The Post: Owner and Director, The Skin Clinic
The Post Holder: Victoria Shields
From a young age Victoria Shields always had an interest in the beauty industry and skincare and that has guided her career over the years.
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
When I left school, I trained as a beauty therapist at the age of 16. I worked in two amazing salons which taught me so much in just a short few years. The opportunity then arose for me to purchase my own salon in 2006, at the age of 19 and have been self-employed ever since.
Over my career I have progressed from doing beauty therapy to becoming a Skin Specialist over the last eight years. I now fully specialise in treating skin which was really the reason I originally wanted to do beauty therapy all those years ago.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I loved Biology. The human body fascinated me and still does.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I started with doing my Beauty Therapy NVQ level 2 & 3 and I then progressed to do an HND in Beauty and Related Therapies in Belfast Met along with my teaching qualifications. In this industry you simply never stop learning. I have done a lot of skin biology training along with skin nutrition which has been amazing learning experience.
How did you get into your area of work?
I was offered a Saturday job after doing my fourth year work experience in a local beauty salon and the rest is history.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
For pretty much my whole teenage years I knew I wanted to pursue a career in beauty therapy and I was especially fascinated with skincare. All the money I earned working in my local salon was spent buying either make-up or skincare products.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
Much to my career teacher’s dismay the only qualifications I needed were maths and English and it was encouraged to have an interest in science.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
Back when I trained it was a minimum two year NVQ training programme however this industry has changed so much and specialist pathways are now widely available depending on what route you would like to take. This is especially good for those who want to specialise in skincare.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
I feel you must have great communication and interpersonal skills along with a general interest in the wellbeing of others. You also need to be willing to adapt and change as it is such a dynamic work environment with new treatments developing all the time.
What does a typical day entail?
A day in the clinic with clients starts off with checking voicemails and emails and reviewing clients notes or consultation forms for our new customers.
I then usually have six to eight appointments booked in for various skin treatments which means the day goes super quick. Of course, like most businesses we are trying to keep on top of our social media updates in-between and find time for some day-to-day admin also.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
Skin, and the problems it presents, is definitely challenging as no two skins are the same and may require a varied approach to improve them. At the same time this is the best aspect of my job. I get to help people who are challenged with difficult skin concerns such as Acne, Rosacea, Pigmentation and even those who suffer from chronic dry, dull skin.
I love how I get to help people improve their skin, but more importantly seeing how that boosts their confidence is just so rewarding.
Why is what you do important?
I am dealing with one of people’s major insecurities that may have held them back for many years. I love helping people put their best face forward both inside and out. It really does change lives.
How has Covid-19 impacted your business/role?
As one of the longest closed sectors during Covid it was a challenge initially, but we pivoted and adapted to offering online skin consultations and grew our online skincare store.
In February of this year, I opened a dedicated clinic in Newry following a 30 per cent increase in business over the last two years which has included a growth in trade from the Republic of Ireland. So despite the challenges Covid presented, I embraced the changes we had to make which has resulted in being able to grow the business.
What adjustments have you had to make?
At the beginning of Covid, we introduced online consultations, which has been such a great adjustment and something we are continuing to grow. This means for clients who are bound by distance we can still help to share our expertise and knowledge with them and based on the recommendation given we can ship their individuals skincare prescriptions.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
I am such an encourager to those who want to join the beauty and skincare industry. The diversity and variety are immense but don’t be fooled – there is a crazy amount of knowledge and learning to acquire and it never stops so be prepared for the study as well as learning the hands-on treatments too.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
I can’t really answer that question as I never question what I am doing and have never wanted to do anything else. Maybe I will partake in more education in the future.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Take a deep breath and trust yourself more in what you can achieve.
Describe your ideal day off.
With three kids I am not sure what a day off looks like, but I love to head to Belfast for some shopping and rather than a pub crawl I prefer a coffee shop crawl. Belfast really has the best coffee shops.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
I prefer to choose my team based on attitude and nurture the job skills. I think 90% of what we bring to our job each day is our attitude. Hiring this way has brought me some amazing staff members with great team values.
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