Fingernail Technician Career

*A job as a Fingernail Technician falls under the broader career category of Manicurists and Pedicurists. The information on this page will generally apply to all careers in this category but may not specifically apply to this career title.

Job Description for Manicurists and Pedicurists : Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.


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Manicurists and Pedicurist Career

What Manicurists and Pedicurists do:

  • Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
  • Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
  • Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
  • Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
  • Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
  • Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
  • Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
  • Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
  • Promote and sell nail care products.
  • Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails.
  • Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
  • Polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer.
  • Treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping.
  • Schedule client appointments and accept payments.
  • Decorate clients' nails by piercing or attaching ornaments or designs.
  • Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
  • Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
  • Whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencils.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Holland Code Chart for a Manicurists and Pedicurist