Your first year.
What it looks like to start your career at Mark Ryan Salon, from your first day on the floor to the classes, mentors and milestones that come after.
Class with Global Hair Color Educator Monique McMahon
A note from Mark & Ryan
Here, we grow together.
Every stylist and colorist on our floor once stood exactly where you are now: talented, curious, and ready to learn the craft for real.
Education isn't a phase you get through here. It's how we work every day. Our assistants learn side by side with our team, on real clients, guided by educators who want to see them succeed. When one of us grows, all of us do.
Mark & Ryan · Owners
The path
From assistant to the floor.
Every assistant grows at their own pace, with support at every step.
Weeks one & two
Learn the flow
Shadow your trainer, meet the team, and learn how a day here runs.
Year one
Build your foundations
Color fundamentals and the haircutting principles of line, layer and graduation, all practiced on models, plus the consultation skills that build lasting client relationships.
Year two & beyond
Refine and gain confidence
Sharpen your technique and grow your speed as you work toward our standards.
The goal
Earn your place on the floor
Test out of each service and be considered for a role as a stylist or colorist on our team.
Step by step
Your first two weeks.
Color and styling assistants learn side by side. Each step has a trainer by your side and a short check to finish.
Settle in and shadow
Prep for the day, learn our schedules and booking system, and shadow your trainer with clients.
Check · Set up a color tray & styling stationsCare for every guest
Greeting, seating, draping, and our shampoo class: the kind of shampoo guests talk about on the way home.
Check · Role play seating a clientColor room & styling tools
Mixing lightener, color and glosses, developer ratios, styling equipment, extensions and sectioning.
Check · Color room orientation & Q&ABuild your toolkit
Product knowledge, our signature head massage, root dabs, glosses, base breaks and blow dry support.
Check · Shampoo, gloss, base break & blow dryHands on
Your first classes: a single process in color and a blow dry in styling.
Check · A single process & a blow dryHow you'll grow
Practice, feedback, repeat.
You'll practice on models and be evaluated by an educator, and you'll always leave with something to focus on next.
Color
- Single process models: glossing, gray coverage, transformations and reds
- Highlighting in all its elements: hairlines, base breaks, shadowing, painting and foiling
- Foil highlight within 90 minutes, gray coverage within 30
Cutting & styling
- Progress through models and haircuts, beginning with styling
- Blow dry: root control, round brush, smooth and curly textures
- Test out of scissor, razor and barber cuts, bobs, graduated bobs and long layers
Color and haircutting classes happen on Wednesday nights. After each model class your educator checks in on what went well, and along the way you'll sit down with Mark and Nico to talk about your progress and goals.
"I came to Mark Ryan Salon right out of beauty school and was brand new to color. … By the time I was promoted, I felt prepared and confident, but I also knew I had a team around me that I could always turn to for support."
Ricky Brush
Is this you?
What we look for.
Skills can be taught. These are the qualities that help our assistants thrive.
Curiosity
You ask questions and love learning something new.
Reliability
You show up on time, ready and prepared.
Care
You make every guest feel welcome and looked after.
Teamwork
You jump in to help and celebrate others' wins.
Drive
You want to grow, and you'll practice to get there.
Start here
How to join us.
Getting to know each other is simple.
Inquire
Fill out our short form to request an interview.
Meet with us
We'll share more about the program and learn about your interests and goals.
Shadow in the salon
Spend 1 to 2 hours with a senior assistant and get a feel for the flow of the salon.
Here, we grow together.
We'd love to meet you.
Request an interview135 W 20th Street, #400, New York, NY 10011 · @markryansalon
