Published on April 27th, 2023

As a salon owner, finding the right employees is essential to the success of your business. Salon employees, including hair stylists, estheticians, and receptionists, are the face of your salon and play a critical role in providing excellent customer service and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Let's dive into the 10 steps to finding the right salon employees.

1. Hire the Right Consultancy Service

Hiring the right consultancy service can be a valuable asset in the hiring process. A consultancy service can provide guidance on the best practices for finding and hiring the right employees, as well as provide support with the screening and interviewing process.

At Myers & Steele Coaching, we specialize in coaching and mentoring salon owners to help them achieve their goals and create a successful salon business. Here are some reasons why hiring a consultancy service is important:

• Access to industry expertise
• Guidance on best practices
• Assistance with screening and interviewing

2. Define the Job Position

Before you start looking for salon employees, it's essential to have a clear idea of the job position you're hiring for. Consider the specific skills and qualifications required for the position, as well as the experience level and personality traits that would fit well with your salon's culture. Here are some essentials to consider:

• Job title and description
• Required skills and qualifications
• Experience level
• Personality traits

If you're hiring a hair stylist, you might require a cosmetology license, a minimum of two years of experience, excellent communication skills, and a friendly and professional demeanor.

3. Develop a Hiring Strategy

Developing a hiring strategy will help you attract the right candidates for your salon position. Consider the different channels you'll use to promote the job opening, such as social media, job boards, and referrals. Here are some bullet points to consider:

• Job posting channels
• Salary and compensation package
• Interview process
• Screening and hiring criteria

You might choose to post the job opening on popular job boards such as Indeed and LinkedIn and offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Your interview process might include a phone screening, in-person interview, and a skills test.

4. Create a Job Posting

Creating a job posting is your opportunity to showcase your salon and attract top talent. Make sure to highlight the job responsibilities, requirements, and benefits of working for your salon. Here are some essentials to consider:

• Job title and description
• Required qualifications and experience
• Benefits and compensation package
• How to apply

Your hair stylist job posting might include a description of the position, the required cosmetology license and two years of experience, competitive salary and benefits package, and instructions on how to apply.

5. Screen Resumes and Applications

Once you've posted the job opening, you'll start receiving resumes and applications from interested candidates. It's important to screen each one carefully to ensure they meet the requirements for the position. Consider:

• Required qualifications and experience
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail

You might screen resumes and applications for a hair stylist position to ensure the candidate has a cosmetology license, two years of experience, excellent communication skills, and attention to detail.

6. Conduct Phone Interviews

Phone interviews are a great way to screen candidates further and get a sense of their personality and communication skills. Have in mind these steps:

• Screening questions
• Personality and communication skills

During a phone interview for a hair stylist position, you might ask about their experience and ask them to provide examples of challenging client situations they've handled in the past.

7. Schedule In-person Interviews

Once you've narrowed down your candidate pool, it's time to schedule in-person interviews. In-person interviews give you the opportunity to see the candidate's professionalism, appearance, and interpersonal skills. Here are some essentials to consider

• Interview questions
• Appearance and professionalism
• Interpersonal skills

During an in-person interview for a hair stylist position, you might ask about their favorite haircuts to do and ask them to demonstrate their cutting and styling skills.

8. Check References

Checking references is an important step in the hiring process to ensure that the candidate has a positive track record in their previous positions. Here are some bullet points to consider:

• Contacting references
• Questions to ask references

When checking references for a hair stylist position, you might ask about their technical skills, customer service abilities, and work ethic.

9. Make an Offer

Once you've identified the right candidate, it's time to make an offer. Make sure to discuss the details of the job, including salary, benefits, and start date. Here are some keys to have in mind:

• Offer details
• Start date
• Onboarding process

When making an offer for a hair stylist position, you might discuss the salary and benefits package, start date, and provide information about the salon's onboarding process.

10. Train and Onboard

Once you've hired a new salon employee, it's important to provide them with the necessary training and onboarding to ensure they're set up for success. Considere the following steps:

• Training program
• Salon policies and procedures
• Mentorship and coaching

You might provide a hair stylist with a comprehensive training program that covers the salon's policies and procedures, technical skills, and customer service training. You might also assign a mentor to help them get acclimated to the salon.

Ready to Hire Your Future Team?

In conclusion, finding the right salon employees takes time, effort, and a strategic approach. By following the 10 steps outlined in this guide, you can attract and hire top talent for your salon.

At Myers & Steele Coaching, we believe in mentoring salon owners with mindset and business systems so they can define their own meaning of success while living a positive work-life balance to dream, create, and succeed. And our customers love our coaching services! If you're looking for additional guidance and support with hiring salon employees, reach out to us at [email protected] .