Explore our salon interview techniques to help you identify top talent, ask the right questions and hire the best team members possible.
The best salon interview techniques focus on communication skills, technical ability, professionalism, and how well candidates fit your salon culture. Strong interviews usually combine practical questions with real examples of client handling and teamwork. Structured interviews and practical assessments often lead to better long-term hiring decisions.
Hiring new people is scary!
And not to mention super complicated.
Trying to weed out the genuine people from those who will say anything to get the job is no easy task – but it can be done. Read on to find out how to conduct interviews for maximum success and minimum wasted time.
When you first put out a call for CVs, you can guarantee your inbox will be quickly flooded. You’ll soon learn that the majority haven’t even read the job description, so you’ll want to sift through them quickly.
Follow your instincts and whittle your list down to 10-15 people. A quick call will reveal if these people are serious about the job opportunity.
Make it clear from the first call that you are serious about finding the right person for the job and explain that it will be a two-part interview process.
Some people will drop out at this stage. Thank goodness! Your list will now be shorter, but you’re getting closer to your goal.
It’s normal to have the first interview with one person and the second interview with another person. Tell the candidate that it’s important that you find the right culture fit, and that they need to meet with a few people in the business.
Decide on a few core interview questions that you will both ask. If a candidate is exaggerating their skills they will struggle to come up with the same answers twice, so you’ve instantly removed the chance of hiring someone who is not up to par.
References should be part of the conversation from the very beginning. A qualified candidate should be able to provide two strong references with ease.
If their current employer doesn’t know they are looking for work, this is fine. But if the candidate then tells you they plan to leave without giving notice, that should raise eyebrows. Are they going to do the same thing to you in 6 months time?
You might not get an honest representation of a person if they are nervous. This is why it helps to move the interview setting for the second round. Hold your first interview somewhere formal, and then move to an informal setting for round two.
A relaxed candidate is more likely to be open and honest and you’ll get a better idea of who they really are.
A person who is really hungry for the role and good at what they do will JUMP at the chance to show off. Put them on the spot and ask them to show you their skills. A portfolio is a nice touch, but never hire someone without seeing them in action first.
It’s your reputation and business they will be representing!
Ask their references similar questions to the candidate. Do their answers match up? This interview technique can be very revealing.
Ask the references the following:
Remember that it isn’t all about you. A lot of salon owners grill their candidates to weed out the best ones, but then completely put them off with their interview technique. The interview process is a two-way street, so you should also be open and really sell the perks of your salon.
By the end of the process, you should have a shortlist of candidates who are excited at the prospect of joining your team.
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