EP 3.22: What to Look for in a Salon Job and What Makes You Worth Looking For

Speaker A: What's up, you guys? I'm your host, Michelle Sonor, and welcome to the Limitless Podcast. If you're fresh out of cosmetology school, getting ready to start your first job, or looking for a new salon home, this episode is for you. We're talking about how to find the right salon fit. Not just a place that's trendy, but a salon that will actually support your growth. And on the flip side, I'm going to tell you what salon owners like me are really looking for when we hire. And spoiler alert, it's not just about the talent. It's about your attitude, your energy, and your willingness to show up and grow. Whether you're applying as an assistant, a commission stylist, a rental stylist, this episode is full of real talk to help you stand out, ask the right questions, and build a career that you're proud of. So grab your notebook and let's get Limitless. Gosh, I wish this conversation was something that I had when I first got out of cosmetology school because I, uh, feel it is so important. And I say this in every single interview that I do, I say, here's the deal. It is just as important for me as a salon owner to feel like you are the right fit for my salon as it is that you feel like it's the right fit for you. And this is one of the many reasons why salons have such turnover. It's is because the stylist isn't focused on longevity and, uh, the fact that this is a place that they want to build and understanding that this is the right fit for them. And I think that a lot of this can be avoided. And I've seen a major shift in the last five years in the longevity of my staff by my interviewing process. So it definitely starts with the salon owner. But I just want to encourage you guys just make sure that you're doing your due diligence and finding the right fit. So I thought it'd be fun to kind of talk about maybe some green flags that, um, we can look for when we're looking to find a new salon home or start at a salon. So I'm going to list a couple green flags here. One of the big things that I find is you want to look for a salon that is supportive and in their training program and in their mentorship working, especially if you're fresh outta school or an assistant. I highly encourage you guys to take the time and really find someone that you can learn from because you can skip so Many hurdles by just finding someone that can lead you in the right direction. So supportive training program and mentorship, really look at who is that salon owner and do you want that person to mentorship you? Um, we have at my salon, depending on kind of what you come in at, um, we've got a hybrid salon if you're, if you're new to the podcast. So we have assistance commission stylists and rental stylists. And inside of that, there's different training required for each staff member. And training is so important, even if they are a rental stylist, because you need to have that stylist understand the expectation that you are wanting at your salon and also making sure that they are somebody that is like, teachable and wanting to grow. So making sure that that salon has training set up for you, especially right out of school, is super important. And I think that every stylist wants a growth path as well. They want to know, kind of, okay, I'm going to start here, where does this look like? Where does this go from here? And they always want to continue to grow. That's reason why there's so much turnover. And that's the reason why I transitioned from a fully commissioned salon to having a hybrid salon was I wanted to hire these high achieving people and have a place for them to grow. So how it works at my salon, if you're fresh out of school, we start you as an assistant and then you grow into a stylist. Typically that's commission right away and you have the ability to go to rental. Um, maybe you want to become an educator. I'm always encouraging my stylist to grow and I want them to be able to do that within, inside of my space. Another green flag that you want to look for is a strong culture that is an owner with a vision. And we have at our salon a culture code. This has literally saved me over the last few years because I'm able to really tell that stylist when they're interviewing what our salon is all about. So not only our culture, um, from just an individual perspective, but who we are as a team. What, uh, what type of service we provide of this is outlined in the very beginning. So you have an understanding as a stylist, what is the expectation and do I fit this culture? And it's not a bad thing if you don't fit the salon's culture. That's quite all right. It's awesome to know this is what the salon's expectations are. Do I love this or do I not? So Making sure that you remember that you have the choice and don't try to fit yourself into a box that isn't for you, because at the end of the day you're just going to get resentful over that. So finding a salon that has a strong culture I think is super, super crucial. Another thing that you should be looking for is a salon that has a brand as well. Clients. I mean, I mean in today's world there's a bajillion salons. So not only is important for the salon to be pretty, but for that salon to really have a brand that can help you grow your business behind the chair as well. I think you want to look for what that salon offers in the salon experience that you're trying to create. So, um, whether you want to create a really, you know, intimate experience that's one on one, maybe the sweet life is for you, or maybe you want more of the open concept, the high energy. Um, maybe you want amenities for your client. What does that salon look like? Is it clean? Um, at our salon, you know, we really promote having this like, you know, large open concept space with high energy, but we also want it to feel cozy and warm and like you're at home. So we offer amenities like signature drinks and signature snacks and hot towels and um, again, it's like all of these little things that make up the client experience. So you want to think about what type of experience do I