDealing with general queries and answering the phones on the news desk and reacting to breaking news storiesWorking closely with the news team, photographers and editors of the teamWorking to strict deadlines and producing concise and accurate copy according to the newspaper’s styleEnsuring that the news is live by creating and uploading news content for the newspaper website sometimes several times a day.Related: Journalist Covering Letter Example

  
The role of a Forklift Truck Operator is a very varied one. As well as the obvious role of driving and being responsible for a Forklift truck, usually employees also get involved in a warehouse role maybe picking stock, packing stock, following health and safety guidelines etc.

To give you a general idea of tasks you could be doing in this role, please see below description:
Taking delivery of goods, products, supplies and loading and unloading goods from vehicles such as lorries, vans, containers, aircraft etc (depending on where you work)Making sure that you move the goods packed on pallets or in crates around the storage facility or warehouse ready for storageEnsuring that you stack goods in the correct storage bays, following stock control instructions as per the guidelines in the warehouseMaking sure and checking that the loads are secure before leaving them to prevent any accidents or disasters in line with Health and SafetyStacking empty pallets ready to be collected and used againDaily equipment checks, to make sure that everything you need works to full capacityGeneral warehouse duties such as performing other warehouse tasks such as packing, pickingChecking for damaged or missing items and logging and reporting these as applicableMoving goods around by hand or with a fork lift truck and storing goods in the correct locations as requiredGetting deliveries ready for dispatching ensuring they are marked with the correct labels, weight etcKeeping accurate stock records and reporting to the warehouse manager including any other paperwork that is under your remitEnsuring that work areas are left clean and tidy.Ensuring that stock is replenished to help with packing goods eg: protective materials, such as bubble wrap and polystyrene chips, glue, staples etcWorking closely with any supervisors or managers and reporting back to them as required. Related: Fork Lift Truck Operator Cover Letter Example

  
As a Car Valet you will have different roles depending on a number of factors such as:
Mobile car valetFixed locationOnly deal with cars?Mix of cars, wagons etc?Whatever the situation, the basic duties are still the same.  To give you an idea of some of these, please see below:
Being able to use high-pressure hoses to clean vehiclesCleaning windows, wheels, door handles and mirrors and any interior items as required by the clientGeneral Hoover and shampooing upholstery and carpets depending on the package that is requiredWaxing and polishing cars including T Cut as applicableBeing aware of different products and gels and other finishes to bumpers and trimsOffering a steam cleaning service including the engine, frame and wheel archesCollecting and delivering vehicles if you work from a fixed locationLearning about different vehicle types and how best they can be cleaned including the length of time they take etc. EG: a Wagon would take a lot longer than a carConfident driver with clean driving licence not only to get to client locations but also for collecting or delivering cars as necessaryAble to communicate with clients and discuss prices, offers, services etc in terms of marketing and getting repeat customersFlexible hours – working evenings (if you are able to see, depending on location and time of year) and weekends as the busiest times for clients. Hours in some days could be longer than others depending on bookings and frequency of callers at a site Team player as well as being able to work on own initiative. Each place will be slightly different but the above gives you a general idea of the type of tasks and person you will need to be to do this role well.

Related: Car Valet Covering Letter Example

  
A Delivery Van Driver role will vary between companies and also the products that you could be delivering. Products could be – supermarket groceries, parcels, appliances etc. Depending on what you are delivering will also depend on whether you are delivering on your own or with a colleague. Largely you will work on your own so you will need to be self motivated and able to work on your own for large periods of time.

Some of the responsibilities of this role could include:
Before the shift starts making sure that you collect goods from the depotLoading the van safely and correctly in a order that matches the deliveries that you will make to ensure less time spent looking for parcels at the destinationRoute planning and delivery schedules to make sure that deliveries are made on time perhaps starting with the furthest away delivery first and working backwardsDelivering and unloading parcels/goods at the right addresses at the right times and ensuring that you get correct customer signatures or leave where applicable according to the customer requirements on placing an orderKeeping accurate and detailed records of your mileage and the fuel that you buy to claim as necessaryKeeping up to date delivery records using the company specific equipmentReturning undelivered items back to the depot at the end of the dayKeeping an eye on road works and traffic jams and diverting your routes where ever possible to achieve timescales and targetsCompleting any logs and paperwork as required by the depotRoutine maintenance of your vehicle paying extra special attention in the winter or difficult driving weather. Whatever the role in detail specific to products, locations and whether you collect from different places or locations, you may even have to collect parcels from businesses or homes as per your role.

