Hiring is a tricky business regardless of industry, and it’s no different for salons. There are countless questions you’ll want to ask yourself beforehand. Does this person fit your culture? Do they know how to best serve your client demographic? Are they licensed? And above all, are they really good at cutting hair?
It’s not a process to take lightly. But here at Rosy, we don’t just make the best salon software. We also know this industry backwards and forwards, and we’re here to help.
Meet the four Cs of salon hiring and firing: Classifieds, Compensation, Culture, and — this is the bad news one — Canning.
Classifieds
The best way to shout “We’re hiring!” to the world.
First and foremost, make sure all serious candidates are licensed. Every customer’s hair and scalp is different, and you want to make sure your stylists have been educated on when and how extra precautions need to be taken.
Next, be up front about the amount of experience you’re looking for and the skills you expect applicants to possess. If there are any unique qualifications (i.e. doing hair for proms, weddings, etc.), make that clear as well.
Post the job on your social media pages and ask your contacts to get the word out. Publish it on your website, send it to local cosmetology schools, and post it on industry job boards.
Pro tip! Don’t immediately turn applicants away simply because they fall short of the desired experience. Applying for a job that’s above your experience range is a sign of confidence, a great quality for a stylist to have. Will these applicants often not be ready for the job? Of course. But will some of them take you by surprise with their enthusiasm and knowledge? You bet your blow dryer they will.
Compensation
The question every applicant asks, every time.
Will the position you’re filling be full-time or part-time? Will it pay hourly? Commissions? Rent-a-booth? Make no mistake: The path to retaining your best stylists starts right here, in the application phase. Be upfront with them about your compensation package, and let them know exactly what they’ll need to do to maximize what they bring in. If you can do that, give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve just shown some love to your salon’s most important investment.
Culture
Finding the right fit.
This tip sounds so easy when you read it in a blog post. “Hire a stylist who fits your salon’s culture.” But when we break it down, it gets a little more difficult. If someone were to ask you about your culture, would you be able to give a dynamite answer?
Before you hire someone new, take a few minutes and write down answers to some of these culture-defining questions.
-What’s your salon’s mission?
-What personality qualities are you looking for in your stylists?
-What professional abilities are you looking for in your stylists?
-Give a detailed description of your client base.
-Does the appearance of your stylists matter to you? If so, what look should they give off? Classic? Edgy? Friendly? Confident?
tl;dr version: Every new hire should make your salon better. Not worse.
Canning
Making the messiest part of your job as clean as possible.
Firing a stylist is hard to do, but if you know in your heart that it’s the right move to make, your salon will benefit greatly from it. Here’s how to do it.
Note: A big thank you to entrepreneur.com, which provided the following advice
- Check your past feedback. If you’ve been giving nothing but raises and praise, a firing will come as a shock. Change your signals to make it clear things have changed.
- Give a warning and 30 days to shape up. Be specific about what you’re unhappy about.
- Focus on specific behavior goals. Let them know what they need to do to save their job.
- Fire early in the week and never on a Friday. A Friday firing is a great way to incite a Monday blowup.
- Make it short, sweet and to the point. Don’t get caught up in emotions. Have a box of Kleenex on hand, have a witness present and be clear and concise.
- Do not let the employee linger. Have them gather their belongings and escort them out.
- Ask for a release, and give the employee an incentive to sign it. This tip is all about covering yourself legally, so read the entrepreneur.com story to determine if it’s right for your salon.
- Reassign the terminated employee’s job duties promptly. Notify your staff of the firing but avoid giving details. Being open with them helps to prevent a rumor mill from developing.
- Get the job done. The only thing worse than firing an employee who will have a meltdown because of it is retaining that employee.
We hope you found this post to be helpful! Best of luck in the hiring process. And if you have any additions or feedback for this story, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
Peggy,
Our apologies. The article is now linked to the blog and you can find the enterprenuer.com story here.