Self-test: Is the "Hairdresser with federal certificate" course the right one for me?
Test here whether the job profile "Hairdresser with a federal certificate" suits you and whether an extra-occupational preparatory course for the professional examination is the right path for you.
What is everyday working life like in hairdresser jobs?
As a hairdresser with a federal certificate, you work in management positions as a branch or store manager. More specialized employers include film, television, theater, hospitals, retirement homes, care centers, hotels and cruise ships. This responsible position involves mastering sophisticated haircutting techniques, advising customers while taking individual preferences and hairstyle design into account. In addition to technical skills, this also requires knowledge of human nature and empathy. In addition to cutting, hair extensions and thickening, shaving, beard care and chemical and physical hair changes such as coloring, straightening, etc. are also part of the services offered by a hairdressing salon. In the hairdressing salon, the hairdresser or hairdresser's assistant ensures that all employees adhere to the health and safety guidelines and is responsible for the training of apprentices. The field of activity also includes administrative work such as purchasing, sales, stock management, accounting and marketing.
The following areas of work are typical in hairdresser jobs:
- Hairstyle design
- High-quality advice for women, men, young people and children
- Recommendation of hairstyles taking into account individual preferences - to suit style, face shape and hair
- Create hairstyles with scissors, knife and razor
- Hair changes on a chemical or physical basis such as perms, straightening, highlights, color effects, dyeing
- If necessary, carry out hair extensions and thickening for optimum results
- Information for customers on effects, impact and personal hairstyling
- Shaving and beard care for men on request
- Building long-term customer relationships
- Advice and sale of care and other hairdressing products
- Keeping up to date with hairstyle trends and fashion and constantly educating yourself further
- Operational management
- Ensure professional work planning and organization
- Exercise employee management and development
- Ensure compliance with occupational health and safety guidelines
- Create budget planning
- Carry out goods purchasing
- Ensure infrastructure and warehouse management
- Execute accounting
- Performing marketing tasks
- Training of apprentices
- Learning the practical basic techniques of the profession in meaningful learning steps
- Teaching technical content
- Providing encouragement and support
- Show management
Question 1:
Do the activities meet your expectations? Can you imagine working in hairdressing jobs?
If you like the actual work in hairdressing jobs, you are on the right track. The next question is what type of training (level of education, learning content, duration, examinations, etc.) is the right one for you to acquire the relevant skills.
Even if you don't like all the activities in a hairdressing job, it could still be the right profession for you. In almost every job, there are also tasks that are less interesting. However, the tasks should arouse your interest and appeal to you.
Alternatively, you can look at descriptions of similar job profiles, as another degree may suit you better:
- Dog hairdresser (certified)
- Beautician (certified)
- Foot care (cert.)
- Hair removal (cert.)
- Make-up artist (certified)
- Medical cosmetics (certified)
- Nail designer (certified)
- Pedicure (Cert.)
- Make-up artist Make-up artist (certified)
If you don't like the work, you should find out which parts of the tasks in hairdressing jobs you don't like so much. Is it the advice given to customers? Or the creative work as a hairdresser?
Depending on your answer, you could look in job advertisements to see if there are jobs with a different distribution of tasks. Or you can take inspiration from other similar jobs. If you are generally unsure about what you want to do, we can help you with ourAdvisorhelp you find your own calling.
Target group and skills: Who is the hairdresser apprenticeship and professional examination suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?
The hairdresser training is aimed at the following people:
- Future hairdressing specialists who want to further develop and improve their job-specific skills in managing a team
- Professionals from the hairdressing industry who are looking for theoretical and practice-oriented in-depth training in core areas of their daily work
- Professionals from the hairdressing sector who see the training of employees as an important part of their professional activity and wish to do so
The following skills and qualities are required for a successful job as a hairdresser:
- Leadership qualities and service-oriented thinking
- Sense for colors and shapes
- Customer orientation, empathy and patience
- Manual dexterity and interest in precision work
- Fashion awareness, inventiveness and creativity
- Eagerness to learn and ability to work in a team
- Sense of order, cleanliness and hygiene awareness
- Resistant constitution and no allergies
- Organizational talent and enjoy motivating employees
- Sense of responsibility, independent working style and discipline
Question 2:
Do you belong to one of the target groups for hairdresser training?
If you belong to the target group and you have the necessary skills and qualities, then hairdresser training is still an option for you. The federal certificate still seems to meet your expectations.
- If you do not belong to any of the above-mentioned groups, you can aim for the federal hairdressing diploma directly. There are numerous opportunities for further development in the field of beauty care and there may be alternative training courses that interest you even more or suit you better.
- If you do not have the necessary skills and qualities for the job description of a hairdresser / hairdresser apprenticeship, you will probably not be good and satisfied in such a position. Look for alternative apprenticeships in the retail sector.
