Your staff team is one of, if not the most critical, elements to your salon’s success. The group of individuals you hire needs to work as a cohesive, motivated, and enthusiastic team. One of the best ways, besides training, to guarantee your salon’s success is to hire the right people.
“Where have all the good therapists gone?”
The question, if asked loud and clear by salon owner and director Sam Pearce at The Potting Shed Spa, is also one that many others ask in silence. So today, we’re going to explore the top salon interview techniques to use when hiring the best candidates.
The Salon Interview: 7 Must-Dos
1. First, A Quick Phone Interview
If you receive an overwhelming number of CVs or applications (which is a good thing, of course), a quick phone interview helps eliminate time-wasters while also positioning your business as a place that doesn’t just hire anyone. Don’t forget, you are looking for the very best candidates possible.
This is also a great opportunity to involve your current team in the process. Perhaps some of your senior staff could conduct initial phone calls to get them involved in the salon’s interviewing process.
2. Always Do Two Rounds Of Interviews Minimum
Partner up with two different people during rounds one and two of the salon interview. Have the second person ask the exact same set of questions and compare the answers from the first and second rounds. If your candidates are bluffing, they will often forget what they said. Some people may become irate when asked the same set of questions repeatedly, but that in itself is a sign that they may not be the right fit.
3. Ask About References
Early on in the interview, ask about their references and the nature of their relationship with them. Doing this will help them understand you are thorough and are here to talk business. Start with their previous experience and make sure you find out the name of the employer who will vouch for them — this will be instrumental later in the salon interview process.
4. Use This One Crucial Series Of Questions
For every job they have on their CV, ask them this thread of questions:
- Who did you report to daily?
- What was their name?
- What will they tell me your strengths and weaknesses are if we reach the reference stage?
Instead of conducting a salon interview where you ask them to list their strengths and weaknesses, make it clear that you will ask someone else. This will encourage honesty.
5. Move The Venue
How about conducting your first salon interview in the salon (a more formal setting) and then moving the second interview to another location altogether (like a coffee shop or a cafe)? Doing this might help candidates relax a bit. If they can, getting to really know them and understanding whether there’s a potential fit with the team will be much easier. Observe the level of effort they put in from one space to another.
6. Give Candidates A Practical Task To Do On The Day
We’ve had multiple salon owners mention that many of today’s candidates lack practical skills. Sam Pearce, from The Potting Shed Spa, was even on our PhorestFM podcast to discuss the current recruitment crisis within the industry. Test that out on the day! If you are hiring for nail services, have them do the nails there and then. Your candidate does hair? Well, you get the idea. Never hire solely on word-of-mouth.
7. Get Their References To Call You!
Would you be willing to call an employer and provide a reference for someone who did a terrible job? Probably not. However, you might go through the motions if someone called you. So, instead of asking for a reference’s details, have the candidate organise a reference to contact you. If they can’t get two references to reach out to you on their behalf, then there’s a good chance something is up.
Once you’re on the phone with one of their references, we recommend you let the referee know that this is strictly confidential and then ask these four questions:
- Could you describe your relationship with the candidate?
- What are the candidate’s strengths?
- What are the candidate’s weaknesses?
- Would you hire this candidate again?
Getting a hire wrong can be detrimental to culture. So if you have concerns or worries about a candidate, this is the time to address them. Remember, you can have fun interviewing people, particularly in the second round.
And there you have it: the 7 concrete salon interview techniques that will ensure you get the very best candidate for your team. But that’s not all! We have even created a step-by-step document for you to print out and leave in your office for the next time you have to go through the salon interview process.
Download Phorest Salon Software’s interview checklist reminder by filling out the form below:
For more great tips, check out our full resource on how to set up, run, and grow a successful salon business.
Originally published in March 2016, this article has been updated to maintain its relevancy in 2017.
