Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Illustration by Kathy Lycka

Sitting across the table from an on-going client, the nail technician listens intently to the client's story. Carefully pushing back cuticles, trimming hang nails and filing the nails smooth, the technician rarely speaks. Aside from the required technical skills, an important part of the technician's job is listening.

"You have to let the client do the talking," explained April Hunt, an esthetician/nail technician at Esthetica Salon and Spa. "Be prepared to be a good listener." She said this skill helps with most clients, especially those who are new to the salon. "Ninety per cent of our business is based on customer service," she said.

That's not to say the technical aspect of the work can be ignored. A thorough knowledge of skin and nails is required as is an understanding of some chemistry and physiology (how the body works). Cleanliness remains a rule, not an option whether Hunt works on someone's hands or feet. "Sanitation is a big one," she said. "We use germicidal spray, antibacterial soap and antifungal spray."

Because she uses these chemicals constantly, and the fact she often does pedicures (working with someone's feet), Hunt said she never wears her own clothes. Instead, she and other technicians in the salon wear a uniform similar to that worn by nurses in order to keep themselves and their clothes clean.

While Hunt has worked at the Performing Arts Centre location of Esthetica for a year-and-a-half, she took a while finding the industry she now enjoys so much. "I just did those usual high school jobs like working at a restaurant and pumping gas and then talked to my mom," Hunt said. "She convinced me to go into it (esthetics)."

The advice paid off. Hunt attended esthetician school, began work and continues to augment her education through continuing education classes offered by her employer. While she enjoys the personal contact the work allows, sometimes it's the best and worst part of the job. "You always get people who are your best friend," she said, adding there are also people who make you not want to go into work the next day.

Working a five-day week that runs from Tuesday to Saturday -- Saturdays are the busiest days in salons -- Hunt also enjoys the variety each day can bring. "There's never a typical day," she said. "It just depends how many clients are booked in and what they are booked for. One day you could have one 15-minute appointment and another time you're booked all day with nails."

Dealing with a variety of people requires many "soft" skills. "You need to be good at tedious work and you need to be calm, patient and good with people," Hunt said. And you must also get over any squeamishness about touching someone's potentially dirty feet. "At first I had to think it over," she said. "But after you do 10 pair of feet, one's just like doing another."

Not all nail technicians work in a salon or spa, however. Some also work on cruise ships or through all-inclusive holiday packages. And rates of pay will also vary. Many nail technicians are paid an hourly wage and many salons also pay commission, but that all depends on the owner.

"It's definitely a growing industry," Hunt said. "You really need to be able to handle a lot of people. And be prepared to struggle financially while your clientele is building. It's a financial struggle to begin with. Usually you work on commission and you need to build up a clientele before you're making decent money."