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Charting Your Path
By Inga Hansen
Jump-start your own success by setting goals
and creating a plan to bring them to fruition.
Most of us have a vision of where we want to go with our careers, even in our early days. Maybe you see yourself traveling from photo shoot to photo shoot tending to the nails of George Clooney and Keira Knightley for the covers of Vanity Fair and Vogue. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of owning a chain of high-end spas à la Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door. Maybe you just want to make your rent for the first time since leaving nail school. Whatever your career ambitions, the best chance for reaching your goals starts by getting them out of your head and down on paper. From there, they'll guide you as you seek out job opportunities, continuing education programs and industry mentors.
Define Your Goals
Modesty and a fear of embarrassment can prevent us from shouting our goals from the rooftops. Unfortunately, hiding your goals can also reduce your chances of achieving what you want from your life and your career.
Licensed nail technician and founder of Lake in the Hills, IL-based ABC School of Nail Technology, Cindy Heidemann credits lofty goal-setting for her continued success. She’s such a strong believer in career planning that every student at her school is required to fill out a form identifying her long- and short-term goals before starting her first class. “We give every student a form to fill out that asks, ‘Why are you coming into the nail industry?’ and ‘What do you hope to accomplish with your nail certification?’” Heidemann says. “This allows us to create an individualized program that will steer them in the right direction."
Once students’ goals have been laid out, the school works with them to develop a business plan. For would-be salon owners, the plan is complex, covering the type of salon the student envisions, the number of employees she’ll need to hire and the equipment she’ll need to purchase. “If a student is just looking to make an extra $300 each month to cover her car payment, we look at the types of services she can offer and how many clients she’ll need to serve to bring in that extra income,” Heidemann says.
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“You have a much better chance of reaching your goals if you understand exactly what they are and write them down on paper so you can refer to them throughout your career,” says Marilyn Fettner, president and owner of Fettner Career Consulting in Northbrook, IL, who likens career planning to a GPS navigational system. “You’re at Point A and want to get to Point B. Once you’ve set your final destination, you can begin mapping out each stop and turn you’ll need to make along the way. Sometimes, the easiest way to do this is to map backwards from where you want to be to where you are today.”
Break Down the Steps
Walking out of nail school with the goal of becoming a Nailpro Cup champion or chain salon owner can be daunting. Rather than let your goals overwhelm you, break them down into bite-size, achievable steps that will keep you moving up the ladder. “In order to reach a big goal, you need to maintain your motivation and a level of excitement that will drive you forward,” says Heidemann. “Allowing yourself to continually achieve small goals does just that; it keeps your energy level up as you evolve and grow in your career.”
For instance, if your goal is to become a salon owner, then break down a 10-year plan to open your own business into a series of one-month, six-month, one-year and five-year plans. Start by identifying all the skills you’ll need to launch and manage your own business, including technical skills, financial skills and the ability to hire and manage staff members. |