want to provide? Maybe that sounds a little too bougie, a little too much for you, and you want something that is a little bit, you know, less, um, like high end. You want some like really, you know, cool, chill, low, um, that's cool too. But again, just look at the salon and look at what they offer in their salon experience and think about if that matches what you're trying to create. That also ties me into the clientele that you're wanting. So if you are somebody that's really passionate about extensions or about modern colors, you might want to find a salon that specializes in that versus finding a salon where you may be doing work that you're less passionate about. We're trying to build longevity here, right, um, longevity in, uh, your time at a salon because that's great for the salon owner and that's great for the stylist. So not to say that you shouldn't take all of the services. I believe you should take as many services as you possibly can to figure out what you love. You're going to learn something from every experience. So don't limit yourself but just making sure that the end goal, you're going to be able to build the clientele you want there. Another thing you want to look at is a fair pay structure. So salons can offer different ways of payment. I often ask in my interviews, especially to the new hires that are fresh out of school, I'm like, have you explored your options? Have you found, um, out different ways that you're able to be paid in this industry? And a lot of times the answer is no. They're like, I literally have no idea. And I don't want anybody coming into our salon feeling blind. Right? So I'm very clear and very open about how we pay and why we pay that way. And our, our, our payment is clear. I mean, I've had so many stylists reach out to me being paid in, like, illegal ways and all these crazy things. So again, just like, look out for yourself and make sure that you understand the different ways that you are going to be compensated and when and how. You know, we have direct deposit into your bank account, and this is your, your commission split, and this is your hourly rate, and, you know, this is your rent rate. All those things, right? So make sure that that's super, super clear. Um, that also gets me into the clear expectations. So what is your expectation as a stylist, and what is a salon owner's expectations? Um, if there's that lot of gray area in there that just leads to, again, confusion. Um, you want to work at a salon that has enough structure but also has flexibility. Because if there's no flexibility, that can lead to burnout, um, and exhaustion. And you want a salon owner that is open to feedback and open to growing. So making sure that you have some flexibility in there so you can live your life, enjoy your career. But also, if there's no structure at all, that's where problems come into place where, you know, there's no cleaning schedule, so people get resentful because somebody else isn't helping cleaning. Um, there's no, there's no guidelines, right? It's just a free for all. So I think having a good balance of structure and flexibility is very important. And then also making sure that they have an onboarding process. So again, like, this comes out to the structure. Like, this is where, you know, your salon owner has their stuff together. They're organized. They've like, they're not just letting anybody into the door. And you don't want to feel like just anybody gets to work there. Right? Like, you want to be at a place that, like, man, like, the best of the best work here. And this is how I got this job. Right. And that protects you for the future too, knowing that your salon owner is not just going to hire anybody and they're going to really have the salon as a whole's back and make sure that they're hiring quality people so that your work doesn't tank and your quality of experience doesn't tank because of other people in there. So those are some positive things that I think you should look for in a salon. There's probably a million other. But I want to talk about some red flags now that you might want to look into. And some of those things are going to be like, drama. Okay. I was like. I was like, where do I even start with this? So drama. No, if there's drama at the salon, oh my God, your livelihood, it is going to be so exhausting. So a salon that doesn't tolerate drama or like, kind of that, like toxic competition, right? Like a salon that's open to sharing clients with each other. Like, if one person needs to see another person, it's not a big deal. Um, I think that that is really important. You don't want to have this competition between you and your team members. Um, a salon that doesn't have any team culture, I think is a red flag. A salon that, um, has no flexibility, a salon that requires you to burn out, um, I think is a red flag. I think an inflexible leader is probably the largest red flag you could ever have. So making sure that you have a salon that you feel open to communicating with not only the owners, but your teammates as well, because you, again, that's just going to lead to a more positive environment. So open communication is super important. So a red flag is no open communication. Um, and I think that you need to also think about, like, what does your gut tell you when you're walking into a salon? We have a full process where you experience our salon in multiple different ways. So from us doing a phone call, to you touring the space, to you coming in and shadowing, and then, you know, being around the team, like really feeling what it's like to be in there on a real day with the real people with the real experience, and then we do a technical interview as well. And that is to showcase your work. So if the salon isn't doing any sort of interview process, red flag. So now I want to talk about some of the things that would make you worth hiring. So it's not, again, it's not about being the most talented because Technique is teachable, but what we're looking for is someone who's coachable. Like, can you take feedback? Are you willing to grow? Um, so coachability.

Speaker B: Ding, ding, ding.

