Barbering

The Practice of Barbering Does Not Always Cut It

For the last two years I have been a Licensed New York State Barber’s Apprentice. I can engage in the practice of barbering under the supervision of a Licensed New York State Master Barber. The last two years have been a learning experience. I have come to realize that the practice of barbering may not be the most suitable career choice for me.

Barbering is a very inconsistent source of income. There are countless days when I sit from open to close and no one comes in. Sometimes I sit all day and as soon as I am ready to lock up and leave, there is a walk-in customer. Weekends are jammed packed. It gets so busy sometimes that I cannot even eat lunch, and there are no scheduled breaks. Weather also affects business and on rainy or cloudy days people don’t want to get their hair cut. Sunny days can also be dreadful even though they are wonderful. Nobody wants to sit in a barber shop and wait for his hair to get cut.

I hate the fact that there is no hourly pay. The prices also vary from haircut to haircut. A full haircut is fifteen dollars. A cut and shave is twenty two dollars. Children under ten years old are ten dollars. Little children are twice the work and half the price. Sometimes I wish I could put up a big sign saying “No Children!” but I can’t do that. I need their business to pay the rent. Some weeks I barely make the rent. For the last three weeks I made about twenty to sixty dollars after rent. I could have worked at McDonalds and made more money flipping burgers. The weeks that I break even and just make the rent. I’m basically working for free. I cut the hair but have nothing to show for it.

The Barber Shop and equipment must be thoroughly cleaned every day. If not taken care of the equipment could spread germs from people to people. For example, many people have skin conditions. The most common scalp...