Related: Delivery Van Driver Cover Letter Example

  
Roles vary from organisation to organisation; you could be working in a hospital setting, a care centre or a patient’s home environment. Despite the differing of environments, the basic principles of being a health care assistant are the same.

If for example you work in someone’s home you are likely to be one of the few people the patient sees during the day and you will generally do the visit on your own unless you are required to do any lifting or moving of the patient then a colleague will work with you on these visits. If working in a centre or hospital you are surrounded by other work colleagues and also patients in a busier more formal environment.
Some of the basic duties you will be required to do are as follows:
Making sure patients get up in a morning and get to bed at nightHelping patients to wash, shower or dress as necessaryHelping to serve food or helping people eat if they are unable to do it themselvesMaking and changing beds as required by the guidelinesEnsuring that patients unable to move are turned/moved regularly in their beds to prevent pressure soresTalking and reassuring patients to help them feel less anxious or concernedTo help patients move to where they need to do if not able bodiedEnsuring that all patients can go to the toilet or are given a bed pan etcKeeping a clean and tidy ward, room or at the patients homeOrdering and maintaining the stock and equipment supplies as requiredTaking and recording observations such as temperature, pulse and breathing on a regular basisUsing specialised equipment such as lifts to move patientsAll roles vary to some degree but the main consideration is a friendly and hardworking nature to which patients who are feeling vulnerable can rely upon.

Related: Healthcare Assistant Cover Letter Example

  
Within the Housing sector, roles are usually based with the local authority council where you will help to place clients using the welfare system and gaining access to accommodation which suits their needs and requirements.

The role will be a varied one of office work and meeting with clients, perhaps visiting the houses and assessing any repairs that need doing, alterations etc. Once you get into this role there may be opportunities to take relevant qualifications in housing to further develop your career.

Although the list below will vary between roles, the basic duties remain the same in any housing officer position:
Assessing and allocating vacant accommodationCarrying out regular inspections to make sure all properties are in a good state of repair and to arrange any repairs as necessary for both vacant and in possession accommodationMeeting and assessing the needs of people applying for housing depending on their circumstances Dealing with issues such as anti-social behaviour and broken tenancy agreements and taking the appropriate channels as necessaryReferring tenants to appropriate sources of benefits and welfare advice according to their needsAssessing and setting rents and dealing with payments and arrears as they ariseTaking out for legal action where necessaryPreparing reports based on facts and figuresSupporting tenants in their situations by offering meetings, advice etc.Working closely with other departments and agencies to help your clients needs and requirementsAn ability to solve problemsThose duties are a list of duties you will be expected to carry out in your role but to do these areas you will need to have good administration skills in the form of IT skills, telephone skills, excellent communication etc as these areas will allow you to perform well in your role.

Related: Housing Officer Cover Letter Example

  
Roles will vary from company to company depending on the industry they are in but if you are looking for some guidance about the kinds of things that you can expect to see in a job description related to skills and tasks then the below information may help you.

Job responsibilities and general experience required for this role is as below:
Full responsibility for accounts and how information is handled and gathered. Create and maintain marketing campaigns in line with the company values.The ability to write, create and manage unique and interesting content that makes the company stand out from the rest keeping our followers engaged and entertained and wanting more.Measuring and creating reports on the effectiveness of such campaigns.Keeping on top of latest trends within the public domain.Understanding and promoting our brands ensuring our standards are consistently met, with a good understanding of our competitors.Holding weekly/daily meetings to ensure that information is shared correctly and all departments are up to date. Come up with new ideas of how to grow the number of followers/the audience through promotion and well produced content.You will be responsible for defining and following the social media strategy for the company.You must have excellent working knowledge of Facebook, My Space, Twitter, You Tube and other social media.Write, publish and maintain current content on Facebook etc with a view to keeping the audience engaged. To hold meetings internally and externally explaining and communicating clearly for the non technical users about the products, brands of the company. You must have a creative way of writing and have a good understanding of technical terms.Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign etc.You must have excellent people management skills and be an excellent communicator with the ability of communicating at all levels.

Although this is just an example of a job description, it allows you the opportunity to think about the tasks you will be asked to do as a Social Media Manager.   

Related: Social Media Manager Covering Letter