PAULINE HOUSE
HAIRDRESSER / COLOUR ANALYST / PARTY PLAN DISTRIBUTOR
When she knew that a life on the move was imminent, Pauline chose her career very carefully and retrained.
CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONALAGE: 37
STATUS: Married
CHILDREN: One
COUNTRIES OF RESIDENCE: British born moving to Houston in the USA, then first Oslo then Stavanger in Norway before returning to Britain in late 1996.
NUMBER OF MOBILE YEARS: 8
WORK
ORIGINAL CAREER: Quantity Surveyor
CURRENT EARNING POTENTIAL: Varies tremendously.
BRIEF EMPLOYMENT DETAILS ABROAD: I retrained in hairdressing prior to moving abroad in 1989. I added colour and style analysis and marketing jewellery along the way.
CAREER PATH
HIGHER EDUCATION: Two year course in Business Studies.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: Six month intensive course in Hairdressing. Colour Analysis and Style course taken in Oslo.
INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY JOANNA PARFITT
JP: You seem to wear a lot of hats. What made you choose such varied activities and to combine them?PH: Hairdressing was a conscious choice as I am a creative person and knew that this would be perfect in an expatriate environment. I was growing tired of an office environment too. The colour and style analysis was an accident really. I saw someone demonstrating 'Beauty for All Seasons' in an Oslo shopping centre. We got chatting and I asked her where she trained. I actually took the certification course in Oslo. I found out about Cabouchon jewellery by chance and it seemed like a good idea. All three activities work well in an international community and allow me flexibility and variety.
JP: Do you manage to do them all well?
PH: Obviously it depends how much time I have to spare. I can always be as busy as I like. I am always in demand. But as a mother, and with regular moves it is hard to do them all properly and to real financial advantage.
JP: How successful are you?
PH: Not as successful as I would be with children in full time school!
JP: What personal skills do you feel have attributed to your success?
PH: My social skills. I love communicating with people.
JP: How have you marketed your skills in each new location?
PH: Word of mouth, recommendations and advertising where and when possible. I join or start toddler groups, go to the company spouses' association functions and am generally as sociable as possible.
JP: Where did you advertise?
PH: School magazines, Wives Club newsletters, my husband's company spouse's magazine. Free newsletters really.
JP: Why add Cabouchon to your list of careers?
PH: When I already had people coming to the house to have their hair done I had a captive audience for the jewellery products.
JP: What do you think about party plan as a career option for an expatriate wife?
PH: Many network marketing schemes such as this give their distributors no set monthly targets. This gives greater flexibility. You sell products at the usual retail price but you buy them from the manufacturer at discount. The discount increases as you sell more products. The way to really make money is to recruit more distributors yourself and build up a team. In that way you make a commission from what is called your 'downline' too. Cabouchon is a good choice of party plan product because jewellery is relatively easy to post. It is also quite affordable. By inviting people to host parties in their homes you help to add to the social scene. Generally expatriates have a bit of spare cash too. There are lots of other network marketing schemes around. Books, make-up, children's party goods, clothes and educational products.
JP: Did you need to learn Norwegian to help you in your work?
PH: No. My clients were nearly all on the international circuit.
JP: What do you feel are the disadvantages of such a career as an expatriate?
PH: None. Except that losing clients and having to be constantly on top of finding new ones is a pain.
JP: That's positive! Tell me about the benefits then.
PH: I lose the irritating clients too! But seriously, as a foreigner in the States my clients considered I would be better than an American hairdresser simply because I was European. In Norway most of my clients came from my husband's company. Women hate having to change their hairdresser each time they move, at least with me being English they knew I would understand what they wanted.
JP: So, you think that hairdressing is a perfect portable career?
PH: Yes. Even if you don't want to do it commercially it is great to be able to trim children's hair, and your husbands. In Norway it cost an arm and a leg in the local salons.
JP: So did you charge half an arm and a leg?
PH: Unfortunately I was always expected to be cheaper than the salons. I always undercharge. It's in my nature. I find it hard to take money from clients - but that's my problem.
JP: Did that stop it from being worth your while?
PH: I chose to earn enough money for childcare and cleaning while I was working. In Norway help in the house comes expensive so I would just about break even. However, in the States I worked in a salon for a while which was more lucrative.
JP: What is the best aspect of your work?
