At this time of year, we are getting ready to gear up for the busy season and for most salon operators, this means hiring more staff. A question I am always asked is, “What are some good interview questions?”
By no means am I claiming to be an expert in this field; I recommend and have used these interview questions and included some “Good” and “Bad” answers.
1. Why do you want to work in a tanning salon?
The Good – They mention helping people reach goals, working as a team, making people feel better about themselves or a positive experience they had with indoor tanning, etc.
The Bad – “I love tanning!” (Well, duh! We all do!) When a candidate says this, I typically cringe. The job you are hiring for does not include putting on lotion and laying down for 12 minutes! It involves cleaning, sales, varied hours, product and equipment knowledge, etc.
“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz
2. What do you think about your previous boss?
The Good – “He/she taught me time management, compassion, goal setting, etc.” A potential candidate should point out positives and what they learned instead of trash-talking, no matter how hard they were to work for.
The Bad – “They expected me to clean and they didn’t clean.” “She was _____ which is why I quit.” Any negative comment about a previous employer should be a red flag, because remember: you, the interviewer, will one day also be their previous employer and you wouldn’t want them bad-mouthing you and or your company.
3. This job requires three key elements: cleaning, sales and a varied work schedule. Which of these things do you foresee as most challenging?
The Good – Of course, we would like their answer to be “None of these are an issue!” I like this question because it bluntly explains the most common complaints about the job. A good answer would refer to the varied schedule, which would ideally be followed by “full open availability.” In most cases, they will need to plan around school or at least know their schedule in advance.
The Bad – “I’m not good at sales” or “I don’t like to clean.” This (for me) is the deal-breaker! The job is to sell and if your staff are scared to talk to guests or too lazy to follow their cleaning lists, they’re probably not the right fit for your salon.
4. Can you take something out of your purse and sell it to me?
*NOTE: I feel as though this single question can gauge whether a person can go off the cuff and sell with confidence, or freeze up in sales situations. Whatever the item is in their purse or pocket, they bought it – so they should be able to tell you why!
The Good – “This lip gloss is amazing! The color is so rich, it lasts all day and comes with a great sponge applicator brush.” If your candidate can point out features and benefits of whatever they’re selling to you, they will be far easier to train to sell products and services. This also shows you their confidence level and outgoingness (a trait I think is necessary for a salon salesperson).
The Bad – “Umm … I don’t really know what to do” or “You should buy this lip gloss because it’s nice.” A vague, soft spoken or in my opinion “scared” answer will most likely be the same way they will attempt to sell products and services to your guests. If you’re in business to make money, you can’t have someone behind your counter who is scared to talk to customers.
Whether or not you use any of these interview questions, remember: You can teach facts and benefits, but you can’t teach attitude and willingness to learn. When hiring staff, do not just look for a warm body who can work the shift times you need. Find a person who is outgoing, willing to learn and goal-oriented. In my experience, these are the ones who will become your long-term team members.
