Nail Technician CV Guide

What to include in a Nail Technician CV

First impressions count, especially when it comes to your CV. It is the first thing prospective employers will see about you, and what you include in the document can significantly impact your chances of getting that all-important interview invite. It should be professional, concise, customised to each job and specific to grab the employer’s attention and stand out from other candidates.

If you look at some examples of CVs, you may notice that the designs, structure and content differ. However, they tend to have similar sections, such as contact information, professional summary, education, work experience, key skills, achievements and references. Focusing on these main sections and working through them can make the task more manageable. We will now look at this in further detail and make suggestions to help you decide what content to include.

Contact information

The contact information section of your CV should be at the top of the document, either in the middle or at the side, and be clear, accurate and easy to read. It is about making sure prospective employers can easily contact you. Here is what to include:

• Your full name (first name and surname).
• Your professional title, where relevant (e.g. “Nail Technician”).
• Your location (town, city or county).
• A reliable phone number where you can be easily contacted (ensure your voicemail sounds professional if you have one).
• A professional email address (avoid nicknames or overly casual handles).
• A link to your LinkedIn or an online portfolio (if applicable) showcasing your work (like Instagram or a website).

There are some types of information to avoid adding to your CV for privacy, security, bias and discrimination reasons, such as:

• Your home address.
• Personal information like age, date of birth, religion, gender, marital status and national insurance number.
• A photo (unless the job posting asks for one).
• Personal social media accounts (unless showcasing your work).

Always keep your contact information up-to-date and professional.

Professional summary

The next section of your CV, below your contact information, is your professional summary, which is also known as a personal statement, executive summary, professional statement or career profile. It is a 3-5 line paragraph that provides an overview of your skills, experiences, accomplishments, career goals and why you are the ideal candidate for the nail technician role.

An engaging and compelling professional summary is crucial, as it is one of the first things prospective employers will read on your CV. If it is engaging and grabs their attention, they may want to read on and know more about you. However, if it is generic and full of clichés, they may be discouraged from continuing reading. Your summary is your chance to grab their attention, express your passion and highlight what makes you stand out in your field.

You should tailor your professional summary to each nail technician position and add some of the following elements:

• A previous or current job title with an action verb, e.g. “Creative nail technician”.
• Years of experience, i.e. how long you have been in the industry. If you are new to the field, focus on your training and experiences.
• Areas of expertise and key skills like manicure and pedicure techniques, nail art, acrylics, gels, customer service, etc.
• Qualifications and certifications, like a diploma in nail technology or beauty therapy.
• Qualities like creativity, precision, hygiene standards and a passion for nail artistry.
• Any awards, recognitions, or milestones, such as building a loyal client base, improving customer retention or increasing sales of products.
• Career goals and passion, i.e. what you hope to achieve in the industry and what excites you about being a nail technician?

Here is an example of a professional summary for a nail technician:

“Creative and detail-oriented nail technician with 5+ years of experience in manicures, pedicures, and intricate nail art designs. Passionate about staying ahead of industry trends and providing exceptional customer service. Certified in gel and acrylic nail applications, with a strong focus on hygiene and client satisfaction.”

Education

Your CV should have an education section where you detail your relevant academic achievements, training and certifications. You can add it after your professional summary or work experience. If you have recently qualified and have limited direct work experience as a nail technician, it may be worth putting your education section first and your work experience after.

Adding a well-written education section is essential, as it assures potential employers that you have the necessary skills and knowledge for the role and meet the criteria detailed in the job description. It demonstrates your commitment to learning and mastering your craft and helps you stand out, especially in a competitive market.

Here is how you can craft an impressive education section for your nail technician CV:

• Start with your highest or most recent qualification
  • Include the name of the certification, diploma or other qualification.
  • Mention the institution or training school where you obtained it.
  • Add the institution location, i.e. city or county, if it adds clarity.
  • Detail the date of completion, start/end dates or dates attended.
  • Any academic awards or notable accomplishments (e.g. graduating with honours or completing a prestigious course).
• Add relevant courses
  • List specialist training you have completed, such as nail art design, gel polish application, acrylic nail extensions, etc.
  • Add the date or year you completed them to show how recent they are.
• Include licence details (if applicable)
  • If your local authority requires a nail technician licence, include it here, along with the licence number or expiration date.
• Highlight any additional workshops or seminars
  • If you have attended advanced classes, seminars or workshops, include them to emphasise your ongoing growth.
• Include placements, apprenticeships or internships
  • Mention any other academic experiences you completed during your education, including the company, role and outcomes.
• Add relevant school education
  • If you are starting, you can include your secondary school education, e.g. GCSE’s, especially if you took any related courses.

If the employer asks for specific skills or qualifications (e.g. proficiency in gel or acrylic nails), ensure the education section meets their expectations.

Work experience/employment history

Your work experience, or employment history, is another crucial section of your CV. It is where you showcase your previous jobs and other professional roles and highlight your career progression, relevant skills and achievements. It demonstrates to prospective employers that you have the necessary expertise to master the offered services.

