Hiring the right staff is crucial to the success of any salon. Whether you're looking for hairdressers, estheticians, or nail technicians, it's important to find employees who are friendly, reliable, and knowledgeable about the services you offer. Asking the right questions during interviews is essential to finding the best candidates for the job.
In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about interviewing salon staff, including key aspects to consider when selecting the ideal employee and a comprehensive list of interview questions. We'll also provide tips on accessing a candidate's skills and experiences to ensure you make the best hiring decision for your business.
Key Aspects to Consider When Selecting the Ideal Employee
When selecting the ideal employee for your salon, there are several key aspects to consider:
- Relevant experience and training
- Certifications related to beauty services (if applicable)
- Knowledge of salon products, services, and pricing
- Excellent customer service skills
- Positive attitude and work ethic
- Ability to handle difficult customers or stressful situations appropriately
- Commitment to providing excellent customer service
- Availability to work nights, weekends, holidays, etc. if required
- Willingness to stay in the position for a long period of time
- Flexibility in terms of hours worked each week and days
List of Salon Staff Interview Questions
Here are some of the top questions you should consider when interviewing salon staff:
Questions about their experience and background:
- How long have you been working in a salon environment?
- What education or training do you have that is relevant to this position?
- Do you have any certifications related to beauty services?
- Describe your experience with customer service in a salon setting.
- What other work experience do you have that would be beneficial to this role?
- How familiar are you with our products, services, and pricing?
Questions about their attitude and work ethic:
- How do you handle demanding customers or stressful situations?
- What would you do if a customer is unsatisfied with the service they received?
- How important is teamwork to you in doing your job successfully?
- Do you have any suggestions for how we can improve our customer experience?
- How do you handle conflicts or disagreements with co-workers or customers?
- What strategies do you use to stay motivated and productive on the job?
Questions about their commitment and availability:
- Are you available to work nights, weekends, holidays, etc.?
- How long are you willing to commit to this position?
- Are there any days/times that are off-limits due to personal commitments (i.e. school, family obligations, etc.)?
- Do you have any other positions or duties outside of this role?
- What hours are you comfortable working each week?
- Are there any days/times that would be difficult for you to work?
- Would you be willing to travel for business (if applicable)?
How to Assess a Candidate's Skills and Experience
Review the Resume and Cover Letter:
Before the interview, take time to review the candidate's resume and cover letter. Look for relevant experience and qualifications that align with the position. Assess the time they spent in each role, their achievements and responsibilities, and their education and certifications.
Questions about their attitude and work ethic:
Ask open-ended questions that give the candidate a chance to talk about their experience and how it relates to the position. These types of questions also help you to get to know the candidate better. Consider asking questions like:
- What motivated you to apply for this position?
- What have you learned from your previous roles that would be applicable to this position?
- What do you consider your biggest achievement in your career so far?
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult client or situation.
Use Behavioral Questions:
Behavioral questions are designed to assess how a candidate has acted in specific situations in the past. They are a good indicator of how they are likely to behave in similar situations in the future. Behavioral questions can include:
- Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult co-worker or boss.
- Describe a situation where you went above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service.
- Have you ever had to handle an angry customer? How did you handle the situation?
- How do you handle high-pressure situations or tight deadlines?
Skill Assessments:
Skill assessments are tasks or assignments that you give to the candidate to test their abilities in a particular area. They can be especially useful for technical or specialized roles. For example, you could ask a hair stylist candidate to style a client's hair or a nail technician candidate to perform a certain type of manicure.
Hiring the right staff is crucial to the success of any salon. Using the right interview questions and assessment techniques will help you find the best candidates for the job. Assessing their experience, attitude, work ethic, and commitment will give you a good idea of whether they are a good fit for your salon.