Breaking into the beauty industry can be challenging. Many employers want experience, but gaining experience often requires finding someone willing to give you that first opportunity. The Beauty Links Program helps bridge that gap by providing training, industry exposure, and work experience opportunities for individuals interested in building a career in beauty.

Beauty Links is a government-funded employment and training program designed to help students launch careers in roles such as nail technology, esthetics, makeup artistry, salon support, beauty retail, and other beauty-related occupations. The program focuses on helping students develop practical skills while gaining a better understanding of industry expectations.

One of the biggest advantages of Beauty Links is the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Through work experience placements, students can build confidence, develop workplace skills, and make valuable connections with local beauty employers. These placements often provide the industry exposure needed to secure future employment.

In addition to technical training, students receive support with resume development, interview preparation, job search strategies, and professional communication. This combination of training and employment support helps students prepare for the realities of working in a salon, spa, medi-spa, or beauty retail environment.

To be considered for the Beauty Links Program, applicants generally must:

• Be legally entitled to work in Canada
• Be unemployed or underemployed
• Have an interest in pursuing a career in the beauty industry
• Demonstrate proficient English language skills and the ability to communicate effectively in a workplace setting
• Be motivated to participate in training and employment activities
• Meet program eligibility requirements established by the funding provider

The beauty industry offers a variety of rewarding career paths for individuals who enjoy helping others look and feel their best. Whether your goal is to work in a salon, spa, medi-spa, beauty retail store, or eventually operate your own business, gaining the right training and industry experience is essential.

The Beauty Links Program helps students take that first step by providing training, support, and opportunities to connect with beauty employers. For many students, it serves as the pathway to getting their foot in the door and beginning a successful career in the beauty industry.

Apply online today!

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
BEAUTY INDUSTRY CAREERS

Polish Your Glamorous Resume

We often find clients drafting their resumes need a little direction when it comes to the placement of information in the document. Understandably so, after all, what is the difference between highlights of qualifications, transferable skills, and technical skills?

Creating your resume is easy once you understand the difference between these categories.

Highlights of Qualifications

Like movie highlights show the best parts of a movie, your resume highlights your top achievements. This category is where you put any experiences that make you stand out. For example, a Hairstylist that wants to highlight their impressive amount of experience might say, “Licensed Hairstylist with 15+ years of experience in high-end salons.”

On the other hand, a Hairstylist with less experience cutting hair but very skillful in selling product might say, “Recognized for increasing retail product sales by 40% through personalized recommendations.”

Transferable Skills

In the beauty industry, transferable skills are soft skills that apply across various roles in salons, spas, retail, or freelance beauty work. In other words, these skills are useful regardless of the environment/job setting.

A common example that are very valuable in the beauty industry include Customer Service skills. This is the ability to build trust with clients. Examples include learning the name, story, and preferences of each client.

Another common example is Time Management. Arriving to work and starting the appointment on time shows the client respect. The ability to manage appointments efficiently is very important in the beauty industry.

Technical Skills

Technical skills are specific, hands-on skills and certifications relevant to beauty services. Depending on the type of resume you choose, technical skills can be placed under the “education” category, or can be placed in a category of its own.

Examples include Haircutting and colouring techniques, Skincare treatments (facials, dermaplaning, chemical peels) etc.

While product knowledge is not technical in nature, it is considered a technical skill as it is a job-specific and individuals often receive training in specific product lines. Examples include Dermalogica, Matrix, etc.

Another example of technical skills includes the use of equipment such as microcurrent devices, and the correct disposal of waste materials, such as dermaplaning blades.

Good luck!

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Minimum education required to work as a Nail Tech

While there is no official certification required, most nail salons require a new hire to have training. In addition, professional tools and supplies are sold by distributors who require proof of training to sell products. Distributors do not sell to the public.

Furthermore, Nail Technicians- like all other beauty service providers- must follow Alberta Health Standards and Regulations. The elimination of transmission of diseases is of utmost importance when delivering these services professionally. In other words, offering manicures and pedicures is about more than beautifying nails, it’s about hand, nail, and foot health. Good training courses review contraindications, infection control, and safety protocols.

On the other hand, if you plan to be self-employed you will require a business license.

Home Business License

While you do not need to be certified to work from home as a Nail Technician in Alberta, you do require a home business license. These are granted municipally. In other words, you have to apply for a home business license through your city. This isn’t always a quick process, so give yourself at least 3 months for your application to be processed post submittal.

---

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
Beauty Industry Resource Centre
(780) 604-2772
info@executivespagroup.com

What questions are OK for the employer to ask?

There is this wonderful thing called the Alberta Human Rights Act. It applies to everyone, including employers who are interviewing potential employees.

This act was created by the Government of Alberta to promote fairness and equality. The act emphasizes 15 protected grounds which are off limits when asking interview questions.

The Alberta Learning Information System lists the following protected grounds (alisalberta.ca, 2024).

• Race
• Religious beliefs
• Colour
• Gender (including pregnancy and sexual harassment)
• Physical disability
• Mental disability
• Age
• Ancestry
• Place of origin
• Marital status
• Source of income
• Family status
• Sexual orientation
• Gender expression
• Gender identity

In other words, any questions regarding the items on the list above are deemed inappropriate. Take a look at this ALIS article on how to handle unacceptable questions.

Did you know we have a beauty industry job bank?

Our job bank is free, fast and easy to use. VIEW JOBS

---

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP
(780)604-2772
info@executivespagroup.com

Can you work in the beauty industry with a criminal record?

We all make mistakes, especially when we’re young! The consequence of having a criminal record can present itself in heartbreaking disappointment when it comes to employment. However, working in the beauty industry with a criminal record is possible.

If your passion is beauty industry-related, don’t let a criminal record deter you from achieving your dreams. The beauty industry in Canada is included under Personal Care Services Code 8121 in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). This group is made up of businesses primarily engaged in providing personal care services (Statistics Canada, 2024). There are a number of occupations within Code 8121. For example, Hairstylist, Esthetician, and more specialized yet, Nail Technician, Lash Technician, PMU Artist, and so on.

In addition to encompassing a number of occupations, the beauty industry offers a variety of methods to earn money and not all require criminal record checks.

Methods of Employment in the Beauty Industry

Working in a Salon or Spa

Most employers in Personal Care Services are open to hiring Service Providers with criminal records depending on the offence and the amount of time that has passed since. An employer is more likely to be concerned with your education, experience, and perhaps social media following on a professional account. On the other hand, if a criminal background check reveals an assault or theft, you may want to be prepared with a response that will make the employer oversee the offence.

A few agencies in Alberta, Canada help people with criminal records find work. In particular, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northern Alberta helps women in contact with the legal system.

Sole Proprietors

Many service providers go the sole proprietor route and rent a room or chair from an established salon, or start a home business. The ability to be your own boss makes having a criminal record irrelevant when working in the beauty industry.

Keep in mind that being your own boss takes discipline to succeed in the long run. We recommend starting as small as possible and working your way up. For instance, take a short course in an introductory skill (i.e Manicures and Pedicures) and build a small clientele from that service. As your clientele grows, learn more skills, gain new clients, earn more money!

Corporations

Corporations aren’t always big, faceless companies. Many of your neighbourhood storefront salons and spas are corporations. If you decide to incorporate your business, similar to a sole proprietorship, having a criminal record is irrelevant when you are your own boss.

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP 
Beauty Industry Resource Centre 
(780) 604-2772 
info@executivespagroup.com

---

LIST OF REFERENCES

Statistics Canada 2024, accessed 1 May 2024, <https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=1369825&CVD=1369949&CPV=8121&CST=27012022&CLV=1&MLV=5>