What Do I Need to Succeed in Hair Braiding?

If you are familiar with the cosmetology industry, you already know that it keeps growing and changing at a rate that not so many people can keep up with. This is why you’ve been seeing a rise in the popularity of newer hair careers like hair braiding. And if you are interested in this niche field, it’s important to understand what you need to succeed before getting started.

Hair braiding typically involves interlacing strands of hair in a specific pattern to create a strong, rope-like plait. Here’s what you should know if you’ve been thinking about becoming a hair braider.

Hair Braiding Job Outlook

Hair braiding isn’t entirely new as a cultural practice, but it is typically considered a relatively new addition to formal, regulated cosmetology. It has, however, experienced significant growth, driven by the demand for versatile, natural styles.

In truth, you should expect a 7-19% faster-than-average projected growth for hair braiding compared to other cosmetology-related jobs. And just in case you are wondering how much you should expect to earn, the majority of the professionals are in the $34,000 to $50,000 range.

What Do You Need to Make it Happen?

One of the best parts about becoming a hair braider is that you won’t need a lot to start. Here’s what’s required.

1. Education

The first thing you must do is invest in state-specific training programs from a reputable provider. For Tennessee professionals, one of the best options is the braiding license course from RocketCert. You can also get other courses for different states, so first understand your requirements, then check out what they offer.

In the states that don’t require you to obtain a licence first, you can get by with an apprenticeship alone. However, most established professionals in this space recommend taking a pre-licensing course alongside the training program or going to a cosmetology school. This makes it easier to find work or gain trust from clients.

2. Licensing

Licensing varies from state to state, with some having no form of regulation at all, while others require a full cosmetology licence. Some, however, like Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Oregon, mandate special braiding licences if you want to work legally as a hair braider.

It’s always good practice to keep checking with your state’s board of cosmetology to keep up with the changes in licensing requirements.

Skills & Attributes

After you are licensed, you can begin working immediately. However, you must have the following skills and attributes to boost your employability.

• Creativity: Even though some clients will come to you with an idea of what they prefer, most will rely on you. For this reason, you should be able to work with complicated designs and come up with unique braid patterns.
• Fine motor skills: Hair braiding can be quite intricate, especially when you are just beginning. So, make sure to have top-class dexterity and lots of patience if you want to work effortlessly.
• Communication skills: You might think that you don’t need strong communication skills to excel as a hair braider, but you sure do. One of the reasons is that it makes it easier for you to help your clients understand why certain options will work great and not others. But other than that, a single braiding session can take several hours, and you want to be able to have engaging conversations with your clients so they will be at ease.
• Sales skills: Even though you can make do with basic sales skills in this field, your job will be much more enjoyable when you are great at selling. The reason why this is important is that it makes it easier to sell additional hair products and services that keep customers coming.

Do It Right With RocketCert

Excelling as a hair braider sounds quite unlikely at first, until you get started. And if you ask us, the right way to kick off your new career is by taking an expertly written and fully narrated course from a top provider like RocketCert.

Their courses are designed to be fun, even for people who don’t particularly enjoy studying. So, be sure to check out their website to see what they offer.