How to hire manicurists and pedicurists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush. • Clean and sanitize tools and work environment. • Maintain supply inventories and records of client services. • Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks. • Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles. • Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs. • Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards. • Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong active listening and speaking skills • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $17.19 an hour ($35,760 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for manicurists and pedicurists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean and sanitize tools and work environment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain supply inventories and records of client services. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What manicurists and pedicurists do
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
- Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
- Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for manicurists and pedicurists
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 3 months (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +9.2% over ten years, much faster than average · about 21,900 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay manicurists and pedicurists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $49,900 |
| Oregon | $46,080 |
| Nevada | $41,880 |
| Missouri | $39,100 |
| Florida | $37,840 |
| Louisiana | $28,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $27,990 |
| Georgia | $26,910 |
See manicurists and pedicurists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
- Skincare Specialists
- Barbers
- Shampooers
- Furniture Finishers
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.