Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

The Work

Nail technicians offer a range of nail treatments to clients. They also apply art and fashion to nails, by painting them in different styles and making them look healthy or fashionable.

Nail technicians also apply, repair and remove artificial nails or enhancements.

The work of a nail technician is to  first find out what kind of treatment the client wants to have. This may include:

• Trimming, shaping and polishing nails
• Conditioning the skin around the nails using oils and creams
• Applying nail enhancements
• Doing repairs to enhancements
• Applying nail art techniques
• Giving hand, foot or arm massages to improve circulation
• Strengthening nails
• Giving treatments to help stop people biting their nails

Nail technicians also advise clients how to look after their nails and nail enhancements once they get home, and when they might need to have them checked or replaced again. They also repair any enhancements that might have been damaged, fill in any gaps in the surfaces of the nails and apply tips to the enhancements.

Duties include making sure that the equipment they use is kept clean and tidy and that they use the correct chemicals for the particular task.

Nail technicians might also help with reception duties, such as answering the telephone, making appointments and taking payments. They might also sell products to clients and have contact with nail product suppliers.

Nail technicians might work alone, or with other technicians, beauticians, hairdressers or therapists in a larger salon or depatment store environment.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Clean and sanitise tools and work environment.
• Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
• Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
• Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
• Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
• Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
• Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
• Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
• Schedule client appointments and accept payments.
• Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Some people choose to specialise in nail technology after qualifying in Beauty Therapy. It's important to choose a course leading to a recognised qualification e.g. ITEC, CIBTAC accredited training courses.

Level 4 and 5 Courses are offered at further education Centres/ colleges, courses are also available at Private Beauty Schools.

TRaining & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Beauty Therapy NFQ Level 5 Full time & part time Single Module nail tech courses Search our FET coursefinder 

FET Centre Post Leaving Cert: Beauty Therapy, Nail tech, Eye Lash & Beauty care NFQ Levels 5-6 Search our FET PLC Coursefinder

Higher Education CAO Entry: Beauty Studies, Spa Management & Services NFQ level 7-8 Search our CAO coursefinder 

Professional Development 

You can Develop your skills towards Enterprise in Beauty Sector with support from: 

Local enterprise Offices Business Start up support

Enterprise partnership Offices Business Start up support 

HABIC Hair & Beauty Industry Confederation Ireland

Image Skillnets Courses Whle in Employment 

Last Updated: March, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €21k - €31k

Salaries vary by employer, location, duties, role, experience, and sessional shift pattern & conditions.

Data Source(s):
Payscale.com/ Glassdoor.ie/ Indeed.ie

Last Updated: March, 2023

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

There was a large increase in numbers employed for hairdressers and beauticians between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 5,700 persons employed; as such, numbers employed returned to preCOVID-19 levels. The majority of persons employed were female, with half working part-time. The share of non-Irish citizens, at 22%, was slightly above the national average of 19%.

Vacancies advertised through DSP Jobs Ireland were primarily for roles including spa/beauty therapists, hair stylists and barbers. There was a relatively high volume of jobseekers registered with DSP in December 2022 who were previously employed as hairdressers, beauticians or related occupations. Future demand for hairdressers and beauticians is likely to be linked to consumer behaviour, given the increased cost of living. 

• Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (HABIC)

  • HABIC The Enterprise Centre The Hill Road, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, N41 Y1F6
  • 07196 15 200
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here