- If you are still unsure about your professional development, contact experienced people such as career advisors for targeted advice or coaching:
Requirements for admission to the Coiffure professional examination:
The following prerequisites are required for admission to the final examination (federal professional examination):
- Federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ) as a hairdresser and hairdresser or equivalent certificate
and
- At least 3 years of professional experience (100% or crediting pro rata) after completion of basic vocational training
You will be informed in writing at least three months before the start of the examination whether you meet the requirements for the Coiffure professional examination - in the event of rejection, including reasons and instructions on how to appeal.
Question 3:
Do you have the required apprenticeship qualification and the necessary professional experience for the professional hairdressing examination?
If you meet the requirements, you can start your hairdressing training at the earliest possible date. You will then be admitted to the professional examination.
If you are not sure whether your professional experience is sufficient, clarify your chances directly with the sponsor of the professional examination, thecoiffureSuisse.
If you have too little or no professional experience for hairdressing training with a professional examination, you have the following options:
- Search with the help of professional job boardsas followsfor suitable jobs.
- If you know someone who is employed in the hairdressing industry, ask them for help with your job search.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible for admission to the professional examination following hairdressing training with your qualifications by means of an equivalence test, please contact theExamination secretariator theSERIfor foreign degrees.
If you have not completed your basic vocational training, you can make up for it. How can you do this in ourAdvisor"The Swiss education system at a glance".
If you are unsure whether your professional experience is sufficient, clarify your chances directly with the sponsor of the professional examination, thecoiffureSuisse.
If you have too little or no professional experience for the professional hairdressing examination, you have the following options:
- Search with the help of professional job boardsas followsfor suitable jobs.
- If you know someone who is employed in the hairdressing industry, ask them for help with your job search.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible for admission to the professional examination following hairdressing training with your qualifications by means of an equivalence test, please contact theExamination secretariator theSERIfor foreign degrees.
If you have not completed your basic vocational training, you can make up for it. How can you do this in ourAdvisor"The Swiss education system at a glance".
Subject matter and content of the hairdresser / hairdresser training:
The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the professional examination for the hairdresser's certificate is based on the specifications of the sponsor of the federal examination, coiffureSuisse.
The learning content of the hairdresser / hairdresser training is divided into the following topics:
- Advice and sales
- Conduct a professional consultation
- Knowledge about the four types of people, selling and advising
- Recommendations for care and styling
- Product sales in the advisory process
- Building long-term customer relationships
- Professional implementation
- Understanding and interpreting customer wishes better
- Practical implementation of customer wishes
- Choice of suitable cutting techniques, products and styling
- Intensify professional practice
- Professional leadership
- Aspects of entrepreneurial thinking and action
- Activities of a management position
- Understanding of strategic processes in hairdressing salons
- Professional work planning and team leadership
- Implement and optimize organizational processes
- Monthly budget planning
- Warehouse and infrastructure management
- Planning and implementation of needs-based and situation-specific training for the team
- Motivation theories
- Basic training for vocational trainers
- Teaching and learning in the company (didactics module)
- The fascination of physical and/or chemical hair modification
Question 4:
Are you interested in the content of the training and would you like to acquire knowledge in the field of hairdressing?
Perfect, the content of the hairdresser / hairdresser apprenticeship suits you perfectly. With the skills you have learned, you can score points on the job market and increase your salary prospects. You can now find out more about the structure and the concept of further training from the training institutes.
If you are only partially interested in the content of the hairdresser training course, then this is probably not the right course for you. Then take a look at other training and further education opportunities in the field of beauty care that are better suited to you due to the content taught.
Obviously, the typical learning content for a hairdresser training course is not for you. Take a look at other further training courses instead. OnEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a wide range of options.
Costs and financing of the courses:
The costs vary depending on the provider and duration of the hairdressing training. On average, the following amounts are to be expected for the training costs:
- Course fees:about CHF 5'100.- to CHF 6'600.-
After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result)*. - Examination fees:CHF 2,200 (as at: 2024)
The examination fee is set by the examination organizer. It is paid by the candidate once admission to the federal examination has been confirmed. - Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and intermediate qualifications, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for hairdressing training.
*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations such as hairdresser / hairdresser training have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.
Question 5:
Are you in a position to pre-finance around CHF 7,300 to CHF 8,800 for hairdressing training including the federal examination?
The best. Here's another tip: If you are able to pay the entire amount for the hairdressing training course in advance, many schools will grant you a discount.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
First ask the schools about the actual costs you would have to expect for the hairdressing training. Then ask your employer whether they will contribute to the cost of the hairdressing training. Or ask your school about the possibility of paying in installments. Perhaps there is someone in your private circle who will support your training project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
First ask the schools about the actual costs you can expect to pay for hairdressing training. Then ask your employer whether they will contribute to the costs. Ask your school about the possibility of paying for hairdressing training in installments. Perhaps there is someone in your private circle who will support your further training project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort:
- The hairdresser training, further education is classically structured (i.e. the professional examination covers all the skills to be assessed) and lasts 2 semesters. It comprises around 240 lessons.
