Build the best esthetician resume with a sample outline to meet the rising demand for skincare specialists

Contact information

Contact details are mandatory across all kinds of resumes. This section is your resume header and should be at the top. It's the first thing recruiters see, allowing them to easily contact you. What should you write in the contact information section?

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  Full name – Use your official name or the name found on your professional and legal documents. Include a professional title, if you have one. Recruiters cross-check names with online references. Avoid using a nickname, unless it has become a brand on its own. If so, connect the casual name with the official one. (Ex. Barbara "Barbie" Mitchell or Barbara Mitchell aka "Barbie")
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  Phone number – Provide an updated number that is accessible to you or is connected with a mobile phone you carry with you. If you cannot take a call 100% of the time, set up a professional voicemail to avoid missing a call. Use a universal or standard phone number format.
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  Email – Write an email address that sounds professional, preferably one that includes your name. Avoid overly casual or quirky email addresses that do not represent you positively. Make sure your email is accurate because it is often the primary way a prospective employer will contact you.
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  Location – Your location is a minor detail, but it can be important depending on the role. Some employers want to know where you're based. Some might be considering expansion or relocation and want to know if you're in the area. You don't have to write down your complete address for privacy reasons. Include only the city and state, or country (if applicable).
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  LinkedIn profile – It would be best to create and maintain a professional LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or personal website. Refer to this article if you need help with how to add LinkedIn to your resume. Your profile can provide a better picture of your career, connections, and recommendations. It may also contain details about your work history that are not included in your resume, such as your experiences and skills from another related industry.

Career objective

This is an important section because it gives employers a preview of what you are looking for in a job, where you see yourself in the coming years, and how you want to get there. It also gives them an idea of how you work and whether you are a good fit for the role.

The career objective is a brief paragraph of approximately 2-3 sentences/phrases that follows the header. It should include the following:

• •Your goals or what you want to achieve
• •How your goals match the job description
• •Skills and experience
• •License
• •Strongest capabilities

Below are examples of an esthetician's resume objective:

Certifications and licenses

Since being an esthetician involves working with products and procedures that require technical knowledge and skill, licenses and certifications are fundamental to your career. Employers want assurance that you are knowledgeable about handling products and special equipment and that you have been certified by brands and manufacturers. Clients want to know that they can trust you with their safety when receiving treatments.

Placing this section near the top ensures better visibility, especially for jobs that require more advanced skills and specializations. These are some of the licenses and certifications estheticians acquire.

Skills and competencies

This is one of the most important sections. Your competencies can spell the difference between your resume being glossed over and getting a call immediately. This section must show your capability to handle certain tools, machines, and procedures. It must clearly demonstrate knowledge of products and technologies, hands-on experience, specialization in specific treatments, and customer service skills. It must also imply that you received advanced training in more complex facial treatments and skin care procedures by presenting the practical skills you learned.

How should you present your esthetician competencies?

• •Customize the skills section according to the job you are applying for.
• •Study the job description and match your skills with it by using keywords in the posting. This will help applicant tracking systems (ATS) scan your resume for relevance.
• •Prioritize the skills relevant to the role. If you can group your skills for easy reading, do it. (Ex. Technical Skills, Project Management Skills, Customer Service Skills)
• •Make your presentation specific and direct, and your skills section concise so recruiters can absorb the details faster with their limited time.

What esthetician skills should you write in this section?

Work experience

This section outlines your professional journey. It is a crucial part of your resume, especially if you have spent many years in the industry, handling various roles and working in different environments. It shows recruiters and prospective employers a picture of your career progress and the possible expertise you have built along the way. It must include paid and unpaid roles (internships, if any), full-time and part-time jobs, projects, and any other work arrangement that improved your skills in your profession.

How should you write your esthetician professional experience?

Each job entry should state:

• •Your job titles
• •Detailed roles and responsibilities
• •Description of skills and accomplishments
• •Company name and location
• •Inclusive dates of employment

In writing your professional history, do the following:

• •Use bullet points per job on your resume. This makes your resume concise and easy to scan by recruiters and hiring managers.
• •Three to six bullet points per job is ideal to avoid very long descriptions.
• •Tailor your bullets to the job. If you're applying for multiple esthetician postings, each resume should not look or sound like the others.
• •Present your most recent job. If you're going for the reverse-chronological format, this is the normal way.
• •Start each description with action words to bring life to your entries.
• •Provide context on how you or your team solved clients' skin problems or achieved long-term positive results.
• •Quantify your accomplishments by including percentages, numbers, comparisons, and other measurable factors to highlight your impact and ability to generate positive results.
• •If you have extensive work experience, include roles that go back to 10 to 15 years max. Include a job beyond 15 years only if it is relevant to your application. In a dynamic industry, your older skills may not be as valuable.
• •Be selective in the jobs you include. You don't need to write all the roles you had in the last decade; choose the ones that directly relate to the job you're applying for.
• •Finally, don't highlight gaps in your job history. But be prepared to discuss them in your cover letter or during the job interview.

You may also present your work history and skills according to your level of experience/expertise:

Education

Don't be concerned if this happens to be the shortest section in your resume. As long as your education and training background cover the basic demands of the job, employers will not mind a short section. All they want to know is how you acquired your knowledge and from which institution or trainer; that alone can reveal how much you know.

Most salon chains and esthetic centers require only a license. Estheticians only need to have a high school diploma or GED and proof of completing the required esthetics program of the state, and they are good to go. As you go up the ladder, however, make sure you update this section to reflect recent trainings attended or upskilling activities for new products and techniques.

What information should you include in your esthetician resume?

• •Degree title in relation to skin care, wellness, or beauty
• •Training program completed in line with skin care, wellness, or beauty
• •Name of the institution
• •City and state where you obtained the degree
• •Years of graduation or completion
• •Certifications earned