Whether you’re a qualified hair stylist seeking senior positions at luxury salons, a recent graduate looking to establish your career, or an experienced stylist aiming for salon management or freelance opportunities, your resume must highlight both your creative abilities and professional achievements. This comprehensive guide will show you exactly how to craft a hair stylist resume that opens doors to Australia’s best salons and highest-paying beauty positions.

Hair Stylist Resume Examples and How to Write

Hair styling in Australia offers diverse opportunities across luxury salons, day spas, bridal services, fashion shows, and freelance artistry. With major beauty hubs in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, plus growing demand for specialised services like colour correction, extensions, and wedding styling, qualified hair stylists are experiencing strong career prospects and opportunities for creative and financial growth.

This guide provides everything you need to create an outstanding hair stylist resume specifically tailored for the Australian beauty market. You’ll discover proven strategies, real-world examples, and industry-specific insights that will help your application rise above the competition and secure interviews with top-tier salons and premium beauty establishments.

Hair Stylist Resume (Text Version)

What is The Best Format for a Hair Stylist Resume?

For hair stylists in Australia, the reverse chronological format is most effective because it demonstrates your career progression and showcases your most recent and relevant experience first. This format allows salon owners and managers to quickly assess your current skill level, recent client experience, and technical development within the beauty industry.

Font and Layout: Use clean, modern fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica in 10-11pt for body text and 12-14pt for headings. Maintain consistent formatting with adequate white space for readability. Salon owners often review resumes quickly between appointments, so clarity and visual appeal are essential for making a strong impression.

Length and Structure: Keep your hair stylist resume to 1-2 pages maximum while highlighting all relevant experience, qualifications, and achievements. Focus on client results and measurable accomplishments rather than lengthy service descriptions. Use bullet points for easy scanning and include metrics that demonstrate your value to salon operations.

File Format: Always submit as a PDF unless specifically requested otherwise. This ensures your formatting remains intact when viewed on different devices and email systems, particularly important when resumes are reviewed by salon managers using various platforms.

Essential Resume Sections:

Header: Full name, phone number, professional email address, Instagram/portfolio link (if professional), and location (city and state).

Professional Summary: 3-4 lines highlighting your years of experience, specialisation areas, client achievements, and key technical skills.

Experience: Work history in reverse chronological order, emphasising salon roles with quantified achievements and client service excellence.

Education: Hairdressing qualifications, continuing education, and specialised certifications prominently displayed.

Technical Skills: Cutting techniques, colouring expertise, speciality services, and product knowledge relevant to salon work.

Achievements: Industry recognition, awards, certifications, and measurable contributions to salon success.

What Experience Should Be on Your Hair Stylist Resume?

Focus on roles that demonstrate your hair styling expertise, client service excellence, and ability to contribute to salon success. Include positions where you performed hair services, built client relationships, achieved sales targets, or contributed to salon operations. Even if previous roles weren’t in hair styling, highlight relevant responsibilities like customer service, retail experience, or creative work that demonstrates transferable skills.

Quantify your achievements using beauty industry-specific metrics such as client retention rates, revenue generated, service numbers, or customer satisfaction scores. This approach demonstrates your value to potential employers and shows you understand both the artistic and business aspects of salon operations.

Entry-Level Hair Stylist Resume Samples [Experience]

If you’re a recent graduate or new to hair styling, focus on your apprenticeship experience, training achievements, and any relevant customer service background. Emphasise your eagerness to learn, technical foundation, and commitment to building client relationships. Highlight any practical experience gained through training salons, volunteer work, or personal projects.

How to Write the Education Section for your Hair Stylist Resume

Education and qualifications are essential for hair stylists in Australia, as formal training demonstrates your technical competency and professional standards. The Certificate III in Hairdressing is the standard qualification required by most salons, and additional certifications show your commitment to continuous learning and specialisation in advanced techniques.

List your hairdressing qualifications prominently, including the training institution, completion date, and any distinctions achieved. Include specialised training, workshops, and certifications in advanced techniques, as these demonstrate your expertise beyond basic qualifications and can differentiate you from other candidates in competitive salon environments.

Hair Stylist Resume Example [Education]

How to Write the Skills Section for your Hair Stylist Resume

The skills section is crucial for hair stylists because it immediately communicates your technical capabilities and service expertise to salon owners and managers. Include 12-15 skills that are most relevant to the hair styling positions you’re targeting. This section should balance technical hair styling skills with essential client service abilities that demonstrate your capacity to build relationships and contribute to salon success.