- The teaching times vary depending on the training provider. Depending on the training provider, face-to-face teaching takes place on a fixed weekday, a weekday and one or two evenings or as block teaching.
- Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the hairdresser / hairdresser training, you can apply and deepen the learning material immediately in practice. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow the same amount of time for the additional workload as the regular lesson duration.
Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful completion of hairdressing training.
Question 6:
Can you cope with the time and effort required for classroom teaching and homework?
If you are confident that you can cope with the teaching hours and the learning effort, you should start a hairdressing apprenticeship. At the very most, you can consider whether you can achieve even better results, such as faster learning or better final grades, with suitable learning and working methods and a personal learning plan. Efficient learning methods pay off in any case.
If you don't have that much time to devote to hairdressing training, check with the providers whether you can complete the training over more than one year. Or can you find another way to free up time? Perhaps you can hand over certain tasks during the training period?
Degree, diploma and title:
The professional examination "Hairdresser with federal certificate" is held annually in German, French and Italian, provided that a minimum of 10 candidates meet the admission requirements.
Candidates for the professional examination are notified at least four weeks before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.
The professional examination for hairdressers comprises the following six parts:
- Professional leadership (written, 120 minutes, weighting 2)
- Relooking (weighting 1):
- Relooking dossier (written, 8 weeks, prepared in advance)
- Relooking Chemical color change or permanent hair reshaping incl. consultation and sale (practical, 130 minutes)
- Chemical color change or permanent hair reshaping (practical, 130 minutes, weighting 1)
- Updo (practical, 60 minutes, weighting 1)
- Cutting (practical, 55 - 85 minutes, incl. 15 minutes consultation, weighting 1) - the time depends on the chosen cut
- Expert discussion with reflection (oral, 30 minutes, weighting 1)
Diploma and title
Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "hairdresser with a federal certificate" or "hairdresser with a federal certificate".
- In French: "Coiffeur avec brevet fédéral", "Coiffeuse avec brevet fédéral"
- In Italian: "Parruchiere con attestato professionale federale", "Parruchiera con attestato professionale federale"
- In English: "Hairdresser with Federal Diploma of Professional Education and Training" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)
Question 7:
Do you have the confidence to pass the professional examination?
Good, you are confident that you will successfully complete the professional examination following your hairdressing training. Think about where you can best ensure the transfer of practical experience. Which learning and working methods are most efficient for you?
If you are unsure about successfully completing your training as a hairdresser, we recommend the following:
- oneInformation eventof the favored educational institute
- onepersonal consultation appointmentwith the school of your choice for hairdressing training
- at theSchool managementAsk about support options
- oneInformationby the sponsor of the professional examination, thecoiffureSuisseto dispel your concerns
- itselfSupportfromLearning therapistorCoachthroughautogenicormental trainingGet
You are very unsure whether you will be able to graduate after your hairdressing training. You could take a look at which subjects you may have struggled with in the past. If these are subjects that will be repeated in the final exam after the hairdressing course, you should find out about possible preparatory courses, use tutors to fill in existing gaps in your knowledge or discuss with the school whether there is the possibility of internal tests or preparatory courses.
If you have intense exam anxiety, you could look for a different type of course that works more with learning achievements, mid-term exams or semester work. External help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers can also be considered:
No, further training as a hairdresser does not suit you. What a pity? Maybe not, because there are so many other opportunities for further training. One or the other will certainly suit you much better.
Check which other further training courses are suitable for you. OnEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a large selection of offers.
Hairdresser with a federal certificate is probably not the right further training goal for you.
Are you surprised or disappointed? Perhaps take the test on hairdresser jobs again and see where your ideas or possibilities deviate from the ideal profession. Perhaps this will point you in the direction of more suitable further training.
Then see which other further training courses interest you. ToEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a large selection of offers.
Hairdresser training is not ideal for you - or is it?
If you are unsure, it is best to attend the providers' information events. You will find out a lot more about further education there. You can also discuss your personal options and questions directly with the specialist representatives present.
Directly to the schools:
"Hairdresser with a federal certificate"
This training seems to suit you.
As a next step, we recommend that you attend an information event at suitable schools and obtain details of the exact costs and dates and check the financing.
Directly to the schools:
"Hairdresser with a federal certificate"
This training seems to suit you.
As a next step, we recommend that you attend an information event at suitable schools and obtain details of the exact costs and dates.
Directly to the schools:
"Hairdresser with a federal certificate"
This course seems to be made for you!
The best thing to do now is to attend information events at the schools you are interested in and find out everything you need to know about the specific content, costs and dates.
Directly to the schools:
"Hairdresser with a federal certificate"