One way to maintain an upbeat, excited attitude about choosing grooming as a career is to dream up and work towards achieving new goals. Doing so can cancel out the drudgery of day-to-day work patterns and habits and give us something to look forward to with happy anticipation.
Here are some examples of things groomers set their sights on and pursue that make life more exciting and have career-building payoffs.
- Become certified in pet first aid and CPR. Several organizations offer training; some are online, and some are in person. If possible, take an in-person class; the hands-on lessons are helpful. The things you learn could save the life of a pet in your care, and your customers will feel good knowing you have these skills. Hanging the certificate of certification in your workplace will feel good! Check out https://pettech.net/ for information from a well-respected organization.
- Attending a pet grooming trade show with seminars. There is nothing like meeting like-minded people, attending classes to learn new skills, and seeing, holding, and trying the tools of the trade to get your creative energy flowing. There are trade shows held all over the country.
- Take an online class. Or six. You can find online seminars that will teach you specific techniques, such as how to card out the jacket on a sporting breed or help you learn better ways to approach customer service and everything in between. And you can do it all from the comfort of your sofa, wearing pajamas. One good source is https://www.facebook.com/PawsitiveEducationalTraining
- Tune into grooming educational podcasts while you work. You can combine noise-canceling headphones that save your ears from the high-velocity dryer with listening to podcasts that will teach you things and often make you laugh simultaneously. One popular place to start is https://www.facebook.com/thegroompod
- Upgrade your workspace. Look around. Is where you work a place you enjoy spending time in? If not, how can you change that? Do you need better tool storage? Would a coat of paint brighten things up? Maybe just decluttering and deep cleaning would make it more pleasant. Since many of us spend most of our day at work, making your surroundings comfortable and enjoyable is essential.
- Upgrading your equipment. Grooming is hard work but much easier with the right tools. Consider setting a goal to save your tip money for an electric table or an excellent bathing or vacuum system.
- Planning a vacation. Put a picture that epitomizes your dream trip on your tip jar and save every penny for a trip. Imagine sinking your toes in the sand on a Florida beach or hiking a trail in Maine on a perfect fall day. Anticipating such a trip can be a lot of fun.
Setting groomer goals can be a fun, effective way to keep you feeling upbeat about work as you incorporate your ideas and move forward to accomplish something new.
