Each week we explain the ins and outs of a job. Today, the beauty business

What sort of talents and qualities will I need?No matter what area of the beauty industry you want to work in, you need to like working with people. An ability to listen and to understand what a client wants is a must. Jobs tend to be active and can be strenuous, so couch potatoes should not apply. For those interested in beauty therapy, an interest in biology and chemistry is useful. Beauty consultants and make-up artists should keep up with the latest styles and trends, and beauty consultants shouldn't be afraid of selling their products.

What are my options?A beauty therapist gives treatments and advice to clients that can improve both appearance and general well-being. A beauty therapist will often take a client in for a consultation, then work on all parts of the body, from make-up and facials to massage and electrical treatments. Beauty consultants and make-up artists work at the fashion end of the industry. There can be some overlap, in that beauty consultants will sometimes be asked to give a client a makeover. Consultants work at the cosmetics counter of a department store or chemist, selling and demonstrating cosmetics. Make-up artists work in film, television, on fashion shoots or in the growing wedding and occasions business. A make-up artist working on a film deals with everything from establishing the style of the make-up to be used to sticking within a budget.

What Leaving Cert subjects should I be thinking about?Biology and chemistry can come in handy for make-up artists, as well as for beauticians and beauty therapists. For beauty consultants, it is also important to be reasonable at maths, as you will be handling large amounts of money.

What courses are available?Entry to beauty therapy is normally through one of the colleges of further education or through a fee-paying private college. Private courses, which vary in length and content, lead to one of several qualifications, such as the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology's beautician's diploma or the Comité International d'Esthétiques et de Cosmétologie's beautician certificate. It is crucial to check the qualifications available against those required here.

Stores and cosmetics companies prefer employees to have backgrounds in beauty, and some beauty-therapy courses have a consultant module. The stores often train in-house, especially for the sales aspect of the work.

There are a huge number of further-education courses for those who want to learn more about make-up. It's a good idea if you are interested in film and television to specialise in these areas while gaining as much experience as possible in short films and theatrical productions. The Institute of Art, Design & Technology, in Dún Laoghaire, has a course in make-up for film, television and theatre.

How can I find out more?For a full list of courses, see www.qualifax.ie; www.careerdirections.ie is an excellent site, run by Fás, with huge amounts of information on all sorts of careers.