Tailor this section based on the salon type and services you’re seeking. High-end salons might prioritise advanced colouring and precision cutting skills, while bridal specialists might emphasise styling and updos. Many salon owners look for specific technical skills and product knowledge, so including relevant keywords can help your resume stand out.

Hair Stylist Resume Skills (Hard Skills)

• Precision cutting and layering techniques
• Advanced colouring (balayage, foiling, colour correction)
• Chemical services (perms, relaxers, Brazilian blowouts)
• Hair extension application and maintenance
• Bridal and special occasion styling
• Blow-drying and heat styling techniques
• Product knowledge (Wella, L’Oréal, Redken, Kevin Murphy)
• Colour theory and formulation
• Hair analysis and consultation
• Clipper work and men’s grooming
• Treatment applications (Olaplex, deep conditioning)
• Trend analysis and fashion awareness
• Photography for portfolio development
• Inventory management and retail sales
• Appointment scheduling and salon software

Hair Stylist Resume Skills (Soft Skills)

• Exceptional customer service and communication
• Client consultation and needs assessment
• Creative problem-solving and artistic vision
• Time management and appointment efficiency
• Active listening and empathy
• Sales techniques and product recommendation
• Team collaboration and mentoring
• Attention to detail and quality focus
• Adaptability to changing trends and techniques
• Stress management in fast-paced environments
• Cultural sensitivity and inclusivity
• Professional presentation and personal grooming
• Conflict resolution and client satisfaction
• Continuous learning and skill development
• Social media marketing and self-promotion

How to pick the best Hair Stylist skills:

1. Review the job description and identify specific techniques, services, and experience levels mentioned by the salon
2. Match your skills to the salon type—luxury establishments vs. budget salons vs. speciality services
3. Include both technical hair styling skills and essential client service capabilities
4. Focus on skills you can confidently demonstrate through portfolio work or client testimonials
5. Consider including trending techniques and modern approaches to hair styling and colour
6. Prioritise skills that differentiate you from other candidates and align with your specialisation areas

Hair Stylist Resume Examples [Skills]

Should I Add Bonus Sections to My Hair Stylist Resume?

Additional sections can significantly strengthen your hair stylist resume, particularly in Australia’s competitive beauty market where creativity, continuing education, and client relationships are highly valued. These sections help showcase your artistic abilities, professional development, and unique qualifications that set you apart from other stylists. However, only include sections that add genuine value and are relevant to hair styling roles.

Valuable additional sections for hair stylists include: Portfolio highlights and notable transformations, industry awards and competition results, continuing education and advanced certifications, professional association memberships, social media presence and follower engagement, volunteer work or charity styling events, and specialised client testimonials or case studies.

Hair Stylist Resume Examples [Other Sections]

Tip: Consider including any notable client transformations, creative projects, or innovative techniques you’ve developed. Also mention any involvement in hair shows, photo shoots, or training roles, as these demonstrate your expertise and commitment to the profession beyond routine salon work.

How to write a Hair Stylist Resume Objective or Resume Summary

A compelling professional summary is your opportunity to immediately demonstrate your styling expertise and client service excellence to potential employers. For hair stylists, this 3-4 line statement should highlight your years of experience, specialisation areas, client achievements, and technical skills that prove your ability to contribute to salon success. Focus on quantifiable outcomes that matter to salon owners and managers.

Key elements to include: years of experience in hair styling, specialisation areas and advanced techniques, client retention rates or satisfaction scores, revenue generation or sales achievements, notable certifications or training, and 1-2 unique capabilities that differentiate you from other stylists. Customise this section for each application while maintaining authenticity about your actual experience and accomplishments.

Hair Stylist Resume Summary Examples

For entry-level positions or recent graduates, focus on a resume objective that emphasises your qualifications, training achievements, and eagerness to build client relationships. Since you may not have extensive salon experience, highlight your educational accomplishments, any practical training, and commitment to delivering excellent client service.