PH: Meeting people and making them look better and feel better about themselves. Each area of my work is related to this.
JP: You are already very versatile. Is there any other area you would consider exploring for yet another career?
PH: I'd like to think about fitness instruction and other areas of health care.
JP: Do you find hairdressing as fulfilling as office work?
PH: Yes. Office work burned me out.
JP: Which aspects of your work do you enjoy most?
PH: The social and artistic sides. All of my careers offer both.
JP: What is the minimum qualification expected of a hairdresser?
PH: A Hair and Beauty Diploma.b JP: Has your work opened any other areas for you? Not that you need any more opportunities I'm sure.B PH: I have done general make-up and makeovers and even did stage make-up for an amateur pantomime.
JP: Could you have undergone your hairdressing training while abroad?
PH: I don't think so. There was certainly no back-up training or refresher courses abroad. I know many salon-employed British trained hairdressers who would return to London every year for a course.
JP: Do you find time for any hobbies?
PH: I find watercolour very relaxing and a way to express myself.
JP: More creativity?
PH: Absolutely.
JP: How has your portable career affected your personality?
PH: Many expatriate wives lose their identity and self-confidence when they go round the world. Many lose the same when they have children. But for the trailing spouse they often have both of these to contend with. I have never suffered from this because I have always known that I could do something for myself, however small.
JP: How do your career prospects change when you are back in England?
PH: Not at all. I am at no disadvantage in any country. However in England people are generally not so well off financially.
JP: How has your time abroad affected you?
PH: I make friends quickly and all the responsibilities of moving around have got me used to having little spare time. This has forced me to knuckle down straight away and get cracking.
JP: How does it feel to be back in England? Back home?
PH: People are more reserved. It takes weeks to be invited into someone's home for a cuppa.
JP: How have your dreams changed since going abroad?
PH: Motherhood puts everything in slow motion but I still see a career in beauty.
JP: What effect have the people you have met had on your professional life?
PH: I am always affected by the people around me. Highly motivated people make me pull my socks up. Easy going people make me relax.
JP: What advice would you give to anyone thinking of adopting careers in hairdressing, party plan or colour analysis? PH: Go for it!
Colour and Style Analysis Companies
Beauty for All Seasons
PO Box 51810
Idaho Falls
Idaho 83405-1810
USA
Email: help@bfas.com
Colour Me Beautiful
Freepost
London
SW8 3NS
Tel: (44) (0)171 627 5211
Colour Me Beautiful Books
Published by Judy Piatkus
5 Windmill StreetB London
W1P 1HF
Hairdressing Schools
Hairdressing Training Board
Silver House
17 Silver Street
Doncaster
DN1 1HG
Tel: (44) (0)1302 342837
Here are some Party Plan Ideas
Cabouchon Ltd
14-22 Howie Street
Battersea
London
SW11 4AR
Tel: 0044-(0)171-924 2000
Fax: 0044-(0)171 738 2099
Dorling Kindersley Family Learning Ltd
1 Horsham Gates
North Street
Horsham
W Sussex
RH13 5PJ
Tel: (44) (0)1403 833 200
Fax: (44) (0)1403 274 476
The Tupperware Company
Chaplin House
Widewater Place
Moorhall Road
Harefield
Uxbridge
Middx
UB9 6NS
Tel: (44) (0)1895 826400
Fax: (44) (0)1895 826458
Avon Cosmetics Ltd
Nunn Mills Road
Northampton
NN1 5PA
Tel: (44) (0)1604 232425
Fax: (44) (0)1604 233880
Ann Summers Ltd
Godoline House
2 godstone Road
Whyteleafe
Surrey
CR3 0EA
Tel: (44) (0)181 660 0102
Fax: (44) (0)181 660 8958
Usborne Books at Home
Unit B
Oasis Park
Whitney
Oxon
OX8 1TU
Tel: (0)1865 88731
Fax: (44) (0)1865 883759
Organisations
Direct Selling Association
29 Floral Street
London
WC2E 9DP
Tel: (44) (0)171 497 1234
British Direct Marketing Association
1 New Oxford Street
Lndon
WC1
Tel: (44) (0)171 24
Contact Jo Parfitt: Generaal Spoorlaan 24, 2252 TA, Voorschoten, Netherlands - Tel: +31 (0)71 561 6857 - www.expatrollercoaster.com