A Guide To Hiring The Right People For Your Salon

Can we all agree that hiring a new team member is just plain stressful? As if you don’t have enough on your to-do list, now you have to find time to share a job posting, go through resumés AND interview people. Oh, and they need to perfectly fit in with your salon culture, too. Feeling overwhelmed? Millennium Systems International Senior Learning Specialist Ruth Gonzalez (@__rfgonzalez) can help.

During her class at The Millennium Experience 2018, she broke down the hiring process to make it more manageable for salon owners looking to achieve #squadgoals status. Take a deep breath, then keep reading for Ruth’s guide to finding your dream team.

1. Turnover Isn’t Necessarily A Bad Thing

Stay with us here. Ruth says you first need to come to terms with the fact that turnover is really an opportunity to rediscover where you/your salon are headed and where you want to be in the next 10 years. She dealt with a lot of turnover at the front desk but she never would have realized it’s a two person job if she had not lost her current employee.

2. Evaluate Your Business

Before you post a job description to your Insta, this is a perfect time to think about where you want to be in 10 years. Not only will it guide some of the questions you ask later in interviews but it’ll give you a good idea of the type of stylists you want to hire. I.e. If you plan to one day expand your services and bring on an esthetician, you’ll want to find someone who is growth focused, goal-oriented and can adapt with your salon.

Related question to ask during the interview: This is my vision for my business in the next 10 to 15 years—what can you do to support us?

3. Write A Detailed Job Description

The job description that you share to job boards will set the tone for the hiring process. Know this: The candidates you attract will only be as strong as your job description. Consider the title, description, minimum requirements and preferred requirements. Here’s an example: 

4. Get The Word Out

“Brand reputation is the best form of recruiting,” shares Ruth. Here are a couple different ways to let people know that you’re hiring:

• Tell your clients—Not only will they pass it on to their friends and family but Ruth says three of her best front desk employees were clients of the salon.

• Share your job description to both Facebook and Instagram.

• Post it to job boards as well, like BTC’s job board.

• Send your service providers to local cosmetology schools—It gives your employees training experience AND it helps build a relationship with students in the area.

5. The Interview

Finding time is the hardest thing so book yourself out and set a time to go over resumés, but know that in-person interviews are more than determing who will best fit your salon culture. It’s also an opportunity to sell your business to each interviewee. How can you do that? Give them a tour of your salon, conduct a shadow interview—have them shadow one of your stylists for a period of time to get a feel of a typical day at the salon—and allow other stylists to sit in so they can get a feel for each candidate.

Pro Tip: When hiring a front desk employee, always conduct an interview over the phone first because if you have a horrible experience talking to them, so will anyone who calls your salon.

6. Ask The Right Questions

You’ve spent so much time prepping for the hiring process, so don’t give up right before you cross the finish line. Asking the right questions is crucial to figuring out which candidate will be the best fit for your salon. Completely lost at this stage? We got you. Click here to access Ruth’s hiring questionnaire worksheet!