Occupation Details
Manicurists and Pedicurists
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
Quick Navigation
Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$28,870.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$31,100.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$31,900.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
14,570
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
24,850
+1,028 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
3,072
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.7%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Callus shavers
- Credit card processing machines
- Cuticle scissors
- Dry heat sterilizers
- Electronic cash registers
- Finishing nail stones
- Foot baths
- Laptop computers
- Manicure airbrushes
- Manicure tables
- Manicure tweezers
- Nail buffing blocks
- Nail clippers
- Nail dryers
- Nail files
- Nail nippers
- Nail scrub brushes
- Nail slicers
- Pedicure carts
- Personal computers
- Pumice stones
- Steam autoclaves
- Toe separators
Technology
- Aknaf ADVANTAGE Salon Software and Spa Software
- AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Scheduler
- Customer information databases
- DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus
- DaySmart Software Salon Iris
- Microsoft Excel
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain appointment calendar
- maintain customer records
- inventory stock to ensure adequate supplies
- use hair, cosmetic, or nail care instruments
- order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
- sell merchandise
- schedule meetings or appointments
- clean rooms or work areas
- advise clients or customers
- use health or sanitation standards
- clean, shape, or polish human nails
- collect payment
- provide customer service
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Clean and sanitize 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.
- Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
- Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
- Treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping.
- Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails.
- Polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer.
- Whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencils.
- Promote and sell nail care products.
- Decorate clients' nails by piercing or attaching ornaments or designs.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal appearance workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More