by Jennifer Barbero

 I remember when I was still in the Praga Academy in Madrid studying hair-styling in 2009. My course was ending in one month and the academy gave the students some directions for job interviews.

I did one interview. The salon boss was looking for a person with 2 years of experience who could stay alone in the salon.  Because of my young age and limited experience in the academy, he told me to please give my phone number to him.  He liked how I completed the test, and if he could not find someone better, he would give me a call.

After that, I waited for my next interview from the academy.  Then, on a website, my father found a new hair salon that needed new hair-stylists.  I called the number and the woman arranged an interview date with me in a bar because the salon was not finished.

She was young, around 30 years old, and we got a good feeling in the first interview. She told me at the same moment that I was very near the qualifications she was looking for and I felt so happy. After two days she called me, and then I started working 15 days after this call.

I learned more things from her than I learned in the academy. And there was my first contact with different products. Some of them were totally different than what I usually used in the academy, so for me it was so great to learn different methods in using products and how to cut hair.

Of course, you learn techniques in the academy but you really learn when you practice.  You learn more when you look at different people because each person, after years of experience, has different methods. So I tried to learn everything from her. At first, my schedule was to work 40 hours per week.  After two years, the economy got worse so my boss needed to reduce my schedule. I accepted because I understood what was happening.
Two years passed and I decided to come to New York and live with my husband. Three months after I started working,  the boss from my first interview called me, asking if I want to work with him.  But I said, “Sorry. I am actually working.”

That was my first job experience.

Jennifer B.G. , age 25 , is from Madrid, Spain. She traveled to New York in 2011.  She is studying English in her English class at the Harlem Library with her teacher Myrna Holguin and waiting for her green card.   She is looking for work and lives happily with her husband in New York.  Jennifer writes, ” I lost my mom at a young age and learned that you only have one life so enjoy it! Your moment is NOW!  It’s never too late to be happy!”