This title in the Essential Careers series is so informative it could be subtitled “Everything You Want to Know about Becoming a Hair Stylist.” Beginning with a short quiz that tests readers’ aptitude for the job, it goes on to explain the difference between a cosmetology program and barber school (and the ways they overlap) and the kinds of things a student learns during his or her education. After the basics, Heos discusses the nitty-gritty of finding a job, keeping it, and running one’s own business. The history of hair-cutting careers follows, and there are even ethical discussions: Is it right to take one’s customers along when moving to a new salon? In a chapter entitled “Career Choices: Thinking Outside the Salon,” readers are invited to consider peripheral careers such as product rep, stylist, and educator.