Entry-Level Hair Stylist Resume Summary Examples

How to Update Your LinkedIn Profile When Updating Your Hair Stylist Resume

LinkedIn is becoming increasingly important for hair stylists in Australia, with premium salons, spas, and beauty brands using the platform to source experienced professionals for senior positions and brand partnerships. While Instagram remains crucial for showcasing your work, LinkedIn helps establish your professional credibility and connect with industry leaders, salon owners, and beauty industry professionals.

For hair stylists, LinkedIn offers unique advantages including showcasing your professional achievements and business contributions beyond just styling photos, connecting with salon owners, beauty brand representatives, and industry professionals, demonstrating your commitment to professional development and continuing education, and positioning yourself for salon management, education, or brand representative opportunities within the beauty industry.

LinkedIn Headline Optimisation for Hair Stylists

Your LinkedIn headline should go beyond simply stating “Hair Stylist” and instead highlight your specialisations, experience level, and unique value proposition. Include keywords that salon owners and industry professionals might search for, such as specific techniques, years of experience, or notable achievements. Use the 120-character limit strategically to convey your expertise and professional approach.

LinkedIn Summary vs Resume Summary: Key Differences

Your LinkedIn summary can be more detailed and personal than your resume summary, allowing you to share your passion for hair styling, career journey, and philosophy about client service. Use up to 2,600 characters to tell your professional story, explain what drives you in the beauty industry, and showcase your knowledge of trends, techniques, and client relationship building.

Include personal touches like your approach to client consultation, excitement about hair transformations, or commitment to continuing education in new techniques. This is particularly valuable in the beauty industry where personality and rapport are crucial for client relationships. Write in first person and maintain a tone that reflects both your professionalism and creative passion.

Showcasing Hair Stylist Experience on LinkedIn

LinkedIn’s experience section allows for more detailed descriptions of your client achievements and professional development than your resume. Expand your bullet points to include context about the salons where you’ve worked, the types of clients you serve, and the impact of your work on salon success. Use this space to describe your approach to client relationships and technical excellence.

While LinkedIn doesn’t showcase visual work as effectively as Instagram, you can include professional achievements, training certificates, or testimonials that demonstrate your expertise and professionalism. Focus on the business and professional aspects of your hair styling career that complement your visual portfolio on other platforms.

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements for Hair Stylists

Focus on skills that demonstrate both your technical abilities and professional capabilities. Prioritise skills like “Hairdressing,” “Colour Correction,” “Client Relations,” “Balayage,” and “Bridal Styling.” Include both foundational techniques and specialised expertise areas. The order matters, so strategically place your strongest and most relevant skills in the top positions where they’ll be most visible to potential employers.

Actively seek endorsements from colleagues, salon managers, suppliers, and professional contacts who know your work quality and client service abilities. These endorsements provide social proof of your capabilities and can significantly boost your profile’s credibility. Consider asking salon owners or senior stylists to endorse specific skills they’ve observed in your work.

LinkedIn Profile Tips for Australian Hair Stylists

Tailor your LinkedIn presence for the Australian beauty market by engaging with local beauty industry groups and associations, sharing insights about Australian hair trends and seasonal styling preferences, and connecting with salon owners, beauty educators, and industry professionals across major Australian cities. Participate in discussions about professional development and industry innovations.

Join LinkedIn groups focused on Australian beauty professionals, such as “Australian Hair Industry Association,” “Beauty Industry Professionals Australia,” or city-specific groups like “Sydney Beauty Network.” Regularly engage with content about industry trends, participate in discussions about professional development and education, and share your own insights about client service excellence and technical innovation. This demonstrates your industry knowledge and helps build your professional network within Australia’s beauty community.

Your hair stylist resume is the foundation for securing opportunities with Australia’s premier salons and beauty establishments, but it works best when supported by a compelling cover letter that showcases your personality and genuine passion for the beauty industry. Explore our cover letter guide to learn how to craft a persuasive letter that complements your technical qualifications and demonstrates your commitment to client service excellence.

Ready to put your polished resume to work? Start exploring hair stylist opportunities on Seek, Indeed Australia, and specialist beauty job boards. Don’t overlook direct approaches to premium salons and day spas, as many prefer to recruit experienced stylists through portfolio presentations and personal recommendations within the beauty community.

For additional career resources and professional development, consider joining the Australian Hair Industry Association for access to continuing education opportunities, industry trends, and networking events. Stay connected with the latest techniques and products through beauty trade shows and supplier training programs to advance your career in Australia’s dynamic beauty industry.