When considering what work experience to include, tailor the roles and responsibilities to the nail technician job and add your previous positions in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Here are some examples of elements to add to capture employers’ attention:

• Heading: Include a heading, “Work Experience” or “Employment History”.
• Job title: Use professional titles like “Nail Technician”, “Senior Nail Specialist”, or “Salon Assistant” to reflect your role accurately.
• Organisation name: Include the organisation you worked for to add credibility. If you have been self-employed or freelance, add the name of your business or where you worked.
• Location: Add where you worked, i.e. town, city or county.
• Dates of employment: Mention the month and year you started and ended each role. If you are still currently employed, add “present” instead.
• Key duties
  • Highlight your key responsibilities in bullet point form.
  • Start each bullet point with a strong action verb, like “designed”, “applied”, “consulted”, “performed”, “enhanced”, “achieved”, etc.
  • Keep it brief and aim for three to five bullet points for each role.
  • Highlight measurable accomplishments, such as growing a loyal client base, receiving awards, mastering new techniques and contributing to improvements.
  • Mention specific skills utilised, like customer service, teamwork, and adaptability. Also, include if you are skilled with new trends or technologies (e.g. nail stamping, custom designs, etc.).

Here is an example of how you can add your work experience:

Work experience

Junior Nail Technician. Glamour Nails, London. January 2018 – February 2020.

• Assisted senior technicians with nail care treatments and provided support during peak hours.
• Applied nail enhancements, including overlays and basic designs.
• Promoted retail products to clients, boosting salon sales by 10%.
• Sanitised tools and equipment after each client session.
• Attended training sessions to develop skills in advanced nail techniques.

Key skills and achievements

Key skills are the abilities and strengths that make you effective in a specific role or field. Adding them to your CV is vital, as it provides a clear snapshot of your expertise and capabilities, helping employers quickly assess your suitability for the role. It also complements your work experience, reinforcing your accomplishments and making your CV tailored to the nail technician job.

To write a compelling key skills section for a nail technician CV, you should include a combination of hard and soft skills.

• Hard skills – are technical or job-specific skills, usually gained through education, training or on-the-job experience. Some examples for a nail technician include manicures, pedicures, nail art and design, acrylics, gel application, product knowledge, sanitation and hygiene.
• Soft skills – are interpersonal and behavioural traits that define how you interact with others and navigate the workplace. They are trickier to measure but equally vital. Some examples for a nail technician include customer service, communication, teamwork, attention to detail, creativity, time management, patience, reliability, adaptability and dexterity.

Focus on the skills that match the job description, as the business may use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan CVs for keywords and allow those that match to pass through. Also, highlight your unique strengths and present them in bullet point form for easy reading, for example:

• Skilled in gel polish, acrylic extensions and nail art design.
• Exceptional customer service and client consultation.
• Expertise in maintaining hygiene and safety standards.

You can also add your achievements to the key skills section to make it more compelling, which involves including specific accomplishments that demonstrate your expertise instead of just listing skills. We will look at how to focus on your ahievements later.

Other information

The main sections of a CV typically include your contact information, professional summary, education, work experience, key skills, achievements and references. However, this is not concrete; you can add and remove sections where you see fit. You may want to keep some of your information separate or add other information, such as:

• Certifications – you may wish to keep your certifications separate and list any advanced techniques, like using nail enhancement systems or innovative treatments.
• Volunteering and extracurricular activities – if you have been involved in charity events, local fairs, projects, competitions or workshops related to nail care and beauty, this can enrich your CV with a personal touch.
• Portfolio and visual evidence – if you have images of your work, you may want to include a portfolio section within your CV or as an attachment/link. Select a curated selection of your best work that illustrates a variety of styles and techniques, reinforcing your technical and artistic skills. Quality visuals of your work can be crucial in the creative industry.
• Professional memberships – you could list any memberships in relevant organisations (e.g. the Guild of Nail Technicians or the Federation of Nail Professionals) demonstrating your commitment to continuing education and adherence to best practices.
• Languages – if you speak additional languages, this could be an asset for working with diverse clients.
• Continuing professional development – perhaps list workshops, seminars or industry conferences you have attended to stay updated on trends and regulations.
• Hobbies and interests – perhaps include interests that give potential employers a glimpse of your personality and passion for the industry, e.g. artistic pursuits, wellness, self-care, fashion and beauty trendspotting, social media and content creation, community engagement., etc.

If you decide to include additional sections and information, ensure they are relevant and be mindful of separating the document too much, as it can make your CV look cluttered.

References

The last section of a CV is where you usually add your references. It is where you will include professional contacts (referees) who can vouch for your work ethic, skills and character. Well-chosen referees can provide potential employers with an objective perspective on your performance and reliability and confirm your technical proficiency in nail art, hygiene practices, and client relations, ensuring you are a trusted candidate.

Choose 2-3 referees who can speak specifically about your abilities as a nail technician. Prioritise individuals familiar with your work in a salon, spa or freelance setting. It may be a manager, supervisor, colleague or even a client if you have been self-employed.

Before writing the reference section, check if the job posting asks for specific details of your referees at this stage of the recruitment process. If it does not, you can add a simple statement under your heading, “References available upon request”, which can be beneficial if you lack space on your CV.

If you need to provide details, approach your chosen referees and ask their permission to include them on your CV. Once agreed, you can add the following information:

• Full name – clearly list their name so employers can identify them.
• Job title and organisation – mention their role and the establishment (e.g. salon or spa) where you worked together.
• Relationship – briefly explain how they know you, e.g. former manager, mentor or supervisor.
• Contact information – provide a reliable phone number and a professional email address.

Provide your referees with details of the nail technician job you are applying for so they can prepare and tailor their references accordingly. Ensure you keep their contact information up-to-date and accurate.