Speaker A: Green flag. Someone with work ethic. Green flag. So will you show up? Will you stay curious? Will you stay late if you really need to? Like, again, I'm not saying I'm gonna make you work until midnight, but if your client, you know, if it takes you five extra minutes to do a great style on this client, like, are you gonna stay and do those extra details? Um, positive energy, massive green flag. We don't want someone working with us that thinks they're too cool or, or knows everything or comes in with the Debbie Downer attitude. Because if you come in with that, everybody's energy. Ah, another green flag makes you worth hiring is great communication skills. Because again, if you can master that and make the client feel amazing, even if the skills need a little bit of polishing, you're going to be successful. So we're not expecting you to know everything, but potential to grow is something that we're looking for. And lastly, here I want to talk about how to stand out in an interview or maybe things that are bad habits. Uh, we, we think first impression, right? So a big, big, big one for me is to be on time. And by be on time, I mean be early to your interview. If you are late to an interview, I am an owner that just like, ugh, cannot do the lateness. That is, it shows a sign of disrespect. Right? And so just making sure you're really conscious of, of their time, I think is super important. I mean, even on that topic, ghosting or no, showing an interview, which can happen is definitely unprofessional. You do not want to burn any bridges. So make sure that you're communicating because you never know who's going to know who. So make sure you show up on time, AKA be early, and make sure that you are dressing the part. Because if you come in and you're looking sloppy, if that's the best you could give on an interview day, what are you going to give on the other days? So that's super important. Another thing that I think makes a stylist stand out is when they've done their research about the salon, they know they want to work here. We as owners want people who want to be in our space. And if you know nothing about our salon, it gives a little bit of a, ah, take energy. Not necessarily like a give and take relationship. And especially if you're just kind of reaching out, like over Instagram, like, hi, can I come shadow at your salon? It's like, okay, uh, you know, we have a lot of people in cosmetology school that, that reach out and say, can I shadow? And we don't allow people to shadow unless they're part of our, um, interview process only because we want to maintain the quality standard for our guests that are in there. We don't just want, like, people that aren't a good fit to be in our space and hanging around our clients and kind of like diminishing the experience. So again, if we say no to that, still say, thank you so much, I completely understand. But again, like, I feel like in that situation, that person is just reaching out because they need a requirement for school, not because they're actually wanting to work at my salon. Um, or if you don't know anything about, like anything we offer at the salon or anything, because we've got it all on our website. Like, do your research, look up about the salon, Come in knowing what's going on, knowing the people, knowing the culture, knowing, like, having a reason why you want to be there, I think is so important. So do your research. I think coming with questions is always great. And even if, like, you're in a situation, like, I feel like I do a very thorough job of explaining everything when someone's in an interview. But even if you don't have any questions reiterating back to them, like, oh, you know, I really loved when you said this because it makes us as salon owners feel like you're listening to what we're saying. Another thing is following up with a thank you message. So to me, that shows that someone is really interested in our salon and that they value and respect my time when they send a thank you. Just like, hey, thank you so much for your time today. I really look forward to hearing back from you. Um, and even if you need to send a message that is, hey, you know, I'm not, I don't feel like this is the right fit for me. Still. Do not just ghost, okay? Say to the salon owner up front that you don't feel like it's the right fit for you, but you're really grateful for their time today. You do not want to burn a bridge again in our industry. You want to make sure that you keep things because there's no reason, there's no reason that you need to burn a bridge. It's just silly. So make sure that you send a follow up message in whatever fashion that might Be, um, another thing as well is to I think show just like, initiative is really, really cool to me. Like, I just like when people again, like, if maybe it's even taken a few days for me to get back to you, you just again, you send a follow up message. Like, you know, probably don't message them six times a day, but, you know, send a follow up message, like, take initiative, show that you really want to be there. I think is, is amazing. Or maybe you submitted your application, didn't hear back from a couple days. Send a follow up, like to me. That's cute. Um, I really love that. So those things are, are, are just a couple, like little ways that I feel like are kind of a lost art that you can stand out in the interview process. And as always, I want to end on. I love to keep this conversation going. I just wanted to give you guys some super quick tips today. So I hope you love this, like just fast, impactful episode. But I want to like, encourage you guys if you guys have questions or there's some feedback that you have, like, this is what I'm looking for in a salon. Or, or, you know, these are the things that I'm struggling with in my current salon. Like, I love to hear them. So I invite you to my DMs, I invite you to send me a voice memo. Um, and just remember, like, you don't need to know it all, at least for the people when I'm hiring them. But we just want you to be teachable. We want you to be humble, we want you to be hungry. Um, those are all great qualities. So, um, I want to wish you guys luck in finding the best fit for you and maybe my salon is a great fit for you. Um, we would love to hear from you. We are always accepting applications, uh, just dependent on what we're able to hire at that time. So always reach out. I can link our, um, application process below. Maybe you're a salon owner listening to this too, and you want to check out our website and kind of see what we, what we do. Um, but I'm all for sharing and it means a lot that you guys would take the time to listen to this episode. So let's end it with a little Ask me Anything where I let my listeners literally ask me anything and nothing is off limits. So if you could go back, this is the question. If you could go back and give your just graduated from cosmetology school self one piece of advice without scarring her, what would it be? I think, think it's like, right on my head today. It's just like learning more about what you're looking for in a salon. Like, I definitely had a great experience, you know, out of cosmetology school, but I think I was just really naive to, like, the options out there. Uh, so I think that that would be a piece of advice that I would give to her. And honestly, on, uh, a positive note, when I think about it, I would just say, like, your options are not limited. Like, there's so many things you can do in this industry, and I have done a lot of them. And it's just been a really, like, crazy, cool, fun, almost 15 years of being in the industry. So don't limit yourself. Like, just reach for the stars, girl. Try the thing you've been thinking about because there's a lot of possibility. So thank you so much for your questions. If you want to submit a question of your own, click the Ask me anything link in the description of this podcast. And as always, if this podcast helped or inspired you, I'd be so grateful if you would rate and review this episode. Send it to a friend. Share your social media. Send it to someone looking for a new job. Um, yeah, m. Let's share the wealth. So have a great day, you guys and xoxo.

Speaker B: I can feel it. Love the hour. Breathing. I can taste it on my lips. Mhm.