What job does your wife has?

[Tuanv 2]

My wife is training to be a hairstylist. What job does your wife has?

[luckytxn 2,264]

My wife is a hair stylist too. Imagine that.

[Amy and Nick 37]

Im the wife and im one of those annoying people who calls you up and tries to sell you stuff over the phone (Sorry!)

Not for much longer though, I hope to teach when I finally get to the US!

[Tuanv 2]

Im the wife and im one of those annoying people who calls you up and tries to sell you stuff over the phone (Sorry!)

Not for much longer though, I hope to teach when I finally get to the US!

I don't mind people calling me to sell stuff but sometime people call me in the middle of the night

My wife wants to get into teaching too but it will be a while.

[Pohtaytoh 0]

Mine is considering nailtech or hairstylist

[Kevin and 10]

What's with all the hair stylists and nail techs? Tuyen also said something about doing hair and she learned nails in VN. Do all VN women have some genetic disposition to get into these two professions?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

What's with all the hair stylists and nail techs? Tuyen also said something about doing hair and she learned nails in VN. Do all VN women have some genetic disposition to get into these two professions?

In every country there is a popular perception of what it takes to be successful in the US. In VN, everyone thinks you need to have a nail or hair salon. Most of the nail salons in Northern California are owned and staffed by VN girls.

Check out the employment terms before you let your wife decide to work in a salon. Many of the salons around here don't pay wages. The girls are contractors rather than employees. The shop keeps the entire fee, and the girls only keep the tips. They often have to pay rental for their station out of their tips. There's not much the girls can do about it because there's a glut of qualified girls to staff the shops. If they complain then they'll get canned and replaced in the same day. The situation may not be the same in other parts of the US, but in Northern California there are at least 5 qualified VN girls wanting to work in a salon for every available job, and there are far too many salons. Many new salons go out of business within a year.

[MalaysianGirl 26]

Most of the nail salons in Northern California are owned and staffed by VN girls.

Not only are there many Vietnamese girls who work in nail salons in the US (I've been to two nail salons in Iowa and yeah, they are definitely owned by Vietnamese people), but there are also MANY Vietnamese girls who work in nail salons in Malaysia and Singapore. I've seen them with my own eyes when I visited the nail salons there. I bet it's the same in other countries too I think it's too funny and cute!

[Dau Que 6]

What's with all the hair stylists and nail techs? Tuyen also said something about doing hair and she learned nails in VN. Do all VN women have some genetic disposition to get into these two professions?

Language barrier. Most don't have sufficient English going to college and/or technical schools for professional jobs. Furthermore, most like the "quick" way to make money. It's true that most nail salon owners drive Lexus, live in 3000 square feet houses. But they do forget other "important" aspects in their lives such as their long term health, family time (I can't tell you how many people I personally know that have husbands going back to VN and cheated because their wives are too busy with their nail salon biz, and their kids don't do very well in school because their parents barely afford any free time with their children)

Money is needed to pay bills, but it shouldn't be on top of your list. People first, then money, then things (Suze Orman)

[hniHnitsuJ 8]

What's with all the hair stylists and nail techs? Tuyen also said something about doing hair and she learned nails in VN. Do all VN women have some genetic disposition to get into these two professions?

60% or more of nails techs, or owners in US is coming from California. Special from OC (Orange County) So. CAL. VNESE girls are easy to find school here, with a decent price for beauty college. Here are the few school in OC.

Asian-American Beauty College

Advance Beauty College

Kim Anh Academy of Beauty

Thanh Le College, School of Cosmetology

Glamour Beauty College

Paris Beauty College

[luckytxn 2,264]

There is a glut of hair stylists for sure. We are now training a 3rd and 4th girl and others want to come to work for us. We are planning on opening a couple more places in the next 5+ years but it takes time. If one goes to the Texas licensing websites then they will see that over half are just VN. Also out of 5 salons in our area we opened up that 3 have closed and my goal is to have the other two close by this time next year.

[vietazn 1]

In every country there is a popular perception of what it takes to be successful in the US. In VN, everyone thinks you need to have a nail or hair salon. Most of the nail salons in Northern California are owned and staffed by VN girls.

Check out the employment terms before you let your wife decide to work in a salon. Many of the salons around here don't pay wages. The girls are contractors rather than employees. The shop keeps the entire fee, and the girls only keep the tips. They often have to pay rental for their station out of their tips. There's not much the girls can do about it because there's a glut of qualified girls to staff the shops. If they complain then they'll get canned and replaced in the same day. The situation may not be the same in other parts of the US, but in Northern California there are at least 5 qualified VN girls wanting to work in a salon for every available job, and there are far too many salons. Many new salons go out of business within a year.

More like check out the health hazards of nails before joining.

[VinhBao MyTam 3]

Actually it's not just VNese. It seems that most immigrant communities 'specialize' in something. For VNese it just happens to be nails. There are health issues.

I can attest that in Massachusetts & North Carolina, it is not as 'unfair' as described by Jim in N. California. Actually there are too many workers right now, but the standard is a % for the worker + the tips. Something around 40%-60% to the worker depending on the shop (malls for example have higher rent so pay out a lower % but there is more volume)

My fiancee has been trained as a teacher and has taught and was even principal of a private school. She has also worked quite a bit in human resources. I am a little bit concerned about how quickly/easily she would be able to transition to one of the careers over here... though her English is really good. I'm thinking maybe she could start out working in a private Christian school here while working on licensure.

I think I'd work in a nail salon before she does :-) but she is prepared to work her way up to her profession if necessary.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My wife just picked up a part time job today... teaching Vietnamese to kids of Viet Kieu!

She was an elementary school teacher in VN, and she really misses it. She's been bummed because it's going to take years to get her teaching credential here.

There's a VN Buddhist temple in our town, and she goes every Sunday. She's been teaching Vietnamese to kids there every week. One of the other teachers was impressed, and offered her a job tutoring some Viet Kieu kids on weekday afternoons. She's really happy!

[VinhBao MyTam 3]

But how will these kid's parents feel when they come home speaking with a Hue accent? It's very hard for even Viet ppl to understand. (Hue is my favorite city in VN)

Oh, and congratulations to her!

Edited January 26, 2011 by VinhBao MyTam