Is this a good deal for a new barber?

I went to barber school and finished about three months ago. This place wants to hire independent contractors, but also sets the prices for work. For example, if you have a crew cut and just need it touched up with electric clippers, that's $8. Regular hair cut is $12. Shampoo, cut and blow dry is $16. A beard trim or shave is $8. Manicure is $10 and so on.

The prices are moderate to low. They claim to have a high volume. To work there, you have to hand over 50% of your sales (they don't touch your tips) and you have to supply all your own equipment, towels, shampoo, etc. They want you to gurantee them $400 per week, which means $800 is work or 67 men's hair cuts at $12.

This is an "old school" mens barber shop. No women customers. Most workers are old pros who can do your hair with mostly clippers and little if any shears in about 10 minutes or less.

I don't have that experience and can't work that fast. I don't want to get fired after my 1st week. Does this seem like a good deal?

Is this a good deal for a new barber?

Sounds like a good way to gain some experience, and then move on if something better comes along. I know a lot of people who work this way, contracting the space and so on. It seems to be an industry standard.

If they actually have a contract, read it thoroughly before signing it, and if there's a stipulation about paying them out-of-pocket if 50% of your sales don't come to the $400, you can reconsider.

I'd look around a bit, first, to see if I could find a better deal and if not go ahead and go for it. If I figure it right, that's about 12 to 14 haircuts a day, five days per week. You may have to work longer hours at first to get the number of cuts you'll need, but after a few months, it'll be old hat to you. Just get there a little early, take half an hour for lunch and plan to stay a bit late if you need to.

The main thing, at first, will be getting good cuts. The more you do, the faster you'll get at it, so don't let that bother you. The better the guys' hair looks, the more pleased they'll be and the better tips you'll get... which will be even better. You'll have people coming in asking for you to do their haircuts and then you'll have a regular clientele that may actually follow you if you were to go someplace else in say, a year or so... if you decide to. You'll get the hang of doing it faster over time, and then you'll be able to make some good money and be doing what you like at the same time.

Is this a good deal for a new barber?

I don't think it sounds like a good deal at all. That is a huge amount of volume and pressure on you to be sure you find clients. My daughter just finished her apprenticeship in hairstyling, worked for $10/hr plus tips through the apprenticeship. Once you are on the floor, it works out to nearly $39/hr and she supplies only her scissors, blow dryer and trimmers which she got in hair school. If you really sit down and do the math, once you factor in your supplies, you are making next to nothing with this deal. I think you can find much better. If you work in a higher end shop, they will supply everything and teach you as well. I think it's more about personality and style than speed, which is the only way to earn anything in the shop you described.

Keep looking for something better.