Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1509423
Get a discount when you upgrade to Professional membership today! ascpskincare.com 7 My big secret is this: Jump o the highest clis. Try new things, even if you fail. Push yourself. Never stop learning. And show everyone you are a sprinkle doughnut. Get More Career Guidance ASCP's Career Toolkits help you navigate your way to your dream job. Discover articles, videos, and activities—all included with your ASCP membership. ascpskincare.com/members/ career-toolkits MY CAREER IN THE SKIN CARE BUSINESS has been a wild ride—really wild—but I love it and wouldn't change a thing. Before I even earned my license, my boss and mentor was pushing me o cli s—or at least, that's what it felt like. For example, she had me schedule clients for the day after my state board exam. She told me, "If you pass, you get paid. If you don't, you'll get more free practice." Gee, no pressure! Today, I train estheticians and speak at schools about holistic skin care. As I become more successful in my career, people want to know the recipe for my success and how I did so much in such little time. Here's what I tell students who are just entering the industry. WHEN YOU GRADUATE, YOU KNOW NOTHING I literally chanted to myself, "You know nothing, Shawna Rocha," as I signed up for several educational courses shortly after graduation. Don't get me wrong— esthetician school prepared me to pass the state board, and as a result, I knew esthetics at a basic level. That was the school's job. Now, what was mine? CONTINUING EDUCATION IS KEY Education is the key to success. I watched ASCP videos, took classes, went to nearby trade shows (which o er tons of free education), researched online, and subscribed to magazines and websites. I did everything I could to learn. My best advice is to take advantage of all the education opportunities o ered. There are free courses, paid certi cations, databases where you can nd research and answers, and plenty of people who will help you nd what you need. (Read more about continuing education on page 23). FIND YOUR NICHE Here's what I ask the students I train: Do you want to stand out and be a pretty sprinkle doughnut or a plain one? In other words, nd a way to make yourself unique. BE HUMBLE Leave your ego at the door because you know nothing, remember? Find a mentor or even a group of mentors. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Observe and absorb knowledge wherever you can. I am most grateful for my powerhouse group of mentors and fellow estheticians; they helped make me the esthetician I am today. BE REALISTIC Full bookings take a long time to create; you will be eager for clients and living on a budget for a while. It took about a year and a half before I had a full book. For me, working for someone else really helped me get started, since I didn't have the money or knowledge to have my own treatment room right out of school. REMEMBER, YOU'RE THE BOSS Even today, with a full book and a waiting list, vacation pay still doesn't exist for me—and it most likely won't exist for you, either. You will work long and hard, but it will be worth it. STAY BALANCED The most important thing to learn is balance— something I'm admittedly not great at. I'm still learning lessons about over-scheduling, giving too much of myself, and not saying no to people when I should. It's a perpetual learning process. So, my big secret is this: Jump o the highest cli s. Try new things, even if you fail. Push yourself. Never stop learning. And show everyone you are a sprinkle doughnut. Shawna Rocha is a licensed esthetician and oncology- trained educator who specializes in holistic facial treatments and sugaring.