Tips for Applying

Resume Help
Have questions about creating a resume? Download a Resume FAQ that answers ten common questions about resumes and how to get the most out of one. Still have questions about your resume? Ask your instructors for assistance or search the web for sites such as First Chair by Modern Salon, which has resume tips specific to the beauty industry.

Want to see a cosmetology student's resume in action? Download a Sample Resume by Clare Couture, a typical cosmetology student and Beacon Winner ready to land her first chair in a high-end salon.

Model Release Form
Want to own the rights to all of the images in your snazzy new portfolio? Download a Sample Model Release Form and always ask your model to sign your version of a release form before you take their photo. You can tell your clients that you want to be able to publish photos of your early work once you become famous! If you have questions about how your Model Release Form would hold up in court, look for places like schools and college campuses that often offer free legal counsel.

Tips on Creating a Winning Promotional Piece

  • Forget about using magazine clippings - there is nothing creative about a collage of images from Cosmo.

  • Hot glue does not hold up very well in the mail or on display. Try using super glue, rubber cement or some other permanent adhesive.

  • Keep in mind that your promotional piece will not only be displayed for judging, but winning entries will be on display at Symposium in front of hundreds of professional salon owners. Make sure your submitted entry is ready for display: Does it stand up on its own? Does it have a hook to hang from? Do you have a way to display your business cards?

  • Is your NAME on every part of your entry as well as your entry form? Paint it on the bottom, write it on the back, incorporate it into your artwork - just be sure it's there! You don't want to miss out because we cannot contact you. If you have multiple parts to your promotional piece, make sure your name appears on ALL of them.

  • Pack your entry well! Styrofoam peanuts do not protect entries very well. Try using bubble wrap and packing paper instead.

  • Above all else - be creative! The more unique your promotional piece, the more the judges will notice it. Of course, the "wow" factor of your creative piece should be solidly supported by the professionalism of your resume and portfolio.